Further to a ministerial meeting in May 2013 with MSPs from the South of Scotland and relevant stakeholders, it was agreed that it was vital to ensure that the work of the Moredun Research Institute to develop a vaccine to protect red squirrels from squirrel pox virus was able to continue until an application by the Moredun to secure funding through the EU Life + programme has been completed. In order to help fill the funding gap, the Scottish Government is providing a total of £40,000 over the next two years.