Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is concerned by the reports raised in the BBC Documentary “Cashing in on Care” and sympathises with the families involved however deposit fees form part of the private contract between the provider and the individual - the Scottish Government is not a party in these contracts.

Families in Scotland can contact their local trading standards team who will investigate any breach of contract which was the issue in the cases raised in the BBC documentary. The Competition and Markets Authority - which is a statutory body and accountable to the UK Parliament - has guidance for care homes on deposits and fees. This requires care home providers to provide details of any upfront payments required, such as the amount of any deposit, how it will be protected, and refunding arrangements.

We expect all providers operating in Scotland to abide by the guidance clearly set out by the CMA fully.

The management of the grid and the administration of constraint payments are reserved matters and are the responsibility of the UK Government and the National Energy System Operator. The Scottish Government has no role in setting or administering such payments.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with the UK Government and system operators on investment in transmission infrastructure which is required to reduce constraint costs.

Whilst the March 2026 target was not met, sustained progress continues to be made and waiting lists continue to fall in Scotland, with new outpatient waits over a year decreasing for 11 consecutive months and inpatient and daycase waits reducing for 15 months in a row.

We are determined to continue to build on this substantial progress and the focus remains on maintaining this trajectory and building on progress to eliminate the longest waits as quickly as possible to ensure people receive the treatment they need.

The Scottish Government has commissioned the sub national structures to develop a clear and deliverable plan to eradicate all long weeks over 52 weeks as soon as possible, including the prioritisation of those who have been waiting over 78 and 104 weeks.

A business case was submitted to the Scottish Government requesting funding for the provision of MRI services at Dr Gray’s Hospital under the National Treatment Centre (NTC) programme. The Business case process was subsequently paused in line with the decision in early 2024, due to capital funding constraints to pause all new capital infrastructure projects that were not already under construction including NTC projects.

The Scottish Government is working with all Health Boards to develop a Whole System Infrastructure Plan (WSIP), which will identify investment priorities across NHS Scotland. Projects previously paused, such as the MRI scanner at Dr Gray’s, will be considered within this process, with priorities determined through a national strategic assessment of the NHS estate and linked to capital funding availability. Ministers are expected to decide priorities next year, once this process concludes.

Some Scottish local authorities had previously expressed interest in participating in the Department for Transport’s shared e-scooter trials, and we had planned to support them. However, the short application window offered by DfT for participation in the final round of trials did not allow sufficient time for the introduction of the necessary devolved legislation, meaning that Scottish local authorities are unable to participate.

Recognising the potential e-scooters and other micromobility vehicles have to boost local connectivity and reduce emissions, we continue to engage closely with DfT on their plans for legislation, including input to their forthcoming consultation on e-scooter regulations, and continue to develop the evidence base and policy position on e-scooters in Scotland. In the meantime, officials are exploring the potential for trials of e-scooter share schemes on private land in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not had any direct engagement with Aeralis Ltd, or its representatives, following the company entering administration.

Scotland has a significant defence manufacturing base. Delays to the UK Defence Investment Plan continue to contribute to ongoing uncertainty for Scottish industry, where clarity and certainty are critical to investment and planning decisions.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with partners, including Scottish Enterprise, to monitor developments and assess any implications for investment and employment, including at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

To ensure capital funding is targeted effectively, we are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system NHS infrastructure plan for Scotland, which will inform future investment priorities.

As part of this, we are taking forward a primary care infrastructure investment strategy, as set out in the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline published on 13 January 2026. An initial tranche of 12 priority areas has been identified, based on health needs, population demographics and the condition of the existing estate, with work on three projects commencing immediately. This programme includes the development of a sustainable revenue funding model to support further investment in primary and community care infrastructure, including a network of local care and wellbeing centres across Scotland. To accelerate delivery, business case development and the revenue model will be progressed in parallel.

On current assumptions, construction is expected to begin from around 2031.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00442 on 5 June 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00174 on 5 June 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

The £144m East Kilbride Enhancement Project electrified 22.4km of railway line and saw the relocation of Hairmyres station. Brand new, fully accessible stations were built at both East Kilbride and Hairmyres, including a transport interchange at Hairmyres. This work was completed in December 2025.

There are no current plans for improvements to the station at Thorntonhall, the station has step free access to the platforms and offers a waiting area for passengers.