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Scottish Government officials regularly engage with Aberdeen City Council on a wide range of issues which can include vacant, derelict and abandoned buildings and land.

We understand that vacant and derelict land has a detrimental impact on communities however we also recognise that reusing our land and property assets can have many benefits from supporting regeneration, creating jobs and contributing to our efforts against climate change.

The £50m low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) complements our existing investment in support of place based regeneration across Scotland, including the Place Based Investment Programme. We are keen for Aberdeen City Council to work with its communities and other partners to develop suitable project proposals and apply to the VDLIP. Officials would be happy to discuss any potential projects.

The Scottish Government recognises the emerging seaweed cultivation industry as an important part of the Scottish aquaculture sector. We are committed to taking action on aquaculture regulatory reform, which will include the seaweed sector. I have welcomed Professor Griggs’ independent report and accepted his recommendations in principle. His report recognises the unique challenges and opportunities of the seaweed sector and recommends that a separate regulatory framework is developed for the sector alongside frameworks for finfish and shellfish. It also stresses the need for these regulatory solutions to be informed by a government-led Vision for aquaculture, which is in progress and due to be published at the end of this year.

The developing Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy will play an important role in identifying effective actions to help optimise the conservation prospects of seabirds in Scotland from existing and emerging threats, including disease threats, such as avian influenza. We aim to consult on the strategy in 2022, and to implement in 2023.

The Scottish Government is not currently considering culling wild birds where Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is detected, as this would not be a practical or proportionate method of impact mitigation.

Current advice to all keepers of poultry and other captive bird keepers is that the enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone in November 2021, remain in force, as infection continues to circulate in the environment. Keepers are advised to maintain scrupulous biosecurity standards and to continue applying such standards as best practice. These practices include the cleansing and disinfection of equipment, vehicles and footwear and the storing of feed, water and bedding to minimise the risk of virus contamination from wild birds.

In Autumn 2021, NatureScot suspended all licences to shoot Svalbard barnacle geese in the Solway area in light of the HPAI outbreak.

In February 2022, when HPAI was confirmed within the Greenland barnacle goose population, NatureScot suspended licences to shoot Greenland barnacle geese on Islay and on Uist. These licences had been issued to prevent serious agricultural damage.

NatureScot will review whether similar arrangements are required when geese and other waterfowl populations return to their wintering grounds. If culling licences to prevent agricultural damage are suspended in the autumn then alternative support for land managers and owners will be considered.

The updated information requested is contained in the following table:

As agreed by the Ministerial-led working group on Safe Access Zones, independent research has been commissioned by the Scottish Government; part of this research will involve more formal monitoring of the prevalence, nature and impact of any vigils or protests with NHS Boards.

The Scottish Government also continues to discuss with NHS Board staff whether they have experienced issues or concerns relating to protests of vigils outside abortion clinics. We will continue to work with key stakeholders to ensure that evidence is gathered .

The Scottish Government is aware that recent vigils or protests have been held at the following locations in Glasgow: the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the Sandyford clinic and Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Vigils or protests have also been held earlier this year outside the Chalmers clinic in Edinburgh and Aberdeen Maternity Hospital. While there has been activity at other locations in the past, the Scottish Government is not aware of activity at any other locations having taken place during the past year.

The Scottish Government greatly values the hard work and dedication of the local government workforce. We also recognise the challenges across the public sector, including local government, in ensuring that pay increases are affordable to employers but are fair to employees against the backdrop of the cost of living crisis.

Local government pay negotiations are entirely the responsibility of local authorities and COSLA. However, both the Scottish Government and COSLA are working to jointly explore all of the options available to find solutions.

I am pleased to advise Parliament that the Scottish Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to give people the information they need to make an informed choice about their future, and is today publishing Renewing Democracy through Independence .

As our second scene-setting paper for the Building a New Scotland prospectus series, the paper sets out the evidence in support of the democratic case for independence. Renewing Democracy through Independence sets out the Scottish Government’s view that the people of Scotland have the right to choose their own future, and the opportunities for democratic government offered by Scotland becoming an independent country.

Building a New Scotland: Renewing Democracy through Independence is available to view on the Scottish Government website from today:

• https://www.gov.scot/newscotland

The Scottish Government is committed to developing a new Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy that takes a whole system, public health approach to achieve the very highest standards of care right up to the end of life, and ensure that everyone who needs it can access seamless, timely and high quality palliative care. We are currently taking stock of the leadership, resources and partnerships we need to deliver this.

We will continue to plan a series of engagement events with partners across the sector to think strategically about improvements and priorities across the wide range of services and support. This will contribute to a holistic, integrated and multi-disciplinary approach which will ensure access to palliative and end of life care wherever and whenever it is needed, and which has the person and their families and carers at the centre. Development of the strategy is likely to continue into 2023 to enable meaningful engagement and ensure alignment with the development of the National Care Service.

The updated information requested is contained in the following table: