The Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise has regular discussions with BT around the management of the Digital Scotland contracts. This includes ensuring that funding within the contract is fully utilised to extend coverage, making use of resources freed up as a result of BT’s actual costs being lower than expected.

A breakdown of the £14 million is provided on page 10 of the Audit Scotland report. This comprises innovation funds across both contracts, funding originally allocated to deliver non-fibre technology and interest accrued.

There are a wide range of factors that can impact broadband speeds or service, not limited to the level of simultaneous use.

The Scottish Government’s original application for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) resources sought £20.5 million for the Rest of Scotland Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband project. The Scottish Government subsequently reduced the funding sought from the ERDF programme in light of revised criteria for calculating eligible capital expenditure. £12 million was subsequently drawn down.

The Scottish Government is taking a series of actions to increase the number of people that choose teaching as a career. These include building on the success of our 'Inspiring Teachers' campaign with a more substantial recruitment campaign to be launched by the end of the year.

In addition we are working with the university sector and the General Teaching Council for Scotland to introduce new and innovative routes into teaching, including distance learning routes, that are designed to be attractive to a wide range of potential student teachers. Throughout we will ensure that Scotland’s high level of teacher professional standards is maintained while enabling suitably qualified individuals to make a positive contribution in our schools.

The Draft Budget document for this financial year sets out the Scottish Government's spending plans for 2016-17, including investment in digital projects.

I raised the issue of releasing CAP convergence funds to Scottish farmers in a letter to the Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, on 24 June 2016.

Despite this, and assurances earlier this year from Defra Minister, George Eustice, that Defra would carry out a review of how the UK CAP budget is distributed, there has been no reply to my letter so far.

After taking up my position of Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy I wrote to the Defra Minister of State, George Eustice in June 2016 asking if he agreed in principle to the repatriation of the levy. I also confirmed that I was in favour of moving ahead with the Levy Body Forum proposal, and urged that we should now move forward rapidly with a legislative measure that gives full effect to the Forum's solution to this long standing issue, in particular to identify a primary legislative vehicle which can achieve the repatriation. Mr Eustice recently replied to this letter and we are to meet to discuss this along with other important areas of work.

Scottish Ministers agreed with the community to wait for the final report from Voluntary Action Barra and Vatersay before considering whether to put a management committee in place or not. Marine Scotland awaits the final report from Voluntary Action Barra and Vatersay.

The Scottish Government is working with the other UK Fisheries administrations with the aim of giving Scotland a greater say on how levy raised in Scotland is used. In addition to these on-going discussions, meetings have also been held with Seafish.