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: S6W-43148

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the adequacy of existing legislation regarding serving councillors who face serious criminal charges and whether they should be suspended from office or subject to temporary restrictions during the period in which any charges are being investigated or prosecuted.

The Scottish Government is considering proposals for amendments to the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 proposed by a joint review by the Ethical Standards Commissioner and Standards Commission. As the same Act would need to be amended via primary legislation to expand statutory suspension provisions for councillors, it may be possible for this to be considered as part of any future amendments to the 2000 Act.

Given the significant implications of introducing any new statutory suspension provisions for councillors, particularly in respect of instances where an individual has been charged, but not convicted of a criminal offence, it would be essential for the Scottish Government to properly consult on this proposal. Careful consideration of the parameters of any provision would also be needed to ensure they did not interfere with the general principle of justice that people are presumed innocent until found guilty.

As amendments could not be made to the 2000 Act until the next Parliament, new Ministers will consider the potential amendments, and whether to hold a public consultation on these.

Question reference: S6W-43150

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the adequacy of the current Ethical Standards Framework, in relation to local councillors, to ensure that it protects public confidence in local democracy.

The Ethical Standards Framework sets out the high standards of conduct expected of councillors while acting in that capacity, helping to underpin public confidence in local democratic decision making.

The Standards Commission for Scotland is the independent body responsible for encouraging high ethical standards in public life through the promotion and enforcement of the Codes of Conduct introduced as part of the Framework. The Commission has previously indicated that it considers the current Ethical Standards Framework to be an effective means of promoting ethical behaviour and maintaining public confidence in local democracy.

The Scottish Government keeps the operation of the Framework under review. Any changes to the Ethical Standards Framework would be considered at the request of the Standards Commission, the Ethical Standards Commissioner or local government and would be subject to appropriate consultation.

Question reference: S6O-05481

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what progress has been made in dealing with the issue of short-formed trains on services between Fife and Edinburgh.

Question reference: S6T-02861

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to the finding from UKHospitality Scotland that licensed premises face, on average, an 86% increase in non-domestic rates as a result of the current revaluation.

Question reference: S6W-42834

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments from the former chair of the Scottish Government’s Retail Industry Leadership Group, Andrew Murphy, in The Times on 22 December 2025, that if Scotland does not follow England and introduce a permanent business rate discount for all retail premises it would be “a huge mistake” and could see existing shops close and fewer new ones open.

The draft Budget ensures the estimated revenues raised from non-domestic rates in 2026-27 will be 6% lower in real terms measured by CPI than pre-COVID, despite the number of properties on the valuation roll increasing in that time, and introduces the lowest Basic Property Rate for 2026-27 since 2018-19.

Businesses and communities will be supported with a generous non-domestic rates relief package worth an estimated £864 million in 2026-27, including the Small Business Bonus Scheme which remains the most generous scheme of its kind in the UK and is confirmed for the next three years, as well as transitional relief schemes.

Recognising the challenges faced by the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, for the next three years we will offer 15% relief for eligible properties in these sectors liable for the Basic or Intermediate Property Rate, capped at £110,000 per business per year; and extend and expand 100% relief for the next three years to retail, hospitality and leisure premises located on islands as defined by the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, and in prescribed remote areas (Cape Wrath, Knoydart and Scoraig) capped at £110,000 per business per year.

Around half of the properties in the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure sectors continue to be eligible for 100% Small Business Bonus Scheme relief in 2026-27. A further 37,000 properties could benefit from the new 15% relief for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties with a rateable value up to and including £100,000 and on Islands.

Taken together around 96% of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses could benefit from some form of relief in 2026-27.

Question reference: S6W-42836

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 20 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its current business and regulatory impact assessment in relation to its defence sector support policy, which was updated on 3 September 2025, including the number of any affected companies.

Question reference: S6W-42835

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 20 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what business and regulatory impact assessment was undertaken prior to the First Minister’s announcement of a new defence sector support policy on 3 September 2025, and whether it will publish this.

Question reference: S6O-05367

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist businesses that have seen a significant proposed increase in rateable value as a result of the current revaluation for non-domestic rates.

Question reference: S6O-05338

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of AI in the composition of judicial judgements.

Question reference: S6W-42268

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment by the Scottish Retail Consortium in The Herald on 1 December 2025 that if Scotland did not follow England in introducing a retail-specific discounted business rate, it will "become a materially less attractive investment option” and that this could lead to a “shift in investment to other parts of the UK”.

In its 2025-26 Budget, the Scottish Government maintained a competitive non-domestic rates package including the most generous small business rates relief in the UK.

The retail sector continues to be one of the main beneficiaries of the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) with 30,000 shops receiving SBBS relief, reducing their collective rates bill by £86 million as at June 2025. Overall, 34,000 shops receive rates relief worth over £110 million and half of all shops in Scotland pay no rates.

Ministers regularly discuss matters of importance including budget priorities and the views of stakeholders in the run-up to the Scottish Budget. As is normal, decisions on non-domestic rates policy for 2026-27 will be set out on in the budget on 13 January 2026.

Note - These figures relate to the ‘shops’ property class, as defined by the Scottish Assessors. Property class is a classification used by Scottish Assessors to describe the type of property and does not necessarily accurately reflect the actual use of a property.