Chamber and committees

GP practices are funded to provide cervical screening services as part of their contractual arrangements with NHS boards, and are responsible for ensuring that services are accessible to patients, including those with disabilities.

Practitioners working with physically disabled patients should be confident and experienced in taking cervical samples, and should consider reasonable adjustments based on a patient’s needs. This can include providing longer appointments, using accessible examination equipment, or arranging for screening to take place in alternative settings, such as clinics with hoisting facilities.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is responsible for ensuring that GP practices and wider services meet these requirements and that appropriate arrangements are in place to support patients requiring additional assistance.

Through Scotland’s Rare Disease Action Plan, we are taking forward actions to improve support for people with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) and related conditions, including hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD). This includes work to support earlier diagnosis, increase awareness among healthcare professionals, and improve coordination of care and access to services. The Rare Disease Action Plan Progress Report, published on 27 February 2026, provides an update on progress to date.

While the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, the delivery of healthcare services is the responsibility of local NHS Health Boards, in line with national guidance and population needs.

Global events continue to reinforce the impact of high energy prices such as Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East. However, other factors are at play such as the UK’s disastrous decision to leave the European Union. This has meant an increase in energy bills.

In an energy-rich nation, no one should struggle to pay their bills.

The Scottish Government continues to support vulnerable households, including those in Glasgow, through our winter heating benefits, with a forecast investment of £205 million in 2026-27. Since 2015, our Warmer Homes Scotland Scheme has invested around £440 million and helped over 51,000 households to live in warmer homes which are more affordable to heat.

We continue to invest in free income maximisation support, welfare and debt advice and have maintained investment in the Scottish Welfare Fund, providing vital support to those in crisis.

It is clear that high energy prices must be addressed. The UK Government must take their responsibility for energy pricing seriously by putting in place robust and effective consumer protections for all fuel users and introducing targeted energy bill discounts to reduce the number of households in fuel poverty.

The provision of allotments is the responsibility of local authorities as set out in the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (“the 2015 Act”), Part 9.

Section 111 of the 2015 Act requires local authorities to maintain a waiting list of persons who ask to lease or sublease an allotment. Section 112 then requires local authorities to take steps to manage the number of persons on that list.

In accordance with section 121 of the 2015 Act, local authorities report annually on the provision of allotments in their areas. The legislation clearly defines the mandatory information to be included in the annual allotment reports which includes;

• the location and size of each allotment site,
• the number of allotments on each allotment site,
• the rent payable,
• the number of people on the waiting list and how many have been waiting 5 years or more,
• the number of allotments on each allotment site that are accessible by a disabled person,
• the number of allotments adjusted to meet the needs of a tenant who is a disabled person,
• the income received, and expenditure incurred, by the authority in connection with allotment sites,
• such other information as may be prescribed.

Annual Allotment Reports are available online from the Glasgow City Council website. Those reports are required to include information on the demand for and supply of allotments in Glasgow. The Scottish Government does not collect this information centrally and does not hold historic data on allotment provision.

Scottish Government will continue to work with the industry to ensure conditions are right before any final decisions are made, this will include stakeholder organisations, farmers and crofters directly through user research, workshops and/ or engagement sessions.

It is also expected that additional academic modelling will be required if there is a decision to pursue additional conditionality on permanent grassland.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting a thriving livestock industry. Updating schemes to deliver stronger policy outcomes helps ensure that public expenditure is justified and that Scotland maintains a productive and resilient agricultural sector.

The Agricultural reform Program will continue to review opportunities to recognise efficient farming practice that align to the Scottish Government Vision for agriculture.

The Scottish Government engages regularly with Transport Scotland, which is responsible for taking forward the M8 Woodside Viaducts Permanent Works project. Work is in progress to develop the Strategic Outline Case for the project, including consideration of a range of alternative approaches, which were the subject of a public consultation earlier this year. Feedback from that consultation will be considered alongside other factors to determine the preferred approach for the project, which will balance issues such as engineering, environmental, economic, health and safety and social value considerations. Transport Scotland will discuss the emerging findings from this assessment with the Scottish Government when this work is sufficiently advanced.

In the meantime, work continues on the temporary propping to enable re-opening of all lanes of both viaducts.

The M8 Woodside Viaducts project is complex, which involves constructing temporary propping in a constrained urban environment to remove traffic loading from the deteriorated half-joints which support the motorway. Transport Scotland and their contractor, Amey, are working to ensure completion of the works as soon as possible. The removal of traffic management from the Eastbound carriageway is scheduled for Autumn 2026 with the Westbound carriageway scheduled for the second half of 2027.

I acknowledge the disruption being experienced by the travelling public and local community and appreciate the patience of road users. However, this work is essential to ensure the safe operation of this section of the M8 for the approximately 150,000 road users who travel on this section of motorway daily.

A national 20 mph Task Group was established to ensure a coordinated and effective approach to the implementation of 20 mph speed limits across Scotland. The group last met on 24 January 2024 and guidance to support the rollout can be viewed at: The Implementation Guide for 20 mph Speed Limits in Scotland | Transport Scotland

Since then, matters relating to the delivery of 20 mph speed limits have been discussed on a regular basis with individual local authorities to allow us to monitor progress. 20 mph has also been discussed through existing road safety governance structures, including Local Partnership Forums.

Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic.

The Scottish Government does not hold any information on what proportion of the local road network is currently classified as requiring maintenance or repair.

The Scottish Government recognises the impacts that disruption can have on island communities. The First Minister has announced the implementation of a £10 million Islands Resilience Fund as part of the government’s first 100 days commitments, and work is underway to deliver that pledge.

Further details will be announced in due course.