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-01602

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, when the policy was first intimated to grocery retailers and/or their representatives.

Question reference: S7W-01676

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the 2026 Scottish National Party manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what its response is to comments from the Scottish Retail Consortium, as reported in The Sunday Times on 12 July 2026, that, 12 weeks on from the policy announcement, the organisation remains "completely in the dark on even the most rudimentary details" of the proposals.

Question reference: S7W-01675

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the 2026 Scottish National Party manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what its response is to comments by the Food & Drink Federation Scotland, as reported in The Sunday Times on 12 July 2026, that such a policy could lead retailers to source a greater proportion of imported food products in place of domestically produced goods.

Question reference: S7W-01604

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what its response is to the comments from members of its own Retail Industry Leadership Group in The Sunday Times on 5 July 2026 that the policy risks "higher prices for other items in shops" and "reduced footfall for some retailers".

Question reference: S7W-01603

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what representations it has received on the policy from (a) industry bodies and (b) trade associations.

The Scottish Government remains committed to committed to publishing draft legislative provisions and progressing work on the price cap on essential food items. We have engaged constructively with a range of industry bodies and trade associations, which have shared their views on the proposal. Their expertise and experience are helping to inform our consideration of the policy and will continue to do so as development of the proposal progresses.

Question reference: S7W-01601

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what additional resources will be required for local authority trading standards to (a) monitor and (b) enforce the policy.

Question reference: S7W-01681

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to reforming permitted development rights in order to accelerate the deployment of mobile telecommunications infrastructure.

Question reference: S7W-01304

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 6 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many premises it anticipates will be excluded from non-domestic rates relief as a result of the proposed exclusion of vape shops, including how many of these premises are specialist vape retailers as opposed to mixed-use convenience stores or other types of retailer.

As announced in Parliament by the Deputy First Minister on 23 June 2026, from 1 April 2027, we will remove non-domestic rates relief from vape shops. We want to ensure vape shops are contributing to the high street, recognising the growth of the sector in recent years and ensuring rates relief aligns with our public health commitments. We will confirm the details of the policy in the Budget, which will be followed by the regulations setting out the scope and definition of the measures, including the definition of a vape shop.

Question reference: S7W-01307

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 6 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it plans to provide to local authorities and assessors regarding the classification of premises that sell vaping products alongside groceries, newspapers, confectionery or other retail goods.

Question reference: S7W-01309

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 6 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what appeals process will be available to a business that has been classified as a vape shop and excluded from non-domestic rates relief.