Chamber and committees

Scotland’s Farmed Fish Health Framework seeks to support a progressive approach to fish welfare and health management, which in turn will contribute to greater sustainability and productivity of one of Scotland’s most important food sectors and contributors to our rural economy.

Under the Framework, significant progress has been made to develop an evidence based approach to how the health and welfare of farmed fish is supported in Scotland. In July 2019, I provided Parliament with a comprehensive overview of the significant progress achieved so far under all the workstreams.

Since then, the steering group taking forward the Framework considered the workstreams and approach taken; has reflected on lessons learned; and, recommended a review of the structure of the delivery mechanisms to help ensure future effectiveness and efficiency to make more rapid progress. I can therefore announce that as a result of that review, a new governance structure is being put in place and a refreshed approach will be implemented which prioritises those work streams of Scotland’s Farmed Fish Health Framework which stand to make the most direct impact on fish health in Scotland.

I can also announce that Dr Sheila Voas, Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer, will be the new single chair of a redesigned steering group.

The new steering group will focus on three priority workstreams:

1. Mortality by cause analysis with the associated framework activities to:

• Develop a consistent reporting methodology for collection of information on the causes of farmed fish mortality over recent years.
• Provide survival data for marine rainbow trout and marine salmon and ensure that the Farmed Fish Health Framework activities remain appropriate.

2. Climate Change and Ocean Acidification with the associated framework activities to:

• Consider the creation of real time monitoring of plankton in, and alert of the occurrence of, potentially harmful phytoplankton species.
• Determine how best to measure changing climatic conditions in Scotland particular to aquaculture leading to an annual mapping exercise.This should include an assessment of currently available environmental data from around fish farms, for example real-time temperature data.

3. Treatments (including Medicines) with the associated framework activities to:

• Encourage development of new medicines with the aim of increasing treatment flexibility and allowing the potential to explore treatment rotation in Scotland, within environmentally sustainable limits, appropriate use of veterinary medicines through ‘cascade’, and treatment residue containment and neutralisation.

Many people and organisations have already contributed their time and efforts to deliver the Farmed Fish Health Framework to date and I thank them for their involvement and would encourage them to continue their commitment to improving fish health and welfare in Scotland through the Framework’s workshop approach will allow relevant stakeholders to continue to contribute.

The Scottish Government recognises and values the contribution our veterans have made to their country. We are supportive of a Veterans Railcard scheme to help make rail travel more attractive and affordable. That is why we have set aside funding for an additional introductory discount valid until March 2021.

It is expected that this introductory offer will encourage veterans resident in Scotland to participate in the Rail Delivery Group scheme once it is launched. This additional discount will be provided by a rail voucher redeemable against travel, supplementing the year round benefits offered by this type of railcard. We have asked the Rail Delivery Group to confirm the full details of the Veterans Rail Card scheme at the earliest opportunity.

I wrote to the Chancellor on 14 August requesting an extension of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme in Aberdeen to allow businesses there to benefit from it to the same extent as the rest of the country following the local lockdown restrictions. I still await a reply to that letter. My office was advised by HM Treasury on 3 September that they would respond as soon as they are able. I will continue to pursue the request and will provide an update once I have received a response.

The First Minister has set out a timeline for the lifting of travel restrictions, limits on indoor meetings and the opening of hospitality.

A number of restrictions will be lifted so that by today, Monday 24 August, Aberdeen will be broadly in line with the rest of Scotland. From today the five-mile travel limit, restrictions on gatherings and visit limitations on hospital and care home visits will be lifted.

Businesses due to open today in line with the national route map - including funfairs, amusement arcades, snooker/pool halls, bingo hall and bowling alleys– can reopen, with the exception of cafes, restaurants or any hospitality element within them.

These elements will be able to open from Wednesday 26 August, along with restaurants, pubs, casinos and other licensed premises after an environmental health check has been completed.

Our decision has been informed by the advice of the Grampian Incident Management Team (IMT), local clinical advice as well as our own Scottish Government clinical advice. We have taken into account all the evidence and data available to enable us to ease restrictions.

Regrettably it is not yet possible to lift any of the restrictions today as doing so risk all of the hard won progress that people in Aberdeen have made.

Provided we continue to see a downward trend in case numbers – in the days ahead – we will allow non-licensed hospitality to reopen from next Wednesday, 26 August. This will be subject to compliance checks at those individual businesses. We will keep this under constant review.

On 26 August, we will review the restrictions on licensed premises and provide a clear timetable for lifting the restrictions on those businesses and the other restrictions affecting travel, household numbers and visits to care homes.

Our decision has been informed by the advice of the Grampian Incident Management Team (IMT), local clinical advice as well as our own Scottish Government clinical advice. We have taken into account all the evidence and data available and have benefited from a detailed discussion with local government colleagues.

We will also confirm today that a new £1m grant support scheme – delivered by Aberdeen City Council - will be made available for businesses impacted by restrictions. The Scottish Government has been working with Aberdeen City Council to ensure we can get the fund up and running in the next day or so.

This will provide grants of between £1,000 and £1,500 to those businesses most affected. The level of grants are relatively small to reflect the temporary nature of the disruption to business, to ensure proportionality with other COVID-19 business support schemes.

Given the wider implications of restrictions on sectors not required to close by the regulations - such as certain shops or businesses in the supply chain – the fund will include £100k of discretionary support for those businesses too.

The decision is to maintain current restrictions for the next 7 days as there is no evidence to support the relaxation of the current restrictions.

Our decision has been informed by the advice of the Grampian Incident Management Team (IMT), local clinical advice as well as our own Scottish Government clinical advice. We have taken into account all the evidence and data available. This includes number of new cases in the region and venues effected. There is evidence that the situation is stabilising. The evidence suggests the measures are working but it is too early to determine exactly what impact the measures have had and to distinguish the impact of individual measures so the measures all need to remain in place as they are.