No Scottish vessel has failed to comply with the economic link requirements in the last five years.

NatureScot, on behalf of Scottish Government, currently run a Long Distance Trails Forum which brings together trail managers, including the 4 Long Distance Routes and wider ‘Great Trails’, from across Scotland to share good practice, knowledge and experience. NatureScot also fund Scotland’s Great Trails website promoting Scotland’s long distance trails. There is currently a review being carried out of Scotland’s Great Trails, which includes active travel provision, visitor experience, enjoyment of the outdoors, connection with nature, green tourism and community connections.

Local Authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships can apply for funding for active travel from Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Infrastructure Fund, which could include long distance walking routes where they deliver against Scotland’s Active Travel Framework. The Scottish Government also funds the National Cycle Network which is also used for walking and wheeling, forming long distance active travel routes that are also used for everyday journeys.

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Approach to challenge demand for prostitution and improve support for those with experience of it reinforces the clear message that there is no place for the exploitation of any individual, and that prostitution is recognised as a form of violence against women and girls, as was also set out in our Equally Safe Strategy.

There are a number of specific offences which make certain activities associated with prostitution illegal, including trading in prostitution of others, the running of a brothel, procuring for the purposes of prostitution, as well as publicly soliciting or loitering for the purpose of purchasing sex, and trafficking persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Current legislation is clear that no one can be forced into sexual activity without their consent.

Our joint work with Police Scotland forms a key element of our strategic approach and we support their national approach on prostitution, Operation Begonia, which takes a victim-centred trauma-informed approach routing women to support, whilst ensuring that Police more evidently use the powers currently available to them to challenge men’s demand.

Victims are not provided, in whole or in part, the criminal record of any offender in the context of a prosecution.

Prosecutors may present an accused person’s previous convictions to the court for specific purposes, including the consideration of bail and bail conditions, or in determining the most appropriate sentence. This information is obtained from Police Scotland using the accused person’s Scottish Crime Records Office (SCRO) number, which is a unique identifier used across the justice system in Scotland. This ensures that relevant information is accurately linked to the individual, regardless of any change of name or gender identity.

Data provided by the Forensic Mental Health Service Managed Clinical Network to Scottish Government has advised that, from their report of week commencing 30 June, 15 patients with learning disabilities are being treated at the State Hospital. This data is not broken down by length of stay.

The quota payback is calculated as 26% of the pound sterling value of the ‘missing’ landings in order to have otherwise met the landings threshold into Scotland (55% of all landings), aggregated across the eight named species.

The pound value of those missing landings is converted back into a tonnage figure, using the average pound per tonne (PPT) value of landings made by Scottish vessels into Scotland. Please see the consultation outcome report for further details: https://consult.gov.scot/marine-scotland/amendment-of-the-economic-link-licence-condition/

Compliance is assessed by the Marine Directorate in the following calendar year.

The first criteria for compliance for a vessel to have landed more than 10 tonnes of the eight named species. A vessel landing less than 10 tonnes total of the eight named species is exempt from the economic link condition.

To meet the landing target element of the economic link condition a minimum of 55% of all landings must be made into Scottish ports.

Vessels which do not meet the landings threshold must make a quota payback in order to meet their obligation.

The Scottish Government wrote to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (RAIC) on 13 March 2025 committing to explore how to gain greater insights into cleaner fish health and welfare outcomes, as part of our overall response to the RAIC’s report on salmon farming in Scotland, and through delivery of our Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture. We will provide an update to the RAIC in due course.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 requires the Scottish Ministers to publish a five-year Rural Support Plan and have regard to it when exercising functions under the 2024 Act. The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025 came into force on 16 June 2025. In the first instance it provides the legal basis for the introduction of the Rural Support Plan, which will set out how support over each five-year period will deliver to 2024 Act objectives and wider Scottish Government priorities.

It will build upon for the Vision for Scottish Agriculture and the Agricultural Reform Route Map and outline the phased transition from legacy EU Common Agricultural Policy support to the new four-tier framework. It will reflect the on-going engagement and co-development taking place within the Agriculture Reform Programme. The Rural Support Plan will collate this information into a single strategic and coherent package, add programme level input and ensure the totality of measures is considered. This work is part of normal duties within the Agricultural Reform Programme and any costs will be met within existing budgets.

The initial Rural Support Plan is intended to be drafted through the remainder of 2025 and laid in Winter 2025, to reflect the Route Map, the on-going work of the Agricultural Reform Programme and published ahead of the first plan period of 2026-2030.

There are no current plans for the Scottish Government to conduct an independent review of the two existing National Parks in Scotland, as we consider there are already adequate accountability mechanisms in place. As set out in their underpinning legislation, National Parks are accountable to their boards and to the Scottish Government. They are required to produce a five year National Park Partnership Plan and their Corporate Plans are aligned to these. These Plans, including the aims and objectives within them, are signed off by Ministers.

Delivery is monitored and reviewed at regular meetings between the Scottish Government and National Park authority Convenors and Chief Executives. Park authorities are also required to report on their delivery and performance through their Annual Report and Accounts, which are laid before Parliament and published.

The Scottish Parliament can also scrutinise the Parks’ performance directly, as it can for all public sector bodies.