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-32026

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether its draft Budget 2024-25 will lead to funding being provided to the Belmont Cinema in Aberdeen and, if so, how much, and what (a) positive and (b) negative indirect consequences the Budget proposals might have on the cinema.

Question reference: S6W-32024

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the reported £13.3 million reduction in the budget of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) that has been proposed in the 2025-26 draft Budget could have on the operation of SCTS, including from what areas of this operation this reduction will be met.

Question reference: S6W-31970

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the monthly average sales income for fishermen has been in each of the last three years to date.

Question reference: S6W-31548

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the current prison population, broken down by each institution within the Scottish Prison Service estate.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

As of Friday 22 November, the prison population was 8278, broken down by establishment as shown in the following table:

Establishment	Today's Population


Addiewell	725
Barlinnie	1364
Bella	12
Dumfries	187
Edinburgh	932
Glenochil	734
Grampian	487
Greenock	231
Inverness	109
Kilmarnock	622
Lilias	21
Low Moss	818
Castle Huntly	176
Perth	672
Polmont	562
Shotts	543
Stirling	83
TOTAL	8278

Question reference: S6W-31499

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has undertaken on Project Pegasus in England and Wales to tackle retail crime, and what conclusions it has drawn from this research.

Question reference: S6W-31500

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it has a role in facilitating a scheme similar to Project Pegasus in Scotland to tackle retail crime, and, if so, whether it is considering (a) setting up and (b) funding such a scheme.

Question reference: S6W-31498

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it would provide funding to an equivalent scheme to Project Pegasus in England and Wales to tackle retail crime.

Question reference: S6W-31261

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 25 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the setting up of a contact centre to manage victims signing up to the Victim Notification Scheme, how much has been allocated to the setting up and ongoing running of the centre, and whether this is new money that will not be taken from funds allocated to victim support organisations or other third sector partners in this area.

We will work with victim support organisations and justice partners to take forward reforms to the Victim Notification Scheme to make use of resources and expertise that already exist, including within Scottish Government. The current work of the Victim Centred Approach workstream of the Victims Taskforce may also be relevant in terms of the model for victim support.

This will include exploring costs in the context of ensuring the best possible support and information for victims to be aware of the VNS, understand how it operates in their case, and to receive ongoing support if necessary. Much of this is likely to be possible through more effective joint working and the role of third sector support providers in providing practical and emotional support and engaging directly with victims will be recognised.

Question reference: S6W-31185

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 25 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the design capacity is of HMP Barlinnie; how many prisoners it currently holds, and how many cells typically accommodate more than one inmate.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

HMP Barlinnie has a total of 966 cells and a design capacity of 996. As of 19 November, the establishment held 1366 prisoners.

SPS are unable to quantify the number of cells that typically accommodate more than one person in our care, due to the many variables that accompany our complex population, however as of the aforementioned date, the establishment had a single cell occupancy rate of 33%.

Question reference: S6W-31170

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 25 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects the report by the former chief executive of the Scottish Law Commission regarding the offices of the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General to be (a) received by ministers, (b) produced and (c) published.