Thursday 10 September 2020 SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT Constitution and External Affairs Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that COVID-19 events sector funding has been rural-proofed. (S5W-31535) Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government considered a range of factors when developing the criteria for the Events Industry Support Fund. This included online forums that EventScotland hosted with geographical and sub-sectoral representation from across the events sector; an events supply chain survey; and with input from the Event Industry Advisory Group, which includes representation from rural events. Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether traders and crafters have been excluded from the criteria that would allow them to access COVID-19 events sector funding. (S5W-31536) Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has put in place over £2.3 billion of support for Scottish businesses across a wide range of sectors to support them during the pandemic. The Events Industry Support Fund is in place to provide support to businesses or individuals who organise, stage and deliver events. Eligibility was developed with input from the events sector. Where a trader or crafter can demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria then would be able to apply for support on the same basis as other businesses or individuals in the events sector. If a trader or crafter is not eligible for this particular fund then they may wish to consult https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/ to see whether they are eligible for any other sources of support. Economy Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the discussions it is having to explore an extension to the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme in Aberdeen, in light of the city’s inability to take advantage of the scheme due to the recent lockdown restrictions. (S5W-31489) Fergus Ewing: I wrote to the Chancellor on 14 August requesting an extension of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme in Aberdeen to allow businesses there to benefit from it to the same extent as the rest of the country following the local lockdown restrictions. I still await a reply to that letter. My office was advised by HM Treasury on 3 September that they would respond as soon as they are able. I will continue to pursue the request and will provide an update once I have received a response. Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government whether Forestry and Land Scotland is planning to introduce an annual scheme to allow motorhomes and campervans to park overnight in forest car parks. (S5W-31490) Fergus Ewing: Forestry and Land Scotland’s trial of single night motorhome and campervan stop-overs at selected car parks will conclude later this year. The agency will then review the findings of the trial before considering what might be an appropriate way ahead for 2021 and beyond. Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to pay claims under the 2020 Less Favoured Area Support Scheme in 2021. (S5W-31491) Fergus Ewing: Financial support to those farming and crofting in our most fragile and remote areas is a priority for the Scottish Government. It is the intention that LFASS payments will be paid in Spring 2021 to those who submitted an eligible claim earlier this year. I am clear that maintaining business cash flow and providing support into rural areas is vital to help farmers and crofters through the unprecedented and difficult times caused by Covid 19 and the continued uncertainties of Brexit. Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government whether the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme will be retained in its current form until 2024. (S5W-31492) Fergus Ewing: This Government set out its approach in the Stability and Simplicity consultation to provide Scottish farmers, crofters, foresters, rural businesses and rural communities a period of stability, by retaining the majority of CAP schemes until 2024. I was clear after the passing of stage 3 of the Scottish Agriculture bill that LFASS would be one of the schemes continuing in 2021. It is therefore crucial that the UK Government provides a clear statement on future funding and honour the promises made during the 2016 EU referendum so that plans can be progressed for those CAP schemes in 2021. Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering the reinstating of Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments to 100% of the 2018 rate for the 2020 scheme year. (S5W-31493) Fergus Ewing: For the 2020 scheme year LFASS has been retained with payments set to be at 40% (or 25/ha) of the 2018 payment rates and will be paid in spring 2021. Unfortunately we are unable to circumvent EU rules and reinstate payments to 2018 levels for the 2020 scheme year. Around 1,400 farmers and crofters who receive the minimum LFASS payment of £385, are not impacted. In addition, the Upland Uplift part of convergence payments supports farming and crofting in our marginal uplands, hill farms and island areas. Options are being considered for year 2 payments. Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31256 by Ivan McKee on 28 August 2020, how many business pillar meetings (a) it and (b) its agencies' officials had in 2019-20 with stakeholders in each of the 15 priority markets outlined in A Trading National. (S5W-31496) Ivan McKee: Scottish Government business pillar engagements are led by Ivan McKee MSP, Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation. The Minister’s T&I Overseas Visits focus on the 15 priority markets, as outlined in A Trading Nation ; Scottish Government’s plan for improving Scotland’s export performance . The visits he undertook in 2019 – 2020, along with the number of meetings are summarised below: Market Date Number of meetings Poland 23 – 24 January 2019 11 Italy 10 – 12 February 2019 11 Norway 17 – 19 March 2019 7 Sweden/Denmark 9 - 11 April 2019 11 Netherlands 19 - 20 May 2019 5 China 1 – 5 July 2019 26 Belgium 7 – 9 September 2019 10 USA 20 – 25 October 2019 27 Ireland 27 – 29 November 2019 10 Switzerland 29 – 30 January 2020 9 Spain 10 – 12 November 2020 16 TOTAL 143 In line with commitments under the Scottish Ministerial Code all Ministerial engagements, including those overseas, are proactively published here - https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ Whilst a record is not held centrally for Scottish Government officials and trade and investment agency, Scottish Development International; representatives regularly meet with stakeholders across our top 15 markets to promote Scotland as a place to invest in and trade with internationally. Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what involvement it has with Project Birch, which is a unit that has been established by the UK Government to assess requests by companies for support during the COVID-19 pandemic; whether it will place details of any discussions it has had with the unit in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), and what information it has regarding how many companies with a presence in Scotland have requested support through this route. (S5W-31506) Fiona Hyslop: I wrote to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 8 June 2020 on economic matters. The letter was copied to the Chancellor. In relation to Project Birch, it specifically asked for engagement “on the businesses you are working with that have a footprint in Scotland, so that we can bring our collective energy to addressing issues that these businesses might face.” Despite this, there has been no engagement or discussion on Project Birch and Scottish Government holds no information on how many companies with a presence in Scotland have requested support through this route. James Kelly (Glasgow) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government when it will review the current ban on music in the hospitality industry. (S5W-31512) Fergus Ewing: As announced by the First Minister on 14 August the current position of no background sound, including music, in hospitality is being kept under review. This work is currently being taken forward by an expert group comprising government, industry experts and environmental health representatives. The outcome of the review will be announced soon. Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government where it proposes to locate its national network of tech scalers, in light of the commitment in its Programme for Government to multi-year, multi-million pound investment, as suggested in the Logan Review. (S5W-31539) Kate Forbes: We have not yet taken decisions on the location of the tech scalers. Virtual access to Tech Scaler services will be provided to enable remote participation regardless of location. Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated by the Digital Growth Fund; how many businesses have received support, and whether it is still operational. (S5W-31548) Kate Forbes: The programme is still operational and continues to support SMEs. Up to the end of August £4,846,021 of funds have been allocated with 100 businesses having accessed this funding to increase their digital capability. Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will confirm to farmers the level of support that it will provide to less favoured areas.