Chamber and committees

This information isnot held centrally. The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally arebased on an aggregate return, and do not distinguish the circumstances of the crime,such as the age of the offender.

The Scottish Governmentis currently consulting on the future of mental health improvement and populationmental health. Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland invites discussionon what objectives and commitments should be set for 2008-11 as the next stage ofthis agenda. One of the proposed main themes for action is the promotion of mentalwellbeing in local communities.

Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid course is a training course designed to improvethe mental health literacy of Scotland’s population. Since its launch in 2004 over9000 people have attended the course.

Better Health,Better Care, the Government’sover-arching action plan to transform the NHS in Scotland, launched in December 2007, aims to create a mutual NHS, where patientsare partners rather than just recipients of care. A key part of this change willbe in creating enabling health services, where people have the knowledge – includingincreased mental health literacy - confidence and motivation to make healthy choices.Enhancing mental health literacy in local communities – particularly in disadvantagedcommunities - will complement the health-promoting NHS in Scotland envisaged byBetter Health Better Care in tackling priority areas such as smoking cessation,drug and alcohol abuse, obesity and reducing sexually transmitted infections andunwanted pregnancies: all areas where good mental health is a key determining factor.

The recordfunding included within the draft Scottish Government Budget to 2010-11 will ensurecontinuity of approach and investment on mental health and other priorities by NHSboards, local authorities and other partners.

Spendon mental health services will be drawn from the record funds allocated to NHS boardsand local government. It is the responsibility of these agencies to work in partnershipand to allocate funds from the total financial resources available to them on thebasis of local needs, priorities and agreed targets including the Scottish Government’skey strategic objectives and commitments.

I refer the memberto answer to question S3W-8625 on 28 January 2008 for information about what the Scottish Government is doing to developand improve mental health services throughout Scotland and about the responsibilities of NHS Grampianand NHS Tayside for planning and providing these services in the areas mentioned. All answers to written parliamentary questionsare available on the Parliament’s website; the search facility for which can befound at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Governmentrecognises the importance of positive mental health in helping our young peopleto achieve their potential. The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 imposes duties on the Scottish ministers, educationauthorities and managers of grant-aided schools to endeavour to ensure that publicschools and grant-aided schools are health-promoting. The act defines a school orhostel as “health-promoting” if it provides (whether on its own or in conjunctionwith health boards, parents or any other person)-

(a) activities, and(b) an environment and facilities, which promote the physical, social, mental andemotional health and well-being of pupils in attendance at the school or residingin the hostel.

We are preparing guidanceto support education authorities, schools and partners to meet this duty. This guidancewill contain a section on mental health and emotional well-being and will includereferences to the curriculum. It will be published shortly, on a date to be agreed.

The curriculum isclearly a fundamental part of educating school children about mental health andthe Curriculum Review has identified Health and Wellbeing as a curricular area thatwill be the responsibility of all staff who work in schools. The learning outcomesthat cover mental health and emotional wellbeing are currently in draft form. Theywill be published in May, for engagement with the teaching profession and others.

This information isnot held centrally.

Information on the number and type of incidentswhich led to school exclusion in each year requested is available from:

2002-03: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/02/18912/33196.2003-04: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/02/20735/53114.2004-05: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/30144545/0.2005-06: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/01/30100624/0.2006-07:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00623.

This information isnot held centrally

This information isnot held centrally.

This information isnot held centrally

We are improving journeytimes, we are investing in new services, we are enhancing rolling stock and, inthe last year, we have provided funding for more than 250 extra parking spaces atrail stations.