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The Scotland Reserve was established following the 2016 Scotland Act and was effective from 1 April 2017. Amounts allocated annually to the Scotland Reserve since 1 April 2017 are included on the table below as well as details of all other movements within the Scotland Reserve during the relevant financial years.

Over the course of this parliament, we have committed to investing £1.8 billion into zero emissions heating and energy efficiency across Scotland. This includes the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland Loan and Cashback scheme which currently provides households with up to £17,500 of combined loan and cashback funding for the installation of zero emissions heating systems.

The current Home Energy Scotland loan scheme has been operational and supporting households for some time, with the cashback element introduced in 2020. Through the Heat in Buildings Strategy we have also committed to replacing the cashback element of the scheme with a standalone grant during the course of 2022-23.

In developing the new grant scheme and setting grant levels, we are examining a range of evidence. This consideration will include the recent reports published by Nesta. This report and follow up report ‘how to increase the demand for heat pumps’ published in June 2022 by Nesta raises many informative findings, amongst them that a combination of incentives was found to be the most effective in increasing heat pump uptake, in particular a grant combined with lower running costs of the system.

The Scottish Government aims to make the installation of zero emissions heating systems both desirable and achievable for households across Scotland, and the future development of the Home Energy Scotland Loan and Grant scheme will play a large part in this.

Scottish Government has invested £2,959,658.23 in the Support in the Right Direction (SiRD) programme in financial year 2022-23. The SIRD programme is managed by Inspiring Scotland and has a presence in all 32 local authority areas, with each SiRD organisation providing services targeted to the needs of disabled people.

As all Self-directed Support Strategic Delivery partners support all people that require social care, Inspiring Scotland are committed to ensuring that all funding made available to SiRDS organisations either directly or indirectly support the needs of disabled people through accessing services provided by SiRD organisations

Latest HMRC (Regional Trade Statistics) RTS statistics show that in 2021, based on total trade in goods (imports plus exports), Scotland’s largest trading partner was the USA at £5.5 billion. Note this data only includes trade in goods and not services and excludes oil and gas (SITC 3 – Mineral fuels).

We fully understand that women want mesh removal surgery undertaken by surgeons who enjoy their full confidence and a range of measures are now in place to ensure that this happens.

The Complex Pelvic Mesh Removal Service has been established in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC). This service assesses needs and where appropriate, and subject to shared decision making and informed consent, performs mesh removal surgery. The Service has undertaken a number of mesh removal surgeries since its designation, despite the impact of the pandemic on activity levels across the Health Service. To complement Scottish services women can also, if they so wish, request to be treated at one of the NHS England Specialist Centres.

In addition, and exceptionally, women now have the option to request to be referred on to one of two independent providers. A contract with Spire Healthcare, where Professor Hashim operates, was agreed earlier this year and arrangements for the first patients to travel to Bristol are underway. Furthermore, I am pleased to be able to announce today that a contract has been agreed with Gynaecologic and Reconstructive Surgery Ltd, Missouri, USA, where Dr Veronikis operates. NHS National Services Scotland will now work closely with NHS GGC and local Health Boards to facilitate the arrangements for those who wish to travel to the USA for mesh removal surgery.

It is expected that anyone seeking mesh removal from either Professor Hashim or Dr Veronikis first discuss this with their local clinicians within their own Health Board. If considered appropriate at that stage, and in line with a process agreed with the independent providers, they would then be referred to the Complex Pelvic Mesh Removal Service in NHS GGC for consideration by a full multi-disciplinary team (MDT). If it is agreed that surgery is appropriate, the patient can choose to be treated by the service already available in NHS Scotland or to be referred to a specialist NHS centre in England or to one of the independent providers. Each of these options will be available free of charge. I would encourage anyone who wishes referral to one of these services to make their wishes known to their clinical team, if they have not already done so.

The independent analysis report of the responses to the not proven verdict and related reforms consultation will be published today, 12 July 2022 and will be available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781804356890 .

The consultation received 200 responses, of which 21 were from organisations and 179 from individuals, and these will also be published today, where we have permission to do so, at https://consult.gov.scot/justice/not-proven-verdict/ .

We must now give careful consideration to the full range of views received on these complex issues. The findings from this consultation analysis, along with a range of other information and evidence from engagement and consideration of the issues, will inform the decision making process on any potential recommendations for reform.

Any potential reforms will be considered alongside wider work, including the outcome of the current consultation on improving victims’ experiences of the justice system . That consultation includes consideration of those recommendations of the Lord Justice Clerk’s review on improving the management of sexual offence cases which require legislative change to implement.

The final recruitment figures under Action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-27 will be published today, 12 July, at 10:30am, at Mental health workers: quarterly performance reports - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . A total of 958.9 whole time equivalent mental health staff have been recruited in key settings over 4 years, significantly exceeding the original commitment for 800 additional workers.

Work is currently underway to deliver our 2021-22 Programme for Government commitment that “by 2026, every GP Practice will have access to a mental health and wellbeing service, funding 1,000 additional dedicated staff who can help grow community mental health resilience and direct social prescribing”.

While each area has the flexibility to develop services to meet the needs of their own local communities, the Scottish Government has been clear on the need for multi-disciplinary teams who will provide assessment, advice, support and some levels of treatment for people who have mental health, distress or wellbeing needs.

These teams could include Occupational Therapists, Mental Health Nurses, Psychologists, Enhanced Practitioners, Peer Support Workers as well as linking to others such as those providing financial advice, exercise coaches, family support networks. Every service should ensure that it provides access to a link worker to support wellbeing.

This commitment builds on the significant progress that has already been made through Action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-27, where 356.1 WTE posts have been recruited to GP settings; and the Primary Care Improvement Fund, which at March 2022 has seen a total of 260 recruited.

No methane inhibiting feed additive products have yet been approved for use in Scotland but the Scottish Government has been receiving interest from the livestock industry about the potential of such products. In their report last year the Suckler Beef Climage Group noted the potential of such products in reducing overall methane emissions.

It is likely that such products will be authorised on a GB basis due to the applications for the authorisation of a regulated food or feed product or process in GB. As such Scottish Government officials are working with other GB administrations to consider the best approach to strengthening engagement with industry on this topic to understand the potential of such new technologies in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Scottish Government acknowledges that the STUC have declared a cost-of-living emergency and are calling for a national food summit.

We know that inflation is having the biggest impact on those with the lowest incomes. The UK Government holds most of the powers needed to tackle this crisis but the Scottish Government are doing what we can within our devolved powers and fixed budget, and have allocated almost £3 billion to a range of supports this year that will contribute to mitigating the impact of the increased cost of living on households. This includes work to tackle child poverty, reduce inequalities and support financial wellbeing, alongside social security payments not available anywhere else in the UK.

We have already consulted on a draft plan on ending the need for food banks and will publish a final version of this in the Autumn. This will further strengthen cash-first responses to hardship so that people have the income they need to access food and other essentials.

In addition, on 17 March 2022, the Scottish Government established a short-life Food Security and Supply Taskforce to monitor potential disruption to the food and drink supply chain as a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Taskforce recognised that, while immediate supplies of food are secure, there is greater strain on the food supply chain than has been seen for many years, as a result of cumulative shocks to it from COVID-19, Brexit and the Ukraine conflict.

The Taskforce report was published on 23 June 2022 and included a series of recommendations that it hopes will help to bolster industry confidence during these hugely challenging times. [ Short Life Food Security and Supply Taskforce: report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ]