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Actions on loss and damage can either avert, minimise or address loss and damage; meaning we can prevent climate impacts by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the severity of climate impacts through adaptative measures or remedy the harm that has been caused. The Scottish Government funding on loss and damage is focused on the latter, that is, addressing the losses and damages by remedying the harm that communities are suffering.

The Scottish Government funding is focused on addressing loss and damage because partner countries have continually stressed that this is an underfunded and underacknowledged area. But our funding also, in addition, lessens future potential impacts. For example following the devastating impacts of Storm Ana and Cyclone Gombe in Malawi, the Scottish Government’s funding has supported the training of 155 artisans in the construction of safer housing using low to medium cost materials. It is expected that, with the advanced knowledge and skill, the artisans will support community members to construct more resilient homes, better able to withstand future climate shocks.

As we strive towards a lower carbon transport network and reduced environmental footprint, the wider re-use or recycling of waste materials within construction is of significant interest. Transport Scotland has investigated the potential use of waste products (including plastic) under a project funded by Scottish Road Research Board. The study provides a valuable contribution in exploring the re-use of waste derived materials within road construction and the evaluation of their overall benefits. The report, published in 2019, is available at the link below.https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/50949/briefing-report-recycled-materials-in-road-construction-and-maintenance.pdf

The report concluded that the case for waste-derived plastics to improve the performance of road materials is far from proven. There are also concerns around the quality control of mixed waste-derived plastics and this needs to be addressed to prevent variations in the material which can influence pavement performance.

The Scottish Government is a signatory of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy global commitment to end plastic pollution and has introduced legislation to prevent the use of micro-beads and single-use plastic items. Transport Scotland continues to maintain a watching brief on this topic and any such proposals will continue to be subjected to technical review against the published national standards for the design and construction of trunk roads.

No date has been set for the electrification of the Maryhill railway line. However in line with the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan this route will be considered by Transport Scotland, who will, in turn, provide advice to Scottish Ministers for decision.

The Decarbonisation Action Plan commits to all passenger diesel trains being replaced; the order and programme in which that is done will depend on business cases and available budgets.

No office has failed to deliver towards any of the strategic objectives. The progress made towards, or challenges against, achieving strategic objectives are best understood as cumulative.

Scotland’s international network comprises a broader range of partners who support our efforts across trade, investment and diplomacy. Colleagues both in Scotland and in our international offices across Scottish Government and Scottish Development International contribute together towards trade and investment measures for international sales and jobs.

The Scottish Government’s international network of offices deliver benefits to Scotland across all five strategic objectives. This is reflected in the annual monitoring and evaluation report submitted each financial year.

Monitoring and evaluation reports outline the work undertaken by each office to progress against each strategic objective; and to contribute towards ensuring they provide value for money. As part of this, offices highlight challenges as well as outlining potential and/or planned areas for improvement. In recent years this has included factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the negative impact Brexit continues to have on our economy, jobs and trade.

We recognise that there are areas where improvements can be made. The Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee’s report into the Scottish Government’s international work, published last year, highlights the challenges in measuring the impact of diplomacy and soft power, as well as quantifying areas through metrics and performance indicators as direct and immediate benefits.

This is an area where we are committed to a continuous cycle of improvement alongside ensuring our international work is measurable, transparent and available to the public. From this year, we will publish an annual report explaining how our international offices work to promote our values, objectives and priorities across the globe.

Details of progress made against each strategic objective are as follows:

Reputation

• The recently published Nation Brands Index (NBI) 2022 survey, which scores and ranks countries against six dimensions (culture, tourism, governance, immigration and investment, exports, and people) demonstrated that Scotland has achieved its highest ever reported score, jumping to 65.3 out of 100, compared to a score of 62.6 out of 100 in 2020.
• The work of the international offices in maintaining and promoting Scotland’s image abroad via facilitating collaborations, developing networks, and hosting officials and events is a key contributor to Scotland’s overall international reputation.

Trade & Investment

• The most recent monitoring and evaluation report of the offices demonstrated that cumulatively the forecast international sales within each location country as a result of SDI support totalled approximately £972,000,000 in 2021/22.
• Another source of evidence was the EY 2022 Attractiveness Survey which demonstrated that Scotland was the most successful national or region within the UK, outside London, in attracting foreign direct investment.

Research & Innovation

• Scottish education has a worldwide reputation for excellence in teaching and research and each of the international offices undertakes work to help facilitate and develop further research and innovation opportunities abroad.
• Recent examples include funding which was secured in Germany to facilitate a bilateral research collaboration in the fields of hydrogen, life sciences and biotechnology, as well as capacity building work around the Horizon Europe programme.
• In Brussels we have also worked to ensure Scotland is able to retain a role in European organisations which facilitate research, development and innovation collaboration such our membership of the Vanguard Initiative - a network of some 30 European regions.

Scotland’s Interests in the EU and Beyond

• Protecting and promoting Scotland’s interests in the EU and beyond is a key focus of Scotland’s international network. Our network comprises offices from the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise (SE) through the latter’s international trade and investment delivery arm, Scottish Development International (SDI). Collectively this network supports activity by the Scottish Government, its agencies and public and private sector partners, in strategic locations outside Scotland.
• A key feature of the international offices’ activities in this domain includes the work of the GlobalScot network, a worldwide network of entrepreneurial and inspirational business leaders, dedicated to supporting Scotland’s most ambitious companies. Within the most recent measurement and evaluation report for the offices it was demonstrated that the network continues to grow.
• The GlobalScot network now comprises 1200 individuals globally, of whom 545 are in Europe (January 2023). GlobalScots can be found in 68 countries and represent all key sectors.
• Trade and investment envoys are also a central part of Scotland’s international business network. They are ministerial appointed to promote international trade and investment interests, strengthen local market knowledge in the countries and sectors they represent and provide strategic business insight and connections. There are eleven trade and investment envoys working in a non-political capacity across specific markets and/or sectors.

For academic year 2021-2022, which is the most recent data we hold, 22,635 international students were residing in student accommodation (university halls and private purpose-built student accommodation) and 29,090 in other rented accommodation. We do not hold information specifically in relation to private rented or social rented accommodation.

International Enrolments at Scottish Universities by Accommodation Type, 2021-22

Levels of financial support from Co-operative Development Scotland to co-operatives and employee owned businesses in North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and Falkirk since 2021 is displayed in the following table.

CalMac Ferries have confirmed MV Isle of Mull is currently operating as the relief vessel on the Oban/Lochboisdale/Castlebay service.

Many remote and rural communities in Scotland are hugely impacted by wildfire incidents, which can also cause significant environmental and economic damage. This is something the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is very aware of, and it works closely with key partners, including land managers and communities, to establish a common understanding of the risks, prevention measures and response procedures. SFRS has produced a wildfire strategy with partnership at its heart, that will ensure that personnel are equipped and trained to deal with these emergency risks and that the Service’s delivery model has sufficient resilience and flexibility to support wildfire incidents occurring over extended geographies and timescales – ensuring the right resources are in in the right place at the right time to fight wildfires. This not only provides a framework for wildfire response but also a strong platform for preventative work including a joined-up approach to land management including the use of Muirburn and prescribed burning, but also wildfire mitigation in planning stages for new forest plantations.

Climate change is identified as a strategic priority in the Scottish Government’s Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2022. The Framework asks SFRS to continue to invest in the provision of specialist resources, technological advancements and forward thinking operational practices to enhance its response to wildfire incidents. It states that SFRS should continue to make use of local assets available to bolster its response during prolonged or widespread incidents such as wildfire.

We are already seeing warming here in Scotland, with more extreme weather events and rising sea levels. As a nation we must adapt to these changes and prepare for the impacts of global climate change which are already locked in. The Scottish Government is responding to the full range of climate risks identified for Scotland through its 2019 Adaptation Programme, which sets out more than 170 policies and proposals to build resilience to the impacts of global climate change as part of our Just Transition to net zero emissions by 2045. We are also preparing our next Programme, in response to the most recent UK Climate Change Risk Assessment, for publication in 2024.

Scotland is a leading financial centre, second only to London in the UK. The industry sustains more than 145,000 jobs (80,000 in financial services and 65,000 in related professional services), and the sector is the biggest contributor to Scotland's economy, representing approx. £14bn or 9.6% of GVA to the UK Economy.

The Scottish Government does not hold fintech sector specific information on how many jobs have been created in each of the last 5 years. However as at December 2022 there were 211 fintech SME enterprises in Scotland compared to just 26 in 2018.

FinTech Scotland achieved the Silver level of Cluster Excellence accreditation from the European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis awarded due to the demonstrated growth and development of the cluster.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15654 on14 March 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