The number of pupils registered for free school meals is published annually as part of our pupil census supplementary statistics, available in table 2.22 at the following link: Pupil census supplementary statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). The total number of pupils in each local authority area is also available through the pupil census supplementary statistics, and is shown in table 5.2.

The cessation of funding, referred to in the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government’s letter, was extensively discussed with the sector. Since 2019/20, the Scottish Government has invested over £19 million to support student mental health and wellbeing in colleges and universities. This includes the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Fund 2023-24 for Academic Year 2023-24, to help institutions to transition to a more sustainable means of providing mental health support for students.

Our new Student Mental Health Action Plan, published on 13 September, seeks to move to a mainstreamed approach to student mental health which will help students better access services. The Government will work with NHS Boards, CoSLA, Public Health Scotland and community based providers to join up support that is already available, embedding students’ mental health needs into the wider communities in which they live and study.

The Action Plan recognises the importance of each college and university having a Student Mental Health Agreement in place. To enable this we continue to support NUS Think Positive with £130,000 in 2024-25.

The Small Vessels Replacement Programme (SVRP) Phase 2 will primarily focus on the Berneray–Leverburgh and Barra–Eriskay routes with a vessel on each of these routes. The third vessel’s deployment is still to be confirmed and is subject to fleet cascades following the successful deployment of the planned 7 new vessels of SVRP Phase 1.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29878 on 27 September 2024. 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.

At the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 11 September, I updated members on the challenges of the current timeframes for all four UK nations in relation to developing quality, credible Fisheries Management Plans and confirmed that I will be writing to the Committee formally in due course regarding the statutory deadlines associated with the plans. I expect to do this shortly and will be happy to update the member further following this communication.

It is important to remember that we already have a strong suite of measures in place to manage our fisheries and safeguard our fish stocks.

Seafish have supported Defra to deliver Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) for English waters. We have also utilised their expertise in Scotland by asking them to support the development of the two Nephrops FMPs.

Seafish have been asked to support evidence gathering, collaborative development through sector-specific working groups, as well as delivery of engagement events and workshops.

Seafish have a wealth of experience and knowledge, and have been well placed to carry out stakeholder engagement in relation to Nephrops, and to produce drafts of the FMPs.

Seafish has been provided with a grant of £39,479 in connection with the development of Fisheries Management Plans for the North Sea and West of Scotland Nephrops stocks.

Communities are at the heart of our renewable energy ambitions, and we are committed to working with partners to ensure the delivery of renewable energy comes with benefits for people in Scotland and contributes to community wealth building (CWB).

Where communities have an ownership stake in energy production, we are seeing surpluses being used to support local employment and other initiatives. For example, in North Tolsta, on Lewis, one of five Scottish Government Community Wealth Building pilot areas, revenue from a community owned wind turbine supports local jobs, provides grants for home energy improvements and offers financial support for young people attending further and higher education.

The Community Energy Generation Growth Fund, through our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), recently awarded £1.5 million in grants to 19 community groups across Scotland to develop their own renewable energy projects. These communities are able to earn money from their projects, for example by selling excess energy generation.

In line with Scottish Public Sector Pay Policy, the Scottish Government does not pay non-consolidated performance payments to any staff, including Senior Civil Servants. Therefore, I can confirm that no Scottish Government Senior Civil Servants have received a non-consolidated performance payment in the period referenced.