Chamber and committees

Scotland’s natural environment, the conditions of vegetation and the weather in Scotland at certain times of year lend themselves to fires starting and spreading quickly.

Addressing those risks is a key priority for both the Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Through the Scottish Wildfire Forum, chaired by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and VisitScotland’s Visitor Management: Scotland's Plan & Objectives | VisitScotland.org our agencies and partners come together to plan for and collaborate on issues such as wildfire education.

The Scottish Government is responding to the full range of climate risks identified for Scotland through our 2019 Adaptation Plan, which sets out more than 170 policies and proposals to build resilience to the impacts of global climate change as part of our Just Transition to net zero emissions by 2045. In Autumn 2024 we will publish a third Adaptation Plan, recognising the increased nature of climate risk and planning for a climate resilient Scotland.

Since 2020, SG has invested £66m to restore 18,500 ha of degraded peatlands across approximately 230 projects/sites spread all across Scotland [1] . The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 strictly regulates the use of muirburn, with exceptions to allow fuel load management. It also requires those carrying out muirburn to have completed an approved training course.

As we work to combat the effects of the climate crisis, we will continue to consider how our agencies and partners work together to address the risks of wildfire.

[1] Figures from 2020 to 2023.

The Scottish Wildfire Forum, which is chaired by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, includes Local Authorities, Regional Resilience Partnerships and other Agencies as members to assess wildfire risks and consider what mitigating actions might be taken.

Alongside the Forum, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service continue to work closely with land managers and local communities prevent wildfires ever occurring.

Work is also ongoing within our National Parks to address concerns around the risk and impact of wildfires. The Cairngorms National Park (CNP) consultation on Fire Management, which ran from February to April of this year, sought views on proposals to reduce fire management byelaws which aim to reduce the risk of wildfires being ignited, and on how the Park Authority might enhance its communication and education approach.

Both the CNP and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park also engage with key stakeholders through Visit Scotland’s Visitor Management Strategy Group Visitor Management: Scotland's Plan & Objectives | VisitScotland.org t o develop messaging around visitor related fires.

The Scottish Veterans Fund continues to be our main route to directly fund projects supporting the Armed Forces Community in Scotland. In this financial year we are providing around £460,000 through the fund to help organisations deliver 14 projects across Scotland. These projects will help veterans navigate challenges in areas including their mental and physical health, finances and employment.

In addition to the Scottish Veterans Fund, we continue to support the Unforgotten Forces consortium and are providing them with £315,000 of funding this year. The consortium provides joined up support to veterans over the age of 60 across Scotland as well as acting as a forum to share best practise and learning. The consortium delivered over 30,000 episodes of support for older veterans across Scotland during its first five years.

The appointment of a new ministerial team has presented an opportunity to simplify portfolio titles across all parts of government. This in no way changes our commitment to the principles of a Wellbeing Economy, as set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

A growing economy that is fair and green supports delivery of our other priorities to work towards eradicating child poverty, delivering sustainable public services and tackling the climate emergency. These are and will continue to be the key focus for the Scottish Government.

The delivery of woodland creation will be focused within a Gross area of 4380ha by 2050. Delivery of this will be achieved through the protection of both advanced and developing natural regeneration, as well as through active planting, which will take the form of the creation of Seed islands, located in specific areas of the broad seed island zone. Enrichment planting within advanced regenerating areas and throughout the network of burns found within the catchment, as Riparian corridor planting along the banks. It is expected that the potential woodland cover, within the woodland creation zone will average 15%, at a density averaging around 600 stems/ha. This will vary throughout the catchment, specific to the location i.e. patchy and or higher/lower pending site conditions.

There is evidence of 415ha of existing advanced natural regeneration already within the catchment, achieving the standard for established woodland using criteria set by Scottish Forestry and Forestry and Land Scotland, this will be claimed in 2024.

As part of the Islands Connectivity Plan, Transport Scotland plans to carry out Community Needs Assessments for the islands and peninsulas of the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles Ferry Services. These Community Needs Assessments will identify options for transport connectivity, including the existing ferry services.

A draft of the updated Community Needs Assessment methodology was shared with, and presented to, a group of the following key stakeholders and their feedback was fed into the final version:

• Shetland Islands Council.
• Orkney Islands Council.
• Comhairle nan Eilean Sar.
• Argyll and Bute Council.
• North Ayrshire Council.
• The Highland Council.
• Shetland Regional Transport Partnership (ZetTrans).
• Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS).
• Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
• Serco Northlink Ferries.
• CalMac Ferries Ltd.
• Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.
• Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS).
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
• Ferries Community Board.
• Young Islanders Network.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with our international partners to secure a global transition to a net zero and resilient future in a way that is fair and just for all.

COPs are an important opportunity for international partners to come together, share lessons and agree action. Scotland will continue to play our part at COPs, making the case for greater inclusion of devolved governments and ensuring climate justice is at the heart of international climate action.

No decision on SG attendance has yet been made in relation to COP29. A decision regarding ministerial attendance will be taken in due course.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people get the support they need to reach their full learning potential, including those with autism.

It is for local authorities to determine the most appropriate educational provision for pupils, taking into account both their legal responsibilities and the individual circumstances and wishes of children, young people, and their families.

The decision to adopt part-time learning should be taken in agreement with the school and the local authority and should also take into account the circumstances of the individual learner including existing planning arrangements in place for the child or young person.

The Scottish Government continues to work in partnership with Education Scotland and a range of stakeholders to improve professional understanding of, and support for autistic learners in all settings.

In light of the budget settlement for 2024-2025, and the financial pressures being faced across the Scottish Government, the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme in Scotland has been temporarily suspended to allow resources to be targeted at priority areas .

The next summary report, for the period January to June 2023, will be published in the coming weeks at: Access to counsellors in secondary schools and children and young people’s community mental health services – summary reports - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .