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The Scottish Government is aware of the impact the necessary public health restrictions have had on businesses. We announced £375m of support for businesses impacted by measures introduced to control the spread of Omicron and this includes £19m for close contact businesses. This close contact fund is targeted at those who have been the most affected by the updated public health guidance introduced from 9 December 2021 to 24 January 2022, for example beauty services, hairdressers and wellness services. Driving instructors are not in scope at this stage.

We continue to see Common Housing Registers as a key way of simplifying and maximising access to social housing and support their development by directing local authorities, housing associations and co-operatives to the Scottish Government website, Common Housing Register (CHR) - building a register: a practitioner's guide - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

There has been no specific evaluation of the contribution of solar thermal and solar PV to the heat network targets for 2027 and 2030.

Our Heat in Building Strategy sets out that technologies, such as solar thermal and solar PV, can work well when used in conjunction with primary heating technologies, such as heat pumps.

As set out in our draft Heat Networks Delivery Plan, from the point that the heat networks legislative framework is in place, any new heat network as well as additional plans for heat network extensions will be required to be powered using low and zero emissions sources of heat. The plan also notes that license holders who operate existing networks will be required to prepare and implement a Heat Network Decarbonisation Plan, which will include milestones for making significant reductions in emissions by 2030 and 2035. To support development of these plans, we will commission work to test and develop an approach to preparing them during 2022.

There has been no specific evaluation of the role of rooftop solar and storage in local electrical distribution networks to date. However, in the Bute House Agreement, the Scottish Government committed to set out a vision for the future of solar in Scotland, in consultation with the sector. As we develop this vision over the coming months, we will consider the role of solar in the delivery of a just transition to net zero, including exploring the role that solar technology could play in supporting the decarbonisation of heat and transport, as well as any impacts on local distribution networks.

Also to note, in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, we committed to carry out research to understand the extent to which the deployment of secondary technologies alongside zero emissions heating systems could help to optimise operational performance, minimise energy consumption and reduce end user fuel costs. This research is underway, and seeks to understand the technical feasibility and cost effectiveness of heat batteries, electric batteries, and thermal storage cylinders when installed alongside a range of zero emissions primary heating technologies; both independently of and combined with microgeneration technologies such as solar PV and solar thermal. We expect to publish this research this year.

In the Heat in Buildings Strategy, we committed to carry out research to understand the extent to which the deployment of secondary technologies alongside zero emissions heating systems could help to optimise operational performance, minimise energy consumption and reduce end user fuel costs. This research is underway, and seeks to understand the technical feasibility and cost effectiveness of heat batteries, electric batteries, and thermal storage cylinders when installed alongside a range of zero emissions primary heating technologies; both independently of and combined with microgeneration technologies such as solar PV and solar thermal. We expect to publish this research this year.

The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.

The commitment to invest in school counselling ensures that every secondary school has access to counselling services, whilst also improving the ability of local primary and special schools to access counselling. Our local authority partners have confirmed this is now in place across Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-06210 on 22 February 2022. 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

The International and European Relations budget of £33.3m for 2022-23 will be spent pursuing our engagement at home and internationally to enhance Scotland's reputation and increase economic success, prosperity and wellbeing, and promote Scotland as a great place to live, visit, work, study and do business. The Scottish Budget and supporting documents have been published on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2022-23/documents/ and a detailed breakdown of how this has been distributed across the various International and European Relations budget lines can be found in the Scottish Budget 2022-23 - Level 4 Data document (rows 71 to 89 on the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture tab).

Spending in future years will be considered and implemented through the Resource Spending Review and subsequent 2023-24 budget setting process

As part of the Scottish Government’s Seaweed Review, a scenario mapping exercise exploring areas of growth for the seaweed sector and wider possible impacts of growth scenarios was undertaken. The report setting out the findings from that exercise has now been published, alongside a statement setting out the next steps for the Seaweed Review.

The publication of these documents contributes to the Programme for Government commitment to report on any changes required to marine planning and licensing processes, as well as to the continued sustainable development of the blue economy.

These documents are available at:

• Understanding the potential scale for seaweed-based industries in Scotland– https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802018837
• Statement on the Seaweed Review– https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781804350720

The report exploring potential areas for growth has been informed by stakeholder consultation and engagement with the Seaweed Review Strategy Group (“SRSG”). The SRSG comprises of representatives from various sectors representing conservation, science, enterprise, biotechnology, fisheries and the Seaweed Industry Association. I want to thank the members of the SRSG for their invaluable contributions and continued engagement with the review process.

The review points to the need for a more comprehensive policy and regulatory framework for both seaweed harvesting and cultivation activities, as well as input from the seaweed industry and other stakeholders, to support the future development of a sustainable seaweed industry.

There is a long history of harvesting seaweed in Scotland and growing interest in the sector supports our decision to include seaweed as part of the first stage of the aquaculture review by Professor Griggs which was published earlier this month. The future of Scotland’s seaweed cultivation sector will also be considered as part of the development of the Scottish Government’s Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture.

Other pieces of work, including the new seafood strategy to be published later this year, underline our commitment to ensure that existing and emerging seaweed activities fit into our broader framework for managing multiple uses of the sea, including fishing and renewable energy.

We published a high level statement of intent on biodiversity on 14 December 2020 in order to take account of delays in agreeing a new global biodiversity framework at CoP15. We are closely engaged in discussions with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations on negotiation of the new framework.

The Statement of Intent signals our ambitions for biodiversity in Scotland, our international action, and announces our commitment to publish a new biodiversity strategy by October 2022 which will define high level outcomes to address the ongoing decline in biodiversity. This will be supported by a delivery plan published within six months of the new strategy.

The direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss identified by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services provide a useful high-level summary framework, and alongside other analyses such as Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 and the State of Nature report for Scotland provide a substantial evidence base around which to design our new strategy. However, it is a thorough and comprehensive understanding of Scotland’s particular needs which will most effectively shape our strategic framework and enable us to deliver improvements in biodiversity in Scotland.