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The Scottish Government engages regularly with Ofgem and NESO to ensure transmission infrastructure delivers for Scotland. This includes exploration of the TIA threshold, and consideration of the impact that this has on energy users in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has provided £8.25m to Seafood Scotland since 2021 in their role as Scotland’s national trade and marketing organisation for the seafood industry. This includes funding to help Seafood Scotland facilitate projects which support export market development. We are also providing £672k in 2024-25 towards the Scotland Food & Drink Export Plan, which is helping the food and drink industry exploit the most significant opportunities for Scotland with a team of Scottish Development International (SDI) food and drink in-market specialists situated in key countries around the globe.

SDI has a dedicated food and drink specialist based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who works to promote and support Scottish food and drink companies, including the seafood sector, to unlock new opportunities and increase their exports to the UAE and the wider Middle East. Seafood Scotland, alongside SDI’s in-market specialist, has also worked with Scottish seafood companies to expand opportunities in the UAE. Examples of upcoming activity include:

• SDI hosting a pavilion at the Gulfood Trade show from 17-21 February 2025, collaborating with Seafood Scotland to showcase and promote Scottish seafood to international delegates.
• SDI hosting a showcasing & tasting networking event at Gulfood for international buyers which will include Scottish seafood, shellfish & salmon.
• Coordination of a learning journey experience to look at specific opportunities for Scottish seafood sales within a group of high end UAE based restaurants.

The SDI in-market specialist is also working with Emirates’ catering and in-flight shopping experience buying teams to promote Scottish products, influence and educate them on the breadth and quality of Scotland’s food and drink offering. Activity is underway to ensure that Scottish suppliers are fully aware of any relevant tenders and opportunities with the airline.

Scottish Enterprise have confirmed there are 8 Scottish Development International (SDI) staff based in the UAE, that operate out of FCDO offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Recommendations and key outputs will be made available via a public information document shortly after the study’s conclusion, expected in the coming weeks.

Recommendations and key outputs will be made available via a public information document shortly after the study’s conclusion, expected in the coming weeks.

The legal powers governing Health and Safety, Employment and Equality laws are reserved to the UK Government, and it is their responsibility to promote and enforce legislation in this area. However, taking action to prevent sexual harassment at work is an issue that the Scottish Government takes very seriously. We have made employers aware of their duty to protect their workers' health, safety and welfare by promoting fair work practices. For example, we notified employers and stakeholders of the Act in October’s edition of our monthly Equally Safe bulletin.

Scottish Enterprise confirmed there are 60 GlobalScots located in the UAE.

There are currently 4 events coming up within the year with one specific to GlobalScots. The 4 events that are planned for this year within UAE are:

• Gulfood - the world's largest annual food and hospitality show (17-21 February 2025);
• GlobalScot Middle East AGM (end of March 2025);
• Scotland Week, which will include an Energy Trade Mission, Scottish Food and Drink showcase and some Capital Investment and Science & Tech related activity (planned for April 2025);
• ADIPEC - Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (3-6 November 2025; focus on energy transition).

To date, the Scottish Government has not undertaken analysis on the potential economic impact on Scottish businesses of the disparity in transmission impact assessment thresholds between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain.

Scottish Government’s sustained policy and regulatory interventions on sea lice have focused industry action on sea lice management and have resulted in a downward trend in sea lice numbers at a national level, with 2024 levels being the lowest since 2018.

Scottish Government has also delivered funding into fish health research and innovation through the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), which resulted in total investment from SAIC, industry and other funding partners of £62.7 million on projects including those on gill health, rapid diagnostic technologies and Harmful Algal Blooms. In May 2024 a further £1.5m was provided to support the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre until March 2026 and we are now considering options to help facilitate aquaculture innovation into the future.

On behalf of Scottish Ministers, the Fish Health Inspectorate continues to undertake a listed disease surveillance programme to prevent the introduction and spread of listed and emerging fish diseases in Scotland which includes statutory inspections, sampling programmes, and the provision of advice to stakeholders.

Following a public consultation (https://consult.gov.scot/local-government-and-communities/change-to-basis-of-pitch-uprating-consultation/), the Scottish Government has confirmed its intention to update the Mobile Homes Act 1983 to change the presumed basis of pitch fee uprating from the Retail Prices Index to the Consumer Prices Index, for both existing and future contracts.

We also propose to make a further change so that the statistical basis for uprating pitch fees can be amended by secondary rather than primary legislation in the future. Provision for the change was included in the Housing Scotland Bill which was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 26 March 2024 and is currently at Stage 2. No new regulations are being considered.