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On 22 June, the First Minister announced changes which will help benefit weddings. In particular, suppliers employed by the couple marrying or registering their civil partnership no longer count towards the numerical caps and live entertainment is now allowed at receptions.

The Scottish Government has also updated the Strategic Framework: . This update sets out that, subject to a review of the epidemic, on 19 July we hope that all of Scotland will be able to move to level 0, with physical distancing requirements outdoors removed and reduced indoors to 1 metre. On 9 August, conditional on over 40s being fully vaccinated and a review of the epidemic, we would hope to remove the levels restrictions and all physical distancing requirements.

We continue to regularly review the restrictions and guidance in place.

There is no order generally referred to as an emergency traffic regulation order in Scotland.

Traffic authorities may make temporary traffic regulation orders (which are known as TTROs), under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. These can prohibit or restrict the use of a road for a number of reasons, such as road works, damage to the road or danger to the public and generally can last for up to a maximum of 18 months. The Scottish Government issued guidance to local authorities on the use of TTROs and Notices in relation to the Covid-19 response in April 2020 which can be found at

There is no procedure for a TTRO to become a permanent order. A traffic authority can only make a permanent traffic regulation order in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Road Traffic regulation Act 1984 and the relevant procedures as contained in the Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1999 (for local roads) or the Secretary of State’s Traffic Orders (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1987 (for trunk roads).

The additional £5 million funding allocated in the 2020-21 budget has been used by Transport Scotland to support the rail decarbonisation programme which includes the work currently being undertaken to electrify the routes between Glasgow and Barrhead, and Glasgow and East Kilbride.

These enhancement projects will see the respective railway lines transformed to accommodate quieter, more environmentally friendly electric trains, whilst increasing capacity of services and improving network resilience. They will have a transformative effect on the railway and will deliver wide-ranging passenger benefits.

In addition, the funding supported the platform extensions at Milngavie, which enabled the introduction of a performance-enhancing timetable in 2020, as recommended in the Donovan Review, with the consequence that there is no longer a requirement for any additional infrastructure within the Milngavie area, though, of course, this will kept under review.

The 2017 Programme for Government initially committed to introducing Low Emission Zones (LEZs) into Scotland’s four biggest cities (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen) between 2018 and 2020. Scotland’s first LEZ (with an initial focus on buses) was launched in Glasgow at the end of 2018.

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an evaluation of this timeline and the new indicative timeline is for LEZs to be introduced into Scotland’s four biggest cities between February and May 2022. Once introduced, this is when a LEZ grace period of no less than one year and no more than four years will start.

Local authorities have the final decision on the duration of the grace period which is the most appropriate for their LEZ Proposal. Once the grace period has lapsed, penalty charge notice enforcement will commence.

The Scottish Government is aware that issues are being raised on the minimum age to enter a marriage or civil partnership and that a Private Member’s Bill has been lodged at Westminster to increase the minimum age in England and Wales:

The Scottish Government will obtain more information on this issue and discuss the minimum age with key stakeholders. Before any steps were taken to raise the minimum age for entering a marriage or civil partnership in Scotland, there would need to be a full public consultation. If the member has any points she would like to discuss on the minimum age, I would be happy to meet her.

Yes. This was considered for weddings, but is not supported, on the basis that ensuring that dancing is socially distanced would be very hard to control in practice and risks non-compliance with the current physical distancing requirements.

Feedback from the wedding sector themselves indicated that they did not believe it would be possible for them to ensure dancing only takes place between members of the same household or within the permitted numbers who are allowed to mix.

With the relaxation of physical distancing to 0 metres outdoors from 19 July, (indicative) dancing, mingling, standing drinks/canapés receptions, receiving lines etc. can resume at weddings from that date. With the removal of physical distancing from 9 August (indicative) indoors, the same will apply in indoor settings.

Our Suicide Prevention Action Plan ‘Every Life Matters’ was launched in August 2018 with £3 million funding available to support implementation over the last Parliamentary term. For 2021-22, £1.4 million is available to support suicide prevention. We have committed to doubling suicide prevention spending by the end of this Parliamentary term.

Under new arrangements that came into place on 1 May 2021, fishing licences were varied prohibiting vessels from fishing for wrasse unless they were awarded a Letter of Derogation from Marine Scotland and signed up to fish in line with certain mandatory conditions.

In addition to the statutory requirements for fishermen to provide landings details on Form FISH1, Log Books and landings declarations, wrasse fishermen must also now submit to Marine Scotland a record of the total number of wrasse, by species landed for each trip made in each given week. Although the new arrangements are still bedding in, fishermen are now submitting these returns as required.

The fishery opened on 1 May but only a small number of vessels have harvested wrasse so far and I am therefore unable to provide the level of detail you seek as that might lead to individuals being identified. But I can provide a summary of landings.

Between 1 May and 19 June there were 78 landings totalling some 1700 kg, mostly in the Oban, Portree and Mallaig landing districts.

The licence conditions applying to all vessels that hold a Letter of Derogation to fish for wrasse require that all wrasse landings, including any that are made to an aquaculture facility, must be reported by fishermen directly to Marine Scotland. It is an offence to fail to do so and where conditions are breached Marine Scotland can take enforcement action which may lead to vessels losing access to the wrasse fishery.

Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today.

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

The regulations will reduce the required physical distances to be maintained between persons for the purposes of the Scottish Open golf event at Renaissance Club, North Berwick scheduled to start on 8 July and end 11 July 2021 (or 12 July in the event play cannot be completed on the 11 July).

The regulations will also make a small amendment to provisions relating to stadia and live events: a local authority will now only be required to notify the Scottish Ministers of an application for an exemption on capacity in Levels 0, 1 or 2 when directed to do so by the Scottish Ministers.

The regulations will also remove the area of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council from the areas to which common travel area restrictions apply.

The Regulations have been published at

Regulations amending the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 will be made today and will take effect on 8 July 2021.

The regulations will reduce the required physical distances to be maintained between persons for the purposes of the Scottish Open golf event at Renaissance Club, North Berwick scheduled to start on 8 July and end 11 July 2021 (or 12 July in the event play cannot be completed on the 11 July).

The regulations will also make a small amendment to provisions relating to stadia and live events: a local authority will now only be required to notify the Scottish Ministers of an application for an exemption on capacity in Levels 0, 1 or 2 when directed to do so by the Scottish Ministers.

The regulations will also remove the area of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council from the areas to which common travel area restrictions apply.