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Since reporting requirements came into force on 31 st October 2019, no operators have, to date, been found liable for environmental damage under the Environmental Liability (Scotland) Regulations 2009, as amended by The Environmental Liability etc. (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019.

We are clear that there is no place for harassment or abuse of any form, whether in the workplace, schools, in the home, or in society. That is why Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls, challenges the notion that violence is inevitable or acceptable and prioritises primary prevention.

Education settings have an important role in preventing violence against women before it occurs through teaching children and young adults about healthy relationships and consent. In August 2021, we launched our ‘Equally Safe at School’ initiative which was developed with Rape Crisis Scotland, Zero Tolerance, and the University of Glasgow. Our Mentors in Violence Prevention peer education programme delivered in schools throughout Scotland seeks to enable young people to recognise and speak up against gender based violence, bullying, abusive and violent behaviour, as well as the negative societal attitudes and assumptions which underpin this behaviour.

Over the next two years, the Delivering Equally Safe Fund will invest £817,350 in the continued delivery of the national sexual violence prevention programme and the implementation of the ESAS whole school approach to preventing GBV. Furthermore, the Delivering Equally Safe funds White Ribbon Scotland £150,000 to maintain and develop projects and events which engage with men and boys to end violence against women, particularly in seeking to prevent violence before it happens.

Additionally, all higher education institutions in Scotland are expected to adopt and adapt the trauma informed Equally Safe in Higher Education Tool Kit and factor a gendered analysis into their approach to this issue. We are taking action to improve gender equality in workplaces and improve the attitudes that create the societal conditions for gender based violence to perpetuate through the employer accreditation programme Equally Safe at Work.

In Autumn 2021, Police Scotland launched the 'That Guy' sexual violence campaign across various forms of social media and TV advertisements which urged men to take responsibility and to address their behaviour as well as challenging those of their peers. The campaign stimulated conversations and turned the narrative away from preventative advice to women, towards focusing on men’s behaviour.

The Scottish Government has committed within the Programme for Government to expand the availability of the Caledonian System and increase our investment to £10 million over the next two years. The innovative and internationally recognised Caledonian System programme provides male perpetrators of domestic abuse with specific rehabilitation services to address and challenge their harmful behaviours.

The Area Based Schemes funded by the Scottish Government deliver energy efficiency improvements to fuel poor households. This does not include funding for general energy saving or energy efficiency advice, as Home Energy Scotland is available as a free and impartial service for householders across Scotland.

We require ABS projects to comply with all relevant building regulations, retrofit standards and guarantee requirements. In most cases, householders referred or invited to participate in an ABS project will receive separate technical advice about energy efficiency measures that is specific to their property. The recommendation to install an energy efficiency measure will typically be based upon the findings of a physical survey or inspection; recommendations from any relevant Energy Performance Certificate (EPC); and conform with advice on building standards. Councils will invite householders to agree to works on this basis.

To help ensure the benefit from any measures installed through ABS projects, householders will usually receive an information pack about caring for the energy efficiency improvement to their property; along with relevant product guarantees. Councils must set out the quality assurance and complaints process for their ABS projects. Typically the contracted installer and/or the manufacturer of the measure will also provide a helpline service for follow up enquiries.

From the 26 July 2021 to the 21 November 2021, 65 applications for Child Disability Payment did not progress to part 2 within the six week time period.

Social Security Scotland routinely monitors applications received and the time between when part 1 and part 2 of applications are submitted.

Information on applications received is published as part of routine Official Statistics publications on Child Disability Payment. The second high level statistics covering the period from 26 July to 21 November 2021 were recently published on 18 January 2022 and are available at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/child-disability-payment-pilot-high-level-statistics-to-21-november-2021 . The next set of Child Disability Payment statistics are due to be published in February 2022. This will cover the period from 26 July 2021 to 31 December 2021.

The Scottish Government has provided support to households for energy saving measures through a number of support and advice schemes over the last 5 years. Home Energy Scotland, administered on behalf of the Scottish Government through Energy Saving Trust, acts as a single point of access for advice on sustainable energy and fuel poverty support in Scotland. We also offer support and advice through other Scottish Government schemes providing energy saving help or fuel poverty relief to households. The information on these schemes has been provided to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre at BIB number 63123.

Forestry and Land Scotland have received no funding from the Scottish Government for their Starter Farm Programme. The funds allocated to the initiative by FLS have been generated by their Operational activities (i.e. management of Scotland’s national forests and land).

The FLS budget for FY 22/23 to maintain, repair and ensure compliance to meet statutory landlord obligations across its nine Starter Farms is £124,000.

The FLS Starter Farm programme was only established in FY 12/13 and therefore no funds were available prior to that year.

FLS made available £1,641,043 of capital to bring the Starter Farms up to a compliant and tenantable standard prior to letting.

The total cost of ongoing repair, maintenance and compliance (to meet statutory landlord obligations) between FY 13/14 – FY 21-22 was £661,858. That is broken down by financial year as follows:

The Red Rocks and Longay MPA which is located in the Inner Sound of Skye was designated as an Urgent MPA in March 2021, following discovery of the largest flapper skate nursery area in Scotland, with the site being deemed nationally important for the conservation of this critically endangered species. The protected area was further extended in December 2021 following survey work to establish the extent of the nursery. This MPA is being strictly managed using an urgent Marine Conservation Order.

An urgent MPA can only last for a maximum of two years, unless it is made permanent. In order to do this a public consultation needs to be undertaken. Today the Scottish Government will launch a consultation on proposals to make Red Rocks and Longay a permanent MPA with an associated Marine Conservation Order. The public consultation will seek views on the designation of the site and the management measures to be adopted. Following statutory advice from NatureScot that recreational and commercial hand diving for scallops do not impact on flapper skate, these activities will not be prohibited under the proposed permanent measures.

The public consultation will run for 12 weeks and can be responded to via https://consult.gov.scot/marine-conservation/red-rocks-longay-marine-protected-area

The Urgent Marine Conservation Order that is currently in place can only be in force for one year, unless extended for a maximum of one year. An Urgent Continuation Order, to ensure management measures for the Red Rocks and Longay urgent MPA remain in force whilst the public consultation is undertaken, will be laid in Parliament on Thursday 03 February 2022.

As NatureScot have advised that for flapper skate recreational diving and commercial hand diving for scallops are considered not likely to have an affect (other than insignificantly), the Scottish Government will take steps in due course to remove the prohibition of these activities under the Urgent Marine Conservation Order that is currently in force.

This means that the required protections for flapper skate and their eggs will remain in place at the Red Rocks and Longay Urgent Marine Protected area whilst the public consultation on the permanent site and final measures is undertaken. Following the public consultation, Ministers will make a final decision on the designation of the MPA and the adoption of measures to protect it through a Marine Conservation Order.

The Programme for Government 2020-21 commits the Scottish Government to consult on proposals to extend the new regulatory framework that came into force on 1 September last year for the licensing of dog, cat and rabbit breeding activities, animal welfare establishments and pet sales to performing animals and animal care services. This latter category may possibly include canine fertility clinics, particularly given the concerns of the veterinary profession about the growth and practices of such clinics across the country.

The Scottish Government has been clear since early in the pandemic that there should be where feasible a whole system response. This includes deployment of mutual aid between and across Health Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships and Local Authorities and the deployment of staff (including nurses) to care homes to meet shortages but also strengthen senior and experienced nursing in these settings.

We continue to take other measures to support the sector including workforce at this time. We recognise the pressures currently being experienced across the social care system. On 5 October, we announced a £300 million investment in health and social care as a direct response to winter planning and systems pressures. This includes £20m to enhance Multi-Disciplinary Teams, so that more social work assessments can be carried out, and to support joint working between health and social care.

We have made funding available to recruit up to 1,000 additional healthcare support staff by March 2022 to support patients in hospitals and in community health teams, including care homes. Funding of up to £15m is being provided to take forward recruitment to these posts.

Up to £48 million of funding has been made available to enable employers to update the hourly rate of Adult Social Care Staff offering direct care. This funding is critical to support retaining and recruiting staff in the sector and to alleviate the immediate pressures in Social Care and NHS/Community based health services. We have extended and will continue to raise awareness of the Disclosure Scotland Priority COVID Staff process to support the prompt recruitment and appointment of additional resource.