Chamber and committees

There is regular engagement at all levels between Scottish Government and Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and this will continue for the remainder of the financial year 2023-24. This includes regular dialogue between Ministers and the FLS CEO. FLS’s second Corporate Plan (2022 – 2025) was published on the 01 April 2022, this sets out the direction of travel for the organisation and priorities for the three-year period, including 2023-24.

Corporate Plan - Forestry and Land Scotland

The FLS Business Plan sets out the main actions that the organisation we will take over the period 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024 to deliver the commitments and outcomes identified in their Corporate Plan. Ministers approved that plan in March 2023.

Business Plan - Forestry and Land Scotland

Like all Scottish public bodies, FLS receive relevant guidance documents from the Scottish Government. For example, FLS have received a copy of the Public Sector Pay Strategy 2023-24 and a copy of the Fair Work First Guidance.

The Scottish Government remain committed to improving the mental health and wellbeing of Scotland’s population. Delivering this can only be achieved with the right workforce capacity and capability.

We have invested heavily in staffing in recent years, which is why both CAMHS and Psychology Services workforces have more than doubled under this Government.

Information on workforce numbers is publicly available through the Turas Data Intelligence system, including by NHS Boards, provided by NHS Education for Scotland: NHS Scotland Workforce Data

Liberty Steel Dalzell is currently meeting ongoing interest payments on the outstanding loan, and Scottish Enterprise continues to work closely with the Company and its parent to secure full repayment as soon as possible. This is, however, a complex situation with multiple commercially sensitive dependencies.

There has been no call on the Lochaber guarantee and therefore no public expenditure has been incurred. The Scottish Government securities are valued at more than the outstanding amount Guaranteed.

The Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry publishes its expenditure on a quarterly basis on its website: http://www.shekubayohinquiry.scot/inquiry-costs

The latest published figures show that the Inquiry has spent £10.4m since its setting-up date on 30 November 2020 until 31 December 2022:

Marine Scotland has not received any information or indication of an increase in sea bass landed in Cumbria by fishers from England with permits to fish on the Solway Firth.

The current commercial level of European sea bass which may be caught within British fishery limits is subject to the provisions contained within The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2023, which came into force on 1 April 2023.

In line with the 2021 Programme for Government commitment, the Ministerial Working Group on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) reconvened and met on 29 June 2022. Going forward, the Ministerial Working Group will support and input to the Wellbeing and Sustainability Bill scheduled to be introduced in 2024 under the stewardship of the Deputy First Minister.

The following Minister’s attended the 29 June 2022 meeting:

Then Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, (Chair) Neil Gray

Then Minister for Equalities and Older People, Christina McKelvie

Then Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport, Maree Todd

Then Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lorna Slater

Then Minister for Children and Young People, Clare Haughey

Then Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee

It should be noted the Working Group, apart from being Chaired by the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, has no fixed membership as Ministers are invited to attend as, and when, areas within their ministerial portfolios are discussed. Our approach is for responsibility for PCSD and its delivery to reside across all Ministerial portfolios, with the Group providing Ministers with the opportunity to reflect on how their portfolios shape and influence these issues, and what is required to improve policy coherence, not just within but across portfolios.

The Lochaber businesses continue to perform well and support jobs in the region. GFG has created 40 new jobs in Lochaber since 2016 – increasing direct employment in the complex to 200 jobs and supporting a valuable supply chain with hundreds of associated jobs.

We remain committed to the expansion of universal free school meals in primary schools. In the Scottish budget for 2023-24, we announced additional investment of £16 million in revenue funding and £80 million in capital funding for free school meals expansion. This will continue to fund the next phase of our expansion, which will be targeted to Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, which is the next step in fulfilling our commitment to universal provision of free school meals in primary schools.

We recognise that a number of local authorities have indicated they face challenges in planning for the substantial expansion of free school meals. It is right that we work in partnership with local government to deliver our shared commitment. We will continue to engage with COSLA and other key delivery partners to undertake planning for further expansion.

The Lochaber businesses continue to perform well and support jobs in the region – underlining just how important our intervention was.GFG has created 40 new jobs in Lochaber since 2016 – increasing direct employment in the complex to 200 jobs and supporting a valuable supply chain with hundreds of associated jobs.