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The Scottish and UK Government jointly developed an evidence-led and objective place selection methodology for Investment Zones, adapting the approach taken by the UK Government in England when selecting Investment Zone regions.

As part of the place selection process, financial modelling was undertaken to assess the potential economic benefits of the proposed Investment Zones. This analysis considered a range of factors, including wellbeing economy need, employment growth, and the attraction of inward investment. The modelling also examined the anticipated fiscal impact, including potential revenue generation and cost implications for both governments. The place selection methodology was published on 18 August 2023.

In addition, the Scottish Government regularly engages with regional stakeholders including the North East Regional Economic Partnership to ensure that the Investment Zone continues to align with local economic priorities and maximises benefits for businesses and communities within the region. Further assessment and refinement of the financial modelling will continue as the Investment Zone proposals are developed through the Gateway process, to ensure its long-term success.

Investment Zones in Scotland are being jointly delivered by the Scottish and UK Governments. The Scottish Government engages regularly with the UK Government regarding the proposed Investment Zone for the North East region. Weekly progress meetings are held between officials from both Governments to discuss the development of proposals and implementation of the Investment Zone. Additionally, the Scottish and UK Government jointly participate in scheduled fortnightly meetings with the North East Regional Economic Partnership, and more often where required, to ensure continued collaboration.

The Cass Review only considered services offered by NHS England, and the report’s 32 recommendations are made to NHS England. As such, NHS England holds responsibility for implementing these recommendations.

The Scottish Government did, however, commit to closely consider the Review’s findings in the context of NHS Scotland services. Accordingly, the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland convened a multidisciplinary team to consider the Review’s recommendations and how they might be applicable to Scotland, which published its findings on 5 July 2024. The Scottish Government has accepted this report and its recommendations.

A “Task and Finish” group, supported by the Scottish Government’s Chief Operating Officer’s Directorate, has now been convened to design a sustainable model for young people’s gender identity services, and the work of this group will be shaped by the multidisciplinary team’s recommendations. Additionally, as recommended by the report, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde ended self-referrals to the Sandyford Gender Identity Clinic in August 2024, and the health board is taking forward work to move young people’s gender identity services into a paediatric clinical setting.

The Budget includes a new investment of £4.5 million to deliver specialist support for ME/CFS, Long Covid and other similar conditions. We are exploring whether bringing clinical and third sector stakeholders together to seek further consensus and clarity around the status and implementation of the NICE guidelines on ME/CFS would help deliver this specialist support and, if so, consideration will be given to whether Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), or another organisation, is well placed to facilitate this work.

Firstly, let me put on record again, my deepest condolences to the family of Mr Bayoh.

Following their request for an extension of the terms of reference for the Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry, to include both the initial prosecutorial decisions and the Victim’s Right of Review, I have undertaken extensive consultation with all core participants to the Inquiry and their legal representatives. I have also discussed the application for extension with the Chair of the Inquiry, who is a statutory consultee under section 5(4) of the Inquiries Act 2005 (“the 2005 Act”).

After careful consideration, I have decided not to grant the request. I understand that Mr Bayoh’s family will be disappointed by my decision.

As set out in legislation, I may amend the terms of reference if I consider the public interest requires this. This request to extend the Terms of Reference was formally made on 4 September, over four years after the current Terms of Reference were announced, and as the Inquiry was nearing the final module of evidential hearings and concluding statements. It is in the public interest for the Inquiry to come to a conclusion promptly and for its recommendations to be implemented as swiftly as possible.

Under the 2005 Act, an Inquiry is not permitted to determine or rule on civil or criminal liability. Prosecutorial decisions are a matter for the Crown and the Solicitor General has committed to assessing any new evidence which is brought to light by the Inquiry, having reserved the right to prosecute any of the individuals involved in future.

I am confident the current terms of reference are sufficiently broad to allow the Chair to present a substantial report with detailed findings and recommendations – including on the investigation and the extent to which Mr Bayoh’s actual or perceived race was a factor.

In April 2023, the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPO) announced an Independent Medicines Homecare Review in response to reports of failings in the standards of care provided across Scotland and the increasing demand for medicines homecare provision.

The CPO will be publishing the Homecare Medicines Review before the end of March. In terms of next steps, the CPO has met with NHS National Procurement to discuss what actions can be taken forward within their remit and what actions require further consideration through a task and finish group. The group will be established shortly and will be chaired by a Director of Pharmacy and a Director of Nursing. The Group will help to outline the next steps and timescales to delivery.

The worrying of livestock by dogs is completely unacceptable and is something the Scottish Government takes very seriously and any dog attack is one too many.

We welcome the fact that in Scotland we have tough legislation in place to deal with livestock worrying. The Scottish Government supported Emma Harper’s member’s bill when it was introduced, to provide Police Scotland and the courts with greater powers to deal with those who allow their dogs to worry, attack or kill livestock in Scotland’s countryside. Under this law owners of dogs that attack or worry livestock can be fined up to £40,000 or face a prison sentence of up to 12 months.

Please find below the number of accused convicted based on the financial year of conviction in relation to the fines and custodial sentences handed down. Please note that The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021 came into force on 5 November 2021. The 2021 Act amends the offence under the 1953 Act so all proceedings are still under the 1953 Act (as amended).

Table 1: Number of accused convicted with at least one protection of livestock from dogs crime, given a fine or imprisonment

The Scottish Government does not currently hold data on the number of physical items of ministerial correspondence received so we are unable to provide this.

However when correspondence is received, by email or by post, these are uploaded onto our correspondence management system, MiCase.

Please see below the volume data recorded on MiCase for Ministerial Correspondence received each year since 2020, split by Ministerial Portfolio.

All Ministerial Portfolios from the past five years have been included. Over this period, the names of portfolios have changed, with some similarly titled portfolios existing within the same year period. The data supplied reflects these changes.

It should be noted that there are a small number of correspondence cases that are not uploaded and managed through MiCase. These are instead handled by Private Office outside of MiCase, before being saved to the Official Record. These cases are therefore not captured in the following figures.

The Scottish Government does not collect data on fish survival by calendar year. Each October, Scottish Government publishes a Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey which presents data on survival to harvest within a year class; that is, the fish grown to harvest within a production cycle.

The member may be interested to know that industry trade body Salmon Scotland publishes monthly mortality data. In recent correspondence to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee dated 3 February 2025, Salmon Scotland noted that their data indicated survival across all marine farms was 82.3% in 2024, up 10 percentage points from 72.3% in 2023.

This is an operational matter for SOSE, and I have asked them to respond to you directly.