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Scotland’s inward investment plan recognises the importance of spillover benefits that inward investment can bring to the Scottish economy. The focus is on attracting embedded investments which deliver knowledge exchange and supply chain benefits for Scottish businesses and educational institutions, as well as on creating high value jobs.

Potential inward investment projects are assessed by Scottish Development International based on agreed parameters, including planned jobs and supply chain impacts, with regional account teams specifically assessing local developmental linkages.

The Scottish Government, in collaboration with delivery partners, has commissioned an independent evaluation of inward investment support which includes a focus on these factors. The evaluation is due to be published in summer 2023 but findings show that inward investment projects attracted in recent years are typically of the developmental nature described by Ivan Turok, namely that they:

1. have a high degree of local autonomy;

2. play an important role in global value chains;

3. deliver significant supply chain benefits;

4. are engaged in knowledge exchange with businesses and with the Higher & Further Education sectors;

5. are diverse in terms of the mix of industrial sectors;

6. exhibit high levels of innovation; and

7. often expand operations in subsequent years.

Orkney Islands Council is wholly responsible for their inter-island ferries, including vessel maintenance, and therefore they or Orkney Ferries Limited would be best placed to provide this information.

The national standards for the delivery of adult tier 2 and tier 3 weight management services require that weight management services should be provided to those above 18 years of age. There should be no upper age limit for people accessing these services.

In the interest of patient safety and the clinical effectiveness of the intervention, age limits may be set for more intensive interventions, based on published evidence.

In relation to more intensive weight management interventions, such as the type 2 diabetes remission programme of total diet replacement, the criteria set by the national clinical advisory group in relation to age is men and women aged 18–65 years. This was done in keeping with the protocol from the DiRECT clinical trial. The standards set out that exceptions may be made where appropriate.

The standards reference bariatric surgery because of the essential role of tier 3 weight management services in the preparation and progression for such surgery. However, as bariatric surgery is a tier 4 service, it is not within the scope of the standards. For bariatric surgery as a weight loss intervention, an upper age limit of 44 years is set for priority groups within the National Performance Forum Obesity Treatment: Best Practice Guide.

In all instances, NHS boards have responsibility for service delivery and patient treatment and make decisions to offer services based on clinical judgement and local needs.

SEPA and Scottish Water communications campaigns highlight the public’s role in managing our water environment, this summer and beyond.

SEPA encourages the reporting of dry rivers and burns. They request that photographs of the conditions are submitted if available together with location data. This helps provide the best possible understanding of the impacts of dry weather.

Scottish Government urges households using private water supplies for drinking water which have run dry to contact their local authorities for assistance.

While we encourage public reporting SEPA and Scottish Water have the lead in monitoring water resources and ensuring action can be taken swiftly where required.

The Scottish Government is working closely with SEPA and the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) to communicate the risk of water scarcity to businesses who abstract water.

SEPA have been running a communications campaign since the start of May to encourage agricultural businesses and others to manage water wisely. This involves regular national and local press releases, media interviews, partnership with industry publications and participation in FAS podcasts, providing practical advice and support to farmers. SEPA also directly communicate with license holders if there a risk to abstraction supplies.

A communications stakeholder group has also been set up involving the Scottish Government, SEPA, Scottish Water, Nature Scot and the NFUS to coordinate and ensure the reinforcement of key messages.

The total cost of consultants working on the National Care Service to date is £2,014,000.00.

Our refreshed Tobacco Action plan will be published in autumn in this year, which renews our focus on meeting our ambitious target of a Tobacco-Free Scotland by 2034.

We are considering a range of evidence, including the latest international evidence, and are working closely with stakeholders, including Smoking Cessation Co-ordinators, ASH Scotland, the Poverty Alliance, Trading Standards and PHS to deliver actions that will further reduce the smoking rates.

Police Scotland updated the Scottish Police Authority Resources Committee on 9 May 2023, that the Fettes workshop has been closed, with business continuity arrangements put in place; and that staff have been relocated from the affected area in Baluniefield. No immediate action has been taken in Perth as the RAAC is limited to one small area and is graded low risk. Police Scotland has also provided assurance that there is no risk from RAAC to officers, staff or visitors across the police estate.

On 13 June the Cabinet met with Fraser McKinlay – Chief Executive Officer of The Promise Scotland and Fiona Duncan – Chair of The Promise Scotland and Independent Strategic Advisor for the Promise.

Through Scottish Government’s commitment of £36 Million over this parliamentary term, The Climate Justice Fund [CJF] continues to focus on supporting communities being impacted first and worst by the climate crisis.

£7 Million of this has been committed to be spent on Loss and Damage over this parliament (to March 31 2026). £1.7 Million has already been delivered through grants. For details of expenditure I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13351 on 10 January 2023. In addition, once the selection process and delivery mechanism for the £5 Million funding for non-economic loss and damage is finalised, initiatives can begin to be funded through this programme on the otherwise underfunded and undervalued area of addressing non-economic and slow-onset loss and damage.

Scottish Government is expanding its Human Rights Defendership Fellowship programme to include two £50,000 Gender and Environment fellowships. The fellowship will allow human rights defenders from other countries to spend several months in Scotland to develop their work, skills and extend their networks in a safe place.

A further £24 Million will be awarded through the Climate Just Communities programme over three years. This will be split across Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia to build more inclusive communities that are resilient to the material and social effects of climate change.

Officials are developing options for Cabinet Secretary consideration for allocation of the as yet uncommitted funding.

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