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The following number of Site Checks and Site Condition Monitoring assessments for protected areas were completed by NatureScot since 2017:

The pay offer was made at a time of extraordinary financial pressure on the Scottish Government budget. As the previous Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills made clear when the teachers’ pay deal was agreed, difficult decisions will be necessary to free up the required resources. As is normal practice, changes to allocations will be reported to Parliament through autumn and spring budget revisions.

The Director for Agriculture and Rural Economy was the only person from the Scottish Government who received an invite to the “Farm to Fork” Summit at 10 Downing Street on 16 May, and he attended. No Ministers were invited to the event.

The New Deal for Business Group will include business leaders, along with representatives from organisations including the Scottish Retail Consortium, Scottish Tourism Alliance and Fraser of Allander Institute. The membership for the New Deal Business Group has been finalised and agreed by the First Minister.

The New Deal for Business Group has met twice (17 May and 1 June) with representation across a range of business sectors, sizes and locations in both the Group’s membership and members and contributors to the five subgroup’s led by Scottish Government and Business. We have encouraged the business leads to reach out to their networks to ensure as wide a reach as possible and have recently published a mailbox ( NewDealBusinessGroup@gov.scot ) to facilitate contributions from across Scotland’s business community.

Through Creative Scotland we will raise awareness with the creative industries of this facility. The Group is due to report its recommendations to the First Minister at the end of June. After that time, we will review membership aligned with those recommendations.

Given the reserved nature of telecoms legislation, responsibility for ensuring that Project Gigabit creates genuine competition between bidders ultimately sits with the UK Government, who oversee the parameters of the programme and its implementation.

The Scottish Government is, however, working closely with the UK Government and in March 2023, the Scottish Government and Building Digital UK (BDUK) carried out Procurement Area Market Engagement. This engagement sought to determine the level of interest from the broadband supplier market in bidding for new contracts. Feedback from these sessions is being used to help shape the development of potential procurement areas. This process will help ensure that procurements attract bids from as many suppliers as possible, encouraging competition.

We continue to urge the UK Government to be flexible in their approach to funding for Project Gigabit, as there can only be meaningful supplier interest and competition if a sufficient level of funding is available to deliver coverage across all parts of Scotland.

As with all public bodies, governance arrangements are reviewed continually to ensure they remain effective. A routine appointment process for vacant SFC board positions is currently underway.

In September 2022, Ministers initiated an Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape focused on the skills functions of Scotland’s national public bodies including Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council.

The Independent Review has been led by James Withers and its findings and recommendations were published on 7 June. The Scottish Government will consider the recommendations, including any implications for the governance of the Scottish Funding Council, in the context of work on lifelong education and skills reform.

Support from the Circular Textiles Fund is available without capital expenditure requirements.Applicants from the first round are currently being supported to develop their proposals further, to make best use of the funding.Further information on support for applicants to the Circular Textiles Fund is available at: - https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/circular-textiles-fund 

The Scottish Government (SG) has not identified any reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the Core SG Estate. As such no funding has been requested or made available. The SG Core Estate is defined as those sites/buildings where SG Directorates operate from.

The Scottish Government has recently engaged with Councils regarding Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, including through the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Property Services networks. The Scottish Government has had no direct contact with COSLA on this issue. Safety in public buildings is a matter for the owner and we expect them to provide a safe environment for all users.

Producers who will sell less than 5000 articles in a year of all product lines are eligible to be a listed producer. Listed producers must still be registered with SEPA, but these low-volume drinks will not attract a deposit.

SEPA and Circularity Scotland are working together to identify those who are already registered, eligible and wish to become a listed producer. Any producer in this category is encouraged to contact Circularity Scotland. These producers will not have to re-apply to SEPA, or provide additional information on their products for the first year of DRS.

Questions about the scheme administrator producer agreement should be directed to Circularity Scotland.