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The low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme has invested in 33 projects bringing back just over 112 hectares of persistent vacant and derelict land back into use.

Through the Onshore Wind Sector Deal, the Scottish Government and the onshore wind industry have committed to work together to increase skills and resources and streamline approaches to process the expected pipeline of onshore wind Section 36 applications.

As part of its Planning Skills Programme, the Improvement Service also coordinates events and webinars to support skills development, including in new technologies. The Scottish Government is working with the Improvement Service to host a series of knowledge and information-sharing events to support skills and capacity building.

More broadly, The Royal Town Planning Institute offers continuing professional development and training based on a Core CPD Framework which highlights the skills and knowledge areas that members need. This includes Climate Change and Environmental Planning.

Official designations of party affiliations are held in one central system and shared across many other parliamentary systems. There are technical considerations about making this change across these systems, including the fact that the change would not be retrospective. Parliamentary officials will explore options with you as to how the designation could be represented in an appropriate manner.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the hospitality and night-time industry, having been the hardest hit of all sectors from the Covid-19 pandemic and cost crises.

The Scottish Budget 2023-24 ensures the lowest poundage in the UK for the fifth year in a row and supports a package of rates relief worth an estimated £749 million, including the Small Business Bonus Scheme. Around half of properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are eligible for 100% relief this financial year. Decisions on non-domestic rates for 2024-25 will be made as part of the Scottish Budget, which will be published on 19 December.

The Scottish Government is also supporting the sector through the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group and through the New Deal for Business Group. In addition, the Town Centre Action Plan aims to revitalise our towns and town centres, which contributes to supporting the night-time economy.

Our recent request of the UK Government for a reduced rate of VAT for the hospitality sector was rejected.

The Grangemouth refinery is an important economic asset for Scotland and whilst this announcement does not guarantee a cessation of refining operations, the Scottish Government is in the process of considering the wider potential economic impact of conversion to an import terminal.

According to the ONS the entire refined petroleum and chemicals manufacturing sector in Scotland accounted for 1.1% of total gross value added in 2021 of which the Grangemouth refinery is a part.

However, given how recent the announcement is, a more detailed analysis of the potential impact is yet be completed, including impacts on the immediate supply chain and the wider impacts on employment in the local economy via spending. Any potential changes to operations will require time and consideration of data that is not publicly available. Furthermore, it is important to note that some aspects of the announcement are still in development.

The consequentials associated with 75% non-domestic rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure premises in England in 2023-24 were confirmed in the Autumn Statement on 17 November 2022.

All Barnett consequentials received as a result of the Autumn Statement are considered as a whole ahead of the Scottish Budget each year and are a vital part of Scottish Government’s funding position. Discussion of the funding position featured at all regular meetings between the Autumn Statement and the Scottish Budget 2023-24 which was announced on 15 December 2022. Similarly, discussions regarding the funding position for 2024-25 as a result of the Autumn Statement on 22 November 2023 continue ahead of the Scottish Budget which will be announced on 19 December 2023

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting strong Trade Unions in Scotland for the benefit of workers and our economy. Trade unions are key social partners in delivering our economic and social aspirations and we are committed to working in partnership with the STUC and affiliates to promote and support trade union membership in the hospitality sector.

I meet with Tourism and Hospitality Trade Unions biannually to discuss current issues within the sector and the representatives have been engaged in a number of policy developments, including our National Strategy for Economic Transformation and being part of the Tourism and Hospitality Leadership Group.

There have been 2 personal injury accidents on the A90 between Stonehaven, where Slug Road crosses the A90, and Aberdeen, where Skene road (A944) intersects with the A90 since 1 April 2021.

Information on non-injury accidents is not held by the Scottish Ministers.

The Scottish Government is aware that the European Council has announced that it has reached provisional agreement with the European Parliament on a regulation establishing a framework to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials.

The provisional agreement sets a benchmark for recycling to at least 25% of EU’s annual consumption of raw materials and proposes an increase on the recovery of raw materials present in waste. The Scottish Government will assess this new regulation in detail, once the final text is agreed by the EU institutions and adopted, against our policy to align with EU where it is possible for Scotland to do so and such alignment is meaningful in protecting and advancing high standards.

The Scottish Government maintains an ongoing dialogue with all health boards to discuss performance and issues such as workforce arising across the system. The last series of quarterly Biannual Performance reviews with each of the territorial health boards, including NHS Ayrshire and Arran concluded in September 2023.

In addition, the Centre for Workforce Supply (CWS), at NHS Education for Scotland (NES), throughout October and November 2023, attended by Scottish Government officials, held medical insight meetings with each individual health board - including NHS Ayrshire and Arran. Commissioned by the Scottish Government, the aim of these were to better understand medical workforce gaps; scope out whether international recruitment could help with filling vacancies; identify any innovative supply initiatives currently underway; and understand what centralised support from the Scottish Government or the CWS could help Health Boards.