Chamber and committees

As Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs, set out in her letter of 30 July 2026 to the Climate Action Committee, and the Rural Affairs Committee, sections 23 to 25 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 will be commenced in October 2026.

The Scottish Government, as part of the consultation Marine Consultation on ‘Proposed Fisheries Management Measures in Scottish Inshore Marine Protected… has undertaken a Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA).

The SEA assesses the environmental implications of the proposed measures. One of the SEA objectives is in relation to ‘Soil’ where the objective is to maintain, protect and enhance the character and integrity of the seabed.

The SEA considered four pathways:

• potential benefits to habitats and species within protected sites;
• potential spill-over benefits beyond site boundaries;
• potential adverse effects resulting from the displacement of fishing activity and the likely intensification of activity elsewhere; and
• potential adverse effects from increased fishing effort by other gear types not restricted by the measures.

The SEA concluded that, for the majority of sites and areas assessed, the proposed measures were expected to result in a moderate or major beneficial effect on the habitats and species, including seabed features.

The proposed measures have been developed to further the conservation objectives of MPAs and support the protection of Priority Marine Features by managing fishing activity that may impact sensitive seabed habitats and species.

The Environmental Standards Scotland's (ESS) report published on 23 June 2026, Protecting Scotland's seafloor: an assessment of Scottish Ministers' implementation of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010, contains ESS’ findings and recommendations relating to the Scottish Ministers’ implementation of those Regulations.

The Scottish Government is carefully considering the ESS report and will work constructively with ESS to seek to agree an appropriate action plan within the timescale suggested in the report. The Scottish Government's position on the report's findings and recommendations will be set out through that engagement and in its formal response.

The Scottish Government remains deeply concerned about the devastating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the impact it continues to have on civilians, including students whose education and future prospects have been profoundly affected by conflict and displacement.

Power over immigration is reserved to the UK Government and this includes decisions regarding safe and humanitarian routes to the UK for students in conflict settings. We welcomed the introduction in 2025 of the scheme enabling students from Gaza to travel to Scotland for study. The initiative supported 27 students on fully funded scholarships to take up places at Scottish universities during academic year 2025-26.

Scottish Ministers pushed the UK Government to continue these arrangements and it is welcome that they have resumed for academic year 2026-27.

We are urgently working with the UK Government and Scottish universities to make sure as many students as possible who meet eligibility criteria can begin their scholarships in Scotland.

Scottish universities, including Universities of Sanctuary, remain committed to supporting students affected by conflict and displacement. Together, we are providing humanitarian support to the people of Palestine and have already committed to explore how we can further support students from Gaza, including through the development of a new postgraduate Scottish Gaza Scholarship Programme.

Fishing gear has been reported to the Scottish Government as missing in Scottish waters through the e-log system by fishers. The volume of gear is neither reported nor recorded. The following information is recorded and held by the Marine Directorate.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of protecting vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems from the impacts of fishing activities. Existing legislation already includes a range of measures to manage fishing activity in deep waters, including restrictions applying to certain bottom-contacting fishing gears in deep-water areas and a prohibition on bottom fishing below 800 metres.

The Scottish Government is also progressing work to identify and protect areas in offshore waters between 400 and 800 metres where Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) are known or likely to occur. This includes considering the potential impacts of bottom-contact fishing gears, including bottom-set gillnets. We are considering advice from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and will engage with stakeholders before bringing forward any proposals.

Any proposal to further restrict the deployment of gill nets to depths of less than 200 metres would require careful consideration of the available scientific evidence, including the likely environmental benefits for deep-sea habitats and species, alongside the potential socio-economic impacts on fishing businesses and coastal communities.

The Scottish Government keeps fisheries and marine conservation measures under review and will continue to work with scientists, stakeholders and the fishing industry to ensure decisions are informed by the best available evidence and support the sustainable management of Scotland's seas.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Budget from 2013-14

The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the UK Government on these matters, nor made any such assessment, as we do not support the building of new nuclear power stations under current technologies. New nuclear comes at a very high cost and creates long-term radioactive waste liabilities.

The Scottish Government opposes the construction of new nuclear power stations under current technologies, and this position applies to any variation of conventional nuclear fission technology.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03059 on 22 September 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government supports a range of initiatives to improve health and wellbeing among people working in agriculture and other land-based industries. This includes funding for RSABI, which provides practical, financial and emotional support to Scotland’s agricultural community, and funding for Farmstrong, which promotes physical and mental wellbeing to those working in farming and crofting.

Mental Health is vital to rural wellbeing and prosperity, and factors impacting rural wellbeing are many and varied. That is why the Scottish Government funds the National Rural Mental Health Forum, responds agilely to ensure lived experience of mental wellbeing in our rural communities and businesses is understood and feeds into developing policy.

RSABI, Farmstrong and the National Rural Mental Health Forum operate across Scotland, including in rural areas such as Dumfries and Galloway, helping ensure that support to improve health outcomes is available to men working in agriculture.

Scottish Forestry has a network of active Mental Health First Aiders to help reduce the stigma of mental health, offer initial support and signpost to appropriate help. Scottish Forestry has offered (summer/autumn 2026) all staff the opportunity for a well-being health screening with an external provider. There has been cross forestry sector support for the Royal Forestry Society’s Breaking Points survey and subsequent animations created (“Every Interaction Matters” and “Healthy Trees Need Healthy People”) to enable conversations around mental health. We Listened: Public perception of forestry is harming mental health - Royal Forestry Society.