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The Scottish Government continues to consider all avenues for securing a sustainable future for Ferguson Marine, including learning from relevant international examples.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland whose first language is not English can contribute to Scotland’s future and the society they live in. Having support to learn English is key for many refugees and people seeking asylum, enabling them to participate in learning in schools, colleges and universities; engage within communities; and pursue their employment goals.

Through consultation on the future of adult learning between September 2019 and February 2020, the Scottish Government engaged with over 700 ESOL learners and committed to undertake a review of the impact of ‘Welcoming Our Learners: Scotland’s ESOL Strategy 2015-2020’ to produce recommendations on next steps for these specialisms within the context of the adult learning strategy.

On 5 December 2023, I announced an independent review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) which includes ESOL learning. The Independent Review of CLD offers a timely opportunity to better understand how we can ensure that proposed changes to the education and skills system has a focus on the most marginalised learners. Given the ongoing work to reform the education sector, and the intention of the review to provide recommendations on how CLD can best fit within it, it makes sense to pause implementation of the strategies until such time as the future shape and strategic orientation of CLD is considered.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland whose first language is not English can contribute to Scotland’s future and the society they live in. Having support to learn English is key for many refugees and people seeking asylum, enabling them to participate in learning in schools, colleges and universities; engage within communities; and pursue their employment goals.

Through consultation on the future of adult learning between September 2019 and February 2020, the Scottish Government engaged with over 700 ESOL learners and committed to undertake a review of the impact of ‘Welcoming Our Learners: Scotland’s ESOL Strategy 2015-2020’ to produce recommendations on next steps for these specialisms within the context of the adult learning strategy.

On 5 December 2023, I announced an independent review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) which includes ESOL learning. The Independent Review of CLD offers a timely opportunity to better understand how we can ensure that proposed changes to the education and skills system has a focus on the most marginalised learners. Given the ongoing work to reform the education sector, and the intention of the review to provide recommendations on how CLD can best fit within it, it makes sense to pause implementation of the strategies until such time as the future shape and strategic orientation of CLD is considered.

The Scottish Government’s aim is to support high quality, relevant, appropriate and accessible ESOL provision that meets learner need. The Scottish Government’s ESOL funding is currently provided through colleges as part of the grant allocated to the Scottish Funding Council. Colleges are instructed to work with Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) to determine the level of need for provision and agree with partners how this need can be met.

In addition to this, I have announced an independent review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) which includes ESOL learning. The Independent Review of CLD offers a timely opportunity to better understand how we can ensure that proposed changes to the education and skills system has a focus on the most marginalised learners. Given the ongoing work to reform the education sector, and the intention of the review to provide recommendations on how CLD, including ESOL learning, can best fit within it, it makes sense to pause implementation of the adult learning strategy until such time as the future shape and strategic orientation of CLD is considered.

World Expos are regulated by the Intergovernmental Organisation - Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) and membership is reserved. Scotland’s participation is reliant on invitation from the UK Government to be a sponsor partner of the UK Pavilion. Building on Scotland’s successful participation at Expo 2020 in Dubai, the UK and Scottish Government are in discussion about opportunities to showcase Scotland at Expo 2025 in Osaka.

World Expos are overseen and regulated by the Intergovernmental Organisation - Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). BIE membership is reserved so any bid to host a World Expo would need to be progressed by the UK Government and any participation by Scotland in that process would have to be at their invitation.

We are not aware of any bid being considered by the UK for the World Expo in 2035 and would refer the member to the UK Government for any further information on this.

As is stated in The Strategy for Our Veterans, published in 2022, the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring all armed forces personnel and veterans who serve and live in Scotland are able to access the best possible care and support, including safe, effective and person-centred healthcare.

NHS inform includes pages about Health rights for veterans in Scotland , which provide guidance on medical and practical support available for veterans. This information is reviewed and updated regularly.

The Scottish Government recently launched a General Practice Armed Forces and Veterans Recognition scheme. This scheme will help increase understanding, among staff in general practice, of the health issues faced by veterans and armed forces families as a result of military service and includes some of the support services that may be available. General Practices who wish to be part of the Scheme can contact gp-afv@gov.scot for more information.

All Scottish NHS health boards are signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant, which states that members of the veterans and armed forces community should face no disadvantage when accessing and receiving treatment for health problems as a result of service to their country. The Scottish Government meets regularly with NHS Armed Forces and Veterans Champions to support them in meeting their duties under the Covenant.

We committed in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to put appropriate governance arrangements in place to oversee implementation and track progress. We will therefore establish a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leadership Board during the first year of the Delivery Plan that will:

• Provide national leadership and strategic oversight of priorities.
• Ensure activity delivers clear benefits, aligned with the Strategy’s vision, outcomes and principles.
• Provide constructive support and challenge to ensure progress against actions set out in the Delivery Plan.
• Play a key role in evaluating the impact of interventions and sharing learning.

As we have set out in the Delivery Plan (published November 2023), we intend for membership of the Leadership Board to include representation from a range of Scottish Government portfolio areas, Local Government, NHS Boards, Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) and the Third Sector.

In Scotland, under current water quality legislation, the decision to introduce fluoridation of drinking water supplies lies with local NHS Boards. There are currently no known plans to fluoridate the public water supply in Scotland and any decision to do so would be the responsibility of individual NHS Boards in consultation with the public and Scottish Water. There have been no formal discussions with NHS Boards regarding water fluoridation.

The vast majority of spending on mental health is delivered through NHS board budgets – and this is not directly affected by the budget reprioritisation. Between the Scottish Government and NHS boards we expect spending on Mental Health to be well in excess of £1.3 billion in financial year 2023-24.

The 2023-24 direct mental health budget of £260.3 million is still more than double the 2020-21 mental health budget of £117.1 million and supports delivery of the new ten-year Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and recently published delivery and workforce plans, the Suicide Prevention Strategy and action plan and Scotland's first Self-Harm Strategy and action plan. These Plans have been produced with affordability and deliverability within that overall financial envelope as a primary consideration.