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Yes; Forestry and Land Scotland encourages local staff to be members of / engage with Deer Management Groups. Likewise Forestry and Land Scotland does discuss / consult with local DMG’s as to their land management objectives and associated plans.

Forestry and Land Scotland do not keep central records of the volume of deer fencing erected by year. The data held relates to annual expenditure on deer fencing on Scotland's national forests and land.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce new council tax rebates based on energy efficiency ratings for properties. Individual local authorities are required by section 80A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to establish their own energy efficiency council tax discount schemes. Advice and support on improving home energy efficiency is available through Home Energy Scotland, administered by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Over each of the last five years FLS has spent the following on deer culling contracts on Scotland's national forests and land:

There are no plans to review the Access Code. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 is clear that conduct excluded from access rights includes being on or crossing land while responsible for a dog which is not under proper control. The Access Code sets a balance between the rights of those taking access and those of land managers. It states that when in a field of farm animals, people should keep their dog on a short lead or under close control and keep as far as possible from the animals. Dogs should not be taken into fields where there are lambs, calves or other young animals.

The Scottish Government considers that this advice accords with the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021 which strengthened the law around livestock worrying by increasing the maximum penalties for offences. The small minority who do not treat livestock with respect and care must be held accountable and consequences must appropriately reflect the severity of their crime.

The Scottish Government, in November 2021, issued a joint protocol for the examination of dogs suspected of livestock worrying and seized by Police Scotland under the 2021 Act. That offers guidance to veterinarians who may be asked to examine such dogs.

Scottish Government, and its agency Scottish Forestry (SF), has established a Trees on Farms sub group in support of its Customer Representatives Group, with the aim of working collaboratively across the farming / landowner and forestry sector to develop improved understanding and awareness of the benefits of planting more woodlands on farms and to promote opportunities for more mixed woodland through enhanced grant rates.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for regulating water abstractions in Scotland’s rivers under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. On behalf of the Scottish Government, SEPA monitors and assesses water abstractions and fish populations in the upper courses of Scotland's rivers against a set of environmental standards as part of River Basin Management Planning.

These environmental standards classify the status of rivers (including upper courses) to define the environmental conditions required to support healthy populations of flora and fauna, including salmon. Water flows and levels are currently classified by SEPA at good or better condition in 90% of Scotland’s water environment.

Scotland’s River Basin Management Plans 2021 - 2027 were published at the end of 2021 and include objectives for SEPA to review abstractions where the water environment is not in good condition. In particular, the flow requirements of each life stage of the salmon are considered by SEPA during any licence determination to ensure that these fish are protected. The Plans aim for an uplift in the condition of flows and levels in Scotland’s water environment to 96% by 2027.

The Scottish Government also published the Scottish Wild Salmon Strategy on 14 January, which sets out the vision, objectives and priority themes to ensure the protection and recovery of Scottish Atlantic wild salmon populations including actions to address flows and levels in rivers and water scarcity in drought conditions.

Scottish Government considers there to be sufficient abattoir capacity in Scotland for farmed venison and flexibility to increase that capacity if required. For wild venison, £80,000 has been made available through the Covid Recovery Opportunities Fund to create new local chill and processing units. These will be demonstration projects and will support delivery of the Scottish Venison Strategy action to invest in area-based facilities to maintain wild carcass quality and build supply of local product. Contracts have recently been offered and details of the projects will be announced in due course.

The Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland (SAPRS) is a joint initiative supported by Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Government, Plan stakeholders and partners.

An evaluation of the SAPRS is currently underway; it will be published in Summer 2022.

This will help inform what future action is needed to drive forward coordination and delivery of skills for rural Scotland and as such we are keen not to pre-empt the outcome of the evaluation.