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Tourism, planning and housing officials have worked closely together on the development of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 and Town Country Planning (Short-term Let Control Areas) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022. The policy area taking the lead will depend on the specifics of each case.

However, generally the short-term lets policy team within the Directorate for Housing and Social Justice are responsible for matters relating to the short-term lets licensing scheme and control area regulations, which fall within my portfolio remit.

The overall responsibility for tourism businesses and tourism strategy remains with the tourism policy team within the Directorate for Economic Development, which fall within the remit of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy.

In Scotland, fishing vessel licences are issued by Marine Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers. Scottish fishing vessel licences are issued for eligible vessels which are registered in Scotland by virtue of a Scottish address and port. Licenses are not issued by area, therefore no licenses have been issued, and no vessels are registered specific to the area covered by the Red Rocks and Longay MPA. There were 2093 Scottish licensed vessels in 2020.

We published a high level statement of intent on biodiversity on 14 December 2020 in order to take account of delays in agreeing a new global biodiversity framework at CoP15. We are closely engaged in discussions with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations on negotiation of the new framework.

The Statement of Intent signals our ambitions for biodiversity in Scotland, our international action, and announces our commitment to publish a new biodiversity strategy by October 2022 which will define high level outcomes to address the ongoing decline in biodiversity. This will be supported by a delivery plan published within six months of the new strategy.

The direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss identified by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services provide a useful high-level summary framework, and alongside other analyses such as Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 and the State of Nature report for Scotland provide a substantial evidence base around which to design our new strategy. However, it is a thorough and comprehensive understanding of Scotland’s particular needs which will most effectively shape our strategic framework and enable us to deliver improvements in biodiversity in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has set up a Commission to undertake a review of learning in Scotland’s land-based and aquaculture sectors, to provide opportunities and qualifications through early years, school, college, university and work-based learning - including apprenticeships - for more people, and specifically more women and young people, to work with and on the land, particularly in green skills.

This review will provide recommendations on how to attract more people into these sectors. The Commission will provide independent, evidence-based advice and recommendations to Scottish Ministers by December 2022.

In addition, the Scottish Government’s (2019-21) sets out our strategic approach to support the skills needs of the rural economy by addressing skills shortages, talent retention and attraction, and demographic challenges through enhanced work-based learning pathways and by increasing access to education and skills provision in rural areas.

The Scottish Government also provides funding support to Lantra Scotland. Lantra is the Sector Skills Council for Scotland’s land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation sectors, aiming to ensure that these sectors can meet their skills needs and have the right people and promotion of learning opportunities for new entrants. Lantra promote the land-based sector as a rewarding career choice, and help to ensure that learning and training provision address industry requirements and skills gaps.

Lantra’s "#NoTwoDaysTheSame in Land-based and Aquaculture" provides the opportunity for school students to find out about the wide range of careers available in the land-based and aquaculture sectors and how young people can get there. It is delivered in partnership with Developing Young Workforce Live.

In 2019 and 2020 the Crofting Commission recorded over 830 new entrants into crofting, with 44% of these being women, and 32% being aged 40 or under. Given the positive work being undertaken by the Commission and the Development Officers, we expect to see similar positive numbers when the Crofting Commission produces its figures for 2021-22.

The Scottish Government does not have specific data across all of its funding schemes to separate the financial support it provides to new entrant crofters from the funding support it provides to existing crofters. In round terms, however, the Scottish Government provides croft businesses with over £40m in support each year.

New entrants to crofting can access the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme, which has a higher grant rate for those crofters under 41 years of age who have been head of the croft business for less than 5 years. New entrants can also access the Croft House Grant, Forestry Grant Scheme, Farm Advisory Service, Highlands and Islands Veterinary Services Scheme and can also access the basic Pillar 1 type payments.

The National Development Plan for Crofting, published in March 2021, forms a critical part of the support this Government will be offering to crofters and crofting communities, to ensure that crofting remains at the heart of our rural and island communities.

In 2021 the Crofting Commission expanded its Residency and Land Use team to enable it to increase its work in addressing absenteeism and bringing crofts back into productive use.

The Commission also appointed its islands-based Crofting Development Officers who will work with crofting communities and strengthen links between the Commission and the communities it serves by building constructive local relations. The new Officers will work with local assessors and liaise with landlords and townships to encourage opportunities for new entrants and active croft use.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05548 on 31 January 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government has not carried out an assessment of any potential need for a public awareness campaign on the symptoms of heart valve disease.

However, the Heart Disease Action Plan, published in 2021, clearly sets out our strategic direction to minimise preventable heart disease and ensure that everyone with suspected heart disease in Scotland has timely and equitable access to diagnosis, treatment and care. This includes prioritizing the awareness of risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Further, we have made commitments in the Women’s Health Plan to improve information and public awareness of heart disease symptoms and risks for women.

At present there are no plans to undertake a workforce audit. However, it is recognised that in delivering Scottish Government priorities for climate change and biodiversity, that there is a skills shortage in the rural sector, in particular in peatland restoration.

The Scottish Government is committed, through the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan, to support the creation of additional green jobs in rural and island areas of Scotland, with associated skills development and training. We recognise the key role crofting communities have to play in peatland restoration. In the National Development Plan for Crofting we committed to working in partnership with NatureScot and the Crofting Commission to identify the areas of degraded peatland in the crofting counties with a view to prioritising engagement with crofters and common grazing committees and identify opportunities for restoration.

There is also a commitment through the Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland to ensure people in our rural areas have the necessary skills, which will support inclusive growth. The Crofting Commission Development Officers engage with crofting communities to encourage croft occupancy, active croft use and management of common grazings. Working closely with local assessors the Officers liaise with landlords and townships to encourage opportunities and diversification of crofting activities, including initiatives to help crofting align with this Government’s priorities for climate change and biodiversity.