Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) are currently working on a financial allocation to both sectors for the 2019-20 academic year in conjunction with the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group. Allocations will be informed by that work.

The Working Group’s remit is to support our Programme for Government commitments on additional counsellors, the development of an integrated approach to student wellbeing and to support improved local partnerships between colleges and universities and NHS Scotland, Health and Social Care Partnerships, local authorities and the third sector. Membership includes Universities Scotland, Colleges Scotland, SFC, NUS Scotland, and a wide range of other relevant stakeholders.

The SFC has completed a baseline survey of the student demand for and current provision of counselling services in colleges and universities. This was considered at the first meeting of the Working Group in May.

For the 2018-19 financial year, the Scottish Borders Integration Joint Board (IJB) will report a balanced financial position, subject to audit review.

For 2019-20, the IJB is due to consider the budget at its next meeting on 19 June 2019. The total budget for 2019-20 is expected to increase to £176.3 million, which is supported by additional Scottish Government investment in Health and Social Care of £160 million in 2019-20. The budget is underpinned by savings of £11.7 million, which is retained locally for reinvestment in frontline services.

The Scottish Government put in place a transitional relief from 2017-18 to cap the annual year on year increase in rates bills at 12.5% real terms, for all but the largest hospitality across Scotland and Aberdeen city and Shire offices. In 2018 the Scottish Government confirmed that transitional relief would be maintained for eligible properties for the full five-year period between the 2017 and the 2022 revaluations.

Section 4 of the act does not provide powers to ban smoking in (a) play parks, (b) outdoor sports facilities and (c) other similar outdoor areas by means of regulations.

We will monitor the on-going implementation of COSLA’s guidance on smoke free public areas, and outcomes of a similar scheme which is being introduced in Wales to assess whether legislation is warranted.

As with other such agencies, South of Scotland Enterprise will be expected to set out how it will measure and evaluate growth in its action plan and to report on progress, including utilising standard economic measures and any required to show progress on key national and local economic priorities. Additionally it will be expected to contribute to and benefit from the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board's approach to performance measurement and shared outcomes to improve understanding of impact across the Enterprise and Skills support system.

The Scottish Government set out its definition of Inclusive Growth, and how it relates to the activities of its Enterprise Agencies, in the answer to question S5W-15066 on 14 March 2018. This states that Inclusive Growth is growth that combines increased prosperity with greater equity; that creates opportunities for all and distributes the dividends of increased prosperity fairly.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-23343 on 7 June 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

In recognition of the unique challenges and opportunities in the South of Scotland, the Scottish Government is committed to establishing a new enterprise agency to serve the region from April 2020. South of Scotland Enterprise will play a key role in driving forward the economy, sustaining and growing communities and harnessing the power of its people and resources. As the draft Bill makes clear, supporting inclusive and sustainable economic growth is a key action in the draft Bill which the new agency can take towards delivering its aim to further the economic and social development of the South of Scotland.

Whilst we work to establish the new enterprise agency, the Scottish Government has set up the South of Scotland Economic Partnership (SOSEP) to take a fresh approach to economic development across the region. SOSEP has invested in a range of projects, based on strategic priorities defined in consultation with local people, and over £13 million has been made available to support its activity in the current financial year.

Alongside this, in March this year, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity announced that the Scottish Government has committed £85 million to support the South of Scotland through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal. The UK Government will also invest up to £65 million to support activity in the South of Scotland through the deal. The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal will support a range of strategic projects on priority themes defined by local authorities to help to achieve a step change in economic growth in the South of Scotland.

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South of Scotland Enterprise will operate across the South of Scotland, in a way that is accessible to all wanting to access its services and support. As I outlined in my letter to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on 21 March, Scottish Government officials are taking forward work to deliver the commitment that South of Scotland Enterprise will be accessible to all. This includes looking at options and arrangements for co-locating with other organisations which would not only be cost-effective but would help joined-up delivery and ensure that the organisation operates effectively across the area.

Forestry’s impacts on the water environment are complex, with well managed woods and forests often having beneficial impacts – for example by moderating extreme flows and temperatures.

There are well understood legal and best practice standards in place to safeguard the water environment, including mitigating the risk of forest management activity contributing to negative impacts from acidification, siltation and eutrophication. These standards are set out in the UK Forestry Standard and associated Water Guidelines. Scottish Forestry ensures that Scotland’s forests and woodlands are managed in accordance with these standards through the application of regulations, advice and support.

In addition, the Scottish Government commissions ongoing research into the impacts of forestry on the water environment and offers a ‘Woodlands for Water’ higher grant payment rate for woodland creation schemes in target areas that have been identified as having the greatest potential to provide multiple benefits for water quality and natural flood management.