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In line with our Green Industrial Strategy, we are continuing to support Scotland’s energy transition. The draft 2025-26 Scottish Budget includes an allocation of £25m to support the development of hydrogen and carbon capture technologies, as well as initiatives to support Scotland’s businesses and industries to decarbonise and innovative projects such as the Energy Transition Zone in Aberdeen.

Two pilot incentive schemes led by NatureScot were launched in early autumn to provide financial incentives to deer managers to increase deer culls in specific parts of Scotland.

The schemes are operating well with 22 deer controllers signed up across 19 properties in Central Scotland and 25 deer controllers signed up across 12 properties in South Loch Ness. Some of the cull thresholds, which are the triggers for incentive payments to be made, have now been met in both pilot areas with payments issued in November 2024.

The Scottish Government recognises that the work of the Scottish Powerchair Football Association and Scottish Para-Football is extremely valuable in providing opportunities for people with a range of conditions to participate in football and to promote inclusivity in the game.

An ongoing priority is for the Scottish Government is to support participation across all groups and tackle inequalities in participation. We recognise the power of sport and the positive impact which sport can have on a person's physical and mental health and that those with disabilities are less likely to feel connected to their local community.

Through sportscotland we invest in the Scottish Football Association (SFA) to support the development of football. In financial year 2024/25 our investment is almost £1.35 million. This investment supports the national partnership agreement with the SFA which includes "empowering community football clubs to become sustainable, adaptive and inclusive", but the agreement does not dictate the detail of the expenditure.

I recently met with Scottish Para-Football to discuss current issues and priorities. I will continue to work with Scottish Para-Football to help promote, and support access to all elements of para-football, including powerchair football.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has launched an e-learning module on menstrual health available on Turas Learnand in particular is aimed at those working in primary care. The school nursing workforce and school counsellors can also access this training as required.

The Scottish Government has provided £80,000 through the Covid Recovery Plan Opportunities Fund to create new local chill and processing units for wild venison in Argyll, Moray and Dumfries and Galloway.

Separately, NatureScot is beginning a partnership project with the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society to look at the venison chain supply issues, barriers, and opportunities for investment into processing infrastructure and community larders.

In addition to this, Forestry and Land Scotland are considering providing a limited number of people from a small number of local communities with the opportunity to help them deliver sustainable deer management this would include allowing access to cull on FLS land and having access to their larders.

The Scottish Government’s Offshore Wind Focus paper identifies key strategic opportunities across ports & harbours infrastructure and the wider offshore wind supply chain. The strategic assessment conducted with public sector delivery partners, drawing from a range of evidence, industry reports and wider market intelligence, concluded that a cluster approach would be essential for Ports and Harbours, and identified priority clusters in Cromarty/Moray and Forth &Tay with supporting investments in the broader North East, West Coast and Shetland clusters. We are not releasing details of the projects or the full potential pipeline of opportunities at this time as this is commercially sensitive, and the individual investment opportunities are subject to rigorous due diligence and value for money assurance processes.

Further detail on the Scottish Government’s proposed £221.961 million funding for the primary care fund in 2025-2026 can be found in the 2025-26 Level 4 tables published along the Budget itself - Supporting documents - Scottish Budget 2025 to 2026 - gov.scot. In addition, we plan to further invest in primary and community care services from the commitment to provide £100 million Reform and Improvement measures funding to alleviate waiting time and hospital occupancy.

The Scottish Government is working closely with public sector delivery partners to identify priority investment opportunities designed to mobilise private investment in ports, manufacturing and fabrication, to maximise the economic opportunities from offshore wind. As set out in our Offshore Wind Focus paper, the approach to prioritisation is underpinned by a strategic assessment of current market opportunities, considering the combined impact of a programme of public sector investments. We are working with delivery partners to target funding at projects that will have a catalytic effect on wider economic growth, and identifying and prioritising those with potentially high Benefit Cost Ratios.

I have not recently met any of the local authorities listed to discuss the impact of major electricity infrastructure or energy infrastructure consenting reforms.

The Scottish Government has not conducted specific analysis on the effectiveness of previous efforts to raise public awareness of proper battery disposal. However, feedback from stakeholders, including local authorities and industry partners, has highlighted several ongoing challenges:

• Public Awareness Gaps: A significant proportion of the public remains unaware of the environmental risks posed by improper battery disposal and the recycling options available to them.
• Accessibility Issues: Recycling points for batteries are not always easily accessible or visible, particularly in rural areas.
• Messaging Limitations: Previous public awareness efforts have lacked the reach and consistency needed to drive long-term behavioural change.