The Scottish Government has no plans to create specific funding commitments for the research priorities identified in the report of the JLA PSP on ME/CFS

Within the Scottish Government, funding of Health and Care Research comes under the remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).

The CSO's Translational Clinical Studies (TCS) Committee and Health Improvement, Protection and Services Research (HIPS) Committee each meet twice per year to consider funding applications. Details of the application process are published on the CSO website.

https://www.cso.sc ot.nhs.uk/grant-funding/response-mode-funding-schemes/

Applications on the underlying causes, diagnosis, treatment and management of ME/CFS are welcomed. Any such applications would go through CSO's standard independent expert review process to allow funding decisions to be made.

Through UK-wide funding agreements, researchers based in Scotland are able to access research funding programmes administered by the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR). Within their individual remits, these programmes can consider applications for research in ME/CFS. CSO is working with the health research community in Scotland to ensure awareness of these opportunities and to maximise the number of high quality applications from Scotland to the NIHR research funding programmes going forward.

While the Scottish Government welcomes Channel 4’s progress to enhance its operations in Scotland, in particular with the creation of a creative hub in Glasgow in 2019, it has been our long-held view that Channel 4 should have a higher quota for network production commissioned from Scotland and our position remains that the quota should be based on population share, in terms of both hours and spend.

The Scottish Government’s view is that Ofcom’s current proposals to retain Channel 4’s 91% production quota for England and introduce a 65% London quota are unacceptable and we have made that clear in our response to Ofcom’s consultation. At a recent meeting with Ofcom’s Chief Executive, I restated that view and strongly urged a rethink of the current proposals. I also intend to meet with Channel 4 Chief Executive in the coming weeks to set out our expectation that Channel 4 makes considerable progress towards increasing its level of network production outside of London and from the nations, on a fairer basis.

The Scottish Government considers it vital that more productions are devised and produced in Scotland to support the creative economy and so that Scotland’s diverse communities see themselves reflected in its output. We strongly believe that broadcasting media should deliver for each part of the UK, with fair investment in our creative industries, and an appropriately authentic representation for Scottish audiences, and we will continue to make those views clear in our engagement with broadcasters, Ofcom and the UK Government.

The Scottish Government is pleased to announce that today we will publish the Fair Fares Review.

The Review sets out a range of actions to be taken in the short, medium and long term to make our public transport system more available, accessible and affordable to the people of Scotland, and ensure that it is of high quality, whilst maintaining its long term financial sustainability.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank those stakeholders and delivery partners who have engaged with Transport Scotland on the Review. I look forward to working with them as we progress the Review`s recommendations and actions and make public transport the preferred choice for most people in Scotland.

The Fair Fares Review can be found at:- www.transport.gov.scot/fairfaresreview

On 11 August 2023, Ministers launched the Wild Bird HPAI Response Plan that sets out how the Scottish Government and its partners will respond to any further outbreaks of HPAI in wild birds in Scotland, and this plan remains a live one, with the aim of incorporating evolving science and advice from epidemiologists, virologists and wildlife experts.

Instances of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 amongst captive birds and wild birds have reduced significantly in Scotland. Since the beginning of the current HPAI outbreak season on 1 October 2023, there have two infected premises in Scotland (both in November 2023) and seven positive findings of the virus in wild birds (with only one finding in 2024).

However, we are aware of the virus continuing to circulate in other parts of Great Britain and Europe, and the risk level for the virus associated with wild birds remains at medium across Great Britain, whereas it is low for kept birds. The Scottish Government continues to promote best practice biosecurity measures to all involved in the game industry, through various forms of media, including regular biosecurity and industry stakeholder meetings.

Actions which we have taken and are undertaking to enable greater deployment of solar in Scotland are provided in Annex G of the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Through our Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme, domestic owner occupiers in Scotland can claim funding for solar PV and energy storage systems. More information can be found on the HES website - Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan: overview · Home Energy Scotland .

As part of its programme, the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) provides rolling funding which supports communities, charities, and faith organisations to decarbonise their buildings and reduce energy bills. This includes solar PV and energy storage, where decarbonised heating has also been installed. Let's Do Net Zero Community Buildings Fund · Local Energy Scotland

To support the development of battery energy storage solutions (BESS), the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) has already invested £6.6 million in Aberdeen-based firm Verlume, whose multi-use BESS technology uses intelligent energy management to deliver a constant output of power from renewable sources.

As an employer located in the Edinburgh Low Emission Zone (LEZ), there are several steps we are taking to prepare for its enforcement:

1. Understanding the LEZ regulations: We have familiarized ourselves with the specific regulations of the Edinburgh LEZ, including which vehicles are affected, emission standards, and any exemptions or grace periods. The SPCB as a body is not exempt and the basement car park can only be accessed by vehicles traveling through the LEZ , therefore all vehicles (except those exempted such as blue badge holders and emergency vehicles) using the Parliament car park will need to be compliant. Our car park is small compared to the number of people who access the Parliament each day with only 65 spaces, 47 of which are bookable (including 6 accessible bays and 6 electric charging spaces). More information about the LEZ is available on the City of Edinburgh Council website: Low Emission Zone – The City of Edinburgh Council.

2. Our fleet vehicle: The SPCB has one fleet vehicle used for visiting constituency offices. This vehicle has been identified as not compliant with the LEZ, so will be replaced with an electric van.

3. Promoting Sustainable Travel: The SPCB Sustainable Travel Plan available here encourages passholders and visitors to adopt sustainable travel patterns and details alternative ways such as public transport, walking, cycling and wheeling or carpooling, to commute and visit Holyrood.  We have good rates of sustainable travel to the building, in 2022 21% of building users walked to work, 10% cycled and 45% came by public transport.

4. Hybrid working: Since the pandemic the Parliament operates flexible work arrangements with telecommunication facilities. This allows employees to work from home or adjust their work schedules to avoid peak traffic times, opening up more public transport options and reducing the need for commuting into the LEZ.

5. Communications Programme: We are planning a suite of communications in the run up to the start date of the LEZ (1^st June) which will inform passholders about the LEZ regulations and how they can comply. There will be communication to all those that book parking spaces in the car park at Holyrood and to the wider staff body that access the Parliament building.

By taking these proactive steps, the SPCB can ensure compliance with the Edinburgh Low Emission Zone regulations.

Scotland now has the highest number of designated Bathing Water sites ever, with the vast majority classified as good or excellent and 98% overall achieving the bathing water quality standards. Under the Bathing Water (Scotland) Regulations 2008, Scottish Ministers are required to designate an area of surface water (coastal or inland) as a bathing water where they expect a large number of people to bathe, having regard to past trends and infrastructure and facilities provided, or other measures taken to promote bathing.

The Scottish Government is not currently planning on revising the bathing water site designation process and continues to work with Environmental Standards Scotland in line with the Summary Report on Designation of Bathing Water Sites published by Environmental Standards Scotland published on 4 December 2023.

Transport Scotland's Transport Assessment Guidance (2012) is the current guidance for conducting transport assessments for planning applications. We are currently monitoring the practical implementation and impact of policies contained within National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and considering whether, and what, amendments to the transport assessment guidance may be required.