Small farms and crofts are vital for delivering on the Vision for Agriculture and the plans and audits that make up the Whole Farm Plan will provide value to all businesses, regardless of scale.

In this first year, we only expect farmers and crofters to undertake two of the up to five relevant requirements. Further, to avoid duplication we welcome equivalences such as the QMS animal health and welfare plan that so many of our producers already have. Guidance was co-developed with industry on the range of free online tools that are available and the more direct support that is offered through our Preparing for Sustainable Farming scheme.

The plans and audits that make up the Whole Farm Plan are suitable for every farmer and crofter in Scotland, regardless of geographical location or size. They will encourage farmers and crofters to review their business practices and help identify areas for improvement in terms of resource efficiency. This may result in increased productivity and/or profitability. Additionally, if a business decides to implement changes to deliver these improvements, the plan and audits will give them the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of these improvements.

Supply chains are asking more of our producers and expecting produce with positive impact for nature and climate. It is right that we effectively support our farmers and crofters on this journey.

The requirements for the Whole Farm Plan apply to all claimants of BPS and do not specifically identify islands. However, extensive stakeholder engagement has been carried out to ensure that the Whole Farm Plan requirements are proportionate for crofting businesses and small farms. The Scottish Crofting Federation were content that the requirement for two plans in audits in 2025 was achievable by their members, particularly as there are no financial implications in 2025 if businesses do not achieve this.

Additionally, The Scottish Crofting Federation were part of The Whole Farm Plan Steering Group, which was established by the Cabinet Secretary.

I welcome this contribution from Katrina Coutts. We will continue to work with our partners in the industry to ensure their insight and expertise informs as to how we will best deliver our Vision.

I would note that our approach of co-development, of listening to the needs of our crofters in particular, is why we have prioritised their asks in our capital grant scheme and we have recently announced a derogation for small herds in the Suckler Beef Scheme.

Since its establishment in 2022, the Scottish Government has allocated Just Transition Fund support to the North East and Moray as follows:

• 2022 - 2023: £10 million
• 2023 - 2024: £50 million
• 2024 - 2025: £12.172 million
• 2025 - 2026: £15.9 million

With a view to assessing the value for public money and the impact of our investment to date, we commissioned an independent evaluation of the impact of the fund in its first two years of operation. The report, which will be published shortly, emphasised the enabling role of the Fund in delivering a just transition to net zero in region.

Its findings indicate the Fund has created and safeguarded at least 230 jobs, opened up more than 750 training places via skills-focused projects and, attracted over £30 million in private investment and £4.7m in public and third sector investment from £43 million of initial JTF investment.

These are the initial impacts of the Fund and we are confident that job numbers, investment leverage and other key outputs will increase as projects continue.

Since its inception in 2022, the Scottish Government has allocated Just Transition Fund support to the North East and Moray as follows:

• 2022 - 2023: £10 million
• 2023 - 2024: £50 million
• 2024 - 2025: £12.172 million
• 2025 - 2026: £15.9 million

STPR2 forms the Scottish Government’s long term plans for future transport investment. It must be recognised that it is not possible to take forward all 45 STPR2 recommendations at the same time.

Shipping safety and marine traffic management are matters largely reserved to the UK Government. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is responsible for shipping regulations and safety in UK waters, including tracking marine traffic in UK waters.

It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate and the Scottish Government engages regularly with the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Property Services networks, including to share the School Grounds in Scotland 2025 report.

The Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Strategy (LES), which was produced in collaboration with COSLA, makes clear that outdoor learning and the use of outdoor learning environments should be maximised. The LES also highlights that good consultation about learning environments, and direct engagement with learners and communities about their needs, should lead to better outcomes for everyone.

The Curriculum Improvement Cycle is currently reviewing and strengthening Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. Guidance, professional learning and resources on a wide range of matters will be considered as part of that process.

Education Scotland hosts and shares a range of guidance Outdoor learning resources | Resources | Education Scotland to support outdoor learning provision through the curriculum. Schools and local authorities can also access the GOING-OUT-THERE-PRINT-V3.pdf guidance and associated interactive toolkits online, which have been key to supporting delivery of safe and legally competent outdoor learning experiences.

Education Scotland, the national education agency, promotes the benefits of outdoor learning by sharing a range of resources, guidance and case studies via their new Learning for Sustainability webpage and by facilitating peer-to-peer learning through the Learning for Sustainability mentors’ network. The Scottish Government also provides funding to the Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education to maintain and update its “Going Out There” website which provides a range of toolkits, risk assessment guidance and online learning.

Outdoor learning features strongly in the government’s Learning for Sustainability Action Plan. As part of that plan, a dedicated outdoor learning national working group has been considering further ways to support and promote outdoor learning. The group will provide its final report and recommendations to Ministers later this year.

In relation to access to green spaces in schools, the £2bn Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) is being delivered in partnership with local authorities and will benefit tens of thousands of pupils across Scotland. Through the LEIP, projects are encouraged to maximise the use of the outdoor environment for learning, social activities and recreation.

The Scottish Government has published a consultation on a draft Environment Strategy, building on the Vision and Outcomes document published in 2020, that will fulfil the requirements of section 47 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.

The draft Environment Strategy brings together our approach for creating a Scotland whose environment is healthy and robust and benefits everyone in Scotland. It sets out a holistic framework for delivering Scotland’s role in protecting our environment by tackling nature loss, climate change and pollution. It focuses on approaches that will improve the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s communities, promote social justice and strengthen our economy, helping us to become a fairer, more prosperous and resilient nation. In this way, it is designed to support the delivery of all four of the government’s priorities.

The consultation is available on Citizen Space at https://consult.gov.scot/environment-forestry/draft-environment-strategy/ and we encourage responses from all parts of society and from our business community. The consultation will close on 29 September.