Found: ServiceScottish Central GovernmentCRE075Creative ScotlandScottish Central GovernmentCRF075Creative Scotland National

Found: Inventories This worksheet collects data for Inventories, cash & cash equivalents, and balances with National

Found: CA)1816900010Receiver10CA - BUSINESS RATE SUPPLEMENT DEBTOR1817100010Receiver10CA - FUNDS HELD WITH NATIONAL

Found: SUPPLEMENT DEBTOR10Receiver18188000CA - IFRS 15 CONTRACT RECEIVABLES10Receiver18413000CA - FUNDS HELD WITH NATIONAL

Found: Court ServiceScottish Court ServiceCRE075Creative ScotlandCreative ScotlandCRF075Creative Scotland National

Found: BALANCES HELD WITH THE GBSNCGYN18412000CA - COMMERCIAL BANK ACCOUNTSNCGYY18413000CA - FUNDS HELD WITH NATIONAL

Found: lottery distribution fund44111000Sales of Goods and Services and Other Operating IncomeOperating Income

Found: Empire Member of the Order of the British Empire Heather Elizabeth BROUGHTON Lately Committee Member, National

Found: International Disability Sport (Leicester, Leicestershire) Heather Elizabeth BROUGHTON Lately Committee Member, National

Found: She has been a non-Executive Director of the National Lottery Community Fund since 2022; Chair of the

Found: 5286 4426 6, E02971288 02/24 PDF, 8.01 MB Details The English Sports Council Grant-in-Aid and National

Found: to Section 35(5) of the National Lottery etc.

Found: We are also contributing, alongside the National Lottery Heritage Fund, towards a multi -year programme

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) grants have been awarded to, (b) contracts have been entered into with and (c) payments have been made to Highland Rewilding by (i) it and (ii) any of its agencies; for what purpose any such funding was provided, and what due diligence was undertaken in relation to Highland Rewilding's financial status and ownership structure prior to any such funding being agreed.

Answered by Martin, Gillian - Minister for Energy and the Environment

The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on the grants, contract and payments made by public bodies. Contracts let by public bodies are held on public record and can be found at Public Contracts Scotland ( www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ )

Highlands Rewilding received a payment of £5,000 plus VAT on 24 February 2023 for their participation in the CivTech 8 cohort Exploration Stage after applying with a solution for CivTech Challenge 8.6. Highlands Rewilding did not progress further than the Exploration Stage and as such only received the Exploration payment of £5,000 plus VAT. This money was not grant funding and was for work carried out during the exploration stage to develop their proposal as per the contract.

Participants are selected for the Exploration Stage after an open procurement process followed by a thorough sift, selection and interview process. There is no specific financial due diligence required at this stage of the process due to the nature of the procurement.

More information on the CivTech process can be found here:

www.civtech.scot/process

More information on the CivTech Challenge 8.6 can be found here:

www.civtech.scot/civtech-8-challenge-6-simplifying-and-enabling-investment-in-scotlands-nature

Highlands Rewilding was offered a grant of £81,517 through the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) for a project entitled Beldorney Pond Creation for Biodiversity and Resilience to Climate Change. The Scottish Government does not hold information on payments made further to that offer, which would be administered by NatureScot.

Further details about the NRF, including eligibility and other criteria for applicants, can be found here: www.nature.scot/funding-and-projects/scottish-government-nature-restoration-fund-nrf

Highlands Rewilding was offered a grant of £97,350 through the Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS) in September 2023, administered by NatureScot, with match funding of £97,350 also provided by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project is titled Joint Ventures for Scalable Community Benefits from Rewilding. The Scottish Government does not hold information on payments made further to that offer.

Further details about FIRNS, including eligibility and information on successful applications, can be found here: https://www.nature.scot/funding-and-projects/firns-facility-investment-ready-nature-scotland

The NRF and FIRNS conform to the conditions for such schemes set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM). The SPFM is issued by Scottish Ministers and provides guidance to the Scottish Government and relevant bodies on the proper handling and reporting of public funds. It covers the relevant statutory, parliamentary and administrative requirements and promotes good practice and high standards of propriety.

Further information on the SPFM can be found here:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-public-finance-manual/