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Forestry and Land Scotland do not keep central records of the volume of deer fencing erected by year. The data held relates to annual expenditure on deer fencing on Scotland's national forests and land.

Our Adult Learning Strategy will be launched in May. It has been co-produced with adult learning stakeholders, including senior staff from adult learning organisations and adult learners themselves, and aims to improve life chances for adult learners across Scotland. We want to create the conditions for connected adult learning opportunities that link Scotland’s communities, local authorities, third sector organisations, colleges and universities around an offer of learning for adults, particularly those furthest from inclusion and experiencing disadvantage.

To improve the lives of adult learners we need to ensure that there is a strong, well-understood, well-connected and well-resourced system of adult learning in Scotland. The strategy will set out our commitment to evaluating the suitability and levels of future funding arrangements for community-based adult learning. Through the delivery of the strategy we want to ensure that appropriate levels of funding are available to engage and support adult learners across Scotland to meet their needs.

The Scottish Government is aware of the impact the necessary public health restrictions have had on businesses and our £375 million package of support for businesses was targeted at those who were the most immediately affected by measures introduced to control the spread of Omicron.

We announced an £80 million Covid Economic Recovery Fund for local authorities to support local economies and cities recover from the pandemic. This fund empowers councils to consider the needs of local businesses, communities and households and to target support to maximise economic recovery in their areas The flexibility of this fund ensures councils can provide support where they know the need is greatest and this has been welcomed by COSLA. Officials are working with local authorities on delivery arrangements, and funding will be transferred to local authorities in their General Revenue Grant in the last two weeks of March.

We are working closely with local authorities and are in the planning stages of our commitment to provide a device for every school aged child by the end of this Parliament. We will report to Parliament in due course.

The Scottish Government will be providing a £150 cost of living award to all households in council tax bands A to D, including those who are not receiving a reduction under the Council Tax Reduction scheme. Local authorities will also be provided with funds from which to make £150 payments to certain categories of low income households which are exempt from council tax, including those accessing housing support services or living in temporary accommodation. In addition, we are providing an extra £10m to continue our Fuel Insecurity Fund to help households at risk of self-disconnection, or self-rationing energy use.

In addition to the £3m announced on 10 February 2022, the First Minister announced a further £3m for the City Centre Recovery Fund on 22 February, bringing the total to £6m. Funding is awarded directly to local authorities to take forward local recovery priorities and allocated based on city size. The Scottish Government is working at pace with the seven cities to deliver this fund to support economic recovery, attract visitors and increase footfall back into our city centres in line with priority aims identified City Centre Recovery Task Force.

The gender equality strategy was last discussed by the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Investment Bank on 14 December 2021.

The Routes and Services Methodology (RSM) used in the Ferries Plan has been reviewed and updated to support the preparation of the Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP). In addition to refreshing data sources it will also consider: reliability and resilience; capacity and connectivity; and wider socio-economic needs and alignment with the National Transport Strategy and the National Islands Plan.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6T-00553 on 1 March 2022. Answers to Topical Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report .

Decisions on lending and investment are a matter for the Scottish National Investment Bank. I have asked the Bank about how their lending in 2021 aimed to benefit women’s equality in Scotland, and their response is as follows:

“Due diligence of all potential investments includes consideration of gender balance across workforce, management and Board.

“The Bank engages with investees on representation and equality issues, and has required reporting on gender balance (and pay gap) where practical. Moving forward the Bank will aim to have gender equality and gender pay gap reporting for all investments. Where appropriate, the Bank will also consider engagement with investees to enhance opportunities that increase gender equality opportunities in Bank investments.”