Chamber and committees

We are still to set out our vision for the blue economy, but we are undertaking a number of on-going pieces of work on fisheries and aquaculture. We will make sure that the new funding, when we establish it, takes account of that. I reiterate that are not at that stage, because we have not yet decided on what any new fund might look like and what the criteria would be for that funding.

I am happy to kick off on that. There was a lot in the question, but I will try to answer it as best I can.

On your last point, and returning to what I said at the start, I note that this is all about trying to create thriving local communities and thriving communities in rural areas. Enabling the development of the infrastructure that we need for that to happen is the premise of NPF4. There are lots of different strategies and pieces of work going on across the Government to try to address the issues that you mentioned, including on land, transport and our digital connectivity, but I highlight that none of those pieces of work is being done in isolation. For example, our third land use strategy, which was published last year, makes explicit reference to NPF4, and it has featured in previous national planning frameworks.

You talked about digital connectivity. We have opportunities with home working, which could help to enable people to live in remote and rural parts of Scotland. Of course, we need the digital infrastructure to enable that to happen. The digital fibre network is listed as one of the national developments in the framework because we recognise its importance and we want to enable that development to take place.

The key point that I want to emphasise is that we are not looking at each of the issues in isolation. We are making sure that, as we develop strategies, there is read across to NPF4 and, likewise, that it aligns with the other strategies that we are developing in these areas. I am sure that the minister will want to add to that.

I completely understand the concerns that you have raised about fuel poverty, and when I have visited island communities, I have heard about the levels of fuel poverty, and how rural and island communities are severely impacted by it. Helping to address fuel poverty and enabling energy efficiency are the principles that are embedded within NPF4. Perhaps it would be helpful if the minister outlined the proposals for national developments and how they have come about.

The document is out to consultation at the moment and we are keen to hear the feedback. However, as I said, we are not doing this in isolation, and we will not develop the policies or strategies independently of one another. I emphasise that, as I said, the regional land use partnerships align with what we have set out in the regional spatial strategies.

NPF4 is not being developed in isolation from the land use strategy and other pieces of on-going work. In my response to Jim Fairlie, I referred to the regional land use strategy, the outcomes of which make explicit reference to the national planning framework. The issue has been referred to in previous NPFs. As I said, the two are not being developed in isolation from each other. We obviously want to ensure that there is alignment of outcomes.

There is a lot of cut-across. There are explicit links between NPF4 and the third land use strategy, which was published last year. NPF4 refers to green and blue infrastructure, talks about optimising vacant and derelict land and has a focus on nature-based solutions. The two are not being done in isolation—there is a lot of cut-across and alignment.

I again emphasise that we are not doing this in isolation. A number of other pieces of work are under way. For example, the pilot regional land use partnerships have been established. They are still in the development stage, but they map the areas that have been set out in the regional spatial strategies. It is about making sure that both of those align.

The purpose of regional land use partnerships is to ensure that we are having discussions and collaborating at a regional scale on future land use. That is a collaborative process. At the heart of the process is making sure that we have discussions with communities, landowners and farmers as we try to address some of the issues at scale. Phil Raines might have more details.

Let me say straight off that we are working on the national strategy for economic transformation as well, which will be critically important in addressing some of the points that you have raised. I come back to points that I have made previously: we are not considering these strategies in isolation to each other, and there will be strong links and alignment there. The minister may want to come in.

Thank you for inviting me to speak about the regulations today. The draft instrument establishes a scheme in accordance with the Fisheries Act 2020, whereby Scottish ministers can give financial assistance for a range of permitted purposes, including: promoting and developing our fishing and aquaculture industries; training and improving the health and safety of those who work in those industries; the economic development and the social improvement of our coastal communities that rely on those industries; developing recreational fishing; and conserving and restoring our marine environment.

The instrument is necessary as it will enable us to go beyond the scope of our existing funding powers and consider other areas that would benefit from support, particularly coastal communities and recreational fishing. The instrument will enable delivery of a funding scheme from 1 April, allowing financial assistance to be given for a broad range of purposes as set out in the 2020 act. We will publish guidance setting out the specific range of activities that can be funded, and the eligibility criteria, in due course.

Under the Bute house agreement, we have committed to an ambitious programme to protect our marine environment, and to support fishing and aquaculture businesses and the coastal communities who depend on them. The instrument will ensure that the marine fund Scotland continues to be key in the sustainable development of Scotland’s blue economy, through investing in our marine sectors, creating sustainable jobs and helping to protect the marine environment not only today but into the future.

We are not alone in recognising the value of our marine space and the need to protect, restore and use it sustainably. The European Union established its European maritime, fisheries and aquaculture fund last year, replacing the previous European maritime and fisheries fund from which Scotland benefited greatly. Its new fund includes support for the transition to sustainable low-carbon fishing, the protection of marine biodiversity and ecosystems, and innovation in the sustainable blue economy. We share those objectives, and the instrument will ensure that those objectives can be delivered. I am happy to take any questions that the members may have.

In my opening statement, I mentioned what we have signed up to through the Bute house agreement and our environmental ambition in that regard. I will not commit to what will be in the fund at this stage because we are yet to take decisions on that. The regulations set out the range of activities that we will fund. I again make the point that the work to establish a fund is yet to be undertaken.

Thank you very much for inviting me here today to join what I am sure will be a very interesting discussion on the draft national planning framework 4.

Ensuring that the voices of rural and island communities are heard during the development stages of NPF4 continues to be a vital part of inclusive rural development. My officials have engaged with rural and island community stakeholders to ensure that their views are included as we work together to inform the draft NPF4 and rural proof future planning goals.

Our communities face endemic challenges and opportunities that we want the NPF4 to support. Addressing the population of rural areas is a statutory outcome that NPF4 must contribute to. The draft NPF4 sets out important proposals for the resettlement of previously inhabited areas. It will also enable new homes in rural areas, with planning policies that are more proactive and directive in shaping existing places and creating new places, while being supportive of homes and places that benefit from them, including remote, rural and island communities. We are committed to bringing forward an action plan on how that will be achieved.

The draft NPF4 is also clear that we want young people to have more influence in decisions that affect their future places. We also want to help more people to access land and crofts and be part of the solution to support carbon-neutral coastal and island communities.

Future planning policy offers significant opportunities for investment to support the blue and wellbeing economies and to capitalise on natural assets and strengthen the ties between people, land and sea. The draft NPF4 also recognises the contribution that our forestry sector can make to our net zero ambitions, reversing the decline in biodiversity and supporting a growing green economy.

The draft NPF4 includes a new policy addressing the nature crisis, which aims to ensure that appropriate measures to enhance biodiversity are designed into development proposals from the outset. Scotland’s land, and the natural capital that it supports, is one of our most valuable assets. It is vital to our national prosperity, and to our wellbeing as individuals and communities. Everyone has a stake in Scotland’s land and a responsibility to ensure that land is used productively and to the benefit of all, and rural and island areas can benefit from the changes enormously. That is why the vision, objectives and principles of our pilot regional land use partnerships for sustainable land use have featured and continue to feature in the development of Scotland’s national planning frameworks, including NPF4.

I welcome the ambitions of the draft NPF4 to support vibrant and sustainable rural places. The framework sets out how the planning system should encourage development that helps to support, sustain and grow rural areas while safeguarding and growing natural assets that underpin businesses and jobs.

I look forward to today’s discussion and the committee’s questions.