Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-06258 on 15 February 2022. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-06258 on 15 February 2022. 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

In May 2021 we established our employment and mental health working group to help take forward a number of key employment actions from our Mental Health – Transition and Recovery plan.

The group, consisting of policy officials, employer groups, trade unions and mental health organisations, is leading work to address some of the key challenges employers are facing in terms of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their workforce. Their work has been focused on 3 key areas, identified by the group as being priorities for action:

1. To review, quality assure and consolidate existing mental health and wellbeing resources to enable employers to access the support they need, when they need it.

2. To help employers to learn from others by showcasing promising and emerging practice, enabling employers to understand how others have overcome barriers and challenges to create mentally healthy workplaces across different sectors and sizes of organisations.

3. To review existing guidance for employers in relation to home working, hybrid working and other models of working and to identify where consideration and support for mental health and wellbeing could be either strengthened or developed through additional guidance or resources.

A key output of this phase of work will be the production of an online platform for employers that clearly signposts employers to relevant, high quality, mental health and wellbeing resources and guidance. As the platform develops, it will be supported by a range of case studies and employer examples that showcase promising practice.

The new platform will be hosted by Public Health Scotland and is currently being tested with employers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-06258 on 15 February 2022. 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

This is a matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information requested is not held centrally. I have asked Stuart Black, Chief Executive for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, to respond to the member directly.

We provide £2.3m per year to NHS Boards to support the 2011 Maternal and Infant Nutrition Framework Action Plan which includes a range of breastfeeding support activities and interventions.

We have additionally provided more than £6m over the past four years to NHS Boards and third sector partners to improve the quality of breastfeeding support.

In 2019, the Scottish Government established the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board to oversee the delivery of improved perinatal and infant mental health services in Scotland. Since then we have invested over £16 million in perinatal and infant mental health, including specialist community perinatal services, Mother and Baby Units and services provided by the third sector such as peer support, counselling and befriending.

Details are as follows:

The Scottish Government routinely receives correspondence from a range of stakeholders including those who are interested in growing rail freight. With regard to rail unions specifically, ASLEF wrote in November 2021 to the then Minister for Transport, and this was followed by a meeting in January to discuss rail freight growth. At this meeting, the Minister invited ASLEF to attend a rail freight industry roundtable meeting on 28 January, chaired by the Director of Rail at Transport Scotland, to discuss how opportunities for rail freight growth can be harnessed.

The Low Carbon Logistics Conference held during COP26 at Mossend also provided the ideal platform to showcase the low carbon transition in the rail and road sectors and how the rail freight industry can help to decarbonise the overall logistics sector.

Transport Scotland has not had any correspondence with Avanti West Coast in the last 12 months in relation to fair pay for Atalian Servest cleaners.

ScotRail published their response to the Fit for the Future timetable consultation on 3 February 2022 and details of this can be found via the following link:- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/fit-future

At present there are no plans to undertake a workforce audit. However, it is recognised that in delivering Scottish Government priorities for climate change and biodiversity, that there is a skills shortage in the rural sector, in particular in peatland restoration.

The Scottish Government is committed, through the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan, to support the creation of additional green jobs in rural and island areas of Scotland, with associated skills development and training. We recognise the key role crofting communities have to play in peatland restoration. In the National Development Plan for Crofting we committed to working in partnership with NatureScot and the Crofting Commission to identify the areas of degraded peatland in the crofting counties with a view to prioritising engagement with crofters and common grazing committees and identify opportunities for restoration.

There is also a commitment through the Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland to ensure people in our rural areas have the necessary skills, which will support inclusive growth. The Crofting Commission Development Officers engage with crofting communities to encourage croft occupancy, active croft use and management of common grazings. Working closely with local assessors the Officers liaise with landlords and townships to encourage opportunities and diversification of crofting activities, including initiatives to help crofting align with this Government’s priorities for climate change and biodiversity.