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Scottish Local Authorities publish regional forestry and woodland strategies which are used to identify suitable areas for woodland expansion. These strategies aim to deliver a wide range of benefits from new woodland, including conserving and enhancing biodiversity, and the development of habitat networks.

These strategies are informed by other relevant plans and strategies, including Biodiversity Action Plans and Habitat Network Plans. Maps of existing habitat networks and priority species are analysed to inform the identification of potential and preferred areas for a range of woodland creation types illustrated in these strategies. This biodiversity information is also used when assessing applications for woodland creation projects under the Forestry Grant Scheme.

Furthermore, any individual application for Environmental Impact Assessment consent or grant funding for woodland creation submitted to Forestry Commission Scotland is assessed for potential cumulative environmental impacts, due to its proximity to any other woodland creation projects approved or planted in the last 5 years.

The key tool used to inform tree species and planting location decisions is the Ecological Site Classification decision-support system, developed by Forest Research. The system models the potential growth of a given tree species based upon its tolerance to the site’s climate and soil type.

The system and supporting information is available free of charge to download from the Forest Research website: https://www.forestry.gov.uk/esc.

Waste management at sea comes under MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) which is enacted in law in the UK through the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage and Garbage from Ships) Regulations 2008.

At sea, CalMac Ferries Ltd (CalMac) as a vessel operator, are bound by the requirements of MARPOL which prevents the disposal of certain items overboard. CalMac have extended their policy beyond the requirements of MARPOL with a Zero disposal overboard policy. This is widely advertised in both public and private parts of the vessels.

Under the Harbour Operating Agreement CalMac have a responsibility as Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s (CMAL) Harbour Operator to ensure that litter in all public areas is kept to a minimum as outlined in the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (COPLAR) 2006.

At ports and Harbours operated by CalMac on behalf of CMAL, CalMac are responsible for providing adequate waste reception facilities for all harbour users and ensuring that this waste is stored, handled and disposed in a suitable manner.

Poor air quality affects the health of everyone in Scotland but especially the very young and old and those with pre-existing illnesses such as heart disease and respiratory conditions. In 2010, the UK Government Department of Health’s expert advisory committee, the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) produced estimates of the burden of added mortality associated with particulate pollution at UK level.The report noted that attributable life expectancy lost in Scotland associated with PM_2.5 is 3 to 4 months on average.

The Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy (CAFS) sets out a series of actions for Government, Transport Scotland, local authorities and others to further reduce air pollution and its impact on public health across Scotland.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities in Scotland have a statutory duty to clear litter from all verges and roads, including trunk roads. Transport Scotland, through its operating companies, is responsible for clearing litter from motorways and special roads.

The A74(M)/ M74 DBFO (Autolink), M77 DBFO (Connect) and M80 DBFO (HMG) undertake litter picking as part of routine and cyclic maintenance.

Transport Scotland and its trunk road operating companies regularly meet with local authority officials to discuss trunk road related matters. The trunk road network is inspected on a weekly basis and where littering and litter collection is identified as an issue – or where complaints are received by members of the public – our operating companies report these to the appropriate local authority for their attention. If the issue relates to litter on a motorway or special road, the operating company actions the appropriate response.

The operating companies are required to submit their annual grass cutting programmes to the local authorities and to liaise with them to coordinate litter picking operations by the local authorities prior to grass cutting operations by the operating companies.

To ensure our operating company contracts deliver value for money, Transport Scotland has in place the Performance Audit Group (PAG) who audit, monitor and report on the financial, technical and performance aspects of the operating companies to ensure standards are being met.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities in Scotland have a statutory duty to clear litter from all verges and roads, including trunk roads such as the A9. Transport Scotland, through its operating companies, is responsible for clearing litter from motorways and special roads.

The A74(M)/ M74 DBFO (Autolink), M77 DBFO (Connect) and M80 DBFO (HMG) undertake litter picking as part of routine and cyclic maintenance. Each of the DBFO Companies is responsible for undertaking litter picking as part of the agreement to maintain and operate the road under a 30 year concession and these costs are commercially confidential.

The table below shows the amount spent by our 5 operating companies (excluding DBFOs named above), per year since 2013-14, on removing litter from motorways and special roads :

Official statistics show that in 2015-16, average revenue expenditure per primary school pupil in Scotland was £4,877 and average revenue expenditure per secondary school pupil in Scotland was £6,920.

The Scottish Government is already using climatic, tree growth and soil data to inform the choice of tree species and siting of new woodlands to deliver our current annual planting target of 10,000 hectares. We will continue to commission targeted research including on carbon sequestration, to inform the delivery of our ambition to increase our tree planting targets up to 15,000 hectares from 2024-25.

VisitScotland is a key member of the multi partner group established by Highlands and Islands Enterprise to lead on the strategic delivery of the opportunities offered by the North Coast 500. In addition, VisitScotland have provided support and assistance in marketing this iconic route since it was launched and actively continue to do so. Current activity includes features on VisitScotland's consumer website; production of a video on its YouTube channel; social media activity including on Twitter and Instagram; and reference in direct marketing communications within UK and overseas. VisitScotland also includes the NC500 in its press trips - forthcoming engagements include with the i newspaper in August and French publication Le Point in Autumn. I also relaunched VisitScotland's Classic Car Welcome Scheme in March, with a specific focus on encouraging NC500 members as a means of promoting their businesses to classic car owners.