Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

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: S7W-04474

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-04191 by Ruth Charteris on 22 October 2026 regarding the Code of Practice on the investigative functions as set out in section 57 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, whether it will provide details regarding the established legal and procedural safeguards that are in place for investigative functions in the absence of the Code of Practice.

Question reference: S7W-04472

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government following the answer to question S7W-04191 by Ruth Charteris on 22 October 2026, for what reason it considers that the absence of a published Code does not mean that investigative functions have operated without established legal and procedural safeguards.

Question reference: S7W-04473

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-04191 by Ruth Charteris on 22 October 2026 regarding the Code of Practice on the investigative functions as set out in section 57 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, for what reason (a) this work was not completed before the coronavirus pandemic and (b) work on development of the Code was deemed an insufficient priority by the Lord Advocate's office at the time.

Question reference: S7W-04191

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02843 by Ruth Charteris on 10 September 2026, regarding the code of practice on the investigative functions as set out in section 57 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, (a) for what reason this has not been (i) completed, ten years after the Act received royal assent, and (ii) issued for public consultation and (b) whether it will provide a timeline of the consultation and publication process.

The work to consult and publish a Code has required detailed review and revision, and, during that period, work was reprioritised in response to significant pressures across the criminal justice system, including the Coronavirus pandemic. The extent of changes in law, policy and practice since the Code’s initial development now requires refinement of the earlier draft before public consultation.

Work on the Code has now restarted, including engagement with criminal justice partners. The Lord Advocate has prioritised completion of the Code and work is being progressed expeditiously towards the required consultation.

As set out in the answer to S7W-02843, the aim is to complete the consultation and publication process by early 2027. That continues to be the intended timetable, subject to the responses received through consultation and any amendments required to the draft Code as a result.

The absence of a published Code does not mean that investigative functions have operated without established legal and procedural safeguards during this period.

Question reference: S7W-04417

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s findings in its 2026 Progress Report that around 5% of GP practices have registered with the GP Recognition Scheme, what plans it has to increase participation in the scheme over the next 12 months, including any participation targets and supporting resources.

Question reference: S7W-04416

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s 2026 Progress Report, by what date it will establish a working group to oversee delivery of the Veterans Homelessness Prevention Pathway, and whether it will publish an implementation timetable.

Question reference: S7W-04418

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the low level of activity identified by the Scottish Veterans Commissioner in its 2026 Progress Report, (a) what timetable it has set and (b) who is responsible for the implementation and delivery of each recommendation in the report, Veterans and the Law.

Question reference: S7W-04415

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s call for strategic leadership on employment for veterans, their spouses and partners, which minister is accountable for delivery of this work, and what measurable employment outcomes it has set for the next 12 months.

Question reference: S7W-04419

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Pathway, including whether the level of support scheduled for delivery by October 2026 is operational and the timetable and funding are in place for the remaining levels of support.

Question reference: S7W-04402

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Police Scotland, (b) the Scottish Police Authority, (c) representative bodies for police officers and (d) other relevant stakeholders regarding the potential introduction of mandatory tasers for all on-duty officers; how many tasers are currently available for frontline use, broken down by the number of officers who are trained to deploy these, and what the timeline is for every officer to be (i) trained in taser use and (ii) allocated a taser.