Current status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what legal basis it has used and what assessments it has undertaken to determine the legality of plans to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items in supermarkets, as per the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment.
There is a longstanding convention, observed by Scottish, UK and other governments, that government does not disclose legal advice except in exceptional circumstances. This convention, which is reflected in the Scottish Ministerial Code, is intended to ensure that full and frank legal advice can be taken by governments, just as other organisations and individuals can take legal advice in confidence and subject to legal professional privilege.