Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government recognises that it is essential that pre-eclampsia is diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. This is why the Scottish Government contributes funding towards the commissioning of the Maternal Newborn and Infant Clinical Outcome Review Programme run by Mothers and Babies, Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK). All maternity units in Scotland contribute data to this and reports focus on pre-eclampsia every 3 years, highlighting recommendations for healthcare professionals, Health Boards and Trusts, policy officials and other organisations to tackle this condition.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS Boards in Scotland to take note of the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) recommendations, published on 23 March 2023, and take steps to ensure that any woman who requires access to placental growth factor (PlGF) based tests as part of her maternity care can do so.

As Oxfam’s report recognises, the regulation of fossil fuel industries and the majority of tax powers remain reserved to Westminster. We will keep pressing the UK Government to take the urgent action needed – especially after their recent backsliding on net-zero ambitions.

Here in Scotland we are committed to using what powers we have to meet our world-leading climate targets. We will continue with our progressive approach to tax and working to ensure we achieve a just transition – all of which will help achieve our climate goals, safeguard jobs and protect those on the lowest incomes.

A strong manufacturing sector with more jobs will be central to the successful delivery of our 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

The Making Scotland’s Future Programme, which is focused on strengthening and diversifying Scotland’s manufacturing sector, has a dedicated leadership and skills workstream alongside others supporting sectoral growth. This commitment to the sector’s growth is also demonstrated by our £26 million Low Carbon Manufacturing Challenge Fund (LCMCF) and the £75m investment in the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS). NMIS has a Manufacturing Skills Academy. It is also working with large and small manufacturers to unlock big productivity gains; develop new products and processes; transform workforce skillsets; win new orders; and grow their businesses.

The Scottish Government has also accepted the recommendations of the independent Equalities and Wellbeing Working Group and is working with the sector to support and diversify the manufacturing workforce.

Scotland remains the most attractive place in the UK outside London for foreign direct investment. Recent successes with substantial employment opportunities include a number in the manufacturing sector.

We are also developing a Green Industrial Strategy, which will set out how we will help businesses and investors to realise the enormous economic opportunities of the global transition to net zero and create good, well-paid jobs across Scotland.

Scottish Government commissioned this report from Finance Earth to better understand the potential role of blended finance in mobilising responsible private investment for peatland restoration. We will draw on its conclusions and recommendations as we develop our forthcoming natural capital markets framework, which we committed to in this year’s Programme for Government.

The management of meal debt is a matter for local authorities.

Neither the Scottish Government nor NatureScot has contractual relationships with or has made payments to Palladium, Lombard Odier or Hampden and Co Bank in support of mobilising private finance into nature. NatureScot is a signatory of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the financial partners. Further information on the partnership is available at www.nature.scot

Crown Estate Scotland are unable to provide a forecast at this stage. The recent reinstatement of rent to 1% of turnover took effect from January 2023. The subsequent increase to 1.5% turnover from January 2026 will bring finfish operators in line with most other Scottish Crown Estate seabed tenants.

Both Burns Night and St Andrew’s Day are important opportunities in the calendar to promote Scotland’s interests internationally: highlighting Scottish culture and food and drink, presenting opportunities to engage a global audience and opening doors for future trade, investment and collaboration.

The figures requested are presented in the following tables. In the past twelve months, when the majority of covid restrictions were no longer in force, eight offices undertook public activity linked to Burns Night in 2023, and all nine did so at events linked to St Andrew’s Day 2022. The planned Burns programme in Paris this year was not able to proceed due to safety concerns in the city at that time.

All our international offices are preparing St Andrew’s Day events for 2023, as part of a programme promoting Scotland internationally throughout the Winter Festivals season leading up to Burns Night in 2024. Diplomatic, trade and investment and cultural engagement delivered by offices in the international network around both Burns Night and St Andrews Day includes joint working with SDI, the FCDO, and other government and external partners both at home in Scotland and in-country, hosting events or representing Scotland at established events.

Covid restrictions from the spring of 2020 through to early 2022 meant that much in-person activity was suspended, and offices collaborated within the network and with other partners to host or promote virtual and online celebrations instead. Some St Andrew’s Day activity for 2022 in Beijing was postponed due to ongoing restrictions, and took place in March 2023.

(a) Burns Night

The Scottish Government is committed to paying its contractors promptly, and has a commitment to pay all valid invoices within 10 days of receipt, going beyond the contractual responsibility to pay within 30 days. Systems and processes are in place to monitor and maintain performance data against this 10 day prompt payment target for each Director General area within the core Scottish Government and where payment services are provided centrally for relevant agencies.

Since 2014, the Scottish Government has also maintained a top level figure for the percentage of valid invoices paid within 5 days across the whole of the Scottish Government and its agencies, as shown in the table below. However, as systems are calibrated to report on the 10 prompt payment commitment, it is not possible to break this down further into directorate or agency reports.

The most recent Programme for Government (2023-24) sets out the Scottish Government’s intention to introduce the Scottish Languages Bill in this current parliamentary year.