(S4O-03934) Patient Care (NHS Grampian

4. Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government how the additional £15.2 million announced for NHS Grampian in 2015-16 will benefit patient care. (S4O-03934)

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport (Shona Robison): NHS Grampian has welcomed the additional £15.2 million from the Scottish Government. It is currently working up plans on how best to use the extra funding for the benefit of its patients.

Stewart Stevenson: Following the news this week of a highly successful scheme pioneered by the Henry Ford medical group in Detroit, where the suicide rate among patients has fallen by 75 per cent in four years, are there any plans to implement strategies that would specifically target suicide rates in Grampian?

Shona Robison: I am more than happy to look into that research in more detail. We should always look at emerging findings from elsewhere. In the meantime, NHS Grampian works in partnership with Moray Council, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Police Scotland and third sector partners on suicide prevention strategies and plans. Well-established initiatives are in place across Grampian in a range of community settings. Those follow the choose life strategy, which has been very successful; indeed, other countries have looked at adopting it. The essence of it is that the partners work collaboratively to reduce suicidal behaviour by reviewing data and understanding trends, providing support to those who are affected and working with local community planning partnerships to raise awareness of suicidal behaviour through awareness training.

(S4T-00900) Peterhead Fish Processing Plant Fire (Support)

2. Alison McInnes: To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the need for support following the fire at the Peterhead fish processing plant. (S4T-00900)

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): The minister helpfully referred to the local economy. In particular, has any contact been made with other businesses in Peterhead and beyond to find out what the knock-on effects are and to establish what the Government and others can do to assist?

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment (Richard Lochhead): I assure Stewart Stevenson that that is one of the issues that will be discussed at this week’s meeting of the task force. We are aware not only that the fire is an issue for the factory, which is a significant employer in Peterhead, but that many suppliers rely on the company for their business, so there will indeed be a knock-on impact.

It is also worth saying that other pelagic businesses in the area have been in contact with Northbay to offer support. We should welcome that and thank them for doing so. The local community is putting a lot of effort into rallying round the staff, the business in question and the other businesses affected.

I assure Stewart Stevenson that we will pay close attention to the knock-on impact on other businesses in the locality.

(S4O-03766) Raising Attainment for All Programme

6. Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government how the raising attainment for all programme is raising the standards of education in schools. (S4O-03766)

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Angela Constance): Raising attainment and reducing educational inequality is a top priority for the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and all our partners. The raising attainment for all programme was launched in June this year. It involves more than 150 schools from 12 local authorities and it brings a structured approach to improvement into Scottish schools. The raising attainment for all programme will complement the other work that was announced in the programme for government, including the read, write, count campaign and the creation of attainment advisers for every local authority through Education Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: I welcome the minister’s answer and the Government’s ambition. Can she explain further how the programme is going to make a difference in breaking the connection that currently exists between social deprivation and the level of educational achievement for too many pupils?

Angela Constance: Of course, poverty does not stop at the school gates. We know that poverty can undermine our efforts to make progress and Westminster policies are undeniably making the situation more challenging. However, education brings choices and opportunities. It brings routes out of poverty for children and young people and it can and should be the key to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, which can be all too real in modern-day Scotland.

The raising attainment for all programme and the other interventions that I mentioned will indeed help schools to focus relentlessly on doing everything that they can to erode that connection between deprivation and poor educational attainment.