Seòmar agus comataidhean

Information on patient suicide in NHS mental health facilities is not held centrally.

Any suicide is a tragedy and should not happen when someone is in the care of the state. We are determined to do all we can to improve patient safety, and to reduce suicide deaths in NHS mental health facilities. Our ambitious suicide prevention strategy and action plan which we are delivering with COSLA, has a clear focus on preventing suicides in higher risk settings, including clinical services. We are working with NHS Boards to implement improvements.

The quality and safety of mental health estates is an important issue for the Scottish Government. Health Boards are expected to place significant emphasis on the safety of environments mental health services are delivered from.

The Scottish Government and NHS Assure have developed and piloted a tool to gather information on the built environment, including reviewing completion of ligature assessments. Wider roll out will begin in spring 2025.

The areas of new native woodland created in Scotland in each of the last five years are set out in the following table.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-36988 on 30 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

The areas of non-native coniferous forestry created in Scotland in each of the last five years are set out in the following table.

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires Scottish Ministers to have regard to just transition principles in development of Climate Plans. The upcoming Climate Change Plan will outline how this government will take action to reduce emissions in a way which supports environmentally and socially sustainable jobs and supports low carbon investment and infrastructure. It will also set out an estimate of the costs and benefits associated with the polices contained. Furthermore, the final plan will be published alongside a series of impact assessments, which will look at the impact of climate policies on areas such as equalities, island communities and children's rights.

Cancer remains a national priority, within the Scottish Government and across NHS Scotland. That is why we recently published our 10 year Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033 along with an initial three year Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 – 2026 in June 2023.

The strategic aim and vision is to improve cancer survival and provide excellent, equitably accessible care across Scotland.

Scottish Government continues to positively engage with the UK Government, including on the development of the new UK Government National Cancer Control Plan 2025.

Access to skilled training pathways, including apprenticeships is vital for developing the young workforce. Apprenticeships play an essential role in giving young people a pathway into rewarding careers as well as enabling employers to invest in their staff.

The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 sets out that it is for planning authorities to issue a Building Preservation Notice, as such, any policy Historic Environment Scotland may introduce would be guidance only and would not supersede the legislation.

Designation is not a barrier to development proposals or to applications for planning permission, rather it is designed to ensure that appropriate consideration of the cultural, social, environmental and economic value of Scotland’s historic environment is taken into account during any planning process.

Universities are autonomous institutions, responsible for their own governance. However the Scottish Government expects all organisations in Scotland to comply with the law around protected beliefs and freedom of expression.

The Scottish Government recognises the investment challenge associated with the transition to a net zero and climate adapted economy and the focus has therefore been on working to deliver a co-ordinated programme to attract investment in priority areas of net zero by implementing recommendations from the First Minister’s Investor panel. Public money alone will not be sufficient to fund a just transition and there are already many private investors harnessing the opportunities that a drive to Net Zero presents.