Asked by: Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the implications are for colleges and universities of the reduction in mental health services that were set out in the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government to the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 3 September 2024.
Answered by Dey, Graeme - Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans
The cessation of funding, referred to in the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government’s letter, was extensively discussed with the sector. Since 2019/20, the Scottish Government has invested over £19 million to support student mental health and wellbeing in colleges and universities. This includes the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Fund 2023-24 for Academic Year 2023-24, to help institutions to transition to a more sustainable means of providing mental health support for students.
Our new Student Mental Health Action Plan, published on 13 September, seeks to move to a mainstreamed approach to student mental health which will help students better access services. The Government will work with NHS Boards, CoSLA, Public Health Scotland and community based providers to join up support that is already available, embedding students’ mental health needs into the wider communities in which they live and study.
The Action Plan recognises the importance of each college and university having a Student Mental Health Agreement in place. To enable this we continue to support NUS Think Positive with £130,000 in 2024-25.
Asked by: Sweeney, Paul (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter of 3 September 2024 from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government to the Finance and Public Administration Committee, what student mental health measures will not proceed in 2024-25.
Answered by Dey, Graeme - Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans
Since 2019/20, the Scottish Government has invested, in the pursuance of its Programme for Government commitments, over £19 million across five years to support student mental health and wellbeing in colleges and universities and to help institutions to transition to a more sustainable means of providing mental health support for students. The cessation of this funding – referred to in the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government’s letter – was extensively discussed with the sector, including when transition funding was put in place for Academic Year 2023-24.
Our new Student Mental Health Action Plan, published on 13 September, seeks to move to a mainstreamed approach to student mental health which will help students better access services. The Government will work with NHS Boards, CoSLA, Public Health Scotland and community based providers to join up support that is already available, embedding students’ mental health needs into the wider communities in which they live and study.
The Action Plan recognises the importance of each college and university having a Student Mental Health Agreement in place. To enable this we continue to support NUS Think Positive with £130,000 in 2024-25.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to expand the pilot No Interest Loan Scheme to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government recognises the importance of affordable credit in helping people across the UK manage their finances. A government-funded No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) pilot is being conducted by Fair4All Finance and its partners in England, Scotland, and Wales. The pilot aims to assess how effectively NILS meets the needs of vulnerable consumers. PwC has been appointed to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot to determine whether NILS is a viable and sustainable product that should be made permanently available.
Lending for the pilot concluded on 31 August 2024. Although Fair4All Finance intended to extend the pilot to Northern Ireland, the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive from October 2022 to February 2024 meant there was insufficient time to secure sign-off for the necessary capital to fund the pilot there before the lending period ended.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report entitled State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, published by the UN on 24 July 2024, what steps his Department plans to take to accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goal 2.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are committed to addressing the causes of global food insecurity and malnutrition. The UK is leveraging expertise and investment to build greater resilience to shocks. The UK is also helping to transform agrifood systems for greener, inclusive growth and nutritious and sustainable foods and support smallholder farmer livelihoods. Our support to the Child Nutrition Fund and CGIAR, the world's leading agricultural science and innovation organisation, is helping to tackle malnutrition.
At the G20 Development Ministers Meeting in July, I announced the UK would join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty to work in partnership to lift ambition and finance for long-term solutions.
Nov. 06 2024
Source Page: Joint Communiqué: Nigeria-United Kingdom Strategic PartnershipFound: and skills acquisition where appropriate, as well as cooperation on climate change and inclusive and sustainable
Aug. 08 2024
Source Page: UK and Poland target green exports with €249 million financing for solar projectFound: UK Export Finance (UKEF) and KUKE, the UK and Polish export credit agencies, have guaranteed a €249 million
May. 23 2024
Source Page: Correspondence with Scottish Ministers relating to invitations, events and meetings: FOI releaseFound: We are dedicated to enabling finance to deliver positive change and help achieve the UN's Sustainable
Sep. 09 2024
Source Page: Barratt Developments, Homes England and Lloyds Banking Group launch joint venture, MADE PartnershipFound: The partnership brings together Barratt, the UK’s leading national sustainable housebuilder, Homes England
Oct. 14 2024
Source Page: FCDO/BII Financial Services (FI) Evaluation: Final SynthesisFound: Symbiotics Association for Sustainable Development SCB .............................................