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Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) Scotland was contracted by Scottish Government in 2014 to help support the delivery and development of BIDs across Scotland. Scottish Government published a report in December 2016 outlining research findings on the impact of the support they provided. The report can be found on the Scottish Government website. Research Findings 9/2016: Review of Business Improvement Districts Scotland (www.gov.scot) .

Since September 2018, Scottish Government has funded Scotland’s Improvement Districts (SIDs), which forms part of Scotland’s Towns Partnership, as the lead organisation for supporting and encouraging the development and success of the nation’s Improvement Districts. Though there are no plans to undertake a formal analysis of their performance, we review progress of BIDs activity with SIDs on a regular basis.

Minutes from the Scottish Bracken Working Group meetings are available at the following link: Bracken: Scottish Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

A number of alternative methods of control are available to aid bracken management, which should be determined on a case by case basis.

UK Preliminary Best Practice Guidance for bracken management was published in June 2024 and can be viewed at the following link: Bracken | NatureScot .

The specification of the review of the Highlands and Islands Air Discount Scheme has yet to be determined. The review will, however, include consultation with scheme members and other stakeholders.

Work continues apace on the Post-School Education and Skills Reform Programme, developed in light of the recommendations of James Withers’ Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape and the Scottish Government’s own report on the Post-school education, research and skills - purpose and principles - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Following my initial update of March 2024 to the Education, Children and Young People Committee, I provided the latest update on progress in a letter to that Committee on 25 June 2024, available at Post School Reform 25 June 2024 (parliament.scot) . This letter includes an annex detailing our position and actions taken with regards to each of the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape.

The Scottish Government plans to launch a public consultation on a cruise ship levy before the end of the year, to formally hear the views of those potentially affected by such a levy.

The Scottish Government does not currently have any plans to commission a review of climate change risks to salmon farms, specifically in relation to higher sea temperatures. The Marine Directorate is currently collaborating with partners on a revision of the 2022 Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership’s review on the impacts of climate change on aquaculture, https://www.mccip.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-11/Aquaculture%20Formatted_updated%20and%20returned%20by%20authors.pdf  which explores key challenges and emerging issues in this area.

Scotland’s National Adaptation Programme 3 (SNAP3) is due to be laid in Parliament later this year and will set out specific commitments to support the Fisheries and Aquaculture sectors to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2024 was laid on Thursday 11th January 2024 and the spawning closure will be in place 14 February to 30 April for 2024 and 2025, respectively.

The study undertaken by the Scottish Oceans Institute and Clyde Fishermen’s Association was not used to inform this approach.

There are no plans to alter or update the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2024. Following the 2025 closure there will be another public consultation on the management for 2026 and 2027. That consultation will reflect on how the closure has operated since 2022, what if any factors are new or unchanged and will make recommendations for the future on that basis.

My officials are aware of the review of Galloway Community Hospital as part of NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s long-term sustainability planning and the Right Care, Right Place programme. Officials have engaged Dumfries and Galloway on these proposals over the course of the past year.

We understand that a report on the future of the facility is in development, and this will be considered by Dumfries and Galloway IJB in September. Officials are also anticipating a final recommendation later this year by NHS Dumfries and Galloway board on the proposed changes to maternity services offered in Wigtownshire. This is to be accompanied by a statement from the board on the independent consultation that examined options for proposed maternity service changes presented in February.

As it stands, NHS Dumfries and Galloway and the Integration Joint Board have publicly stated that they do not have plans to close Galloway Community Hospital. Scottish Government officials are continuing to engage with Dumfries and Galloway on their review and any proposals that will be made.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to improving Scotland’s transport and trade links to the Continent, which carries even more importance after the UK Government’s damaging exit from the EU.

I have personally engaged with parties interested in introducing new ferry services, and Transport Scotland officials continue to communicate regularly with potential operators and Scotland’s main ports.

I also met with Lord Davies of Gower, then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, in London on 5 February regarding this issue. I subsequently received written confirmation from Lord Davies that the UK Government was not willing to financially support a new service from Rosyth, highlighting the risk of potential litigation should other operators consider such support to be subsidy.

Due to UK Subsidy Control restrictions, any service is required to operate on a commercial basis. I hope that prospective commercial operators are able to commit to operating a successful and profitable service, however this is ultimately a decision for those operators.

We will continue to engage with port operators and others to explore opportunities for new commercial services, so that Scottish exporters have more direct routes to markets on the Continent.

Scottish Government funding has been provided to improve the resilience and sustainability of Hospital at Home services for older people in Scotland. Distribution of funds is decided in collaboration between Scottish Government and Healthcare Improvement Scotland. NHS Fife received £18,100.56 which was the full amount of funding requested.