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-04669

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any documents were prepared in connection with the handover between the outgoing and incoming Lord Advocate in 2026 and, if so, whether these documents will be published.

Question reference: S7W-04643

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 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 set out in section 57 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, what risk assessment was undertaken of the impact on investigative functions in the absence of a published Code.

Question reference: S7W-04663

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the riot at HMP & YOI Polmont in September 2026, which has been described as the “worst riot in a decade”, for what reason it did not inform the Scottish Parliament about the incident.

Question reference: S7W-04659

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has evaluated the frequency and sustainability of drafting staff from other prisons as mutual aid during major incidents, and what impact this practice has on baseline security at the contributing prisons.

Question reference: S7W-04667

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what framework is in place to oversee handovers between ministers, senior civil servants and other high-ranking government positions.

Question reference: S7W-04661

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the Governor of HMP & YOI Polmont in the past 12 months, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S7W-04665

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the security and staffing implications of the recent mass disorder at HMP & YOI Polmont, and what additional support, resources, or protective measures are being provided to frontline prison officers.

Question reference: S7W-04664

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what immediate steps it is taking in response to the warning from the Scottish Prison Service that Scotland's prisons are "at the brink," and whether it plans to review current population projections and capacity thresholds across the estate.

Question reference: S7W-04331

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been provided to Women Against the Far Right Scotland, and for what purpose that funding was provided.

Question reference: S7W-04332

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been provided to Stand Up to Racism, and for what purpose that funding was provided.