This is a matter for co-promoters of Winchburgh railway station: West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments Ltd.

The 2026-27 Budget has not yet been passed by Parliament and is at draft stage. The level 4 breakdown provided in the budget tables is the most detailed breakdown currently available as spending plans are still being developed. However, the Budget shows total investment of £471 million for Social Care Support. This includes increased investment of £160 million to support an uplift for Adult Social Care (ASC) workers to the Real Living Wage, £7 million for the Care Inspectorate, £12.8 million for the Independent Living Fund (ILF),and £5.7 million to explore enhanced terms and conditions for ASC workers.

The 2026-27 budget has not yet been passed by Parliament and is at draft stage. Spending plans are still being developed by policy leads, therefore there we are not in a position at this point to provide a detailed breakdown of what the budget will deliver.

The 2026-27 Budget provides almost £22.5 billion investment in health and social care services exceeding consequentials and providing a real terms uplift to enable more sustainable and resilient services.

In line with our Digital and Data Health and Care Strategies, and our Service Renewal Framework, we are continuing to invest in technology to improve health outcomes, enhance patient experience, and deliver more efficient services across Scotland. The draft 2026-27 Scottish Budget includes an allocation of £125.920 million to support a range of initiatives, including:

• Digital and Data Infrastructure – For example, expansion of the National Digital Platform and continued development and rollout of systems such as the Digital Front Door, enabling better access to health and care information for citizens and professionals.
• Cyber Security and Core Infrastructure – strengthening resilience and ensuring secure, reliable digital services across NHS Scotland.
• Innovation and Data – enabling improved use of health data through AI-driven solutions, research partnerships, and projects that advance digital innovation.
• Service Transformation – investment in remote monitoring, telehealth, and virtual consultations to improve access and reduce pressure on frontline services.
• Workforce and Skills Development – building digital capability within the health and care workforce to support the effective adoption of new technologies.

The uplift in the digital health and care budget reflects increased funding to accelerate digital transformation focusing on Digital Front Door, and strengthen our underlying data infrastructure. These investments will help deliver person-centred care, improve efficiency, and support Scotland’s ambition to be a leader in digital health innovation.

The Older and Disabled Persons’ National Concessionary Travel Scheme is administered locally by Local Authorities and the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO) on behalf of Transport Scotland.

As part of the verification process, applicants for disabled concessionary travel are asked to provide proof of eligibility dated within the last 18 months. This requirement helps ensure that an individual’s qualifying benefit and personal details are up-to-date at the point of application or renewal.

The Scottish Government does not consider this requirement to be a barrier to applying for or renewing a disabled person’s bus pass. Local authorities also have access to the Social Security Scotland Data Sharing Portal, which allows them to confirm an applicant’s qualifying benefit even where evidence is incomplete or out-of-date, reducing the need for applicants to provide further documentation.

These measures are intended to support a smooth and timely application or renewal process, while ensuring that the correct entitlement is awarded.

Over the past two years, we have made £200 million of capital funding available and allocated £100 million, leveraging up to £370 million of private investment, with the potential to support over 2,000 jobs. Delays to progress on key UK-level policy and system enablers – including Contracts for Difference, transmission charging, electricity grid connections and the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan – have affected short-term investor confidence. The fact that it was necessary to alter the spend profile clearly demonstrates the continued challenge posed by unfair and disproportionate transmission charges, which severely undermine a level playing field for Scottish projects. It is now more important than ever that the UK Government takes decisive action to ensure the Scottish project pipeline can be deployed quickly in order to deliver the thousands of offshore wind sector jobs that can support a just transition.

There is currently no specific funding allocated to the capital costs for a construction of railway station at Winchburgh. As co-promoters, West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments Ltd are responsible for developing a robust business case and securing the funding required for the construction of the station.

The Council’s funding application to the Scottish Government for capital construction costs has been submitted for review and, as stated in our Budget 2026-27 statement, we are committed to working with partners to support delivery of a new station at Winchburgh.

Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has confirmed there is currently no proposal to extend the operating hours of The Thistle service. Any extension would require approval from the Glasgow Integration Joint Board, as it would involve additional budgetary provision ,clear evidence of demand, and detailed planning for staffing and service delivery.

Sport and physical activity is crucial for the health and wellbeing of our communities and we want everyone to have the opportunity to be active.

Our devolved disability benefits help with the additional costs of being disabled. They are non-means tested and people can spend them as they choose in line with their needs. These vital payments can reduce barriers to equal participation in communities and increase life opportunities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42574 on 7 January 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

In November 2025 Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership approved the development of a business case for an inhalation/smoking space within The Thistle. Glasgow HSCP are now developing that business case, and have been engaging with the Scottish Government, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Police Scotland.