Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Nigel Wilkinson MBE appointed VisitEngland Advisory Board Member

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 22 August 2022.

Nigel Wilkinson MBE

The term of appointment will be for five years, commencing on 11 August 2022 until 10 August 2027.

A graduate Engineer and Chartered Accountant, Nigel has been Managing Director of Windermere Lake Cruises Limited, Cumbria’s largest visitor attraction, since 2004. He is also Managing Director of Winander Leisure Limited, a director of Winander Group Holdings Limited, Lakeland Motor Museum Limited and Rushbond plc, a Yorkshire based property company. From 2007 to 2017 he was a director of Cumbria Tourism (CT), the county’s Destination Management Organisation, and was chair of the committee responsible for managing CT’s finances. Nigel joined the Board of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) in 2017 and chairs both CLEP’s Visitor Economy Sector Panel and its Finance, Audit and Resources Committee. Nigel also represents CLEP on the Lake District National Park Partnership. In late 2020 Nigel was appointed to the Tourism Industry Council, a collaboration between Government and the tourism industry focusing on improving the tourism sector including jobs, transport and deregulation.

Nigel was appointed as a Trustee/Director of South Cumbria Rivers Trust in 2021, a charity/Trust with the principal objective to monitor, conserve and protect and, when necessary, rehabilitate and improve the biodiversity of lakes, rivers and streams South Cumbria and adjacent coastal waters for the public’s benefit. In the Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours List Nigel was recognised with the honour of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to tourism and the economy in Cumbria. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Cumbria in July 2022.

Remuneration and Governance Code

This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Nigel will be offered remuneration of £3,300 per annum. The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Nigel has not declared any activity.

August 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Funding for cadets boosted to £43 million pounds over next two years to help build the maritime sector

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 22 August 2022.

Eligible seafarers will now get half of their training paid – providing a real investment in the future of maritime and securing future growth.

Previously, the subsidy was 30% but increases to 50% for all new and existing tonnage tax groups and Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) funding. This now means that maritime companies can take advantage of an extra £13m of funding to take on and train up cadets.

The DfT and HMT have increased the subsidy on training costs for cadets and ratings – which companies can obtain as part of their tonnage tax – to 50% from the current level of 30% for all new and existing tonnage tax groups and SMarT funded seafarers.

The new measures complement UK Government’s commitment to protecting and supporting seafarers as announced in the seafarer protections nine-point plan, which commits to improving the longer-term working conditions of seafarers as part of a wider vision to boost seafarer protections and welfare. This includes the Seafarers’ Wages Bill which will ensure that seafarers working on vessels that regularly use UK ports are paid at least an equivalent rate to the National Minimum Wage while in the UK’s territorial waters.

This increase in training subsidies for cadets and ratings does this and emphasises UK Government’s drive to grow and support the UK’s highly skilled seafarer population to meet UK and global needs.

The extra money means there will be up for £20 million available this year increasing to £23 million next.

Funding for eligible seafarers is available this year and will be locked in until at least September 2024 providing an incentive and financial security for those looking to take up a career in maritime.

The increased subsidy rate will be available to any seafarer who meets the requirements and who is studying at a Maritime and Coastguard Agency approved college for an academic qualification that leads to the issue of an UK Unlimited Certificate of Competency.

Secretary of State Grant Shapps said:

“Our incredible maritime sector is built by the thousands of workers who, every day, keep our shelves stacked and are responsible for 95% of all the UK’s freight.

This funding will be critical to helping people upskill, take on a career in the sector, and help build a strong maritime sector for years to come.”

Damien Oliver Commercial, Programmes & Maritime Business Development Director said:

“This is an important milestone for investing in the future of maritime and our seafarers. These changes now mean that more funding is available to support seafarers with their training. We are also looking at additional support for those who have already attained a qualification so they can move onto the next one supported by further funding. We will do all we can to encourage and support people into this industry which does so much to support our every day life in the UK.

These changes will cover an interim period from April 2022 to September 2024. A new UK training system is then scheduled to be implemented, as recommended by the 2020 Maritime Skills Commission Report.”

August 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New guidance to improve the accountability of the Electoral Commission published

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 22 August 2022.

Today (22 August 2022) the Department for Levelling Up has opened the consultation on new guidance to improve the accountability of the Electoral Commission to UK Parliament. This guidance addresses the concern raised in Lord Eric Pickles’ independent review into electoral fraud, that the current system of oversight of the Electoral Commission is not fit for purpose.

The report also highlighted cases such as Tower Hamlets – in which the 2014 Mayoral election was declared void by corrupt and illegal practices – as evidence of vulnerabilities in our system which must be addressed.

The Elections Act 2022 delivers the government’s manifesto commitment to protect the integrity of our democracy. As part of the Act, new guidance for the regulator will be introduced subject to the approval of the UK Parliament.

The draft guidance in the Statement states that the Electoral Commission should support Returning Officers in ensuring the secrecy of the ballot inside polling stations. This addresses cross-party concerns about the practice of so-called “family voting” or “community voting” in some areas of the country, where it is alleged that some voters are being pressured by their spouses or partners over who to vote for inside polling booths.

In May 2022, the independent organisation, Democracy Volunteers, asserted they had identified 5% of all voters they observed in Tower Hamlets elections were either causing, or were affected by, “family voting” and over 85% of those being affected by “family voting” were women, predominantly from Asian backgrounds.

Levelling Up Secretary, Greg Clark, said:

“The public rightly expects efficient and independent regulation of the electoral system. The Pickles Report was clear that the Electoral Commission needed to change.

This is why we are improving the accountability of the Electoral Commission by giving Parliament greater visibility and scrutiny of the Commission’s work.

This guidance is a necessary step to increase the accountability of the Electoral Commission to UK Parliament whilst respecting its operational independence.

It is completely unacceptable for anyone’s vote to be influenced or pressured inside a polling station. Protecting the secrecy of the ballot is of the utmost importance to the health of our democracy.”

The government in its 2019 manifesto committed to protecting the integrity of our democracy. The new draft guidance therefore requires the Commission to have regard to matters such as tackling voter fraud, supporting Returning Officers in ensuring the secrecy of the ballot inside polling stations, and supporting participation by informing the public about the franchise and electoral registration, when carrying out its relevant regulatory functions.

The draft guidance also reflects the Pickles Report’s finding that the Commission needed to refocus on its core functions.

The consultation – closing on 5 December 2022 – will provide the statutory consultees with the opportunity to share their views on the draft guidance. Under the Elections Act, those consultees are the Commission itself, the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission and the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee.

What happens next?

The government will consider all responses to the consultation and make any necessary changes before submitting the draft guidance to Parliament for scrutiny. Parliamentarians will have an opportunity to share their views on the draft before deciding whether to approve or reject the draft guidance in full.

August 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Scale-up visa will propel high-growth businesses

The press release issued by the Home Office on 22 August 2022.

The UK’s top high-growth businesses will have greater flexibility and power to entice the world’s top talent through the new Scale-up visa, the government announced today (22 August).

UK businesses experiencing impressive success will be eligible to sponsor talented individuals, from scientists and engineers to architects and programmers, to support their growth and contribute to boosting the UK’s economy.

Unlike other sponsored visas, the Scale-up visa allows businesses to employ high-skilled individuals who will receive 2 years’ leave to remain in the UK without requiring further sponsorship or permission beyond the first 6 months.

This will further enhance the government’s overall offer to businesses through the points-based immigration system to hire eligible employees from anywhere in the world. The Scale-up visa will give them greater flexibility to hire, often in-demand, talent they need so they can go to the next level, while boosting the UK’s high-skilled pool.

Minister for Safe and Legal Migration Kevin Foster said:

“Rapidly growing businesses, like small enterprises, tech and financial services, need the right level of support to go to the next level. Through our Scale-up visa, we’re enabling businesses to focus on their growth and innovation by giving them more freedom to bring in the diverse skills and experience they need, making them more attractive on an international stage.

By supporting our high-growth tech, financial services and small businesses, we are ensuring the UK remains a global hub for emerging technologies and innovation while enhancing productivity across the economy – creating jobs, growth and prosperity across Britain.”

Irene Graham OBE, CEO of the ScaleUp Institute said:

“The ScaleUp Institute welcomes the launch of the Scale-up visa. This is something we have recommended since our inception and should provide a much-needed fast track service to enable local growth companies to access the talent they need more quickly.

Scaleups add over £1 trillion a year and more than 3 million jobs to the UK economy, and are present in every community, hiring people from at home and abroad, as they drive growth into their local areas and beyond.

The visa should help with the skills demands. We look forward to continuing to work with the government as this service evolves to ensure it fully addresses scaling business needs and works effectively.”

Scaling up is an important phase for high-growth businesses to continue growing and drive their international competitiveness. By bringing in sought-after expertise and skills, enterprises can boost their innovation and productivity and in turn keep contributing to the UK’s economy.

Companies, including small businesses and those in the tech and financial services sectors, that have achieved growth of 20% or more in either employment or turnover year-on-year for at least 3 years and employed a minimum of 10 people at the start of the 3 years will be eligible to sponsor talented individuals through the Scale-up visa.

Eligible businesses will be able to attract highly skilled talent including:

scientists
engineers
programmers
software developers
research and development professionals
economists
architects
technicians
financial and investment advisers

August 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Boost for farming innovation

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 22 August 2022.

Artificial Intelligence technology to optimise welfare in pigs, agri-robots to help speed up vegetable harvests and automation to increase fruit crop yields are just some of research and development projects to receive funding through the Farming Innovation Programme, it was announced today (Monday 22 August).

Details of these new innovative projects comes as further support was announced for farmers and growers with novel ideas to help grow food production, encourage sustainable practices and increase productivity, with the next rounds of the Feasibility Projects and the Small R&D Partnership Project competitions due to open shortly.

The £16.5 million of funding will help drive innovation in agriculture and horticulture and is part of the Government’s £270 million Farming Innovation Programme.

It is run in partnership with UK Research and Innovation, building upon their successful Transforming Food Production challenge.

Farming Innovation Minister Steve Double said:

We want to help unlock greater potential in our already brilliant farming and horticulture sector. Today’s first round of projects demonstrate how – with the right funding and support – there are great productivity and environmental sustainability gains to be made.

Our £270 million investment in farming innovation is designed to help take the UK’s world-leading research ideas and turn them into practical solutions to support healthy soils, abundant pollinators and clean water alongside profitable food production.

Katrina Hayter, challenge director for the Transforming Food Production challenge, said:

You only need look at the sheer breadth of projects that have received funding to see there are so many opportunities for innovation across the food sector. From animal health to crop productivity, the introduction of strategic support technology and the precise application of chemicals, it’s exciting to see so many concepts beginning to come to life.

When brought together, it shows how the whole food system can benefit from new ideas, with knowledge-sharing and collaboration at its core. We are keen to ensure farmers and growers remain at the heart of projects, bringing their valuable real-life experiences to the project consortia to ensure that each innovation stays focused on helping improve the day-to-day challenges faced by those in the food sector. We now look forward to supporting these projects further as they develop.

The Farming Innovation Programme aims to spark new ideas and collaboration across the sector to address long-term challenges such as producing nutritious food more efficiently whilst helping the sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to achieve net zero goals. Farmers, growers, foresters, businesses and researchers are being invited to collaborate and submit applications for these two new competitions:

A £5.5 million competition for ‘Feasibility projects’ will offer grants for projects worth between £200,000 and £500,000 to support research and development through the difficult testing phase of an idea to see if it is worth investing in further

Winners of the ‘Small R&D Partnership’ competition will receive a share of the £11 million grant funding for industrial research projects worth between £1 million and £3 million to further develop new solutions that will ultimately address major on-farm or immediate post farmgate challenges or opportunities such as enhancing productivity and sustainability.

Details of the successful applications from the first round of Small R&D Partnership Projects, Feasibility Projects and Research Starter Projects, that were launched in October 2021 were shared by UKRI today. These include:

Farmsense’s use of innovative sensor technology and AI to optimise welfare in pigs;
Blue Planet II, a new project which aims to build upon its highly successful autonomous technology to further increase fruit crop yield and quality;

A new project from ‘Muddy Machines’, whose agri-robot concepts aim to speed up vegetable harvesting with sustainability and reliability at their core.

Altogether Defra expects to spend around £600 million on grants and other support for farmers to invest in productivity, animal health and welfare, innovation, research and development over the next three years.

August 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Walking, wheeling and cycling to be offered on prescription in nationwide trial

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 22 August 2022.

Social prescriptions, including walking, wheeling and cycling, will be offered by GPs as part of a new trial to improve mental and physical health and reduce disparities across the country, the government has announced today (22 August 2022).

The government has awarded £12.7 million in multi-year funding to 11 local authority areas in England. The funding will go towards several pilot projects in each location, including:

adult cycle training
free bike loans
walking groups

Other schemes include all-ability cycling taster days where people who may not have cycled before can try to in a friendly environment, or walking and cycling mental health groups where people can connect with their communities as they get active.

The pilots must be delivered alongside improved infrastructure so people feel safe to cycle and walk.

The 11 local authority areas that will trial social prescriptions are:

Bath and North East Somerset
Bradford
Cornwall
Cumbria
Doncaster
Gateshead
Leeds
Nottingham
Plymouth
Suffolk
Staffordshire

The pilots, a commitment in the government’s Gear Change plan published in 2020, aim to evaluate the impact of cycling and walking on an individual’s health, such as reduced GP appointments and reliance on medication due to more physical activity. For the first time, transport, active travel and health officials will work together towards a whole systems approach to health improvement and tackling health disparities.

Walking and Cycling Minister, Trudy Harrison, said:

“Walking and cycling has so many benefits – from improving air quality in our communities to reducing congestion on our busiest streets.

It also has an enormous positive impact on physical and mental health, which is why we have funded these projects which will get people across the country moving and ease the burden on our NHS.”

Minister for Health, Maria Caulfield, said:

“Getting active is hugely beneficial for both our mental and physical health – helping reduce stress and ward off other illness such as heart disease and obesity.

The UK is leading the way in embedding social prescribing in our NHS and communities across the country. We’ve already exceeded our target to ensure over 900,000 people are referred to social prescribing schemes by 2023-24 and this pilot will help us identify further schemes to reduce disparities and boost mental and physical wellbeing across the country.”

National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said:

“As a nation we need healthier, cheaper and more pleasant ways to get around for everyday trips. Active Travel England’s mission is to ensure millions of people nationwide can do just that – so it’s easier to leave the car at home and to enjoy the benefits that come with it.

Moving more will lead to a healthier nation, a reduced burden on the NHS, less cancer, heart disease and diabetes, as well as huge cost savings. This trial aims to build on existing evidence to show how bringing transport, active travel and health together can make a positive impact on communities across England.”

The pilots will be delivered between 2022 and 2025 with on-going monitoring and evaluation to support continued learning.

The project is bringing together a range of government departments and agencies including:

NHS England

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Sport England

National Academy for Social Prescribing

Defra

Department for Health and Social Care

August 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Concerns over Free Trade Agreement

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 21 August 2022.

UK’s deal with New Zealand “damaging” to Scottish farmers and food producers.

The UK’s Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand will allow for much higher quantities of produce to come into the UK tariff-free, leaving “a lack of a level playing field between Scottish and New Zealand farmers”, Scottish Ministers have warned.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon and Trade Minister Ivan McKee have pointed to what appears to be a “stark contrast” with the agreement that the EU has secured with New Zealand – securing the same market access for its exporters but seemingly with better safeguards for its domestic producers.

In a joint letter to UK Government Minister of State for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt, Ms Gougeon and Mr McKee said the UK’s deal “emphasises the futility and economic self-harm of the UK Government leaving the EU, making its own trade agreements, and then ending up with a worse deal than if we had stayed in the EU”.

In the first year of its FTA, the UK will allow 12,000 tonnes of New Zealand beef into the UK, while the EU has agreed to only 3,333 tonnes across all 27 EU countries. By year 15, the UK Government will allow 60,000 tonnes of New Zealand beef into the UK, and after that an unlimited quantity, while the EU will cap imports at 10,000 tonnes, and still apply a 7.5% tariff.

Ms Gougeon and Mr McKee have called on the UK Government to set out “what mitigations and compensation it will put in place for economic sectors and communities that suffer as a result of the UK Government’s trade deals.”

August 21, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Islands Bond

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 19 August 2022.

Response to the public consultation published.

The proposed Islands Bond will not go ahead following responses to a consultation.

The key findings from the analysis of the Scottish Government Islands Bond consultation suggests that island communities do not support the proposed Bond – one of the initiatives announced last year to address the issue of depopulation.

Consultation respondents were fairly evenly split between those in favour and those opposed to the Bond, however those in favour of it were largely non-islanders.

Island respondents raised concerns about the proposed approach and whether it would achieve the objective of reversing population decline.

The greater focus on the importance of addressing population decline was welcomed by the islanders, as well as the commitment to work with communities to develop local solutions.

Welcoming the feedback from islanders, the Scottish Government is continuing to further develop other means to tackle depopulation including undertaking Practical Policy Tests, influenced by its engagement with island communities, that will inform the wider ‘Addressing Depopulation Action Plan’.

Rural Affairs and Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon said:

“I would like to thank everyone who responded as part of the consultation process, and especially our island communities for their constructive feedback and suggestions. It is directly because of the feedback from islanders that we are changing our approach.

“The Islands Bond was never intended to be a silver bullet to address our island population challenges. Rather, it was just one element of our wider work, across all Scottish Government, to support our island communities.

“We will continue to address the issue of depopulation on our islands with our National Islands Plan commitment to develop an Action Plan to address this issue, with a draft publication in 2023.

“The learnings and suggestions gathered through the Islands Bond consultation will be used to shape a range of Practical Policy Tests to inform this Action Plan.

“Additionally, we are investing £8.3 million this year to deliver the National Islands Plan and critical infrastructure projects based on local priorities.

“Consultation with communities who are directly impacted by the introduction of new policies or strategies is a crucial part of policy development. Taking the decision demonstrates our continued commitment to listen to island communities and ensure policy is delivered in collaboration with them, rather than to them.”

Background

In our A Fairer, Greener Scotland Programme for Government 2021/22, we announced a commitment to develop an Islands Bond fund, providing up to £50,000 each for up to 100 households by 2026, by providing financial support for island residents to remain in their community, or to encourage people to move there.

Islands bond: consultation 19 stakeholder engagement sessions and 12 on-island in-person events took place last year.

Islands Bond Consultation Analysis Report

Scottish Government response to Islands Bond Consultation Analysis

The work around the Practical Policy Tests to inform the ‘Addressing Depopulation Action Plan’ will be driven forward over the next 12 months, in close collaboration with island communities, by delivering interventions that respond to unique island needs.

Scottish Government support for islands, and progress made towards delivery of the National Islands Plan, is recorded in our annual report, presented to parliament each year. The first of these was the National Islands Plan: annual report 2020, published 23 March 2021. The most recent report was the National Islands Plan: annual report 2021, published 23 March 2022.

August 21, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Delivering faster internet

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 19 August 2022.

Full fibre broadband network extended.

More rural homes and businesses will access faster broadband following a further £36 million expansion of the Reaching 100% (R100) contracts.

The extension of existing contracts with delivery partner Openreach will see another 2,637 rural properties across Scotland able to access gigabit-capable connections through additional Scottish and UK Government investment in the R100 programme.

It will provide speeds more than 30 times faster than the Scottish Government’s original commitment and fulfil a 2021/22 Programme for Government commitment to deliver gigabit capable connections to the islands.

Contracts for both the North Lot – covering the north of Scotland and most of Scotland’s inhabited islands – and South Lot – covering Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders and stretching from East Lothian and East Ayrshire – are being extended with this new R100 investment.

The UK Government’s Project Gigabit will fund £16 million of this additional investment, which will be split between the R100 North and South contracts. The Scottish Government will invest a further £20 million in the North contract to help fund the gap between the cost of delivery and the contribution from Project Gigabit.

Business Minister Ivan McKee said:

“This latest investment will connect more homes and businesses in Scotland’s rural and island communities to gigabit capable broadband. That will have far reaching economic, social and development impacts.

“Our R100 programme is going further, and providing faster broadband, than originally envisaged. This takes time and significant investment, but we are fully committed to ensuring that as many people as possible are able to enjoy the important advantages of this future-proofed digital infrastructure.”

Digital Infrastructure Minister for the UK Government Matt Warman said:

“Bringing lightning-fast and reliable broadband to hard-to-reach areas is at the heart of the UK Government’s mission to level up communities, and that’s exactly what we’re doing in Scotland with our additional £16 million investment in R100.

“We’ve already delivered faster broadband to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across Scotland and there is even more investment on the way thanks to Project Gigabit, our record £5 billion programme to bring growth and prosperity to rural areas by putting them in the digital fast lane.”

Openreach Scotland Partnership Director Robert Thorburn said:

“The R100 build is once in a generation, bringing the fastest, most reliable technology to our most remote residents. Full fibre is future-proof – so the new network will always meet the nation’s needs.

“Connecting these properties one by one is one of the biggest broadband challenges in Europe. To make the most efficient use of resources, we’ll align the R100 build with our own rural investment. This will help us to get engineers and equipment to the most remote places, where they’re needed.

“We’ll continue to explore every option to reach more rural homes, faster.”

Background

The R100 North Lot contract extension covers an additional 1,488 premises in the following council areas: Argyll and Bute, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Outer Hebrides), Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands.

The South Lot contract extension covers an additional 1,149 premises in: Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.

The North Lot extension will receive £20.2 million from the Scottish Government and £9.4 million from the UK Government. The South Lot extension is being funded with £6.6 million from the UK Government’s Project Gigabit programme. BT is also providing an additional supplier contribution of £0.9 million in the South Lot and £0.8 million in the North Lot. The South Lot extension is expected to be complete by March 2025 and the North Lot extension by March 2028.

The Scottish Government also remains committed to further enhancing broadband coverage in the R100 Central Lot contract covering the Central Belt, Perthshire, parts of Ayrshire and the Scottish Borders.

The online address checker at scotlandsuperfast.com confirms the broadband status of all Scottish homes and businesses, including a six-month delivery window for premises eligible for R100 contract connections within the next year and a half.

Project Gigabit is the UK Government’s £5 billion programme to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband in hard-to-reach areas across the UK.

August 21, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Scaling up nature restoration

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 18 August 2022.

£3.5 million for landscape-scale biodiversity projects.

Longer-term projects that aim to transform Scotland’s natural environment can apply for a share of funding in the latest round of the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund.

Grants of over £250,000 are available to larger-scale initiatives that restore and protect habitats and species, including freshwater and coastal and marine areas, control invasive non-native species, and reverse the loss of lowland biodiversity in urban areas.

The multi-year Nature Restoration Fund is open to projects that help Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery.

Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said:

“The Nature Restoration Fund is Scotland’s largest ever fund for nature and a vital opportunity to take positive action now and halt nature loss. It supports projects across Scotland – large and small – on land and at sea – that address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

“This summer we are also consulting on an ambitious new Biodiversity Strategy for Scotland. This sets out what our natural environment needs to look like by 2045 in order to reverse biodiversity decline and protect our environment for the future. I would encourage everyone to share their views and help us shape this crucial roadmap toward a better and more sustainable future for Scotland.”

Chair of NatureScot, Mike Cantlay said:

“To turn the biodiversity crisis around and tackle the climate emergency, we need to act urgently and decisively to regenerate nature in Scotland. The Nature Restoration Fund will champion ambitious, high-value projects to protect and restore Scotland’s biodiversity on land and sea in the critical years ahead. We are excited to see the initiative and ideas applicants bring forward. We need to take action to help nature in Scotland, not only to help us reach net zero by 2045 but also to create a healthier, more resilient country for us all.”

Background

Over this parliament we will invest at least £65 million through the Nature Restoration Fund, with at least £13.5 million available in 2022-23.

£3.5 million was allocated to support 46 smaller-scale projects during this year to help support biodiversity in rural areas across the country.

A further £6.5 million has been allocated to councils and Scotland’s National Parks for local nature restoration projects.

More information on the Nature Restoration Fund and details on how to apply can be found on the NatureScot website: Nature Restoration Fund – How to Apply | NatureScot

The strategic priorities for the large project element of the Nature Restoration Fund follow those in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy consultation.

August 21, 2022