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Since the start of the pandemic, businesses have directly benefitted from £3.6 billion in support. The Scottish Government publishes statistics and management information relating to its Covid-19 business grants on its website at . The next update is scheduled to be published on 11 June 2021.

The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is a priority for the Scottish Government and schools play a key role in supporting positive mental health and recognising when children and young people may need additional support.

Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we established a mental health in schools working group made up of expertise within the sector. The working group has developed a new mental health professional learning resource for all school staff to support the wellbeing of children and young people within their schools. The resource covers topics such as body image, self-esteem, and talking to children and young people about mental health and wellbeing. This free online professional learning resource will be available in June 2021 and will be open to anyone who wishes to enhance their knowledge and skills. It is primarily aimed at school staff, but anyone who wishes to upskill their knowledge and understanding will be able to access the learning resource.

In addition to this, the National Review of Eating Disorder Services published their recommendations in March 2021, which included recommendations on ensuring that key stakeholders, such as school staff, could identify the signs and symptoms of all eating disorders. We are currently developing our approach to implementing these recommendations.

The total number of suicides recorded by National Records of Scotland from 2016 to 2019 are presented as follows:

As Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise I am seeking an urgent meeting with Lord Grimstone, UKG Minister of State for Investment with responsibility for the Office for Investment, to clarify the status of UKG engagement with Tesla. Scottish Enterprise officials are also engaging with the Office for Investment in addition to the planned Ministerial engagement. I visited Tesla in California previously to discuss inward investment opportunities and SDI engages with them.

Public health measures have been implemented at borders to minimise the risk of importation of the virus from foreign travel. Recently, this has included alignment on the traffic light system for international travel which came into effect on 17 May 2021. This applies to all arrivals with a few limited sectoral exemptions where necessary to ensure essential or emergency work can be resumed in Scotland. People returning from overseas charity work are currently not exempt from the restrictions and should refer to the guidance provided. All decisions regarding exemptions are kept under review by the Scottish Government and assessed in the light of the latest scientific evidence.

The Active Nation Commissioner, Lee Craigie, was appointed to her role in December 2018 for a 3 year term. There are currently no plans to put the role on a statutory footing.

Transport Scotland published the draft Phase 1 recommendations and an update on the second Strategic Transport Projects Review on 3 February 2021. This included National and Regional Case for Change Reports which contained a list of transport options that are being considered further in Phase 2. We invited stakeholders and the public to feedback with a closing date of
‎ 31 March 2021.

As a result of our engagement we received a total of 461 responses, of which 333 are on the Phase 1 Recommendations report and 128 on the Case for Change reports. Given the substantial amount of feedback we have received we are now carefully considering how this will inform Phase 2 of the review.

We will share these key points with the Regional Transport Working Groups in the first instance, and use them to inform the ongoing appraisal, prior to publishing later in the Summer.

Domestic and international elite sporting events are permitted to take place in all strategic framework levels.

Any event organiser must comply with the protocols set out under the Resumption of Performance Sport guidance and run their event in a strict ‘bubble’. Events must have specific Covid secure plans in place and ensure that they have an appropriate testing regime; a clear statement on minimising or eliminating any unavoidable encroachment of physical distancing within the event environment; restrict movement of participants to designated accommodation, training and competition sites; and have contact only with other accredited event participants unless for other exceptional reasons such as medical need or legal requirements. Event participants must also adhere to the international travel regulations for Elite Sportspeople.

The Scottish Government and the sportscotland Institute of Sport (SIS) reviewed the comprehensive plans put forward by the World Curling Federation in advance of the event being approved.

As the National Agency for Sport, sport scotland is committed to inclusion underpinning everything it does, understanding the barriers people face and proactively addressing them so everyone has the opportunity to get involved in sport and physical activity. sport scotland works with national and local partners to understand, deliver and strengthen sporting pathways for people with disabilities.

Nationally, sport scotland works with, invest in and supports Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), the Scottish governing and co-coordinating body of all sports for people of all ages and abilities with a physical, sensory or learning disability.

Across the Highlands and Islands, sport scotland works with all local authorities, leisure trusts, local sports clubs and community organisations, as well as SDS and the Scottish Sporting Governing Bodies, to develop local and regional opportunities and pathways in sport for people with disabilities.

Phase 3 of Connecting Scotland will launch on Monday 7 June 2021.