We are currently facing a climate and biodiversity crisis. High densities of herbivores such as deer can have a very serious impact on our forests and land by trampling and overgrazing.

Our 2021 response to the report by the independent Deer Working Group (DWG), recognised that a much greater urgency to our efforts to ensure sustainable deer management is required.

As Roseanna Cunningham, then Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform set out in that response, “protection of the massive and essential investments we are making in natural solutions to reduce carbon emissions and to enhance and restore biodiversity in Scotland have to be the main focus of our deer management policy”.

We remain committed to modernising Scotland’s systems of deer management and implement recommendations made by the DWG as set out in both that response and the 2021-22 Programme for Government .

Based on data provided by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) (academic years 2017-2023) and Skills Development Scotland (2020-2023), the number of employers supported in each year since the start of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF) is set out below. Please note that the SFC element of the 2022-23 figure is based on interim data which will be finalised in the coming months.

There are two commitments relating to FAST In the Stroke Improvement Plan 2023:

1. Establish the current degree of public understanding of FAST stroke symptoms and the action required, and whether certain at-risk groups require different messaging.

2. Support the delivery of FAST campaigns, working with third sector organisations, and ensure messaging reaches all at-risk groups.

Work to establish the existing understanding of stroke symptoms and FAST, including variations across demographics, has been completed via quantitative research.

The findings of this research will help to inform the strategic direction of a future stoke marketing campaign. The Scottish Government does not yet have a finalised timescale for running a campaign.

The Scottish Government has no plans to issue guidance on political activity in schools during a General Election period. This is a matter for local authorities who have the statutory responsibility for the delivery of education.

It is important that our pupils understand the democratic process in Scotland, the UK and further afield. Learning and teaching should be conducted in a non-partisan and non-party political basis. Local authorities have a role in ensuring their schools can engage confidently with election issues and that balance and impartiality are respected.

The Scottish Government has welcome accommodation across Scotland. These are managed in partnership with relevant local authorities, who advise on where guests are best placed.

We work collaboratively with local authorities such as Fife to ensure that services are person-centred and delivered in a trauma informed way, and which support effective resettlement.

In the Fife Council area there are three welcome accommodation hotels for displaced people on a temporary basis upon arrival in the country.

On arrival, Fife council will make a needs assessment and will consider the availability of council services to support displaced people in determining which hotel is most suited for presenting individuals or families,

There is no mandatory rotation of guests in Fife, or any other part of the welcome accommodation estate housing displaced people.

However, from time to time as a result of contracting, consolidation, changes in local services provision or when an accommodation provider choses to reduce or discontinue the rooms they offer, local authorities may require guests to move to new accommodation and will look to minimise disruption to guests as much as possible.

The Scottish Government remains committed, alongside our Local Authority partners, to supporting Ukrainians access longer-term, sustainable accommodation while they make Scotland their home.

Transport Scotland officials meet regularly with officials from Glasgow City Council, to discuss progress and learning around the impact of its Low Emission Zone (LEZ).

Statutory reports on LEZ performance and air quality monitoring are expected from Glasgow City Council in summer 2024 and will be published in due course.

Transport Scotland Officials, along with relevant transport stakeholders, routinely take part in the multi-agency Events Planning and Operations Group (EPOG) dealing with Events. EPOG is run by the City of Edinburgh Council as the lead planning authority in respect of events within Edinburgh, such as Taylor Swift.

Through the EPOG discussions, enhanced transport arrangements have been put into place across Lothian Buses, Edinburgh Trams and ScotRail services, to meet the increased demands expected at the Taylor Swift concerts.

The archival analysis element of the research is underway and the report is currently being drafted. We anticipate receiving the report from this work towards the end of summer 2024. The contract for the qualitative research was tendered twice but no compliant bids were received.

We intend to publish the report from the archival analysis in due course, and will work to ensure those who wish to provide feedback and share their experiences will be able to do so. We will then consider next steps thereafter.

The UK Spring Budget, announced by the Chancellor on 6 March, generated £293 million of resource consequentials for 2024-25, of which £237 million relates to Health. Health consequentials will be passed on in full to the Health portfolio, in line with our manifesto commitment.

The remaining £56 million of resource funding will be passed on to local authorities to support the Council Tax freeze. This comes on top of the record funding I announced for local authorities back in December.

Disappointingly, Scotland received no new capital or financial transactions funding so the Scottish Government will continue to see a real-terms cut in our capital block grant – a cumulative loss of over £1.3 billion by 2027-28.

The 2023-24 budget in both resource and capital will be delivered on balance, which is a significant achievement given the pressures we have faced. As per normal practice, following the year-end process, Scottish Ministers will confirm the 2023-24 provisional outturn position to Parliament in June.

HM Inspectors inspect a sample of primary, secondary and special schools annually across Scotland. They evaluate the quality of education using various quality indicators from the quality framework 'How good is our school? (4th edition).'

From the 2015-16 academic year (commencing August 2015) to 10 May 2024, HM Inspectors have inspected a total of 172 schools in Highland and Islands. This number is based on the initial inspection and does not include any subsequent further inspections which took place as a result of the outcome of the initial inspection. The information does not include details of inspections carried out in academic year 2023-24 where fieldwork has been carried out but the reports not yet published.

In Argyll and Bute Council, a total of 45 schools were inspected: 2015-16 two primary schools; 2016-17 four primary and one secondary schools; 2017-18 six primary, one secondary and one special school; 2018-19 eight primary schools; 2019-20 five primary, two secondary schools; 2022-23 nine primary, one secondary school; 2023-24 five primary schools.

In The Highland Council, a total of 94 schools were inspected: 2015-16 seven primary and two secondary schools; 2016-17 nine primary and one secondary school; 2017-18 9 primary, three secondary schools, 2018-19 18 primary, one secondary school; 2019-20 8 primary, two secondary schools; 2022-23 21 primary, three secondary, one special; 2023-24 eight primary, one secondary.

In Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, a total of eleven schools were inspected: 2015-16 two primary; 2016-17 one primary; 2018-19 three primary, one secondary; 2022-23 two primary; 2023-24 one primary, one secondary.

In Orkney Islands Council, a total of eight schools were inspected: 2015-16 two primary; 2016-17 one primary; 2017-18 one primary; 2018-19 one secondary schools; 2019-20 one primary school; 2022-23 two primary school.

In Shetland Islands Council, a total of 14 schools were inspected: 2015-16 one primary and one secondary school; 2016-17 two primary schools; 2017-18 two primary schools; 2018-19 one primary school, one secondary schools; 2019-20 one primary school, one secondary school; 2022-23 three primary schools; 2023-24 one primary school.