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International trade and import controls are matters reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government has limited powers to reduce the amount of food imported. However, our Vision for Trade strategy clearly shows, we are committed to a balanced and nuanced approach to trade, and we know that imports are an important source of food for Scotland, offering products that cannot be produced domestically and protecting us against shocks to production. Our approach to trade preserves food security by protecting our sensitive agricultural sectors but also enabling us to comply with our World Trade Organisation obligations. We continue to press the UK Government to adopt this approach and take in account food security when negotiating trade deals, specifically market access aspects. The Scottish Government are disappointed that the UK Government has repeatedly postponed introducing checks on imports coming from the EU which causes an unacceptable risk to health and welfare. For example, the lack of checks on pork imports is currently of particular concern given the number of cases of highly contagious African Swine Fever. We have continually raised this issue with UK Government and will continue to press for checks on imports.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of domestic food production and the ongoing challenges faced by our farmers and crofters through the continued impact of Brexit, COVID-19, the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and now the cost crisis.

We recognise the importance of maintaining support for the sector; this is why we have committed to maintaining direct payments. We have also provided additional support to the food producing sector by ensuring payments through the Basic Payment Scheme and Greening payments were made in advance. Annually, the Scottish Government pays out around £420 million through these schemes. We have also established a Food Security Unit within the Scottish Government to develop evidence-based systems to monitor risks or threats to the supply chain to help mitigate future shocks and impacts on food security.

Supporting our local food businesses provides important markets for local food producers: we have provided: £15m funding towards the Scotland Food & Drink Recovery plan over 2020 to 2023; £17.5m to businesses across Scotland over the last two years through the Food Processing Marketing & Co-operation grant scheme; and £500k towards the Scottish Grocers Federation’s “Go Local” programme which has helped many independent convenience operators transform their stores and stock more locally sourced produce.

The Scottish Government does not formally assess the impact of clinical interventions.

Scottish Ministers remain committed to supporting Scotland’s fishing sector, which plays such a key role in contributing to our economic prosperity - especially in remote, rural and island communities.

Our Regional Inshore Fisheries Group (RIFG) Network is our main vehicle for delivering stakeholder-led fisheries management projects, as well as providing a forum for inshore commercial fishers and offering them a strong voice in matters that affect them.

Prior to the launch of our initial consultation, on 12 December 2022, Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) were discussed at a number of RIFG meetings –

• 7 October 2021 – All Chairs
• 4 November 2021 – All Chairs
• 5 November 2021 – West Coast
• 3 December 2021 – Outer Hebrides
• 13 December 2021 – North & East Coast
• 24 January 2022 – All Chairs
• 9 May 2022 – All Chairs
• 16 May 2022 – Outer Hebrides
• 17 May 2022 – Outer Hebrides
• 12 July 2022 – All Chairs
• 2 August 2022 – All Chairs
• 11 November 2022 – North and East Coast
• 29 November 2022 – West Coast

Officials also had regular ongoing discussions throughout 2022 with both the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) and the Scottish White Fish Producers Association (SWFPA) to hear their views as we developed our proposed approach to HPMAs. Meetings were held on –

• 11 October 2021
• 4 November 2021
• 10 December 2021
• 14 January 2022
• 4 March 2022
• 1 April 2022
• 29 April 2022
• 20 May 2022
• 24 June 2022
• 22 July 2022
• 26 August 2022
• 14 October 2022
• 11 November 2022
• 9 December 2022

Additionally, officials also had discussions specifically regarding HPMAs with the Communities Inshore Fisheries Alliance (CIFA) on 10 March 2022 and the Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation (SCFF) on 29 March 2022.

At the moment, we are at the very early stages of developing HPMAs and are yet to consider where they might be located as part of a separate process. There will be further opportunities for those involved in the fishing industry to have their say on where and how we enhance our marine protection.

There are currently two referral pathways which are being utilised by clinicians in Scotland to allow patients to access magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment for essential tremor.

The HPMA site selection guidelines, which formed part of the consultation that closed on 17 April 2023, states that the site selection process will be “based in all cases around the conservation of marine ecosystems as the priority, and driven by the presence of the following functions and resources of significance to Scotland’s seas” which include “essential fish habitats” and “strengthening the Scottish MPA network”. This may include enhancing ecological connectivity where, for example, the movement of mobile species or the transport of some species’ offspring from place to place adds value.

We have sought views on whether additional functions and resources should also inform HPMA identification as part of the consultation.

The Scottish Safety Camera Handbook is kept under continuous review by the Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board which provides strategic support and direction to the Scottish Safety Camera Programme. This acts to ensure safety camera resources continue to maximise their casualty reduction potential to communities across Scotland.

ScotRail implemented the consulted timetable in South West Scotland in May 2022 and advised this was a new starting point and passenger use would be closely monitored. As a result, in May 2023, a further five additional services will operate during the day between Ayr and Kilmarnock, improving access to employment, education, healthcare and leisure facilities for communities in south west Scotland, as many of these services originate or terminate at Girvan.

ScotRail advise that there are currently no plans to change the five trains per day which currently operate between Girvan and Stranraer – these operate at the times customers told ScotRail were most useful to them. ScotRail will continue to monitor passenger use of rail services to Stranraer and engage with communities to ensure the service level meets local needs.

Transport Scotland officials regularly meet with the A77 Action group, to which representatives from the ferry operators are invited. Meeting invites to these meetings are sent to PO Ferries, Belfast Harbour and Stena Line.

The last meeting of this group was held on 3 February 2023, however, the last meeting attended by ferry operators was in September 2022.

Representatives from Transport Scotland’s operating company AMEY also meet the ferry operators on an ad hoc basis, as part of the consultation process around planned roadworks on the trunk road network.

The Scottish MPA Monitoring Strategy sets out the Scottish Government approach to MPA related survey and monitoring to meet the requirements of assessing and reporting under a number of legislative and policy drivers including the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. To meet these reporting and assessment obligations there is a need to gather appropriate evidence to assess the condition of the sites and determine whether any implemented management measures are proving effective. This information has contributed to reports such as Scotland's Marine Assessment 2020 and the 2018 Report to Parliament.

The Scottish Government recognises the benefits magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) could provide to eligible patients with essential tremor. However, we do not formally assess the impact of clinical interventions.