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The overbridge at Gourlay Street in Cowlairs was removed by Network Rail, as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme, as it did not have sufficient clearance for the installation of Overhead Line Electrical Equipment.

Network Rail sought the necessary consents to permit its removal. An alternative crossing point is available at Keppochhill Road overbridge, which crosses the railway approximately 100m south of the former Gourlay Street overbridge.

Transport Scotland has no plans to instruct a footbridge at Gourlay Street.

The Scottish Government has no role in respect of country parks. Local authorities set up and manage most country parks using their powers under Section 48 of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967, though the National Trust for Scotland manages Brodick and Culzean. These parks are non-statutory designations that enable local authorities to establish areas for public access and enjoyment of the countryside, and as such, some private landowners also use the country park name. Local authorities can make by-laws to regulate inappropriate behaviour within these parks.

The following table lists 8 planning applications called in by Scottish Ministers and referred to the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeal (DPEA) for determination which were subject to hearing session/s being held and received over the last 5 years.

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

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 Scottish Government, along with all other UK nations, takes advice from the UK NSC, an independent expert advisory group that informs screening policy across the UK. The Scottish Government will consider this guidance regarding any screening interventions.

We continue to take action to diagnose prostate cancer earlier. A clinical refresh of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer was published in August 2025. For this first time this now includes guidelines for key groups who should consider speaking to their GP about PSA testing from age 45. These are:

• Men with a family history of prostate cancer,
• Black men, who are around three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men, and may develop it up to five years earlier
• and those with a genetic predisposition, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

The guidelines now also explicitly mentions the prostate cancer risk management pathway, noting that GPs should have an informed conversation with anyone regardless of age if the individual is concerned about prostate cancer.

The primary care cancer education platform – Gateway C – supported by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is providing innovative, and tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis efforts and enable effective decision-making. This resource includes specific modules on prostate cancer to support GPs.

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.

Draft rateable values for the 2026 revaluation were published on 30 November 2025 but may be subject to change. The final valuation roll will come into effect on 1 April 2026. The Scottish Government has published a report on changes in rateable values based on draft 2026 values on 13 January and will publish a further report once final valuations are available.

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.

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