Chamber and committees

Funding and resources available will be published as part of the series of Action Plans.

We are considering using an evidence based process to determine which improvement work will be prioritised and details of this will form part of the Long Term Conditions Framework which we will publish in December 2025.

As we develop our new integrated Long Term Conditions Framework, we will consider how it and its series of action plans are governed and implemented to ensure all conditions are considered and action plans are implemented effectively. Future planning for current advisory committees and taskforces will be considered at the same time

Details of the governance arrangements will form part of the Framework and will be published in December 2025.

It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate. However, the Scottish Government are engaging with Local Authorities via the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Property Services networks regarding the school estate, including the School Grounds in Scotland 2025 report.

It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate. However, the Scottish Government are engaging with Local Government via the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Property Services networks regarding the school estate, including the School Grounds in Scotland 2025 report.

Allocation of staffing resources are a matter for Scottish Government to determine in accordance with Scottish Government priorities.

The Scottish Government recognises the particular challenges that people in rural and island communities can face in accessing mental health support. We are committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland has access to high-quality, person-centred mental health services, including counselling and psychological therapies.

While mental health service provision is led locally by NHS Boards, local authorities and third sector partners, based on population needs and clinical judgement, we support this through national funding, guidance and strategy.

Since 2021, we have invested £66 million in the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults, with over 900 awards made to projects supporting people in rural areas. In 2024-25, we are also providing £123.5 million to NHS Boards via the Enhanced Mental Health Outcomes Framework, now baselined to give local areas greater flexibility in how services are delivered.

Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2023) sets out a long-term vision focused on reducing geographical inequalities and promoting a person-centred approach. This is supported by the National Specification for Psychological Therapies and Interventions, which sets out clear expectations for consistent, trauma-informed, and accessible care across all areas.

We expect NHS Boards to follow national clinical guidelines in the delivery of counselling services. Recruitment and training of professionals are managed locally, in collaboration with relevant professional bodies. The Scottish Government will continue to consider how targeted support, including funding, can help improve access in underserved areas.

We will continue working with NHS Boards, local authorities, and delivery partners to ensure mental health services are equitable, effective, and meet the needs of all communities across Scotland.

The Scottish Government expects that all policies and proposals set out in the forthcoming Climate Change Plan will be delivered. Progress of these policies and proposals will be monitored closely throughout the plan period through a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. Regular monitoring will establish progress and allow Ministers to consider appropriate action to support any off track indicators on a case to case basis.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-33307 on 28 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks. Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we will continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible.

The design of the debris flow shelter follows both national and international design standards and good practice, including, but not limited to, the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, British Standards and Eurocodes. This is being informed by data collected on the A83 site as well as the extensive experience of Transport Scotland and its technical advisors who have designed similar structures in Europe and around the world.

For the majority of landslide events, material from landslides will not collect on the roof of the debris flow shelter, albeit the roof is being designed to withstand these larger landslide events. Large catchpits are located at the rear of the debris flow shelter to capture any material from landslide before it reaches the shelter for all but the most significant landslide events. The roof will predominantly be used for access to clear material from the catchpits allowing the A83 Trunk Road to continue running during clearance operations.

The proposed solution of the debris flow shelter has been applied across Europe in similar situations, as well as similar approaches taken on railway projects, such as Dawlish rockfall shelter in England. The link to the website can be found here: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/design-manual-for-roads-and-bridges-dmrb-stage-two-route-options-assessment-report-a83-access-to-argyll-and-bute/.

The Scottish Government takes the accuracy of its commissioned reports seriously and aims to ensure that work carried out on its behalf is appropriate.