Chamber and committees

Scottish Ministers regularly meet with the Scotch whisky industry to discuss issues of interest - the latest of which was 15 June 2016 when I met with David Frost, the Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association.

The Scottish Government also works with Scotland Food & Drink (SF&D) who are the industry’s leadership organisation whose mission is to grow the value of the nation's food and drink sector to £16.5 billion by 2017 and build Scotland’s reputation at home and abroad as a land of food and drink.

Scotland Food & Drink brings all the industry associations in the food and sector –including the whisky sector– together with the key public sector agencies. Work is done in a spirit of collaboration and partnership to develop the economic growth strategy for the industry, for which Scottish Government and public sector agencies align support.

The Scotland Food & Drink partnership is increasingly recognised across the rest of the UK and internationally as a model to follow. The partnership between industry and government forged through Scotland Food & Drink has been integral to success and is recognised as key to food and drink moving from being a sector of static growth in 2007 to one of the best performing sectors of the Scottish economy.

The Scottish Government and its agencies – Scottish Enterprise (SE), Scottish Development International and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) provide a range of support and assistance to the Scotch whisky sector, through various initiatives.

Account teams within SE, HIE and Scottish Development International deal with the larger whisky businesses. They also work directly with many of the smaller and the more recently established independent distilleries across Scotland. They also work with firms in the industry supply chain, and have supported initiatives such as the Speyside Whisky Festival. They offer long term strategic support to companies through the account management service. SE account manages 60 alcoholic drinks companies and HIE 14.

The range of support measures to these businesses include financial assistance towards commercial investments, advice through the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service, assistance with staff training programmes, innovation and research and developmen costs, support with market research overseas trade missions and learning journeys.

The Scottish Government also operate the Food Processing, Marketing and Co-Operation Grant Scheme, whose primary purpose is to support the sustainable economic growth of the food and drink industry in Scotland through greater co-operation and collaboration from primary production and processing to the market, ensuring the long term viability of primary producers, and increasing export markets for Scottish produce.

Scottish Enterprise has commissioned research into the alcoholic drinks sector in Scotland. Building on the Scotch Whisky Association economic impact report, this piece of research is being undertaken to help us understand more about the wider alcoholic drinks sector, future trends, and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats it faces in the future.

The important contribution of Scotland's tourism industry to the Scottish economy is recognised through it being designated as a key sector in the Scottish Government Economic Strategy - and associated economic research. The most recent example of Scotland’s place, perception and position in the world, and the value placed on relevant factors by visitors to Scotland, is the Anholt - GfK Roper Nation Brands Index: 2014 Report for Scotland. A copy may be found using the url - http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2014/12/4339.”

In addition, as the national tourism organisation, VisitScotland carries out a ‘Scotland Visitor Survey’ to gauge the reasons visitors decide to holiday in Scotland. The current survey is a two year research programme covering 2015-16, the survey will also take place during the summer of 2016 and further results will be available in 2017. Factors that attract visitors to Scotland are set out in the Scotland Visitor Survey 2015 which was published by VisitScotland in March 2016. The full report can be accessed here:

http://www.visitscotland.org/pdf/Final%20(external%20use)%20Scotland%20Visitor%20Survey%202015%20updated%208%20March%202016.pdf

The conclusions and data gathered from this research (and findings from relevant, non-Scottish Government research) gives the Scottish Government a better understanding of where we need to prioritise efforts, and we will continue to work in partnership with the tourism industry and public sector partners to drive further improvement in the industry and deliver sustainable economic growth enabling all of Scotland to flourish.

The Scottish Government and its agencies provide a range of business support to Island based distillers through various schemes and initiatives.

Through Highlands and Islands Enterprise we provide a range of support measures to island businesses including financial assistance towards commercial investments, advice through the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service, assistance with staff training programmes, innovation and research and development costs, support with market research overseas trade missions and learning journeys. The Scottish Government also operate the Food Processing , Marketing and Co-operation Grant Scheme, with the primary purpose to support the sustainable economic growth of the food and drink industry in Scotland through greater co-operation and collaboration from primary production and processing to the market.

The following grants have been awarded to island distilleries:

Food Processing Marketing and Co-operation Scheme - Isle of Harris (£1.9million) and R and B Distillers (£0.68 million).

Since 2012 HIE have provided funding for various projects to - Isle of Arran Distillers (£103k), Isle of Harris Distillers Ltd (£1.3million), Kilchoman Distillery (£110k), Shetland Distillery (127k), Torabhaig Distillery (£157k) and Uisge Beatha nan Eilean (£8k).

One of the ways the Scottish Government particularly provides support for the islands is through subsidised freight fares to lifeline ferry services operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd and Serco Northlink Ferries. Since 2007, we have invested just over £1 billion in ferry services (including road equivalent tariff).

We have also invested more than £81 million in piers and harbours since 2007 including £17.8 million towards Ullapool harbour and £8.6 million towards Stornoway harbour to accommodate the new £42 million Ullapool – Stornoway vessel, MV Loch Seaforth.

The Scottish Government and Scotland Europa offices based in Scotland House contribute to the delivery of the Scottish Government’s priorities across portfolios. The Scottish Government regularly reviews its operations and priorities in all areas where there is a Scottish EU interest and reports on activities to the Scottish Parliament at the beginning of each EU Presidency term.

Scotland Europa priorities are reviewed on an annual basis as part of the Scottish Enterprise process. In addition Scotland Europa priorities are discussed annually with its members. Work to establish an innovation and investment hub in Brussels will enhance our ability to engage with and influence EU institutions and individual member states and collaborate with others to help secure additional investment for Scotland.

The detail of cultural and sporting events provided with funding support in each of the last five years, either directly through the Scottish Government's tourism and major events budget or VisitScotland's events directorate EventScotland, is available from the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 58012).

The XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 were always about more than 11 days of spectacular sport and culture. The games provided an opportunity to create a lasting legacy for the host city, host country and the Commonwealth.

Culture: The Glasgow 2014 Culture Programme was unprecedented in scale compared to any previous cultural celebration in Scotland. The programme had two strands: a Scotland wide year long programme called Culture 2014 and a citywide games time celebration called Festival 2014. The programme contained over 3,000 performances and 3,600 exhibition days and was delivered by over 10,000 artists and arts professionals, supported by almost 4,000 volunteers.

The Glasgow 2014 Culture Programme was the first Commonwealth Games culture programme to have dual city and nation focus and the first to start a year out from the games. The evaluation of the 2014 Culture programme published in June 2015 reported that the Glasgow 2014 culture programme was a bold and innovative commission, producing work of artistic excellence while offering a mix of fresh and exciting cultural experiences. More than 12,000 events took place with an estimated 2.1 million visits, while over 8,000 artists, and 2,500 organisers.

Tourism: The Commonwealth Games showcased Scotland as a leading visitor destination, profiling the country’s tourism and major event credentials. Glasgow is now one of the world’s top 10 sporting cities, currently ranked 5th in the world in the SportBusiness Ultimate Sports City Awards. Attracting thirteen high quality major sporting events to Commonwealth Games venues. Future events include the 2017 badminton world championships, 2018 Indoor athletic grand prix at the emirates arena, and the European championships 2018. 2014 also provided the springboard for a further significant increase in visitor spending. In 2015, this rose by 14% for domestic visitors (5% overall) to reach £5 billion and is on track to meet the target in the industry-led Tourism Strategy of £5.5 billion by 2020.

External Affairs: During the games we worked to support heads of state/government programmes to showcase the best of Scotland’s trade and investment, culture, education, energy, food and drink and investment opportunities. We have used the engagement with Commonwealth Governments during and post games to:

Maximise diplomatic, business, cultural and international development links;

Promote Scotland as an attractive place in which to do business, invest, live, study and visit;

Highlight our role as a good global citizen.

Highlight our commitment to human rights and LGBT equality – and to provide encouragement and assistance to others as they seek to become fairer, more progressive nations.

The Scottish Government recognises that food and drink is an important part of the visitor experience in Scotland, and is working in partnership with the food and drink industry leadership organisation, Scotland Food and Drink, to help increase the value of the food and drink sector and to build Scotland’s reputation as a land of food and drink. The Scotland Food and Drink partnership are now developing the 2017-30 food and drink industry strategy to continue to support the growth and reputation of the sector.

In 2015, as part of the Year of Food and Drink led by VisitScotland, there were a number of initiatives that set out to inspire the people of Scotland and visitors to celebrate Scotland’s outstanding natural larder; these included food and drink event funding and the establishment of four food trails. We are continuing to promote the ‘Taste Our Best’ accreditation award, delivered through our partnership with VisitScotland, which is currently held by over 1,000 businesses, and helps customers to identify restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes that serve quality locally sourced food and drink.

Scottish Ministers have a manifesto commitment to take forward a consultation to review the regulation of the legal profession in Scotland and to support a modern and effective legal sector, including new forms of business model.

The Scottish Government is currently in discussion with the Law Society of Scotland on options for regulatory reform. We will seek views on these options before any proposals for primary legislation are made.

The Scottish Government consulted on the Law of Succession between June and September 2015. The consultation focused on reforms to modernise succession law, based on the removal of the distinction between heritable and moveable assets, as recommended in the Scottish Law Commission’s Report on Succession (published in 2009).

The consultation looked at a range of issues such as what level of protection from disinheritance there should be for spouses, civil partners and children, on rights for co-habitants and a new scheme for intestate succession.

An independent analysis of the consultation responses has been carried out which the Scottish Government is currently considering. A key part of that consideration will be the potential impact of any changes to succession law, including on testamentary freedom and the choice of beneficiaries.

The Scottish Government introduced the Succession (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament on 17 June 2015. It provided, in the main, for changes to technical areas of the law. It was passed on 28 January 2016 and Royal Assent was granted on 3 March 2016. Changes made to caution requirements for executors dative commenced on 4 March 2016 and the remainder will be commenced towards the end of 2016

In particular, the Succession (Scotland) Act 2016

Closes a number of jurisdictional gaps so that where Scots law is the applicable law, the Scottish courts will have jurisdiction

Reforms how wills may be rectified by the courts

Reforms how survivorship should operate

Clarifies the effect of divorce, dissolution or annulment on a will.