Chamber and committees

One of the core objectives for Scotland to become a Good Food Nation is for diet related disease to be in decline. This aligns with our intention announced in the Programme for Government to set out and consult in 2017 on the development of a new Diet and Obesity Strategy and the content of a Good Food Nation Bill.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03694 on 1 November 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

On 18 July the First Minister announced the agreement with COSLA of a 10 year flood funding strategy, with the local authority capital settlement, to deliver priorities identified in the Flood Risk Strategies published in December 2015. The agreed funding will amount to a minimum of £42 million per year with any underspends in one year being re-profiled within the next years allocation. 80% of the annual funding will support delivery of the flood protection schemes identified in the Flood Risk Strategies; a full list of these can be found at http://www.sepa.org.uk/media/163528/42-flood-protection-schemes.pdf.

The allocations to individual local authorities in 2016-17 for flood protection schemes are set out in the following table; funding for future years will reflect progress with design and development of the scheme.

Flooding capital grant - Funding Allocations for Flood Protection Schemes 2016-17.

The remaining funding is distributed amongst all Scottish local authorities based on their share of properties at risk of flooding. How this money is allocated is a matter for individual local authorities but it is expected that it would be used to support actions identified in the strategies such as property level protection and natural flood management works and studies. In addition local authorities are able to use their wider funding allocation to support flood risk management where they consider this to be a local priority.

In addition to support through the local authority settlement the Scottish Government provides support and tools to responsible authorities. For example the Scottish Government has provided funding to the Tweed Forum (working with Dundee University) to support the Eddleston Water research project which will assess the flood risk, water quality and habitat benefits of working with the natural environment across the catchment. This financial year we are committing £200,000 to the project. These funds are used to engage with land managers in the catchment, carry out natural flood management works and collect scientific evidence through an extensive monitoring programme. The Eddleston Water project is now part of the EU Interreg North Sea Region Building with Nature project and will receive funds of up to 400,000 over the next 4 years.

Insurance is a reserved matter, and the Scottish Government is working in co-operation with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations to ensure flood insurance remains widely available and affordable. As a result of this work, the flood reinsurance scheme, known as “Flood Re”, was launched on 4 April 2016 and should ensure that flood insurance remains affordable to those who need it.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03694 on 1 November 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03694 on 1 November 2016. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government are engaged at ministerial and official level with the UK Government to ensure the best outcome for Scotland following the EU referendum. The UK Government have confirmed that they are looking at options for when the UK formally leaves the EU, including a potential British protected food name status scheme and the Scottish Government continues to engage with Defra on options for Geographical Indications, including protected food names.

The Scottish Government participated actively in the June 2016 examination conducted in Geneva by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

In addition to the Scottish Government contribution to the formal state party report submitted on behalf of the UK in advance of the examination, a full Scottish Government position statement was published in March 2016 in response to the List of Issues identified by the Committee in November 2015. Further information can be found at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Justice/policies/human-rights/internationaltreatyobligations/ICESCR

The Committee's 2016 Concluding Observations cover a broad range of policy areas, encompassing both reserved and devolved matters, and the Scottish Government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations. Many of these interface with existing government initiatives and commitments in areas such as gender equality, fair work, social security and child poverty.

A response will be issued in due course.

We are considering all possible steps to ensure Scotland’s continuing relationship with the EU and are looking at all options for ensuring the continued protection of Geographical Indications, including protected food names.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03348 on 16 November 2016.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx