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The M8 Woodside Viaduct is a complex project, which involves constructing temporary propping in a constrained urban environment to enable repairs to the half-joints which support the motorway. Transport Scotland and their contractor, Amey, have been examining each and every activity required to progress the works to ensure completion as soon as possible.

However, there have been unforeseen issues resulting in delays to the extensive piling work around the subway tunnels, which has to be carried out very carefully. Officials are assessing these issues to determine if they might impact on the current estimated completion dates and the public will be updated in due course. Updates can be found here: https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/m8-woodside-viaducts-project/

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.

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.

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.

Investment of such scale is approved by the Investment Decision Making Board comprised of Directors and Chief Executive of Transport Scotland. The aforementioned senior officials have been involved in the project at various stages, as required.

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund initially ran from 2017 to 2020, and was then extended to October 2021 due to the impacts of covid-19. It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund was used to fund projects that would contribute to one or more of four outcomes:

• Discrimination against people who share protected characteristics is reduced and multiple discrimination is addressed so that barriers to participation are reduced.
• People covered by hate crime legislation experience lower levels of hate crime.
• People and communities are supported to participate in and engage with services and civic society; their contribution is recognised, and community cohesion is increased.
• Current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life, including education and employment are addressed to better reflect our communities

The Maryhill Integration Network project was funded to support the Maryhill Integration Network (MIN) to design and deliver a varied, inclusive and user-led, weekly programme of activities focusing on community cohesion, participation, and the development of social bonds. This programme of activities would run alongside advice & support, outreach partnership projects and regular community events across the city, and beyond. MIN would focus on the arts as a tool for integration, environmental awareness and building community resilience. Through developing a weekly programme, community events, and partnership projects, MIN would enable people with the protected characteristics of race, religion, age and sex, to reduce barriers to community participation, increase access to skills development volunteering opportunities, and experience safer and more confident communities in Glasgow.

The specific outcomes to be achieved were:

• Increased opportunities to engage in activities promoting positive community cohesion for those with the protected characteristics of race, religion and sex
• People with protected characteristics of race, religion and sex have increased opportunities to access community learning and volunteering to help them to progress into further education and employment.
• Communities are better equipped to take preventative measures to reduce instances of poverty, discrimination and hate crime based on the protected characteristics of race, religion and sex

The Fund was managed on a day to day basis on the Scottish Government’s behalf by Impact Funding Partners initially and then Inspiring Scotland. You can find a Final Progress Update report for the Fund summarising its impacts here: Promoting-Equality-and-Cohesion-Fund-Final-Report-Jan-Sep-2021-for-SG-publication.pdf

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund initially ran from 2017 to 2020, and was then extended to October 2021 due to the impacts of covid-19. It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund was used to fund projects that would contribute to one or more of four outcomes:

• Discrimination against people who share protected characteristics is reduced and multiple discrimination is addressed so that barriers to participation are reduced.
• People covered by hate crime legislation experience lower levels of hate crime.
• People and communities are supported to participate in and engage with services and civic society; their contribution is recognised, and community cohesion is increased.
• Current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life, including education and employment are addressed to better reflect our communities

The Faith in Community Dundee project was funded to:

1. Develop the Fairness Conversation – involve faith communities, ethnic groups, people with protected characteristics in the Fairness Conversation in Dundee.

2. Increase community cohesion – through training (developing womens’ volunteer roles/skills sharing within faith community projects) and building partnership working.

3. Develop current and new initiatives to increase community cohesion - the Wonderbox Initiative and other faith community initiatives.

The specific outcomes to be achieved were:

• Faith communities, and other protected characteristics, have increased participation in city-wide Fairness Conversations and can better influence local and city-wide actions.
• Improve community cohesion through increased skills and knowledge within faith communities, leading to more effective community engagement.
• Improve community cohesion through increased capacity of, and engagement with, faith community projects in areas of multiple deprivations.

The Fund was managed on a day to day basis on the Scottish Government’s behalf by Impact Funding Partners initially and then Inspiring Scotland. You can find a Final Progress Update report for the Fund summarising its impacts here: Promoting-Equality-and-Cohesion-Fund-Final-Report-Jan-Sep-2021-for-SG-publication.pdf

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund initially ran from 2017 to 2020, and was then extended to October 2021 due to the impacts of covid-19. It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund was used to fund projects that would contribute to one or more of four outcomes:

• Discrimination against people who share protected characteristics is reduced and multiple discrimination is addressed so that barriers to participation are reduced.
• People covered by hate crime legislation experience lower levels of hate crime.
• People and communities are supported to participate in and engage with services and civic society; their contribution is recognised, and community cohesion is increased.
• Current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life, including education and employment are addressed to better reflect our communities

The Ethnic Minorities Law Centre was funded to support the provision of a culturally sensitive legal advice and representation service for people from Minority Ethnic communities in Edinburgh and the Highland region, respectively. The project would deliver a range of specialist client centred services that would be targeted towards individuals and families from Minority Ethnic communities, and existing advice agencies and local organisations in those areas.

The specific outcomes to be achieved were:

• The project will continue to work diligently towards the elimination and abatement of all forms of discrimination which impacts on the lives of the Minority Ethnic population through legal representation, advice, information and education so that barriers to participation are reduced.
• The project will support minority ethnic people and communities to participate in and engage with services and civic society ensuring that they contribution is recognised and community cohesion is increased.
• The project will work to address current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life including education and employment to better reflect our communities. The project provide access to information, advice and representation.

The Fund was managed on a day to day basis on the Scottish Government’s behalf by Impact Funding Partners initially and then Inspiring Scotland. You can find a Final Progress Update report for the Fund summarising its impacts here: Promoting-Equality-and-Cohesion-Fund-Final-Report-Jan-Sep-2021-for-SG-publication.pdf

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund initially ran from 2017 to 2020, and was then extended to October 2021 due to the impacts of covid-19. It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund was used to fund projects that would contribute to one or more of four outcomes:

• Discrimination against people who share protected characteristics is reduced and multiple discrimination is addressed so that barriers to participation are reduced.
• People covered by hate crime legislation experience lower levels of hate crime.
• People and communities are supported to participate in and engage with services and civic society; their contribution is recognised, and community cohesion is increased.
• Current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life, including education and employment are addressed to better reflect our communities

The LGBT Age Project was funded to provide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people over 50, including those coming out later in life, with support, social groups and activities. The voices and experience of older LGBT people would be at the centre of the project, including its work to create a platform to raise awareness of the needs of older LGBT people and promote greater inclusion both within the LGBT community and more widely in services working with older people.

The specific outcomes to be achieved were:

• Older LGBT people have developed new and improved social connections and relationships leading to improved mental and emotional wellbeing and reduced isolation
• Older LGBT people are more involved in their community and are more able to access and influence services
• Services working with older people are more inclusive and better equipped to respond to the needs of older LGBT people

The Fund was managed on a day to day basis on the Scottish Government’s behalf by Impact Funding Partners initially and then Inspiring Scotland. You can find a Final Progress Update report for the Fund summarising its impacts here: Promoting-Equality-and-Cohesion-Fund-Final-Report-Jan-Sep-2021-for-SG-publication.pdf

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund initially ran from 2017 to 2020, and was then extended to October 2021 due to the impacts of covid-19. It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund was used to fund projects that would contribute to one or more of four outcomes:

• Discrimination against people who share protected characteristics is reduced and multiple discrimination is addressed so that barriers to participation are reduced.
• People covered by hate crime legislation experience lower levels of hate crime.
• People and communities are supported to participate in and engage with services and civic society; their contribution is recognised, and community cohesion is increased.
• Current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life, including education and employment are addressed to better reflect our communities

The Minority Communities Service Development in Dumfries and Galloway project was funded to take forward work on:

• providing advice, information and practical assistance tailored to the individual needs of people from minority communities

• raising awareness and increasing uptake from minority communities

• promoting volunteering opportunities and recruiting, training and supporting individuals to become volunteer advisers/administrative workers.

• working with local employers to improve their knowledge and understanding of their employment responsibilities

The specific outcomes to be achieved were:

• Minority communities will have increased access to advice and knowledge of their rights which in turn will empower individuals to make positive choices to improve their longer term health and well-being.
• People from minority communities will gain the skills and confidence needed to improve their long term prospects of securing employment.

The Fund was managed on a day to day basis on the Scottish Government’s behalf by Impact Funding Partners initially and then Inspiring Scotland. You can find a Final Progress Update report for the Fund summarising its impacts here: Promoting-Equality-and-Cohesion-Fund-Final-Report-Jan-Sep-2021-for-SG-publication.pdf