4. To ask the Scottish Government how the investment announced in the 2023-24 programme for government will contribute towards a move to a wellbeing economy in the Central Scotland region. (S6O-02459)

The actions that are set out in the programme for government will drive our transition to a fair, green and growing wellbeing economy, providing opportunities for people to realise their full potential and businesses to thrive. They will ensure that prosperity and investment are shared across our communities and regions. That includes investing £2.2 billion in 2023-24 to address the impacts of climate change and deliver a just transition to net zero, a pay uplift for care workers and childcare workers to £12 an hour and a £15 million package to support enterprise and entrepreneurship, which will create new opportunities to start, scale and sustain businesses in Scotland.

Many projects across my Central Scotland region, such as those delivered through the Falkirk Foundation and the Motherwell Football Club Community Trust, contribute greatly to the wellbeing of their communities, including by providing lunches to children, football camps, employability schemes and mental health support. How can the Scottish Government ensure that practical as well as financial support is provided to projects that deliver positive outcomes such as those?

Scottish football has a strong track record of delivering on national and local outcomes through projects and programmes such as CashBack for Communities, the Scottish Association on Mental Health changing rooms extra time mental wellbeing programme and out-of-school childcare at Ayr United Football Club. I must also welcome the work of the incredible Diamonds in the Community in Airdrie, in my constituency.

The breadth and diversity of the communities that our football clubs service is considerable. Many of those communities are in areas of significant deprivation, and we continue to work with the Scottish Football Association to improve the wellbeing of communities across Scotland.

We have invested £36 million over two years in our communities mental health and wellbeing fund, with approximately 3,300 grants going to local projects across Scotland. In 2022-23, 15 local community football mental health and wellbeing projects received more than £150,000, including £10,000 to the Falkirk Foundation and just over £30,000 to the Motherwell Football Club Community Trust. A further £15 million is committed in 2023-24, and we are providing local authorities with £15 million a year for community-based mental health support for children and young people.