Chamber and committees

The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) sets out Priority Actions which are urgently required to achieve the vision of halting biodiversity loss by 2030 and reversing the trend by 2045, whilst contributing to addressing climate change. Of particular relevance to forestry is the following priority action, which recognises the important role that can be played by all types of woodland, including commercial forests.

Ensure that productive forests and woodlands are designed and managed in ways that deliver increased biodiversity and habitat connectivity whilst sustaining timber production and carbon sequestration to meet the climate crisis and reduce their vulnerability to climate risks.

The action will be delivered through the Scottish Forestry Strategy (SFS), which is built on the principles of sustainable forest management (SFM), including commitments to biodiversity. A set of high-level indicators has been identified to track and report progress against the SFS including the Woodland Ecological Condition official statistic, Designated Site Condition Monitoring, abundance of terrestrial breeding birds, and the area of woodland independently certified by the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS). It is anticipated that achieving the goals of the SBS will increase the biodiversity value of productive woodlands without adversely affecting the sustainable production of timber in Scotland.

As set out in the Continuity Act policy statement agreed with Parliament in June 2022, the Scottish Government will seek to align with the EU where appropriate and in a manner that contributes towards maintaining and advancing standards across a range of policy areas. This is done using a range of legislative and non-legislative means, including using the power in section 1(1) power of the Continuity Act to make secondary legislation where appropriate.

Ministers are required to report to Parliament annually on use, considered use and planned use in the next reporting period of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021. The 2021-22 Report laid in parliament details that this power has been used once in 2022 to align with the health based standards of the EU Recast Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on drinking water for human consumption. This measure took effect on 1 January 2023. In 2024, and the remainder of 2023 the Scottish Government will use this power if it is the most appropriate means to deliver alignment. If this power is used the Scottish Government will inform parliament through the agreed reporting process.

The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the UK Government regarding pet travel rules through a number of forums. The rules require all dogs entering the UK to be treated against Echinococcus multilocularis (tapeworm) unless they are entering from a tapeworm free country. Risk assessments are undertaken for zoonotic diseases, including tick-borne diseases, to ensure pet travel disease prevention measures remain relevant in protecting public and animal health.

The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 sets out the requirement for annual reports of the Scottish Ministers use, planned use and considered use of the Section 1(1) power of the Act. The Scottish Government has no plans to propose changes to the Act in respect of reporting its use of the Section 1(1) power. However, The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Culture and External Affairs wrote to the Convener of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture committee on 28 June to propose providing further information annually on the policy commitment to EU alignment, namely:

· how alignment has been considered in respect of legislation made in the Scottish Parliament over the reporting year;

· an assessment of EU legislation made over the reporting year that may be relevant to the commitment to align;

· where Scotland’s policy priorities in respect of the EU lie in the coming year; and

· reporting of the impact of the UK Government’s Retained EU Law Bill on Scotland and our ability to align with the EU to protect high standards.

Ministers look forward to receiving the Committee’s consideration of these proposals, and shall continue to work with the committee to ensure transparency in our approach to Parliament.

The Scottish Government publishes statistics relating to the number of reports of suspected illegal fishing inside Marine Protected Areas. These statistics detail the number of reports by suspected fishing method, including scallop dredging. Reports of illegal fishing are investigated by Marine Directorate officers to determine whether an offence has been committed, and whether there is sufficient evidence to pursue further action. Not all reports are confirmed illegal incursions. Marine and fisheries compliance: reports of illegal fishing in marine protected areas - 26 May 2020 to 31 May 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Scottish Government is committed to the creation of a Scottish Veterinary Service (SVS) within this Scottish Parliament to ensure there are highly trained staff to provide Scotland with good animal health and food safety to meet all our needs across the public and private sector for animal health issues.

A Programme has been established to manage the work required to create an SVS. The Programme continues to keep the timetable for establishing the Service under review.

The Scottish Government is committed to the creation of a Scottish Veterinary Service (SVS) to ensure there are highly trained staff to provide Scotland with good animal health and food safety to meet all our needs across the public and private sector for animal health issues.

A Programme has been established to manage the work required to create an SVS, which includes conducting a financial appraisal of the operational and investment costs of the Service.

All potential functions considered for future delivery by the SVS are already funded by the Scottish Government under a variety of arrangements. The financial appraisal will assess how consolidation under a single body provides opportunities to enhance quality, efficiency, resilience and value for money.

The Scottish Government welcomes that the British Veterinary Association sees advantages and opportunities in the creation of a Scottish Veterinary Service (SVS), and also agrees with the veterinary profession's representative body that there are risks that must be managed. To do so, a Programme has been put in place to manage the work required to establish an SVS.

Animal diseases do not respect borders, and Officials in the Programme have identified areas where communication, cooperation and interoperability between the future Scottish Veterinary Service and its counterparts in the rest of GB or the UK is required for effective delivery, such as data sharing, science and research, contingency planning and mutual assistance for major incidents and disease outbreaks.

Scottish Government Officials liaise regularly with the Animal and Plant health Agency, as well as Defra, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive officials to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place, in due course, to mitigate against any risks to animal health and welfare as a result of different arrangement for the delivery of veterinary controls in Scotland.

Scottish Ministers, the Chief Veterinary Officer, and officials communicate with the British Veterinary Association regularly on this and other animal health and welfare matters, and will continue to do so as the Programme develops.

The Scottish Government is committed to the creation of a Scottish Veterinary Service (SVS) to ensure there are highly trained staff to provide Scotland with good animal health and food safety to meet all our needs across the public and private sector for animal health issues.

Animal health and welfare matters are devolved, and were so before the creation of an Scottish Veterinary Service was considered. The Scottish Government is satisfied that any future changes to the arrangements for the delivery of veterinary controls will be purely operational and have negligible implications for the operation of the Internal Market Act 2020.

Nevertheless, animal diseases do not respect borders, and there will be areas where communication, cooperation and interoperability between the future Scottish Veterinary Service and its counterparts in the rest of GB or the UK will be required for effective delivery, such as data sharing, science and research, contingency planning and mutual assistance for major incidents and disease outbreaks.

Scottish Government Officials liaise regularly with the UK Government and the other Devolved Administrations on animal health and welfare matters, including the SVS, through the mechanisms established under the UK Framework for Animal Health and Welfare.

The Scottish Government is committed to the creation of a Scottish Veterinary Service (SVS) to ensure there are highly trained staff to provide Scotland with good animal health and food safety to meet all our needs across the public and private sector for animal health issues.

Animal health and welfare matters are devolved, and were so before the creation of an Scottish Veterinary Service was considered. The Scottish Government is satisfied that any future changes to the arrangements for the delivery of veterinary controls will be purely operational and have negligible implications for the operation of the Internal Market Act 2020.