Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is aware of the current position regarding the National Treatment Centre at Forth Valley.

Falkirk Council, in its role as the local building standards authority, must complete its independent assessment and approval processes – these processes must be carried out thoroughly to ensure all required standards are met before the Centre opens.

Transport Scotland regularly report to Ministers on the timelines and related completion and planned readiness for deployment activities of the remaining ferries being constructed at the Cemre yard in Turkey. My initial meetings with Transport Scotland senior management have included updates on ferries projects, including these vessels.

CMAL will shortly provide a further update to the relevant Scottish Parliament committee, following on from the previous updates which were provided to the Net Zero, Economy and Transport committee.

Transport Scotland continues to work with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), Glasgow City Council and other regional partners in the development of Clyde Metro. The ongoing stage of the development process, known as the Case for Investment, is being led by SPT, with Transport Scotland providing a project assurance role.

Through the Glasgow City Region Deal, £6.1 million is being provided by Scottish Government, as part of a total allocation of £12.2 million, to take forward the development of the Clyde Metro project Case for Investment – a clear sign of this government’s commitment to supporting development of Clyde Metro. This key stage, which will inform decisions around network selection, phasing and implementation, is well underway and is anticipated to be complete in 2027.

Scottish Government Ministers are focused on delivering manifesto commitments. Further updates on this commitment will be provided once discussions with ETZ and ONE have progressed.

The latest data shows New Outpatient waits over a year have decreased for 11 consecutive months, while over 52 week waits for Inpatient / Day case have reduced for 15 months in a row. In the quarter to 31 March 2026, activity for the 8 key diagnostic tests was also at its highest since reporting began in April 2024.

We are determined to continue to build on this momentum, and have invested an additional £100 million this year to build on the progress made in the 2025-26 Operational Improvement Plan. This funding will support additional capacity and deliver further reductions in waiting times, with a particular focus on those waiting the longest.

Our plan is working and delivering for the people of Scotland, and we expect waiting times to continue to fall as the impact of our sustained investment and reform programme is realised over the course of the parliamentary session.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00316 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.

Digital prescribing is a high priority for the Scottish Government supported by new investment announced for General Practice in October 2025. The Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Programme is currently forecast to start implementation in mid 2028, with a phased roll out across the country.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00256 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-00539. on 8 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found athttps://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Hospices play an invaluable role supporting patients and families at the most difficult time in their lives and we remain committed to supporting them.