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The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement. The impact and effectiveness of the previous Public Health Supplement which was levied in Scotland between April 2012 and March 2015 will be considered as part of this exploratory work.

Curriculum for Excellence seeks to provide our young people with the knowledge, attitudes and skills to succeed as underpinned by its four capacities: successful learners; confident individuals; responsible citizens and effective contributors. Financial literacy and the life skills feature in learning about numeracy and maths, business studies and personal and social education.

Education Scotland provides support to schools through curriculum guidance, in particular the “ Building the Curriculum 4 ” publication which is relevant to literacy, numeracy and associated thinking skills; skills for health and wellbeing, including personal learning planning, career management skills, working with others, leadership and physical co-ordination and movement skills; and skills for enterprise and employability. Schools can also access the Skills for Development Framework from the Scottish Qualifications Authority relevant to their senior phase qualifications.

In the senior phase, financial literacy features in qualifications such as SCQF levels 4 & 5 Personal Finance awards and the Applications of Mathematics qualifications, which provides advanced learning in a range of core and practical maths skills; including finance. Education Scotland also provide a range of further professional learning resources on financial literacy. A range of organisations offer further support to schools to reinforce and enhance learning in financial education including HMRC, Barclays Lifeskills, NatWest MoneySense and the Young Enterprise ‘My Money’ Talks.

In relation to skills for life and work, examples of relevant senior phase qualifications and awards include: the SafeCert SCQF Level 6 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work; Prince's Trust SCQF Awards and certificates in Personal Development and Employability Skills; Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Youth Scotland Dynamic Youth Awards. These are in addition to a range of SQA technical and vocational qualifications. Total attainment for SQA Skills for Work, SQA Awards, National Certificates and National Progression Awards in 2023 was 72,120 passes, up 12.3% from 64,240 in 2022, the highest number on record.

I do not recognise this characterisation of the relationship among the parties with an interest in aquaculture and it is an unhelpful misrepresentation of the many ways in which key partners, including government, interact. However, there are always ways in which governments should consider generally how to improve, augment and embed constructive relationships. Accordingly, in June 2022 I established and chair the Scottish Aquaculture Council. The Council has met on four occasions to date and brings together senior representation from the aquaculture sector, wider government, regulators and other key organisations with a remit to collaborate and advise Scottish Ministers in helping deliver the Government’s aspirations for the sector.

This forum is enabling constructive discussions around key developments. Advice provided by the Council has already helped inform the development of the content and approach of our Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture. The Consenting Task Group is enabling finfish sector, regulators and other stakeholders to work together, resulting in a pilot proposal for a new pre-application fish farm consenting process.

The Advisory Panel has served as a forum for interested parties to share their thoughts on, and priorities for, the refinement and improvement of the regulatory framework for marine finfish farms that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) implemented in June 2019.

The associated agenda, minutes and terms of reference for the Finfish Aquaculture Advisory Panel can be accessed on SEPA’s website at: Finfish Aquaculture Advisory Panel | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) .

Whilst we do not currently have plans to introduce a single accreditation scheme for salmon farming in Scotland, we take into account accreditation schemes when considering regulatory change. The Scottish Government recognises the role accreditation plays in driving innovation and improved practice, as well as providing retailers and consumers with confidence.

An independent review of the current regulatory framework for Scottish aquaculture by Professor Griggs was published on 10 February 2022 and is available to view on the Scottish Government’s website: Aquaculture regulatory process: review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

As reflected in the Bute House Agreement, we remain committed to a programme of work to better protect wildlife and the environment, and ensure aquaculture in Scotland is sustainable, diverse, competitive and economically viable.

We have made significant progress on the recommendations of the 2017-18 Parliamentary Inquiries into Salmon Farming in Scotland. Last year I was pleased to provide an update to the Scottish Parliament: Salmon Farming in Scotland 3 May 2023 | Scottish Parliament Website.

Subsequently, in July 2023 we published the Scottish Government’s Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture which sets out our aspirations for the development of a sector, operating within environmental limits, and which recognises the considerable social and economic benefits it delivers.

A Consenting Task Group has been working to identify, pilot and review new measures to streamline the administration of the fish farm consenting processes, progressing key recommendations of the independent review of the regulatory framework for Scottish aquaculture.

In response to the Salmon Interactions Working Group report, the Scottish Government identified that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) would become the lead regulator responsible for managing sea lice and the interactions between wild and farmed fish. SEPA has developed and consulted on a new sea lice risk assessment framework that will be implemented from 1 February 2024.

The Finfish Aquaculture Advisory Panel is chaired by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and last met in May 2022. The recent focus of work of the parties involved in the panel has been on the development of the SEPA sea lice risk assessment framework and it will be for SEPA and the Panel members to determine when the Panel next meets.

The finfish farming sector operates under robust regulations covering environmental impact and fish health. The Scottish Government is committed to streamlining the aquaculture regulatory framework, whilst maintaining high standards, to ensure regulation is as efficient and effective as it can be. We are committed to a broad programme of work to support the sustainability of fish farming and improvements to its underpinning regulatory system, following the recommendations made in the independent review of the aquaculture regulatory process in Scotland , published by Professor Russel Griggs on 10 February 2022

I provided a written update to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 3 May 2023 setting out the progress made to support the sustainability of fish farming, and its underpinning regulatory system, since the inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland. I subsequently updated the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee at their session on salmon farming on 10 May 2023.

I recognise that there is more to do. Following the independent review of the aquaculture regulatory process, I have worked with the Scottish Aquaculture Council to deliver a new Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture in Scotland, which sets out our ambitions for the sector to 2045. The Vision includes an overarching aim that aquaculture is underpinned by an effective and efficient regulatory framework informed by the best available science and evidence.

I have also established the Consenting Task Group, which has been working to identify, pilot and review new measures to streamline the administration of the fish farm consenting processes and progressing key recommendations of the review.

In light of extreme pressures on housing systems, we have recently confirmed plans to bring forward a 2024 review, with a focus on the timeline for delivery of 110,000 affordable homes. To effectively meet housing need and support affordable housing priorities across different areas we want to support all tenures while still prioritising social rented homes.

The review’s metrics are under development and outcomes will be shared with Parliament when available.