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On 26 June we launched The Big Climate Conversation which aims to engage all communities, the public and private sectors, in a dialogue about how Scotland should respond to the global climate emergency. The outputs from the Big Climate Conversation will feed into the update to the Climate Change Plan.

The Government has committed to updating the Climate Change Plan within 6 months of the Climate Change Bill receiving Royal Assent, a fraction of the time it would take to produce a new Plan, in recognition that there is Global Climate Emergency and there should be no delay in stepping up action to respond to it. The Government has recommended that the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee take a similar approach and respond to the draft Plan within 30 days. However, it is ultimately for that Committee to determine how long a period of scrutiny it deems appropriate.

Table 1 provides an indication of the volume, in million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, of emissions associated with the percentage reduction targets in the Climate Change Scotland Bill. The estimates in this table have been calculated solely on the basis of the 2017 greenhouse gas inventory for Scotland. As a result, these do not include the anticipated effect of forthcoming revisions to the inventory, or the additional effort that will be required to compensate for the missed target, which will both increase the effort required.

Table 1: Indicative volumes of emissions associated with the Climate Change Bill targets; based on 2017 greenhouse gas inventory.

The organisation and management of schools in Scotland is a matter for individual local authorities who have the statutory duty for delivering education. The deployment of staff in schools is a matter for local authorities.

We highly value the contribution that music tutors make. Music education is of enormous benefit to young people and we are committed to continuing to working collaboratively to find solutions to help ensure instrumental music remains accessible to all.

We will publish the outcome of the review of our Climate Challenge Fund later this year, as set out on Page 62 of The Government's Programme for Scotland 2019-20.

The end-year negotiations that will shortly commence with the EU and with Norway focus on the management of fish stocks within the wider ICES area 6a in which the Windsock is located. While the UK is an EU Member State, the Scottish Government will encourage EU and third country vessels to abide by any voluntary measures agreed for the Windsock area. In the event that the UK becomes a Coastal State, we will seek to formalise such measures in any relevant Coastal States Agreed Records.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-24905 on 19 September 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at .

The conservation objectives set out the broad ecological aims for the site. The conservation objectives for the West Shetland Shelf MPA are included in the designation order, which is available on the Scottish Government’s website at .

The Scottish Government has prepared draft fisheries management measures for the West Shetland Shelf MPA in consultation with stakeholders, which were designed to be implemented in the event that the Windsock closure was lifted. Currently, fisheries management measures for MPAs in UK offshore waters are implemented under the EU's Common Fisheries Policy. The measures will therefore be taken forward once our future relationship with the European Union is resolved. A copy of the draft fisheries management proposal is available on the Scottish Government's website at
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The West Shetland Shelf MPA is designated for the protection of offshore subtidal sands and gravels. Although it covers a significant part of the previous Windsock closure, its purpose is not for the protection of cod. As yet unpublished survey-based analyses on the efficacy of the Windsock closure by Marine Scotland Science was inconclusive, and the ICES stock assessment for cod in ICES area 6a (where the Windsock closure was located) indicates the spawning stock biomass – the total weight of fish in the stock that are old enough to reproduce – has remained very low since the early 2000s. There is therefore no firm evidence that the Windsock closure has made a significant contribution to cod abundance across ICES area 6a.

The Windsock closure was in ICES Area 6a (West of Scotland). While there are strong links between the cod in the northern part of area 6a and those in the northern North Sea, they are still assessed and managed separately.

On 8 August, at the same time as making the announcement to stakeholders of my decision to progress the re-opening of Levenmouth rail link, I stated that I had asked officials for the remit and criteria for the Levenmouth Blueprint to be set out within the next three months. Transport Scotland officials are currently working on this with Fife Council. The details you are seeking are still in development and I understand Transport Scotland and Fife Council are on track to provide further information in early November.