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The Scottish Government plans to consult on extending the animal licensing framework introduced in 2021 to a number of animal care services, including commercial dog walking. We expect to launch a public consultation on our proposals in early summer this year.

The Scottish Government has no plans to establish such a fund; however, we are currently considering a number of advocacy-related recommendations from the Scottish Mental Health Law Review. This includes whether a national dedicated independent advocacy service for unpaid carers should be developed.

Independent advocacy is central to empowering people to have their voices heard and to participate fully in decisions about their care. The Scottish Government is committed to co-designing, with people with lived experience including unpaid carers, and implementing a coherent, consolidated and consistent approach to independent advocacy across the National Care Service.

The Scottish Government also funds the Social Security Independent Advocacy Service, delivered independently by VoiceAbility. This is available to support anyone who self-identifies as disabled to access their Scottish Government benefits. This means the service is available free of charge to all carers and cared-for-people who identify as such.

Levels of financial support from Co-operative Development Scotland to co-operatives and employee owned businesses in North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and Falkirk since 2021 is displayed in the following table.

No decision has yet been taken with regard to Scottish Government funding to support student mental health services within colleges and universities beyond the end of the current Academic Year.

We have met our manifesto commitment to provide more than 80 additional counsellors in Further and Higher Education over four years.

In this, the final Academic Year of the commitment, despite an extremely challenging fiscal environment, we have confirmed a further £2 million to the end of this financial year and are committed to provide further funding for the remainder of this Academic Year, which falls into the Government’s next financial year. Details of this will be confirmed in due course, as part of the budget setting exercise for 2023-24.

We are producing an evidence and evaluation-informed Student Mental Health Plan. The Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group, which I chair, is driving this work forward. The Plan will provide a framework for mental health services in colleges and universities, recognising the existing eco-systems of services available for students, and will be linked to the wider Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

For the period between the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Act 2021 coming into effect and 31 August 2021, information relating to the Scottish Government's use or considered use of the section 1(1) power of the Act is in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2022/eu-alignment--continuity-act--6-may.pdf

For the period 1 September 2021 - 31 August 2022 information is also in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/eu-continuity-act--draft-annual-report-for-laying--final--27-oct-2022.pdf

The Scottish Government has used the section 1(1) power in respect of The Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022, relating to drinking water standards. These amended the Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2014 to implement partially Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption. The section 1(1) power has not been used in relation to food and livestock updates or digital content and services.

For the period between the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Act 2021 coming into effect and 31 August 2021, information relating to the Scottish Government's use or considered use of the section 1(1) power of the Act is in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2022/eu-alignment--continuity-act--6-may.pdf

For the period 1 September 2021 - 31 August 2022 information is also in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/eu-continuity-act--draft-annual-report-for-laying--final--27-oct-2022.pdf

Since the enactment of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021, the Scottish Government has used the section 1(1) power to introduce secondary legislation once, in respect of The Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022. This legislation was subject to the affirmative procedure.

For the period between the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Act 2021 coming into effect and 31 August 2021, information relating to the Scottish Government's use or considered use of the section 1(1) power of the Act is in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2022/eu-alignment--continuity-act--6-may.pdf

For the period 1 September 2021 - 31 August 2022 information is also in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/eu-continuity-act--draft-annual-report-for-laying--final--27-oct-2022.pdf

The Scottish Government has not used the ‘keeping pace’ power in regards to primary legislation. The ‘keeping pace’ power in section 1(1) of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Act 2021 is a power to make secondary legislation, therefore primary legislation would not be made under the ‘keeping pace’ power.

There are 586 co-operatives and 195 employee owned businesses in Scotland. Data on these businesses is not collected on a per local authority basis.

Scottish Ministers have attended the Arctic Circle Assembly (ACA) every year it has been held since 2016. The Scottish Government remains committed to building on the strong partnership that it has established with the Arctic Circle secretariat, with a view to continuing to showcase relevant Scottish expertise internationally and facilitating Scottish-Arctic collaboration. A decision on Ministerial attendance will be made once an official invitation has been received.

Actions on loss and damage can either avert, minimise or address loss and damage; meaning we can prevent climate impacts by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the severity of climate impacts through adaptative measures or remedy the harm that has been caused. The Scottish Government funding on loss and damage is focused on the latter, that is, addressing the losses and damages by remedying the harm that communities are suffering.

The Scottish Government funding is focused on addressing loss and damage because partner countries have continually stressed that this is an underfunded and underacknowledged area. But our funding also, in addition, lessens future potential impacts. For example following the devastating impacts of Storm Ana and Cyclone Gombe in Malawi, the Scottish Government’s funding has supported the training of 155 artisans in the construction of safer housing using low to medium cost materials. It is expected that, with the advanced knowledge and skill, the artisans will support community members to construct more resilient homes, better able to withstand future climate shocks.