Mr Brown says weather has always been the one variable the contractors cannot control.

The economy secretary says the contractors expect to have 94% of the project complete by the end of this year.

He says weather is still a factor and that he cannot control.

The minister says it was in April and May the contractors lost most days due to weather.

Economy Secretary Keith Brown says if any opposition MSP would like to come to the top of the bridge to witness the weather they can.

"I will accompany Murdo Fraser on that trip", he says.

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser thanks the minister for answering his parliamentary question earlier this morning.

Mr Fraser says the government assured us that the bridge would be delivered on time and under budget

He says the first minister told the chamber the Queensferry Crossing would be delivered by the end of 2016, no ifs, no buts no maybes but a clear promise that has now been broken.

The Tory MSP says the people of Fife will be dismayed and seeks reassurances.

Mr Brown concludes saying: "The Scottish Government for our part will continue to ensure that this iconic structure brings benefits to the people of Scotland at the earliest possible opportunity."

Mr Brown says  the Queensferry Crossing is now expected to be open by mid-May 2017, prior to the contractual completion date of mid-June 2017.

Mr Brown says: "Under robust challenge from Ministers, FCBC have confirmed that they had firmly believed up to May this year, that their previous programme, showing the December 2016 target date for opening to traffic, could still be met with the help of the mitigating actions which were being taken, albeit that it was becoming increasingly challenging due to the continuing weather impacts."

He says the revised programme was submitted on 1 June 2016 and has been robustly challenged.

Economy Secretary Keith Brown says last week, the Contractor for the Forth Replacement Crossing, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC), submitted an updated construction programme for the Forth Replacement Crossing Project following a detailed analysis of the overall impact of weather to date.

Mr Brown says the impact of the weather in April and May was particularly severe, with 13 days and 12 days lost to weather respectively. 

As a result, FCBC have advised Ministers that due to the combined effects of the time lost in these two months they can no longer deliver the December 2016 target opening date for the structure.

He says it is important to remind parliament that the contractual completion date for the bridge is actually June 2017 - December 2016 was a target date that would have seen the bridge open 6 months ahead of contract.

The Scottish government has confirmed that the new bridge across the Forth will not be open on time.

The Queensferry Crossing was scheduled to be completed by December this year but that deadline will not be met.

Image source, Getty Images

Keith Brown, the cabinet secretary for the economy, said the delay had been caused by "adverse weather conditions" in April and May.

Mr Brown said the contractor, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) has advised Transport Scotland that it was unable to achieve a target opening date of December 2016.

It remains on schedule to complete the project ahead of the contractual completion date - six months later.

Scottish Conservative MSP Gordon Lindhurst asks what discussions the government has had or plans to have with NHS boards and local authorities regarding disabled access in and around hospitals and other health facilities.  

In January Scotland's largest health board said a leaked paper outlining £60m of possible cuts was a "discussion paper" rather than an "approved plan".

The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde document outlined options for jobs and service cuts.

The paper said some nursing posts and specialist positions such as radiographers were under threat.

It reported that the plan also covered the closure of Lightburn Hospital in Glasgow, a paediatric ward at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley and a transfer of emergency care from the Vale of Leven Hospital to the RAH.

Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Corry asks whether it will retain the the current level of services at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell says the Scottish government's New Medicines Fund has improved access to drugs and pharmaceutical companies must play their part on costs.

SNP MSP Bob Doris asks what consideration has been given to using the New Medicines Fund to ensure access to the cystic fibrosis medicine, Ivacaftor, for 2 to 5-year-olds with the G551D gene.

In February Health Secretary Shona Robison announced extra funding for Scottish health boards' 2016-17 budgets.

She said the additional money totalling more than £500m would take the Scottish government's spending on health to a record level of almost £13bn.

Image source, PA

The funding will support the new Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children and the replacement of Balfour Hospital in Orkney.

Extra money will also go towards the National Blood Transfusion Centre.

About £250m has been allocated to ease the integration of health and social care services.

Ms Lamont asks about the inverse care law, where GPs surgeries in the poorest parts of Glasgow get the least funding.

The health secretary agrees Ms Lamont has an important point and says the issue has to be addressed.

Scottish Labour MSP Johann Lamont asks when the government will announce the final 2016-17 budgets for NHS boards and integrated joint boards.