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The Scottish Government has had direct engagement with CruiseScotland to discuss the implications of COVID-19 on what is a key part of Scotland's tourism economy. While the main cruise season for Scotland does not pick up until May, we are aware that a number of cruise lines have already chosen to postpone operations in light of the outbreak, and that this will have an impact on ports, visitor attractions and businesses that are reliant on this traffic. We will continue to engage with CruiseScotland, as well as the wider tourism industry, as we work closely with VisitScotland and other public agencies, in both assessing the impacts that this has on the sector and introducing measures to mitigate these, where possible.

In the event of a COVID-19 case being associated with a vessel intending to dock or having docked in a port, well-established protocols exist to allow the relevant NHS and local authority, who are responsible for port health incidents, to effectively prevent any spread and manage the process. The ports sector has been working closely with the various relevant authorities to prepare for and guard against the spread of COVID-19.

In addition, Health Protection Scotland has recently issued a Notice to Mariners asking for enhanced information to be given to ports in Scotland to ensure that Masters are regularly assessing the health states of their vessels while in the UK waters and reporting any suspect cases at the next port of call.

SG has a Scottish Affairs Office in Washington DC promoting Scotland’s interests in the United States, working alongside SDI’s network of offices in Boston, Chicago, Houston, and San Jose. To provide leadership in support of our aim of building upon our trade and investment performance in the USA I undertook a successful visit to Boston, Washington DC, San Jose/ San Francisco between
‎ 21-25 October 2019.

The USA has one of the most competitive and technologically advanced economies in the world. It features within the Export Growth Plan as Scotland’s largest international export destination. Scottish exports of goods and services (excluding oil and gas) to USA were estimated to be worth £5.5 billion (17.1% of all international exports) in 2017, an increase of £555 million (11.1%) from £4,990 million in 2016. [Export Statistics Scotland, 2017]

The largest export sector was Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing which accounted to £1,255m (23%) of all exports to the USA in 2017. Food and Drink (£1,180m); Financial and Business Services (£920m); Technology, Digital and Media (£760m); Energy (£420m) are also important exports.

The US is also the largest source of FDI into Scotland. There are 655 American enterprises in Scotland at 2,575 local business sites, employing 114,220 [March 2019 – latest figures available].

Key Message :

• Scotland is an outward-facing European nation, has a strong relationship with the USA, and is committed to continuing to develop our economic, political and cultural connections.

Visit purpose : to strengthen T&I links through a range of business engagements:

• Meetings with key trade officials and representative organisations.
• Engagements with potential and existing investors as well as GlobalScots.
• Meetings with key stakeholders to explore how Scottish exporters can enter the US market.
• Engagements aimed at raising Scotland’s profile (linking Scotland is Now themes).
• A clear sector focus across the programme on Energy/Renewables, Life Sciences, Innovation and Tech; aligning with current Investment and Export Growth Plan opportunities.

Key outcomes:

• Explored collaboration between Scotland and Massachusetts in low carbon heating and hydrogen transportation – areas in which Scotland can share expertise.
• Lead Scottish company delegation in market for an offshore wind energy-focused Trade Mission and, with prospect US supply chain companies and project developers around partnering opportunities.
• Reiterated importance of direct transatlantic routes to Scotland, the new Boston-Edinburgh service in particular via meeting with Delta Airlines.
• Explored Scotland’s and Tesla’s mutual interests in, and mission to accelerate transition towards, sustainable energy.
• Promoted Scotland’s industry-recognised innovation networks to target business audience; including our world leading university research, the Data Lab, the Space Leadership Council and TalentScotland.
• Knowledge share and best practise exchange with exemplar USA start-up and incubator models ranging from data through to biotech and food. Strong policy insight for our own approach to start-ups in Scotland.
• Explored opportunities for Scotland in Data Analytics, AI and Machine Learning, with key influencers.
• Washington DC: meetings with the Distilled Spirits Council, the Ways and Means Committee, the United States Trade Representative and the US Chamber of Commerce. Trade officials in DC valued engagement from Scotland around US-UK trading arrangements and are open to further dialogue. Presented an opportunity to share knowledge of Scotland’s devolved powers and the relationship to those reserved to the UKG, (this framing enabled target audience to identify similarities to the US federal system).

As you will be aware, following a meeting of the Board on 25 February, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has taken the decision to temporarily suspend some of the Out of Hours centres in order to consolidate the service, taking actions outlined below. Following this the temporary suspension will be lifted in a phased way. This decision was taken following the appointment of a Turnaround Director as part of the level 4 escalation process.

As part of the turnaround process Glasgow’s out of hours review team are taking forward a suite of actions to develop a safe, reliable and sustainable Out of Hours service that meet the needs of the population of Glasgow. The work underway is building on actions that were in train, for example, since summer 2019 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has recruited 10 salaried GPs and 16 Advanced Nurse Practitioners to work in the service and that activity will continue. In addition they are looking at improving pay rates for GPs in the service. They are also regularly engaging with the staff in the service and working to address some of the concerns they have been raising.

Glasgow’s out of hours review team are also working closely with NHS 24 to test and implement an appointment system for the service to bring residents of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde into line with the rest of the Scottish population. This will aid the management of workload for GPs and the multidisciplinary team in the out of hours service and minimise unnecessary waits for patients and reduce pressures on the workforce.

Sir Lewis Ritchie and officials continue to engage with Glasgow's out of hours review team as they focus on turning around the service.

 Recovery of debt from compensators is managed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on behalf of the NHS in Scotland. The DWP have confirmed that, since 2017, there have been 8 instances of court action to pursue debt from compensators on behalf of the NHS in Scotland.

The Scottish Government are supporting a range of activities to commemorate the 700 th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath.

National Records of Scotland and National Museum of Scotland are putting the Declaration on public display, for the first time in 15 years, at NMS between 27 March and 26 April 2020. The exhibition will be accompanied by a number of other publicised events and activities. Details of which can be found at:

NRS and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) are further developing educational resources, workshops and are contributing to Newbattle Abbey Adult Education College’s major conference about the declaration ( )

A number of events are also being held in Arbroath, which are being organised by Arbroath 2020, a Registered Charity, which has received funding from Creative Scotland’s Place Partnership Programme and Angus Council for initiatives such as the Arbroath 2020 artist fund. A full programme of events is available on their website . The Hospitalfield Trust, a cultural organisation for artists and for education in the arts based in Arbroath, receives funding from Creative Scotland as one of the current network of Regularly Funded Organisations. It is heavily involved in the Arbroath 2020 events programme.

HES is closely involved in supporting the delivery of Arbroath 2020 events which centre on the Abbey. The Abbey will host a display of the new Arbroath Tapestry, which has been designed by artist Andrew Crummy and created by a group of highly skilled Angus women, as well as a ‘scriptorium’ structure similar to the room in the Abbey where the declaration may have been written. There will be a programme of learning and community activities at the Abbey and a new permanent exhibition telling the story of the Declaration of Arbroath in the wider story of the abbey.

The Scottish Government is supporting the Arbroath 2020 Declaration Pageant Procession on Sunday 5 April with £25,000 funding. Events connected with the anniversary year are eligible to apply for funding from the VisitScotland National Events Programme. VisitScotland is holding an information evening for tourism businesses to highlight Arbroath 2020 activities on 5 February. It is organising press trips to highlight Arbroath and Angus and the anniversary is included its online content, opportunities to highlight the anniversary at Tartan Day in New York are also being explored.

Supported by the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund, members of the GRIT Orchestra have been commissioned to create new symphonic compositions inspired by the Declaration of Arbroath. These works were premiered at the opening night of Celtic Connections 2020 in Glasgow on Thursday 16 th January. The Expo Fund is administered by Creative Scotland, with input from Event Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, British Council and the Scottish Government.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has plans to put on a display at Stirling Castle, to mark the bi-centenary, this will include examples of the relevant weapons. HES are currently considering other activities to mark the bi-centenary.

Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS), the national development body for the museums sector in Scotland works with its stakeholders to consider how to develop programmes which reflect and commemorate Scotland’s vibrant social history. MGS will shortly meet with its Stakeholder Group, to explore the potential benefits of shared approaches to mark the forthcoming anniversary.

National Records of Scotland is considering opportunities to include the anniversary of the 1820 Radical Rising in its online content and social media communications.