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The procurement process for the replacement Intercity rail fleet is ongoing. Releasing any details related to the live procurement would substantially harm economic interests of ScotRail, thus affecting the Scottish Government’s ability to secure a good value for public purse.

Information on the procurement of a replacement Intercity fleet has been published on the Public Contracts website and can be found here: View Notice - Public Contracts Scotland

Rail contributes just 1.2% to Scotland's total annual greenhouse gas emissions from transport, offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of moving both people and heavy goods.

Whilst there are no specific conditions or targets related to the future fleet which is sought to replace High Speed Trains, any replacement fleet is expected to be more energy efficient and therefore to reduce emissions.

A delayed discharge occurs when a hospital patient who is clinically ready for discharge from inpatient hospital care continues to occupy a hospital bed beyond the date they are ready for discharge. Information held nationally on delayed discharges can identify the number of people aged 18 and over who were delayed in their discharge from hospital.

People delayed due to a lack of available social care packages can be identified using Delay Reason code 25D – “Awaiting completion of arrangements - in order to live in their own home – awaiting social care support (non-availability of services)”.

Table 1 shows, for Scotland, how many people were recorded as a delayed discharge with a Delay Reason code 25D, and the total number of people who were a delayed discharge, in the financial year 2024-25.

Table 1: Number of people delayed due to awaiting completion of social care support in order to live in their own home and the total number of people delayed in their discharge, in the financial year 2024-25, Scotland.

The Scottish Government do not hold this information.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) can be contacted for information related to independent clinics registered with them.

An economic assessment was carried out based on the scenario of a prolonged full closure in order to inform decision making in managing these important viaducts, which indicated significant detriment to the Scottish economy if the viaducts had to be closed.

An economic assessment reflecting the current traffic management arrangements, of two lanes open in each direction, has not been undertaken.

The cost estimate for the propping works is £126 million to £152 million, as previously announced in May 2024. A cost range was used due to the complexities associated with a project of this scale in a constrained urban environment, with varying ground conditions and site constraints, including the presence of a plethora of public utilities as well as the Glasgow subway underground tunnels.

The original estimate of £33.4 million in April 2021 for the propping works, was calculated without the benefit of any design or investigations having yet been undertaken due to the emergency nature of the works, and was based on the limited information available at the time.

The regulation of independent health care, including dentists registered as independent clinics, is funded through fees paid to Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) by its regulated independent health care services. These fees fund HIS’ regulation activities. All independent health care services must register with HIS, and pay registration annual continuation fees to legally operate in Scotland.

In addition to the fees, the Scottish Government has provided £260,000 per year to HIS for regulation of independent healthcare services since 2022-23.

Statutory responsibility for commissioning and delivering appropriate social care services at a local level lies with local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships. In doing so, they take account of local population needs which includes the number of people being delayed in hospital unnecessarily. This may mean expanding care home capacity where needed but it will also mean investing in a range of community based support to ensure people receive the right care in the right place at the right time.

The Scottish Government is committed to reducing delayed discharges and addressing the variation in delays across the country. No one should remain in hospital when they no longer need to be there. That is why the Scottish Government is working with CoSLA, Health and Social Care Partnerships, Health Boards and Healthcare Improvement Scotland, alongside people with lived experience, to reduce variation and support improvements locally.

This sustained focus means that we are identifying and addressing the challenges, and that progress is beginning to show in the monthly figures. I am confident that this improvement can continue, delivering better outcomes for patients so that they are cared for in the right setting and hospital beds are there for those who need them.

Although local systems remain accountable for their own decisions and performance, the Collaborative Response and Assurance Group (CRAG) acts as the national oversight function to aid decision making and address variation in performance; agreeing the actions we can take to address the issues facing the system. It also provides a space for local leaders to engage meaningfully and provide assurances to Ministers and CoSLA on this important work.

Alongside the record investment of £15 billion to local authorities in 2025-26, the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2025-26 sets out a clear plan to reduce waiting times and delayed discharges, supported by £200 million targeted investments. We have also published an Operational Improvement Plan, setting out whole system improvement actions to improve access to treatment and shift the balance of care from acute hospital services to the community, and to ensure people receive the right care in the right place.

We are committed to supporting people to stay at home or in a homely setting with maximum independence, for as long as possible. We also aim to attract and retain the right people into social care support and social work. To develop people in their roles and raise the status of the sector as a valued workforce. We believe this is key to improving the quality of care.

The Continuous Professional Learning framework provides a more flexible approach to learning that supports the workforce to develop the right skills at the right time in their career journeys. The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) have also recently launched a new National Induction Framework for Social Care, alongside a new Career Options tool. These are important assets, whether someone is new to the sector or is looking to advance their career.

I am confident that with all the new measures we have set out we will continue to see an improving picture on the level of delays across the country and that people will have access to high quality care, in the setting that is right for them.

The Scottish Government and its subsidiaries apply the policies and principles set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) to any procurement, as well as adhering to Scottish Procurement legislation.

I refer the Member to the answer to the question S6W-38424 on 18 June 2025. 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 project is being delivered by Amey through the Network Management Contract as emergency works. As design and construction are progressing concurrently, there are few mechanisms to penalise later than expected completion under the terms of this contract.

Transport Scotland has an experienced Project Board in place to oversee the governance of the project. The Project Board provide financial oversight and evaluate performance. They also monitor project progress and decision making with scrutiny of Amey and the internal project team. Gateway reviews have also been undertaken, in consultation with Scottish Government’s Internal Audit and Assurance team, to ensure successful project delivery.

Transport Scotland also has the Performance Audit Group (PAG) who ensure value for money through auditing, monitoring and reporting on the financial, technical and performance aspects of this project. In addition, further support is provided by Turner and Townsend, who apply expert scrutiny of the programme and project risks.