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The Scottish Government recognises the particular challenges that people in rural and island communities can face in accessing mental health support. We are committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland has access to high-quality, person-centred mental health services, including counselling and psychological therapies.

While mental health service provision is led locally by NHS Boards, local authorities and third sector partners, based on population needs and clinical judgement, we support this through national funding, guidance and strategy.

Since 2021, we have invested £66 million in the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults, with over 900 awards made to projects supporting people in rural areas. In 2024-25, we are also providing £123.5 million to NHS Boards via the Enhanced Mental Health Outcomes Framework, now baselined to give local areas greater flexibility in how services are delivered.

Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2023) sets out a long-term vision focused on reducing geographical inequalities and promoting a person-centred approach. This is supported by the National Specification for Psychological Therapies and Interventions, which sets out clear expectations for consistent, trauma-informed, and accessible care across all areas.

We expect NHS Boards to follow national clinical guidelines in the delivery of counselling services. Recruitment and training of professionals are managed locally, in collaboration with relevant professional bodies. The Scottish Government will continue to consider how targeted support, including funding, can help improve access in underserved areas.

We will continue working with NHS Boards, local authorities, and delivery partners to ensure mental health services are equitable, effective, and meet the needs of all communities across Scotland.

The Scottish Government expects that all policies and proposals set out in the forthcoming Climate Change Plan will be delivered. Progress of these policies and proposals will be monitored closely throughout the plan period through a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. Regular monitoring will establish progress and allow Ministers to consider appropriate action to support any off track indicators on a case to case basis.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-33307 on 28 January 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

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks. Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we will continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible.

The design of the debris flow shelter follows both national and international design standards and good practice, including, but not limited to, the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, British Standards and Eurocodes. This is being informed by data collected on the A83 site as well as the extensive experience of Transport Scotland and its technical advisors who have designed similar structures in Europe and around the world.

For the majority of landslide events, material from landslides will not collect on the roof of the debris flow shelter, albeit the roof is being designed to withstand these larger landslide events. Large catchpits are located at the rear of the debris flow shelter to capture any material from landslide before it reaches the shelter for all but the most significant landslide events. The roof will predominantly be used for access to clear material from the catchpits allowing the A83 Trunk Road to continue running during clearance operations.

The proposed solution of the debris flow shelter has been applied across Europe in similar situations, as well as similar approaches taken on railway projects, such as Dawlish rockfall shelter in England. The link to the website can be found here: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/design-manual-for-roads-and-bridges-dmrb-stage-two-route-options-assessment-report-a83-access-to-argyll-and-bute/.

The Scottish Government takes the accuracy of its commissioned reports seriously and aims to ensure that work carried out on its behalf is appropriate.

The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) (link here: Scottish House Condition Survey - gov.scot) provides a snapshot of the domestic housing stock in each survey year, including the construction age, built form and the estimated number of dwellings falling below the Tolerable Standard (BTS). The physical data about the dwelling is recorded by surveyors trained to collect detailed information on housing characteristics and the key findings are published annually available here: Scottish House Condition Survey: 2023 Key Findings - gov.scot

The estimated number and percentage of dwellings recorded as BTS in Scotland is presented in table 1 below.

Table 1 Percentage and number of dwellings below tolerable standard 2018-2023

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks. Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we will continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible.

The debris flow shelter, announced as the preferred route option in June 2023, has the greatest potential to be delivered quickly and was the most economical solution of all the options assessed, and is being progressed. Draft Orders and Environmental Impact Assessments for both the medium and long term solutions were published in December 2024 marking a significant milestone and shows our commitment to tackle the landslide issues at the Rest and Be Thankful.

Transport Scotland is considering all representations received, including objections, to the published draft Orders and is working at pace to resolve these if possible. If it is not possible to resolve objections a Public Local Inquiry may be required to consider objections received and not withdrawn.

The Scottish Government is duty bound to properly follow the correct statutory procedures which rightly include the opportunity for local communities to input and have any objections resolved appropriately.

As with all infrastructure projects, delivery of the scheme can only commence if approved under the relevant statutory authorisation procedures and thereafter a timetable for procurement and construction phases can be set.

The link to the website can be found here: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/design-manual-for-roads-and-bridges-dmrb-stage-two-route-options-assessment-report-a83-access-to-argyll-and-bute/.

In line with the requirements of Section 16 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the Scottish Government discloses to the Scottish Parliament the number and total cost of employing special advisers on an annual basis. The latest report, pertaining to the financial year 2024-25, was published on 6 June 2025. I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38463 on 6 June 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.

Although there is around a one month overlap with the tenure of the previous First Minister, the response nonetheless confirms that costs for 2024-25 under the current First Minister have reduced to £1,745,042 from £1,906,963 in the previous financial year.

In April 2025, the First Minister, Ministers, and Law Officers received ministerial waiver mandate letters. As the mandates contain data which is personal to the individuals concerned the Scottish Parliament, as a data controller, will not publish them. It is a matter for individuals to decide if they wish to publish information contained within their own mandate letters.

The SPCB publishes up to date information about salaries for MSP, Ministers, Law Officers and Office Holders on its website.

The Scottish Government expects employers to meet their legal obligations regarding employment costs arising from statutory duties to workers, including in relation to parental leave, sick leave and redundancy. As part of our Fair Work approach, we also encourage employers to adopt practices which foster inclusive, equitable, and sustainable workplaces. I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38593 on 24 June 2025 regarding employment costs in grant agreements.

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.