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The Scottish Government regularly engages with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and the UK Government in relation to the actions set out in the Clean Power Action Plan, as well as the development of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP), which will set out a long-term view of what energy sources are needed to reach net zero, and their most optimal locations across Great Britain (GB) on a zonal basis.

NESO modelling was a contributing factor to the development of the technology capacity scenarios set out in the Action Plan which includes an outline of GB-wide measures to support the development of energy storage.

We are continuing to work closely with partners to design and plan the expansion of suicide bereavement support across Scotland, taking account of the evaluation findings and existing local provision.

In addition to delivering suicide bereavement support services in Highland and Ayrshire & Arran Health Boards, Suicide Prevention Scotland has progressed discussions to establish suicide bereavement support which connects to existing local and national provision in several NHS Board areas. These are: Borders, Tayside, Fife, Shetland, Dumfries & Galloway and Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

We will continue our discussions with the remaining health boards over the coming months.

The first three year Creating Hope Together action plan was published in 2022 and covers the period 2022-2025.

As outlined in the answer S6W-35639 on 27 March 2025, we are starting to develop our next three-year action plan which we intend to publish in early 2026. This will build on the existing suicide prevention work and the significant insights gathered over the lifespan of the current action plan, as well as reflecting emerging and new evidence on suicide prevention. We will be engaging with our key stakeholders, our lived experience panels and others in the coming months so that they can help shape the next action plan.

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

Suicide Prevention Scotland, the delivery vehicle for Creating Hope Together, has been engaging with Suicide Prevention Leads in local areas to facilitate the development of local suicide bereavement approaches that meet the needs of their communities.

Specifically, in the Borders region, there has been good engagement with the local suicide prevention lead within the Health and Social Care Partnership to progress work to develop a local Suicide Bereavement Service. It is anticipated this will connect to the existing After a Suicide Working Group and Wellbeing Hub resources.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-36341 on 22 April 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

As per the response provided to question S6W-34540 on 4 March 2025, Compensation provisions do exist where land, or rights over land, are acquired by compulsion for the development of energy infrastructure under the Electricity Act 1989. However, there is no statutory provision or process set out in the Act to financially compensate those who consider their property value may be affected.

Alan Gray, Director of Health and Social Care Finance, wrote to Chief Executives of NHS Scotland on 04 December 2024 to provide the details of the indicative funding settlement for NHS Boards in the Scottish Government Budget 2025-26. This letter set out the Scottish Government position that brokerage would not be available in 2025-26.

NHS Borders are at Level 3 of the NHS Support and Intervention Escalation Framework. and the Board continue to receive enhanced monitoring and support commissioned by Scottish Government’s NHS Scotland Finance Delivery Unit; to support the Board to return to financial sustainability.

Under the terms of this support, the Scottish Government’s NHS Scotland Financial Delivery Unit maintain frequent contact with NHS Borders Executives regarding its financial position. At present, these conversations are focussed on securing a credible path to balance and, once this has been established and on course to be achieved, conversations will commence on brokerage repayment.

Potential impacts on communities, nature, and cultural heritage, including the cumulative effects of developments, are important considerations in the decision-making process.

When an application is received, a full public consultation is carried out. Scottish Ministers invite representations from members of the public, appropriate community councils and other public bodies, seeking their expertise to assist in examining applications.

The decision whether to grant consent is taken only after careful consideration of environmental information, consultee responses and public representations.

Currently no application for the Cross Border Connection has been submitted to Scottish Ministers by SP Energy Networks (SPEN), and it is important to note that proposals can change significantly during the development phase. As such, it is not appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on potential projects, so as not to interfere with or prejudice any decisions on projects that may come before Scottish Ministers for determination.

It is the responsibility of the Transmission Owner, in this case SPEN, to analyse the impact of their proposals and ensure the views of local communities and the relevant statutory and local bodies are fully considered as the plans develop. I would encourage anyone with views on the proposals to submit them to SPEN directly as part of this process.

Any proposals that do come forward will be subject to robust planning and consenting processes. Scotland has some of the most stringent environmental impact assessment regulations anywhere in the world, and our planning and consenting systems ensure that local communities can have their say. Our fourth National Planning Framework ensures that potential impacts on communities, nature and cultural heritage, including cumulative effects, are important considerations in the decision-making process.

There has been a consistent rise in applications due to increased demand from developers seeking consent to build renewable energy developments in Scotland.