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The Scottish Government wants to see Scotland’s sea connections to Europe enhanced. We work closely with Scotland’s main ports across a range of issues including the potential for new freight and passenger ferry services. Commercial stakeholders are fundamental to any new service being realised. The former Minister for Business and officials met shipping and freight forwarding companies, port operators and hauliers to explore how Scottish exporters chose their routes to market, and current Ministers and officials continue to meet port operators and haulage and shipping associations to understand future market demand.

The Scottish Government remains confident that the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is delivering a reduction in harmful emissions and look forward to receiving confirmed statutory air quality reports from Glasgow City Council in due course. Air quality is generally good in Scotland with all our automatic air quality monitoring stations reported to be meeting the air quality objectives in 2022. However there are localised areas within Glasgow’s city centre where poor air quality remains an issue. The enforcement of Glasgow’s LEZ only began on 1 June 2023. It is therefore too early to determine the impact of the LEZ on annual air quality targets for Glasgow.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20927 on 19 September 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government commissioned a review of gene editing for the benefit of plant health, published in January 2022, from the Plant Health Centre. The review included evidence gathering and participation from a wide range of Scottish academics and research providers, as well as from NFUS, and considered implications for the agricultural, horticultural and forestry sectors. It included impacts on the natural environment, and a variety of other areas, such as disease resistance, yield, inputs and food production.

The Scottish Government also has access to significant expertise in its advisors, including the Chief Scientific Advisor for Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

The total spend on additional support for learning in 2021-22 is set out in the following table.

The National Development Project Fund (NDPF) forms part of Scottish Government's investment in services to reduce problem drugs and alcohol use and reflects the priorities of the Rights, Respect and Recovery strategy. In January 2019, Ten projects were awarded NDPF funding to address gaps in advocacy, family inclusive services, and start-up investment for new approaches to recovery.

In October 2019, the Scottish Government commissioned Iconic Consulting to evaluate the NDPF.

In March 2021, the Scottish Government published an evaluation ( National Development Project Fund (NDPF) - evaluation: final report ) of those projects which were supported through the NDPF. Of the ten projects evaluated, six were Advocacy based.

Through the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF), to date, we have allocated over £22 million to co-invest with a diverse range of Scottish manufacturers to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions through increased energy efficiency and deep decarbonisation projects.

In Scotland we have 7.9 (June-23) qualified Nurses per 1,000 population, compared to 5.9 (May-23) in England and 7.5 (Sept-22) in Wales.

The launch of our National Mission in January 2021 has meant that some of the commitments set out in the Rights, Respect, Recovery Strategy and the action plan for it, refreshed in December 2020, are being delivered in a different way. Many of the action plan milestones are being delivered through the National Mission and others are being picked up as part of more recent Government commitments.

We recognise the damaging impact alcohol misuse can have and we are working to ensure that people with problematic alcohol use can access treatment that is suitable for them at the time they need it.

On 7 September 2023 the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol supported a Member’s Debate Motion calling for investment in alcohol services - outlining the Government’s plan to reduce harm from alcohol misuse. The plan includes measures to improve access to treatment and support, including through stabilisation and crisis management, expansion in local assertive outreach services and increasing the availability of residential rehabilitation placements. The plan also includes working with partners and stakeholders to implement alcohol treatment standards – building on the forthcoming UK-wide Clinical Alcohol Treatment Guidelines.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21623 on‎ 29 September 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers