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There is a cash reduction in the total DEL resources available to the Scottish Government in 2015-16 compared to 2016-17, taking into account the HM Treasury allocation and factors such as the reduction in the ring fenced non-cash DEL budget that covers the costs of student loans and the addition in 2015-16 of resources carried forward by the Scottish Government through the budget exchange arrangements.

As I announced to the Parliament on 16 December 2015, the Scottish Government will set out its intentions with regard to income tax ahead of the dissolution of Parliament at the end of March 2016. This is, however, subject to reaching an agreement with the UK Government on a new fiscal framework to support the Scotland Bill 2015.

As I set out in my 2016-17 Draft Budget statement to Parliament on 16 December 2015, the Scottish Government will bring forward plans for reform of the present council tax, reflecting the principles of the Commission on Local Tax Reform’s report; enter into a consultation with local government about the possible future assignation of a proportion of income tax receipts, thereby giving local authorities an incentive to boost economic growth in their areas; and launch a review of the non-domestic rates system in Scotland, before the end of the current parliamentary term.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29237 on 22 January 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The recent Scottish Development International visit to Iran was not a trade mission. Two officials visited Iran from 7-9 December 2015 to discuss possible future opportunities for Scottish companies in the oil and gas sector.

The visit to Iran undertaken later in December 2015 by SNP MPs and an MSP was a separate visit with no Scottish Enterprise or Scottish Government involvement. It will be for the delegation to decide whether its report on the visit will be published.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29237 on 22 January 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government plans to use the devolution of powers over air passenger duty (APD) to Scotland to put in place new arrangements which will help to boost Scotland's international connectivity and economic competitiveness. To support these objectives, we will reduce the burden of APD in Scotland by 50%. The reduction will begin when a Scottish replacement tax is introduced in April 2018 and will be delivered in full by the end of the next Scottish Parliament. We will abolish the tax entirely when resources allow. The costs associated with this policy will be subject to decisions yet to be taken on how a Scottish replacement tax is designed and structured, how the 50% reduction is implemented, the impact of recent and future changes to UK APD, and future growth in passenger numbers.

The Scottish Government plans to publish a policy consultation paper seeking views on how a Scottish replacement tax should be designed and structured to best support our strategic objectives, building on the work of the stakeholder forum which we established in August 2015.

The proposals in the Draft Budget 2016-17 on empty property relief and on renewable energy generation relief would account for around £60 million and £10 million of non-domestic rates income respectively.

I have had no direct discussions with the Scottish Local Government Partnership (SLGP) about the 2016-17 budget as I have made it clear that I will only negotiate the local government finance settlement with COSLA. Representatives of the SLGP have however been active in the consultation process on the distribution of the 2016-17 local government finance settlement.

The following table sets out the comparison between the figures for the year to December 2014 compared to the figures for the year to January 2013:

*Values for less than five have been supressed to decrease the risk of disclosure of information about individuals.

**'Minority ethnic' covers the non-white broad ethnic groups: African, Caribbean or Black; Asian, Asian Scottish and Asian British; mixed or multiple ethnic group; other ethnic group.

The ‘Delivering Diversity’ section (pp. 35-41) of the 2014-15 Annual Report of the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland sets out further analysis of the figures and a commentary on progress. It is available here: http://www.ethicalstandards.org.uk/publications/publication/770/cespls-annual-report-201415

Figures for the 12 month period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2015 are currently being collated and analysed; a progress report will be available by the end of February 2016 on the Appointed for Scotland website: www.appointed-for-scotland.org