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-00062

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what discussions it has had with the Strategic Business Forum regarding this proposal.

The Scottish Government routinely engages with a broad range of stakeholders and is committed to sustaining meaningful and constructive engagement throughout the policy making process.

We recognise the importance of working with relevant stakeholders, including retailers, suppliers, producers and specific public bodies in order to ensure measures are practical and deliverable.

We will continue to build on our strong relationships with these stakeholders, and through engagement with businesses of all sizes we seek ensure that impacts are fully understood and reflected in a proportionate and workable approach.

Helping people with the cost of living is a top priority of this government. Our aim is to see the necessary legislation passed, subject to the approval of parliament, by the end of this year. Should any stakeholders wish to take actions to reduce food costs to consumers prior to this that would be welcome progress in advance of the legislation coming into effect.

Question reference: S7W-00067

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, on what basis it plans to set price caps and whether it plans to take into account real-time supply chain costs and retailers’ operating costs.

Question reference: S7W-00068

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, whether it plans to take into account the cumulative impact of any forthcoming devolved and reserved policies that will reportedly have an impact on grocery retailers, as referenced in the New Deal for Business Implementation Plan.

Question reference: S7W-00063

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

Question reference: S7W-00071

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what comparative assessment it has made of the expansion of its Best Start Foods programme or similar welfare payments and the introducing a statutory cap.

Helping people with the cost of living is a top priority of this government.

While undertaking this work the Scottish Government will continue to support policies and initiatives that aim to alleviate cost-of-living pressures faced by households including Best Start Foods, which aims to tackle the impacts of child poverty by improving access to healthy foods and milk for eligible families on a low income.

Best Start Foods provides pregnant women and families with children under the age of three, who receive certain benefits, with a minimum of £5.60 a week via a pre-paid card to buy healthy foods. The payment then doubles from birth until a child turns one to support breastfeeding mothers or help with the costs of providing first infant formula milk.

Best Start Foods is a payment that can help households buy healthy foods like milk or fruit during pregnancy and when your child is under 3.

Question reference: S7W-00066

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, when it expects the cap would come into effect.

Question reference: S7W-00070

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what alternatives it has considered before pledging a statutory cap.

Question reference: S7W-00069

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what assessment it has made of the consistency of any additional administrative implications for stores and shopworkers arising from such a policy with the New Deal for Business Implementation Plan's objective of regulatory simplification.

Question reference: S7W-00094

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what assessment it has made of any impact of such a policy on retail stores in more rural areas where there are fewer options for shoppers and where the cost of operating is reportedly higher.

Question reference: S7W-00064

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what assessment it has made of any implications for the level of support from food businesses for the Food Standards Scotland's SAFER programme.