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-01530

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 17 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the publication of the report by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Visit Report Scotland June 2025, including its call for the Scottish Government to develop a coherent strategy to address overcrowding in Scottish prisons.

The Scottish Government and relevant agencies have issued a response to the Committee and this is available on their website: https://rm.coe.int/48802c60f5.

We have already taken a number of decisive steps to help alleviate populational pressures and optimise the capacity of the existing prison estate. On 25 June, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice announced: Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population: Justice Secretary's speech - gov.scot the launch of a consultation: Prison population and penal reform - working towards a sustainable prison population: consultation - gov.scot that seeks views on a set of proposed reforms to the criminal justice system in Scotland, building on the recommendations of the Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission, Scottish Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission report: Justice That Works - gov.scot that will help to deliver a lasting and sustainable approach.

Question reference: S7W-01339

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of employment tribunal claims involving claimants in Scotland that have been outstanding for (a) more than one year, (b) more than two years, (c) more than three years and (d) more than four years, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding this.

Question reference: S7W-01347

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the latest information available on the proportion of employment tribunal claims involving claimants in Scotland that were concluded within (a) six months, (b) one year, (c) two years and (d) three years.

Question reference: S7W-01344

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the number of employment tribunal cases involving claimants in Scotland that are currently listed for hearings to take place more than 24 months after the date on which proceedings were lodged.

Question reference: S7W-01346

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the longest waiting time for any employment tribunal case involving a claimant in Scotland, from claim lodgement to final hearing, and what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding this.

Question reference: S7W-01341

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding employment tribunal waiting times for claimants in Scotland since January 2024, and whether it will provide information on the dates that these took place and the matters that were discussed.

Question reference: S7W-01338

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the impact of waiting times for employment tribunal hearings on claimants in Scotland, and what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding this.

Employment law and the Employment Tribunal system are both reserved and administered by His Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). The Scottish Government has not made representations to the UK Government regarding scheduling matters, waiting times, the impact of waiting times, or the time taken for employment tribunal claims in the reserved tribunals to conclude.

The Scottish Government does not centrally hold information on these matters. Information regarding these subjects may be held by HMCTS, who can be contacted at [email protected].

Question reference: S7W-01563

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for a public consultation on the status of the Lord Advocate’s dual role as the head of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and its senior legal advisor.

Question reference: S7W-01342

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 2 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the capacity of the employment tribunal system to deal with cases arising in Scotland.

Question reference: S7O-00108

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the impact of increasingly extreme weather events, including flooding, on rural communities and their infrastructure.

The Climate Change Committee are clear: we must prepare for global temperatures exceeding +2°C within the next 25 years, increasing the risk of flooding, drought and wildfires.

We are taking action, through the Scottish National Adaptation Plan, and Flood Resilience Strategy to strengthen the resilience of our rural and urban communities and reduce disruption to infrastructure, public services and the economy. This year we have allocated £42 million to councils for flood resilience and will identify £15 million of additional investment.

Members can track our delivery record through the adaptation progress report, laid in Parliament last week [Friday 19 June].