The First Minister met President Von der Leyen in Scotland on 26 July.

They discussed transatlantic trade talks, the current state of the UK/EU relationship, the UK/EU Summit held in May 2025, energy cooperation and Scotland’s potential as a centre for renewable energy production, Gaza and Ukraine.

President Von der Leyen noted that the visits of European leaders and the US President provided a wonderful opportunity to showcase Scotland to the world.

Information on the incentives available in Enterprise Areas have been published on the following Scottish Government webpage: https://www.gov.scot/policies/supporting-business/enterprise-areas/

As noted, Enterprise Areas (EAs) have access to a package of financial and non-financial incentives:

Financial Incentives

• Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) relief - the main devolved incentive, as set by The Non-Domestic Rates (Enterprise Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2016. Further information on EAs NDR Relief can be accessed here: https://www.mygov.scot/non-domestic-rates-relief/enterprise-areas-relief

or

• Full Expensing Capital Allowances, available from April 2023 until the end of March 2026. Companies can claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying plant and machinery investments. The Full Expensing Capital Allowances are within the remit of the UK Government and information on their statutory basis should be addressed to UK Ministers.

Non-Financial Incentives

• streamlined planning process,
• high-speed broadband,
• sector specific international promotion and marketing from Scottish Development International , and
• skills and training support from Skills Development Scotland.

The majority of non-financial incentives have been mainstreamed into generally available support for businesses by both the Scottish Government, and our enterprise and skills agencies and are therefore no longer exclusive to Enterprise Areas. A non-statutory planning protocol, committing all relevant partners to work together to facilitate the planning process in designated Enterprise Areas, remains in place.

There have been developments in the broader policy landscape of targeted support for economic growth alongside EAs. In 2022, the Scottish Government agreed with the UK Government to establish two Green Freeports in Scotland. Geographically focused, the Green Freeports incentives package also includes provision of NDR relief in Green Freeport tax sites, as part of a wider package of devolved and reserved incentives. This is aimed at supporting cluster building and attracting inward investment across the geographically defined tax sites within the Green Freeports’ outer boundary. A similar approach to the Enterprise Areas planning protocol was taken in developing a planning protocol for the Green Freeports.

Like EAs, both Green Freeports have a strong focus on renewable energy and there is also some geographical overlap between the EAs and the Green Freeport tax sites at Inverness, Nigg and Leith.

In addition, we have also agreed with the UK Government to establish two Investment Zones in Glasgow City Region and the North East, also comprising designated areas of land in which a package of devolved and reserved tax reliefs and spending will be available. The Scottish Investment Zones will use these incentives to support the development of clusters and drive innovation in advanced manufacturing, green energy and digital technologies.

The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to supporting small producers and empowering them to play a key role in making our Vision for Agriculture a reality. This year, up to £1 million is being invested through the Small Producer Pilot Fund to continue to support innovation, resilience, and growth across the sector.

Those individuals or groups with a holding no larger than 30 hectares (excluding common grazing), are eligible, and as we move forward with the Pilot Fund, we will further assess additional needs for local communities and this sector, and how we can support them.

The member may be aware that the First Minister visited Orkney Auction Mart in February 2025, and there he re-affirmed Scottish Government’s commitment to supporting small producers and strengthening Scotland’s food supply chain.

As an example of this support, last year nearly £300,000 in grants were awarded to several private kill abattoirs. This funding supported a wide range of vital activity – from training private kill coordinators and upskilling butchers, to improving customer engagement and developing strong business plans. These facilities are essential to a thriving food supply chain, offering accessible, high-quality services that help ensure long-term viability for small producers.

Further targeted support for this sector will be detailed in the upcoming Rural Support Plan.

The Scottish Government has no plans at present to undertake a review of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) (Regulations) 2021. Section 28 of the equivalent regulations in England place a duty on the Secretary of State to periodically review the provisions of the 2018 regulations. No such duty exists under the 2021 regulations.

I confirmed in Parliament on 29 May that, in light of the consultation findings and the reporter’s conclusions, the Scottish Government will not proceed with the designation of a National Park in Galloway and Ayrshire.

In its role as the statutory reporter, NatureScot has made recommendations on ways in which existing structures in the region could be further strengthened. South of Scotland Enterprise has also suggested there could be benefits in exploring an alternative approach.

We are grateful for these suggestions and will now take time to reflect on them and give them deeper consideration.

We are already investing in the South of Scotland to reduce carbon emissions, enhance and restore nature, support our rural industries and deliver growth and jobs that enable the area and its people to flourish.

This includes the £85 million we have committed to the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal to drive sustainable economic growth across the south of Scotland.

Projects supported through the growth deal include the Dairy Nexus located in Dumfries which will use cutting edge technology to boost dairy sector innovation, productivity and sustainability. It also includes the River Tweed Walking and Cycling Route, which will grow the region’s tourism offer, and a range of other measures to improve places, deliver sustainable energy solutions, enable businesses to expand and create jobs and further develop the skills and talent base for current and future employers

Growing our economy is one of this government’s top priorities. Scotland’s regional economies are key to delivering the strong, dynamic and flourishing economy we all want to see.

Our dedicated enterprise agency, South of Scotland Enterprise, continues to deliver real, tangible benefits for businesses and communities in the South.

Last year, the agency invested £13.7m million in business and community enterprises and £5.7 million in 48 strategic projects, including the Chapelcross Energy Transition Zone. It helped to create or safeguard over 1,700 jobs.

In addition, we remain committed to delivering the recommendations laid out in the 2022 regional economic policy review and our 2025/26 Programme for Government further commits us to working with our regional partners to deliver both for the south of Scotland and the country as a whole.

The Scottish Government does not plan to instruct NHS Boards to utilise BE FAST in emergency departments. The use of FAST is supported by both Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and Stroke Association.

The Scottish Government has not received any information regarding the delivery of a BE FAST stroke awareness campaign; therefore, no assessment has been made.

The Scottish Government has not yet received feedback from NHS Boards. We will issue a monitoring template to Boards shortly asking them to report on their progress towards implementation of the priority now actions set out in the Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care in Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises the crucial role that the Subway plays in Glasgow’s transport system and the importance of the modernisation programme.

The circumstances in which independent GP contractors can charge their patients for services not covered by their contracts are set out in schedule 5 of the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (box brackets and ellipsis denote edits to the text of the schedule for the sake of clarity):

1. The contractor may demand or accept a fee or other remuneration—

(a) from any statutory body for services rendered for the purposes of that body’s statutory functions;

(b) from any body, employer or school for a routine medical examination of persons for whose welfare the body, employer or school is responsible, or an examination of such persons for the purpose of advising the body, employer or school of any administrative action they might take;

(c) for treatment which is not primary medical services or otherwise required to be provided under the contract and which is given—

(i) pursuant to the provisions of section 57 of [the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978] (a) (accommodation and services for private patients); or

(ii) in accommodation provided by a care home service which is not providing services under the Act,

if, in either case, the person providing the treatment is serving on the staff of a hospital providing services under the Act as a specialist providing treatment of the kind the patient requires and if, within 7 days of giving the treatment, the contractor or the person providing the treatment supplies the Health Board, on a form provided by it for the purpose, with such information about the treatment as it may require;

(d) under section 158 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (payment for emergency treatment of traffic casualties) (b);

(e) when the contractor treats a patient [who claims to be on that contractor’s list of patients, but the contractor has reasonable doubts about that person’s claim], in which case the contractor is entitled to demand and accept a reasonable fee … for any treatment given, if the contractor gives the patient a receipt;

(f) for attending and examining (but not otherwise treating) a patient—

(i) at the patient’s request at a police station in connection with possible criminal proceedings against the patient;

(ii) at the request of a commercial, educational or not-for-profit organisation for the purpose of creating a medical report or certificate; or

(iii) for the purpose of creating a medical report required in connection with an actual or potential claim for compensation by the patient;

(g) for treatment consisting of an immunisation for which no remuneration is payable by the Health Board and which is requested in connection with travel abroad;

(h) for prescribing or providing drugs, medicines or appliances (including a collection of such drugs, medicines and appliances in the form of a travel kit) which a patient requires to have in their possession solely in anticipation of the onset of an ailment or occurrence of an injury while they are outside the United Kingdom but for which they are not requiring treatment when the medicine is prescribed;

(i) for a medical examination—

(i) to enable a decision to be made as to whether or not it is inadvisable on medical grounds for a person to wear a seat belt; or

(ii) for the purpose of creating a report—

(aa) relating to a road traffic accident or criminal assault; or

(bb) that offers an opinion as to whether a patient is fit to travel; or

(j) for prescribing or providing drugs or medicines for malaria chemoprophylaxis.

It is a matter for independent GP contractors to decide whether or not they want to carry out this private work and how much to charge for it.