The Scottish Government is committed to improving the diagnosis and targeted treatment of breast cancer through our continued investment in genomics.

We continue to work with NHS National Service Division (NSD), as the national commissioners of genomic testing in Scotland, and stakeholders across Scotland to transform the laboratory service and ensure it can support the expansion of genomic testing needed in Scotland for patients with all forms of cancer.

This is part of our long-term approach to deliver bold and ambitious action to reform and renew our health and care systems in Scotland.

The Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) is responsible for the development and review of the Clinical Management Pathway (CMP) for Breast Cancer. This provides clinical consensus to guide decision making consistently across Scotland on optimal treatment options at the various points in a patient’s pathway to support shared decision-making.

CMPs are developed through a process of collaboration and consensus, building on existing Regional Clinical Management Guidelines, reviewing and comparing current practice, and comparing existing documents and protocols in place. Evidence reviews are undertaken, with input from Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) where appropriate.

It would be for the SCN to regularly review this CMP against any updates including new evidence within the scientific literature and consider referral to the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG). The SHTG also have criteria in place to judge whether new evidence is sufficient to revise its existing recommendations.

In Scotland, £600 is the notional study leave allocation per resident doctor in training. This allocation is a guide for resident doctors and Training Programme Directors (TPDs) rather than a spending requirement.

Study leave funding is aligned to curricular requirements and specialty competence development, not general employment-related mandatory training. Resident doctors are required to achieve competencies as set out within the relevant specialty curriculum. There is no defined list of “mandatory training” within the study leave policy.

Study leave budgets are not utilised for Once for Scotland mandatory training or for training required by employing Boards as part of local employment obligations.

I refer the member to my response to his Parliamentary Questions S6W-42512 and S6W-42514 on 12 January 2026. As I set out, broadcasting is a reserved issue, and the Scottish Government has long said that it should be devolved, so that services can best meet the needs of audiences in Scotland.

We are clear on the importance of people being able to continue to access the high-quality broadcast TV and radio services they rely on and enjoy, and we urge the UK Government to engage with all relevant parties to ensure that remains the case into the future, and to be particularly alert to the risk of inequitable impacts on vulnerable people, including those in rural communities and from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The health & wellbeing impacts of losing access to television should be a key part of the UK Government’s considerations, and I have written to them to set out our position on this issue.

Furthermore, and as set out previously, we are committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland has the skills, confidence, and access they need to participate fully in the digital world. The Scottish Government continues to help extend the reach of fast, reliable broadband infrastructure across Scotland through our £600M investment in the Reaching 100% (R100) programme and key role in delivering Project Gigabit in Scotland. In addition to digital inclusion programme delivery, we have commissioned and published research on a Minimum Digital Living Standard for Scotland, which will inform our future digital inclusion policy.

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 Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) continue to regularly review the Clinical Management Pathway (CMP) for Breast Cancer and consider the need for updates based on new evidence relating to the use of tumour profiling tests for patients with early breast cancer. The Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) also have criteria in place to judge whether new evidence is sufficient to revise its existing recommendations

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting NHS Scotland to improve patients’ mental health through a range of different resources, including the utilisation of greenspaces.

We are supporting NHS Boards – in their role as ‘Anchor institutions’ within their communities - to increase use and disposal of their land and assets for community benefit, including the use of green space within their estates.

On 17 June 2025, the Scottish Government and COSLA published the Population Health Framework (PHF), which sets out a whole-system, cross-government and cross-sector approach to improving population health and reducing inequalities over the next decade. The Framework builds on existing action in Scottish Government, including the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

Among the PHF’s 30 actions is the development of a National Social Prescribing Framework for Scotland. This includes the provision of referral links to health and wellbeing support in local communities, including a wide range of activities in nature. The Scottish Government has committed to strengthening access and ensured sustainability of good quality public and green spaces, green networks, recreational spaces, play and sports amenities. This supports improving physical and mental health, creates healthy and sustainable places by working in and with communities and supports our response to climate change.

Furthermore, we continue to engage with organisations such as Trellis, who provide therapeutic horticulture to improve physical and mental health, while offering a range of additional services including peer support, healthy living activities, community development, and independent advocacy.

I refer the member to my response to his Parliamentary Questions S6W-42512 and S6W-42514 on 12 January 2026, and to my response to S6W-42510 on 20 January 2026 alongside this question. Broadcasting is a reserved issue, and the Scottish Government has long said that it should be devolved, so that services can best meet the needs of audiences in Scotland.

We are clear on the importance of people being able to continue to access the high-quality broadcast TV and radio services they rely on and enjoy, and we join the public service broadcasters and other stakeholders in urging the UK Government to ensure that the future of digital terrestrial television is considered carefully, and any future switch-off of services is managed inclusively.

I have written to the UK Government to urge them to carefully consider the impacts of the prospective Digital Terrestrial Television switch-off on vulnerable groups, including older people, those in rural communities, and those with lower household incomes. I have specifically raised the issue of potential health & wellbeing impacts, should households lose access to television services.

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.

Final yearly vessel lease payments payable by CalMac to CMAL for vessels currently under construction have not yet been determined. Lease costs will be calculated once construction is complete and the vessels are delivered. This will be based on the value of the voted loans issued by the Scottish Government to CMAL to fund the construction of each vessel under fixed-price contracts. The annual lease payments will reflect the repayment of these loans, together with associated financing costs, over the agreed lease period.

The following table shows the total number of children in Inverclyde that were in temporary accommodation at some point during each year from 2018-19 to 2024-25.

I recognise the significant pressures facing our Emergency Departments. Improving flow and reducing waiting times is central to the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, which takes an ambitious but realistic approach to shifting the balance of care and ensuring people receive treatment as quickly as possible.

This government are investing over £220 million in 2025-26 to improve hospital flow, reduce delayed discharges and expand community alternatives such as Hospital at Home and front door frailty services.

To support resilience over winter we are investing up to £20 million to increasing social care capacity and easing pressure at the hospital front door. While performance remains below where I want it to be, I remain committed to supporting Boards to deliver safe, timely care.

We are also working with local government colleagues to ensure social care capacity and funding is maximised to allow people to receive the right care in the right place.