Chamber and committees

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Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-42445

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angela Constance on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Terms of Reference will be finalised for the public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the investigation of the murder of Emma Caldwell.

Following the appointment of Lord Scott to chair the Emma Caldwell Public Inquiry, I have consulted with the Chair, and met with the Caldwell family and a range of key parties to discuss the Terms of Reference of the Inquiry.

In these discussions I outlined my intention to keep the Terms of Reference focused on the original investigation of Emma’s death but sufficiently broad to allow Lord Scott to look at wider issues he considers to be pertinent to the Inquiry. This approach was broadly supported.

The Solicitor General, on behalf of the Law Officers, is content that the prosecutorial decision-making is examined by the Inquiry in connection with the investigation into the murder of Emma Caldwell.

I am pleased to confirm that the Inquiry will formally begin its work on 9 December 2025. The Inquiry’s setting up date marks the point at which I hand over full responsibility of the Inquiry to Lord Scott and the work of the Inquiry will commence.

The Terms of Reference agreed with Lord Scott are provided below:

PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO THE INVESTIGATION OF THE MURDER OF EMMA CALDWELL – TERMS OF REFERENCE

On 28 February 2024 Iain Packer was convicted of the murder of Emma Caldwell, 19 years after her death. I announced on 7 March 2024 that there would be an independent judge-led inquiry given the gravity of the case, the length of time that it took for justice to be served and the extent of the sexual violence suffered by the victims and survivors.

The Inquiry’s Terms of Reference are set out below. The Terms of Reference do not attempt to present a definitive list of every issue the Inquiry will consider. They specify areas of investigation which the inquiry will interpret flexibly.

Terms of Reference

To examine the investigation carried out by Strathclyde Police, under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, into the murder of Emma Caldwell, including (i) the investigative strategy and decision making; (ii) the giving of direction by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (iii) any steps which could reasonably have been taken and, had they been taken, might have resulted in the offender being apprehended and prosecuted at an earlier stage; (iv) the roles and responsibilities of those involved; and (v) any other factors relevant to the circumstances of the investigation and related prosecution and to make recommendations to address any finding in that regard.
To examine whether any failures in training, procedures, operating models or systems of working contributed to failures (if any) by Strathclyde Police or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in relation to the investigation and to make recommendations to address any finding in that regard.
To report to the Scottish Ministers on the above matters and to make recommendations as soon as reasonably practicable.

Question reference: S6W-42391

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether future support for Less Favoured Areas through Tier 2 of the new Agriculture Reform Framework will be based on contemporaneous or historic data.

LFASS is an area-based payment under article 31 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 focuses on providing financial support to farmers operating in areas that face natural or other specific constraints.

The eligibility is contained within The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2010 which were developed and approved by the European Union at that time.

The importance of supporting our producers on our most constrained land is very well understood. We are committed to a thriving rural Scotland, and we are working with all stakeholders to ensure that our remote communities, and those producing in areas of constraint, are supported through the new framework.

Thousands of farmers in rural areas will begin receiving LFASS payments totalling more than £56m this week. This highlights our continuing commitment to investing in rural Scotland and supporting our iconic livestock sector.

Scottish Government remains fully committed to co-developing the future payment framework of the four-tier support system. We will work with our farmers, crofters and stakeholders to ensure any changes to LFA support continue to deliver stability and investment.

All the 2024 LFASS payment calculations were, in part, based on historic data.

Part of the payment calculation includes values based on a historic year, which stem from farming activity at that time.

Question reference: S6W-42281

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the November 2025 report by the Shetland Fishermen’s Association and consultancy firm, Voar, Energy developments in Shetland and their interactions with fisheries.

The Scottish Government recognises the report’s findings on increasing pressure on Shetland’s marine space from energy developments and will use it to inform our fisheries co-existence work.

We are committed to managing Scotland’s seas to ensure sustainable use of resources and to minimise impacts on existing users, including fishers.

Shetland’s fishing fleet and the wider Scottish sector are vital to our economy and communities, and we aim to secure a prosperous future for them while meeting net zero targets. To achieve this, we are updating the Sectoral Marine Plan for offshore wind, developing National Marine Plan 2, and commissioning work on cumulative impacts.

Fishing representatives are key stakeholders in these processes, and we will continue to engage with them through planning and consenting stages, alongside workstreams under the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council to support coexistence between offshore wind and fisheries.

Question reference: S6W-42135

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact (a) of cross-border online alcohol sales on wholesalers, distributors and small businesses in rural and island communities, and (b) of minimum unit pricing on the ability of these firms to be competitive with alcohol sales dispatched outside of Scotland.

The Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) undertaken for the continuation and uprating of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) found that the policy primarily affected low-cost, high-strength products and was not expected to significantly disadvantage Scottish businesses compared to those dispatching alcohol from outside Scotland.

As well as a BRIA, an Island Communities Impact Assessment was developed to assess the impacts of the continuation and uprating of MUP on those living in the Islands. No evidence was found during the five-year evaluation to show the implementation of MUP at 50ppu has had an effect on the island communities in a way that is significantly different from its effect on the mainland. The Scottish Government, therefore, concluded that the increased price of 65 pence per unit strikes the appropriate balance between achieving the public health aims of Ministers and minimising the potential effects on business, industry and consumers.

Question reference: S6W-42091

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the contract award for Lot 6 (Scotland) of the Project Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy scheme, covering premises in Orkney and Shetland, will be announced.

Question reference: S6T-02793

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the newly published October mortality figures for the salmon farming industry.

Question reference: S6T-02794

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NHS Ayrshire and Arran suspending routine hospital visits due to a sharp increase in flu cases, whether it will provide an update on the action that it is taking to support NHS boards in relation to increasing winter pressures.

Question reference: S6F-04515

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04519

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2025

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of, and support it is providing to, childhood dementia awareness.

Question reference: S6F-04525

Asked by: Marie McNair, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2025

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential implications for its work to eradicate child poverty in Scotland of the UK Government’s child poverty strategy.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

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