Chamber and committees

During the development of the Carbon Audit guidance, under Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF), early engagement with Agents and Lantra was conducted to ensure that the industry could start upskilling its network to meet the expected demand. As a result, the number of FBAASS accredited agents/ associates has increased to 151 (11-07-23). The spread might not cover every island, but it does create a growing network that is improving the access to farmers and crofters who request their services. We will monitor this position closely.

Scottish Ministers have recently met with UK Government to discuss the creation of Investment Zones in Scotland. These are regional economic interventions that will benefit from a range of tax and spending incentives, that allow the Regional Economic Partnerships to develop a proposal regarding the detail of where exactly within the region the zone will be located.

The Scottish Government is working to improve opportunities and choices to work for autistic people and people with learning disabilities through Towards Transformation , our autism and learning disability plan, published in March 2021. As stated in this plan, the Scottish Government will continue to work towards our ambition to at least halve the disability employment gap by 2038 (from the 2016 baseline of 37.4 percentage points), in conjunction with work being delivered through our Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025 , published in December 2022. The plan takes forward the current work to support more disabled people, including those with a learning disability autistic people and neurodivergent people, into fair work.

Our employability support, delivered through Fair Start Scotland and No One Left Behind, prioritises those who face complex barriers to accessing the labour market.

We are delivering support that is person centred, tailored and responsive to the needs of the individual. This includes bespoke key worker support, as well as peer support groups and referrals to specialist partners which can offer enhanced support to people who are autistic, learning disabled or neurodivergent.

Our approach to employability support is also consistent with the Supported Employment Framework for Scotland, currently delivered through Fair Start Scotland. The Framework lays out the five-step approach to supported employment, recognising it as "an employment first approach", which focuses on positive outcomes for individuals.

In 2023-24 we are investing up to £108m for employability support to ensure those who require additional support has access to employability services that will help them towards and into sustainable employment.

The latest statistics published on 22 February 2023, covering the period April 2018 to December 2022, shows there were 54,030 starts on Fair Start Scotland and 18,819 job starts. Of these starts, 24,067 (45%) reported having a disability, 3,825 (7%) reported a learning difficulty, 1,679 (3%) a developmental disorder such as Autism Spectrum Disorder or Asperger’s Syndrome and 524 (1%) a learning disability such as Down’s Syndrome.

While we do not refer to the specific category of neurodiverse, the percentage of participants with developmental disorders moving into work is largely in line with the percentage of overall participants moving into work. Overall, 37% (15,512 of participants) have started in employment, compared to 34% (448 participants) of those with a developmental disorder starting employment.

From October 2022, a new data template co-designed with Local Authorities and aligned to the Shared Measurement Framework has been in place. Over time the statistics available for No One Left Behind will reflect this new information, including more detailed breakdowns on types of conditions such as learning disability, learning difficulty, autism spectrum and other developmental disorder, as well as further progression information.

The following table shows the number of unique forestry grant scheme cases with a capital or Single Application Form claim within the past 5 financial years and the total associated authorised financial claims.

Number and Value of cases claimed: Capital & Single Application Form (SAF) for the Financial Year’s 2018-19 – 2022-23

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) take the protection of priority species within our woodlands, such as red squirrels, very seriously, and when appropriate conduct our operations out with the Red Squirrel breeding season to avoid any disturbance.

Forestry and Land Scotland take into account the survey, forest design and operational planning practices set out in Guidance note 33: Forest operations and red squirrels in Scottish forests published by Scottish Forestry to ensure that red squirrel habitat remains connected, and populations maintain long-term viability.

We have rigorous planning systems, checks and procedures with accompanying guidance in place to ensure all regulations to protect species are followed. Our work plan process and site survey methodology ensure that these procedures are followed and appropriate mitigation action taken where necessary.

We adhere to the industry guidance set by the Scottish Government forestry regulator, Scottish Forestry, and where necessary apply for and follow the species licencing process regulated by NatureScot. In the latter case we are recognised as a trusted and competent land manager and have an agreed licencing process in place that reflects that recognition.

Where possible trees with dreys are marked and retained on site during thinning operations, but locating all active dreys has been shown to be impracticable. Recent studies have shown that red squirrel use several dreys in any territory, readily move when operations begin in a woodland, and can build a new drey within a short period of time.

Machine operators are instructed to be alert for drey structures and to delay felling trees with suspected dreys. Machine operators are to contact the FLS Environment Forester or Ranger if a suspected drey structure is identified.

Where practicable FLS maintain the connectivity with adjacent mature crops as long as possible during the operation and plan the direction of operations such that squirrels can disperse into adjacent crops. At a landscape level FLS retain the richest red squirrel habitat, encourage the establishment of a range of seed bearing tree species and ages, but avoid planting of large-seeded broadleaves within strongholds to prevent conferring a competitive benefit on grey squirrels.

In stands where large-scale felling for the management of tree diseases is required longer-term retention of tree species unaffected by disease is designed where possible into the stand. All stands are managed under the principles of sustainable forest management and regulated by Scottish Forestry through the UK Forestry Standard.

A recent study published in Forest Ecology and Management show that red squirrel breeding activity continued with no detectable impact of forest operations. Red squirrel population density was also higher after thinning operations. Both are indications that UKFS compliant woodland management is overall beneficial in medium to long term for red squirrel populations.

Expert ecological opinion and anecdotal evidence from management operations by FLS estimate the number of kits killed will be significantly smaller than the theoretical maximum presented. This hypothetical maximum estimate assumes worst case scenario is all assumptions. In all years the proportion is always less than 3% of the estimated population of kits in known red squirrel habitat.

The Scottish National Investment Bank is a mission focussed impact investor. It was established to invest in Scottish business, projects, and communities in order to deliver positive environmental and social impacts and positive financial returns for the people of Scotland.

The Bank offers long-term, patient capital on commercial terms and will make both debt and equity investments. It seeks to invest where the risks are beyond the appetite of private capital. The Bank’s approach to investment helps crowd in and stimulate private investment helping to create and shape new markets.

The Bank is open to approaches from employee-owned businesses that are in line with its missions and Investment Strategy.

Many of the tax levers to support businesses remain reserved to the UK Parliament. The devolution of further taxes to Scotland would present new policy options for Scotland to support entrepreneurs and businesses.

We constantly review the support we offer to businesses, including employee owned businesses and businesses transitioning to employee ownership, and will set out our tax policies for 2024-25 to Parliament at the next Budget.

From Jan 2021 – March 2023 the Scottish Government provided over £2.8 million as part of our Women Returners funding through which over 2,100 women have been given support to help with their route back to work. In so doing we have met our 2018/19 Programme for Government commitment to support over 2000 women by the end of the 2022-23 financial year.

a) The estimated percentage of commercial forestry operations that have taken place in known red squirrel habitat: