³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

The Scottish Government did not provide any funding directly to Relationships Scotland Borders in 2022.

Relationships Scotland operate a network of 21 Member Services across Scotland, including Relationships Scotland Borders.

In 2022, the Scottish Government provided Relationships Scotland with core funding via the Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention and Adult Learning & Empowering Communities third sector fund and with grant funding to provide child contact services.

No payments or funding was provided to the Royal Scottish Forestry Society in 2022.

Grampian Regional Equality Council receives funding from the Scottish Government’s Equality & Human Rights Fund (EHRF). High-level EHRF outcomes are set out in Grant Offer Letters, and are as follows:

• People with protected characteristics have increased influence in decisions that affect them;

• the Scottish Government has better access to data and depth of information about the experiences of people with protected characteristics;

• the experience of people with protected characteristics is increasingly used to inform the policy and practice of public bodies; and

• public services increasingly embed equality and human rights in their strategic planning and their day-to-day functions.

Inspiring Scotland are the fund managers for the EHRF, acting on behalf of the Scottish Government. Inspiring Scotland engage with organisations directly to agree on workplans and set specific objectives and outcomes.

The 2009 Flood Risk management Act allocates clear roles and responsibilities for managing flood risk in Scotland. In accordance with this the Scottish Government works in in partnership with local authorities. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring local accountability by leading on the preparation of local flood risk management plans, which supplement the national strategies prepared by SEPA and ensure actions are locally targeted and delivered.

The Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme is exceptional in terms of scale and financial cost. As such it requires careful consideration and the Scottish Government will continue to work with Falkirk Council to ensure that the scheme brought forward delivers for the local community and economy.

Under the Flood Risk Management Act (2009), it is for local authorities to develop, design and deliver flood protection schemes within their area. It is therefore the responsibility of local authorities to predict the likely economic damages resulting from flooding in their areas as part of producing a robust business case for their proposed flood protection schemes. The Scottish Government will continue to work collaboratively with Falkirk Council and input where required to ensure that their estimates are robust and up to date.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust are a valued partner of the Scottish Government in delivering locally driven projects that address the climate and nature crises across Scotland. Funding for these projects is usually provided via government agencies or other public bodies, and comprehensive information is not therefore held centrally. However, funding received by the Scottish Wildlife Trust is set out in their annual financial reports published on their website at . The latest report was published on 2 August 2023.

The extent of any potential pollution in the Grangemouth area would be dependent on the extent and depth of any flood event and any damage caused.

Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with Falkirk Council officials, working collaboratively to ensure that the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme delivers for local communities and businesses.

The recent announcement made by Petroineos relates to preparatory works, at this stage, to assess the development of an import terminal.

Therefore it is our understanding, that work to determine the potential future size of the workforce and subsequent impacts is still under development.

I understand that the recent announcement will create uncertainty for the highly skilled and valuable refinery workforce, and I have been clear in my engagements with both Petroineos as the operator, and the Unions that workers must be at the heart of any decisions around the site’s transition.

Furthermore, I have tasked the Grangemouth Future Industry Board to assess, at pace, options that are available to bring forward in support of industrial transition at Grangemouth, in line with our Just Transition Plan for the site, including options for maintaining and re-skilling the workforce.

The Grangemouth refinery is an important economic asset for Scotland and whilst this announcement does not guarantee a cessation of refining operations, the Scottish Government is in the process of considering the wider potential economic impact of conversion to an import terminal.

According to the ONS the entire refined petroleum and chemicals manufacturing sector in Scotland accounted for 1.1% of total gross value added in 2021 of which the Grangemouth refinery is a part.

However, given how recent the announcement is, a more detailed analysis of the potential impact is yet be completed, including impacts on the immediate supply chain and the wider impacts on employment in the local economy via spending. Any potential changes to operations will require time and consideration of data that is not publicly available. Furthermore, it is important to note that some aspects of the announcement are still in development.