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We intend to publish our Strategy for Seafood today. The strategy underlines the importance of the seafood sector and sets out how we are supporting industry to contribute to achieving our Blue Economy aspirations.

Scotland’s world renowned seafood sector is a vital part of our economy that particularly supports our coastal and island communities. Our marine environment contributes significantly to our commitment to being a Good Food Nation and to the ambition of the Local Food Strategy, with locally sourced seafood forming part of a healthy sustainable diet. The fishing, aquaculture and processing communities also have an important role to play in helping us achieve Scotland’s net zero targets and in implementing a range of measures articulated in the Bute House Agreement to improve existing ecosystems, encourage sustainability and protect our marine natural capital assets.

The strategy draws together and provides cohesion to the many existing initiatives which deliver for the seafood sector, and makes some recommendations which we will continue to explore as we transition towards net zero and delivery of the Blue Economy outcomes.

We look forward to taking this important work forward with the sector.

The publication of the strategy is consistent with our Programme for Government commitment to publish a strategy for seafood in 2022 and the document will be available to view on the Scottish Government website from today.

We recognise that installer skills for zero emissions heating systems and energy efficiency measures will need to scale up significantly to support the scale of ambition in our heat in buildings strategy.

Since publishing our draft Heat in Buildings Strategy for consultation in February 2021, we have increased our investment in skills and training opportunities within this sector. Over £1.49 million has been invested through our National Transition Training Fund (NTTF), which has supported over 3,350 participants to access courses for heat pump, energy efficiency and retrofit construction skills. NTTF is now complete and the findings from this and other skills programmes will inform the development of a lifetime skills offer. This is one of the key skilled workforce commitments set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation

We have also provided £160,000 capital investment for colleges in the north of Scotland for heat pump and thermal insulation training equipment, with further investment in the South of Scotland colleges provided by the SP Energy Networks Green Economy Fund.

Further initiatives include the Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF), the Heat Pump Skills Grant and MCS Certification Fund.

FWDF provides funding to help employers address priority skills gaps and training needs in their organisations. It provides up to £15,000 of training support to UK Apprenticeship Levy payers, and up to £5,000 is accessible to non-levy paying SMEs. Training can be delivered in partnership with a local college, the Open University in Scotland or through an independent training provider.

The Heat Pump Skills Grant is delivered in partnership between the Energy Saving Trust and Energy Skills Partnership and has supported 10 colleges across Scotland in providing additional heat pump training to their plumbing and heating apprentices.

The MCS Certification Fund is offered to assist Scottish SMEs installing heat pumps in achieving MCS certification for the first time. This funding is for installers who are not currently MCS certified for heat pumps and who want to become MCS certified for any heat pump technology (air, water, or ground source).

A wide range of training opportunities for individuals, including heating related courses, are also available through the Individual Training Account scheme. The Scheme offers unemployed individuals or those on a low income, aged 16 and over, up to £200 per year to help them develop skills to enter into or progress in jobs within key sectors.

We recognise the need to continue our support for skills and training in this sector. We will shortly publish a new Supply Chains Delivery Plan, setting out a broad system of support for businesses working in the energy efficiency and zero emissions heating retrofit sector.

All NHS Scotland Boards are providing assessment and support for people with long COVID, delivered across the full range of services provided by our NHS.

In 2022-23, funding of £18 billion is provided for the health portfolio. This substantial investment is already benefitting a range of services that are supporting the needs of people living with long COVID.

In addition, we have established a £10 million ‘Long COVID Support Fund’ and are investing an initial £3 million from the fund over this financial year to enable NHS Boards to continue to develop and deliver the best models of care for their local populations.

For 2022-23, the funding allocations to thirteen of the fourteen territorial Health Boards (NHS Orkney did not request funding), I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09934 on 23 August 2022. 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 .

£10 million of funding was announced for long COVID in 2021 for a 3 year period, with the first year’s expenditure being £3 million. We will monitor the progress of the initiatives being funded by this investment and use this to inform expenditure in the remaining 2 years to best meet the needs of people living with long COVID.

In 2022-23, funding of £18 billion is provided for the health portfolio. This substantial investment is already benefitting a range of services that are supporting the needs of people living with long COVID.

Around the world, science has begun the work of trying to find an explanation, and treatments, for long COVID. We are investing £2.5 million in 9 Scottish-led research studies through our Chief Scientist Office. These studies aim to improve the understanding of the long-term effects of COVID-19 on physical and mental health and wellbeing in Scotland, and inform clinical interventions to support recovery and rehabilitation.

Financial support for travel is available for patients and authorised escorts, according to eligibility criteria and medical requirements. Health boards are responsible for reimbursing patient travel expenses, in line with Scottish Government guidance, and payments will continue as normal until the review of the guidance is completed.

Where travel is necessary, Boards are expected to support patients to identify and access support available, taking account individual circumstances and ensuring patient care is at the centre of all decisions.

The impact of the unprecedented global pandemic has been felt all across the health service, and while we regret that the planned review had to be paused it will be taken forward as soon as possible, and requires prioritisation alongside our ongoing response to Covid and recovery of services.

As investigations into this matter are ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10043 on 24 August 2022. 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 former Lord Advocate, James Wolffe KC, and the former Solicitor General, Alison di Rollo KC, had sight of the note submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019.

The Scottish Government does not hold any data on vehicles that have been recorded entering the Low Emission Zones declared in May 2022.

Local Authorities in the LEZ cities are responsible for data gathering.

As the ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras have not yet been installed in the LEZ cities, data on vehicles recorded entering these zones is not yet available.

Section 34 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 is now in force, providing wider powers for local transport authorities to run their own buses. Additionally, secondary legislation to enable bus franchising and partnership options will be introduced before the end of 2023. These powers will complement and continue to build on the service improvements supported through the Bus Partnership Fund.

We recognise that not every local authority will want to run their own bus services, but the new powers enable them to determine what is best for their local areas. We will continue to work with local authorities as they explore the full range of options set out in the 2019 Act, including local authority-run bus services. Work is currently ongoing with local authorities and COSLA to determine how best to allocate funding in light of the emergency budget review.