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In secondary schools, we continue to support local authorities to ensure that every school has access to counselling services, which are now in place across Scotland. School counselling is just one of a range of services that schools have in place to support pupil’s wellbeing.

In colleges and universities, we have made significant investment to introduce more than 80 extra counsellors across institutions and will release funding to maintain support through to the end of the academic year.

The latest data reported from Health Boards indicates that 8415 claims were submitted under YPFF, this equates to 3740 young inpatients being claimed for.

We plan to consider the potential of an evaluation once the fund is well established. As part of any evaluation we will consider how we get direct feedback from people about their experiences of using it and impact.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17310 on 4 May 2023. 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

Transport Scotland officials have not met the leader of Glasgow City Council regarding the Low Emission Zone (LEZ), however officials continue to meet with councillors and officials on a regular basis. As part of the LEZ governance structure, Transport Scotland convenes several LEZ working groups, including the LEZ Leadership Group.

The LEZ Leadership Group is chaired by Scottish Ministers and held every six months. The group is made up of convenors/councillors and senior officials from the four local authorities implementing LEZs. Topics raised at the Leadership Group include (but are not limited to), LEZ support funding, city specific topics, operational matters and risk.

Throughout the LEZ consultation process both Transport Scotland and the four local authorities have listened to the views of businesses. The minimum and maximum grace periods reflect feedback from stakeholders, including the Federation for Small Businesses.

Whilst the Scottish Government has set the national framework for LEZs, it is for local authorities to design their LEZs as they see fit, which includes choosing an enforcement timeline (and associated grace period) which best fits their city.

As Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees, I have portfolio responsibility for older people and this Scottish Government remains committed to delivering access to opportunities and services people need to ensure they are healthy, happy and secure in older age.

We will continue to work closely with the Older People’s Strategic Action Forum to review progress on the 2019 “A Fairer Scotland for Older People: framework for action” to ensure it remains fit for purpose.

The Scottish Government's "A Fairer Scotland for Older People: Framework for Action" outlines the steps we are taking to ensure Older People are healthy, happy and secure. As part of the Framework Scottish Government is working to ensure access to measures to improve community safety and reduce vulnerability to scam callers and other kinds of elder abuse.

The Fund's focus in 2023-24 will be on deploying £25 million in capital grants, as part of the £50 million multi-year programme that was announced last year.

Additionally, £25 million has been allocated to the Scottish National Investment Bank for 2023-24 to invest on a commercial basis, in line with the Bank's Investment Strategy.

Utilising the commercial investment expertise and experience of the Bank offers a key opportunity to unlock third party finance at the scale required to meet our ambitions for a just transition in North East and Moray.

The Scottish Government did not pay for advertisements in relation to the public consultation on our overall approach to Highly Protected Marine Areas. The consultation was publicised online via social media – see the answer to
‎ S6W-17045 on 15 May 2023 for more details. Additionally emails were sent out to the over 200 stakeholders who had signed up for our mailing list.

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 has undertaken a range of measures to promote the guidance for displaced people from Ukraine. At the point of publication, the guidance was issued via direct mailing to a wide range of stakeholders and delivery partners, including local government and third sector. It has also been promoted on Scottish Government social media channels including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. We have engaged with external stakeholders such as ScotHosts, Help Ukraine Scotland and Barnardo’s to have the guidance promoted directly on their social media channels. This ensures the guidance is sent directly to Ukrainians as well as Hosts who support Ukrainian families.

In addition, Scottish Government subsequently published a stakeholder toolkit to support our partners to further promote the guidance. This, too, was issued to a wide range of stakeholders and delivery partners. The toolkit, which is available online to download, contains information on the guidance alongside a range of assets for use, including key messages, social media posts and videos focusing on accommodation, showcasing Scotland, and rights and protections.

The Scottish Government has produced posters promoting the guidance and worked closely with local authorities and our partner organisations such the Scottish Refugee Council, Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain and Volunteer Edinburgh to have the posters displayed at arrival points, in welcome accommodation, or other places where our partners meet with people displaced from Ukraine.

The guidance was also promoted in Scottish Government’s Scottish Government: ‘Supporting Ukraine’ monthly newsletter, with a call to action for those subscribers to share the content widely.

We are grateful to our partners for their work in helping to ensure displaced people from have access to the guide and we are committed to continuing to work in partnership to further promote it widely.