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I am happy to do that. I will break down the overall funding that is available in the agriculture reform programme. I think that the delivery costs of the programme are staying at the same level, which is £5 million. On the national test programme, importantly, we now have capital available over the course of the year contributing to that. Previously, when we have had higher amounts allocated to the national test programme, we have not been able to fully utilise that funding.

In previous meetings, we have talked about the level of claims that have come through for the preparing for sustainable farming—PSF—scheme. We have allocated an amount that we believe will be fully utilised by the claims that are coming through. In a year in which we will make some requirements for the whole-farm plan mandatory, such as those on carbon audits, soil sampling analysis and animal health and welfare plans, it is important that we continue to provide support for that. That is a reflection of the greater level of spend that we have been able to undertake over the past few years.

You are absolutely right. It is very similar to the conversation that we have just had on forestry. Peatland restoration is still a relatively young industry. We want to see it continue to build and grow, and we need that confidence to enable that to happen. That means that we must continue to provide funding to enable growth to take place and, exactly as you have said, to ensure that we build the skills, career opportunities and training opportunities. I believe that the funding that we have available in the budget this year puts us in that positive space, where we are able to restore more and, I hope, continue to build confidence in the industry.

In a minute, I will hand over to Iain Wallace, who will be able to provide further detail.

The work on MPAs and PMFs is led by the net zero portfolio, although it sits within the marine directorate. We consulted on offshore measures last year and the results of that consultation are being analysed.

As I have told the committee, there are resource pressures on specific areas of work right across Government. The work on the inshore marine protected areas and the PMFs has taken a lot longer than was anticipated, purely because that has been such a big and complex piece of work on more than 160 different sites. We have proceeded with the offshore element, but I cannot provide a more specific timeframe for the work on the inshore element. I emphasise that that is a big and complex piece of work and one that is still very much on-going.

Iain may be able to give some further information.

We listened really carefully to the outcomes of that consultation and to what islanders are saying about a new national islands plan. All of that will be taken into consideration. As the committee will be aware, we are in the process of developing a new national islands plan, and we are considering how best to update the first plan to reflect the needs of island communities. There will, of course, be further engagement on that as we go forward. We have to listen carefully to what islanders are telling us.

That is part of the discussions that we have on overall resource allocation. Something being a local issue rather than a national one does not make it less important, because it can be economically significant for a particular part of the country, which makes it important. Those matters are all part of the balanced discussions that have to take place.

I am not too sure that I would be able to provide precise information on a definitive connection or exact statistics. What is important is that, when we look at applications to the islands programme, we require them to meet our objectives in the overall national islands plan across a number of different areas.

I would hope that the islands programme is having a positive impact on the economy and local populations through some of the programmes and projects that we have funded. One that automatically springs to mind is a new nursery that is being constructed in Orkney. I visited the project in September, when I heard about the positive impact that it will have for people when it is up and running.

The islands programme has funded specific initiatives that might not have taken place otherwise that I think will have positive impacts on the economy as well as on populations. It has helped to fund various projects on the islands, depending on the differing needs of different communities, such as accommodation for temporary workers. In past few years that the islands programme has been in operation, I think that there have been more than 70 projects across 50 different islands. I believe that, as a whole, they have had a positive impact.

Yes, we have some wonderful acronyms, particularly in this portfolio. I think that costs will very much feature in the programme of work for inshore fisheries, but I do not think that we are at that stage at the moment. As the committee will be aware, we have undertaken an initial call for evidence, so we are still very much at the early stages of that work. Of course, any costs will feature as that work progresses.

I do not know. IFMI is the one that is closest to my mind, so I think that it is my new favourite.

It is the responsibility of all parts of Government and all relevant authorities to undertake island communities impact assessments when it is believed that there would be a disproportionate impact on those communities. That work is very much undertaken.

The Government is vast and I have a cross-co-ordination role in relation to which I am supported by the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity. We are supported by a team of islands officials who embed that work across Government and with different departments to ensure that our island communities are always taken into consideration.

I do not think that it is fair to say that my portfolio cares about islands and others do not. You have picked a specific example, and I do not have all the figures on that, but my portfolio is not the only portfolio responsible for investing in islands or, in fact, in rural communities. I mentioned climate funding earlier. Funding for that sits with the NZET portfolio and will be transferred to the transport portfolio, which has specific projects that are set to benefit rural and island communities as well.

There are funds right across Government, in other portfolios, for undertaking and delivering. The work that is undertaken through the national islands plan is really helpful in pulling all of that together, because it is about showing other parts of Government what we are doing across Government to deliver for our island communities. The work that we are taking forward on the refresh of the national islands plan, which ensures that we have identified the most pressing challenges for island communities and that we are taking action to address them, is really important.

I expect island communities impact assessments to be part of the work that Government does. When there is a disproportionate impact, those impact assessments should be undertaken, much in the same way as we do BRIAs and equality impact assessments and provide fairer funding. I expect that it forms part of what portfolios are looking at.