Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-42910

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 15 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide any data that shows how 20 new nationwide solicitor traineeships will address the reported workforce crisis in legal aid representation and ensure there is sufficient provision across the country in future.

The provision of funding to support the employment of additional trainees has been identified by the profession as making a significant contribution to the provision of legal aid services. In addition to providing support for the cost of employing a trainee, that trainee can deliver legal aid and attract income for a firm.

We are working closely with the Law Society of Scotland to develop the funding model, taking on board the lessons learned from the previous Traineeship Fund, and drawing on evidence submitted to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee inquiry into Legal Aid Inquiry about gaps in service across rural communities and legal aid types.

The profession remains supportive of the initiative and I am committed to working with them on this and other reforms to legal aid to improve this important service.

Question reference: S6W-43020

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the points made by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs in the debate on Non-fatal strangulation Laws and intimate partner homicides on 8 January 2026, (a) when the public consultation referred to will (i) be published, (ii) open for responses and (iii) close, (b) when any conclusions and outcomes will be ready to be progressed, and (c) what requirement will be placed on any future government to have regard to or progress the findings of the consultation if it is not completed before the beginning of May 2026.

Question reference: S6W-43003

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Low Emission Zone Support Fund for Households since its introduction; what proportion of that has been allocated to be used for eligible households within the relevant area in Aberdeen, and how much of that allocation has been distributed to eligible households.

Question reference: S6W-43005

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the Aberdeen-Central Belt Service Improvements Project in each financial year since 2021-22, including the current financial year to date.

Question reference: S6W-43004

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37327 by Fiona Hyslop on 19 May 2025, whether it will provide an update on how many businesses and individuals it has provided funding to since 1 January 2021 to date “through the LEZ Support Fund to assist small businesses and individuals with the cost of complying with the LEZ requirements", broken down by (a) how much was provided to each recipient and (b) the city location, or nearest city, of each recipient.

Question reference: S6W-42558

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it made of whether the Ministerial Code applied to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs’ statement to the Parliament regarding Professor Alexis Jay, in light of the correspondence received from Professor Alexis Jay on 26 September 2025.

As set out under the Scottish Ministerial Code, the First Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a Minister. The First Minister's Independent Advisers on the Scottish Ministerial Code have considered this matter fully and their report is now available at: Ministerial code investigation: complaint about Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs - gov.scot.

The First Minister has accepted the conclusions and recommendations of the report in full. A letter from the First Minister to the Justice Secretary can be found at: Ministerial Code investigation: First Minister letter to Justice Secretary - gov.scot.

Question reference: S6W-42560

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) First Minister and (b) Permanent Secretary considered whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs’ interpretation of Professor Alexis Jay’s comments met the requirements of the Ministerial Code, and what conclusion he reached.

As set out under the Scottish Ministerial Code, the First Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a Minister. The First Minister's Independent Advisers on the Scottish Ministerial Code have considered this matter fully and their report is now available at: Ministerial code investigation: complaint about Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs - gov.scot.

The First Minister has accepted the conclusions and recommendations of the report in full. A letter from the First Minister to the Justice Secretary can be found at: Ministerial Code investigation: First Minister letter to Justice Secretary - gov.scot.

Question reference: S6W-42913

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether weaknesses in tackling cryptocurrency-enabled organised crime risk depriving communities of potential funding through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 that could otherwise be reinvested in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-42911

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been recovered in Scotland through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 that originated from cryptocurrency or digital assets in each of the last five financial years.

Question reference: S6W-42912

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that any failure to seize and recover cryptocurrency-linked criminal assets has on the level of funding available for community programmes supported through receipts from the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, including CashBack for Communities.

Chamber and committees