Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 99
99
Deferred
The tragic incident on the Isle of Skye highlighted the particular challenges faced by rural...
Recommendation
The tragic incident on the Isle of Skye highlighted the particular challenges faced by rural communities traumatised by fatal shootings. In relation to mental health generally, the British Shooting Sports Council told us that “the isolation inherent in some rural communities and occupations is well known to represent an area of concern”.236 Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice for the Scottish Parliament, corroborated this, saying “there are questions around [mental health], especially in small and rural communities”.237
Government Response Summary
The government is consulting on whether and how a leaflet on mental health could be made available throughout the United Kingdom, and is in discussion with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland about the work already undertaken in Scotland.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The UK Government has noted the Committee’s recommendation in relation to advertising avenues to mental health support for the shooting community and also the points made about the particular challenges faced by rural communities traumatised by fatal shootings, recommending that the UK and Scottish Governments work together to provide more mental health resources in these areas or that could be easily accessed when tragedies involving firearms happen. The Scottish Affairs Committee recommended that the Government should support the shooting community in advertising avenues to mental health support, to build on the recent release of leaflets in Scotland about mental health in that community, and that the UK and Scottish Government work together to support the distribution of materials such as the mental health leaflets produced by shooting organisations. We are consulting and would welcome views on this recommendation as to whether and how a similar form of leaflet on mental health could be made available throughout the United Kingdom, and we have been in discussion with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland about the work already undertaken in Scotland.