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National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) designates all green data centres of a major scale as part of National Development 12: Digital Fibre Network. What constitutes a major development is defined within the The Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009.

The Scottish Government has received advice and recommendations from NatureScot and Scottish Forestry with respect to the proposed Nature Conservation Order to protect the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Achnabobane. The NatureScot advice reflected local discussions between The Highland Council, Scottish Forestry and Police Scotland which sought to address damage to the SSSI.

The Scottish Government works to address a wide range of current and potential future impacts of climate change on Scotland. The actions and policies it is committed to delivering to build resilience and adapt to climate change are set out in the Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3). As established in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2008, this is a five-year cycle, with each new Adaptation Plan responding to the latest climate risk evidence base provided through technical advice and risk assessments published by the Climate Change Committee and UK Government. With regards to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the most recent Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) from the CCC does not factor AMOC into the underlying evidence base of climate risk and opportunities. The CCRA3 notes that a shutdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is considered very unlikely this century and is therefore not included in the specific evidence base on which SNAP3 has been designed to respond.

In my letter to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (RAIC) dated 23 September 2025, regarding progress towards our commitments in response to the RAIC enquiry into salmon farming; I confirmed that the Scottish Government will publish official guidance under Section 38 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 for the production of farmed fish. We will now consider the next steps to progress this work, including how we will work in partnership with the sector and other stakeholders to produce guidance which is both robust and workable.

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation has collected data as part of the Scottish Demersal Observer Programme with the Marine Directorate since 2014. The data collected by the scientific observers are provided to the Marine Directorate and are used for the annual estimation of bycatch weights and numbers by species, size and fishery in March of each year for the previous calendar year. These estimates are provided during April-July of each year to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for use in stock assessments, to the Scottish and UK governments to inform fisheries management, and to the fishing industry to provide evidence towards Marine Stewardship Council Sustainability Certification. A report summarising the time series of bycatch estimates is compiled each summer by the Marine Directorate. The report is available on request to the Marine Directorate and work has recently begun to make this publicly available online.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) produce annual Regional Skills Assessments (RSAs) and Sectoral Skills Assessments (SSAs) to inform modern apprenticeship (MA) contracting, helping to ensure that provision aligns with regional and sectoral demands.

These assessments identify current and projected skills needs across Scotland’s regions. They are informed by labour market intelligence, stakeholder engagement, and economic forecasting. They are publicly accessible via the SDS website Skills Planning - Skills Development Scotland.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) are responsive to both regional and sectoral needs. We are taking responsibility for national-level skills planning, while also strengthening regional approaches to better align with local economic priorities and workforce demands.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting a strong and sustainable construction skills pipeline through the Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme, delivered in partnership with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Modern apprenticeships in construction continue to be delivered across a wide range of occupational areas, and full details are available on the Skills Development Scotland website here: https://www.apprenticeships.scot/browse-frameworks/?frameworkAudience=Individual&searchTerm=&apprenticeshipType=ma#letterC. These frameworks have been developed and maintained through close collaboration with industry to meet the sector’s diverse needs. Construction and related occupations accounted for 25.6% of all MA starts in 2024-25.

The Scottish Government recognises the potential of the shared apprenticeship model to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that may lack the capacity to employ an apprentice independently. Officials will continue to explore this model alongside other measures which may enable more SMEs to take on apprentices.

A key priority for the Scottish Government is also to promote apprenticeship delivery in island and rural communities, reflecting it's commitment to inclusive growth. To ensure equitable access to apprenticeships, particularly in remote and rural areas, the Scottish Government has introduced a rural uplift: an enhanced payment to training providers that incentivises delivery in these locations. This additional support enables providers to develop and deliver flexible, locally tailored apprenticeship programmes that meet the needs of learners and employers in these communities.

The Scottish Government recognises the potential of the shared apprenticeship model to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that may lack the capacity to employ an apprentice independently. Officials will continue to explore this model alongside other measures which may enable more SMEs to take on apprentices.

A key priority for the Scottish Government is also to promote apprenticeship delivery in island and rural communities, reflecting its commitment to inclusive growth. To ensure equitable access, particularly in remote and rural areas, the Government has introduced a rural uplift: an enhanced payment to training providers that incentivises delivery in these locations. This additional support enables providers to develop and deliver flexible, locally tailored apprenticeship programmes that meet the needs of learners and employers in these communities.

The available information on the recorded landings of UK vessels by species and district landed into the west coast of Scotland in 1987 are published in table 6 on pages 18 and 19 of the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 1987:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2020/11/sea-fisheries-statistics-1922-2010/documents/1987/1987/govscot%3Adocument/1987.pdf

The available information on the recorded landings of UK vessels by species and district landed into the west coast of Scotland in 1988 are published in table 7 on pages 20 and 21 of the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 1988:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2020/11/sea-fisheries-statistics-1922-2010/documents/1988/1988/govscot%3Adocument/1988.pdf

The available information on the recorded landings of UK vessels by species and district landed into the west coast of Scotland in 1989 are published in table 7 on pages 20 and 21 of the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 1989:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2020/11/sea-fisheries-statistics-1922-2010/documents/1989/1989/govscot%3Adocument/1989.pdf

The available information on the recorded landings of UK vessels by species and district landed into the west coast of Scotland in 1990 are published in table 7 on pages 24 and 25 of the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 1990:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2020/11/sea-fisheries-statistics-1922-2010/documents/1990/1990/govscot%3Adocument/1990.pdf

The available information on the recorded landings of UK vessels by species and district landed into the west coast of Scotland in 1991 are published in table 7 on pages 26 to 28 of the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 1991:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2020/11/sea-fisheries-statistics-1922-2010/documents/1991/1991/govscot%3Adocument/1991.pdf

There is no information available for the years 1987 to 1991 on the recorded landings of foreign vessels into Scotland by species and district landed.

Prior to 2016, salmon were caught in commercial coastal net fisheries, but they were not landed through harbours. Salmon catches for 1952-2024, including 1987-1991, are published as official statistics in Scottish salmon and sea trout fishery statistics: http://www.gov.scot/ISBN/9781836914761/documents. Detailed supporting data is available for download: https://data.marine.gov.scot/dataset/salmon-and-sea-trout-fishery-statistics-1952-2024-season-reported-catch-and-effort-district

There are significant differences in environment, biology, fisheries (including methods, seasons, effort, location), fisheries management, and fisheries data collection that preclude a meaningful comparison of the landings of demersal fish species with catches of salmon. In terms of the data referred to above, it should be noted that, for demersal species, the locations of landing and capture may not be closely related whereas, for salmon the location of capture is recorded more precisely (see https://www.gov.scot/publications/collecting-marine-scotland-salmon-sea-trout-fishery-statistics-2/). In Scotland, salmon may be caught by fixed engine, net and coble, or rod and line, which generally correspond to the coast, estuaries, and rivers. However, some net and coble fisheries previously operated within rivers or in coastal embayments and rod fishing for salmon can legally occur within coastal or estuarine waters. Since 2016, salmon may not be retained by any method in coastal waters or where stocks are assessed as being in poor condition.

Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans were developed by local authorities in 2018, with funding support of £2m from the Scottish Government. The five-year plans set out how each local authority would transition to a rapid rehousing approach to homelessness between 2019-2024. The Scottish Government provided local authorities with £8m per annum between 2019-2024 to support the delivery of these plans. An additional £5.5m was provided to support the delivery of a Housing First Pathfinder programme between 2019 and 2022.

While positive progress was made in the initial five-year period, the Scottish Government recognised that implementation was impeded by external factors, including the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. As a result, Scottish Government funding was extended for an additional two years, with £8m provided in both 2024-25 and 2025-26. The Scottish Government has also acted to boost rapid rehousing transition plan funding to respond to pressures, with a £5m uplift provided in 2020-21 (bringing total funding that year to £13m) and a £2m uplift provided in both 2023-24 and 2024-25 (bringing total funding in both of those years to £10m).

The Scottish Government recognises the essential role that rapid rehousing, including Housing First, continues to play in tackling homelessness and supporting people into settled homes. That is why we announced a £1m Housing First uplift to funding in 2025-26 and a further extension of £8m funding in 2026-27 as part of our Housing Emergency Action Plan. This will support local authorities to mainstream rapid rehousing activity and funding, and brings total investment since 2018-19 to £81.5m.

Future funding for rapid rehousing beyond 2026-27 will be considered as part of the Scottish Government’s normal budgetary process to ensure resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact. Funding to date is set out in the following table.