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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 47883 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-43488

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether operating costs, including energy and staffing costs, are taken into account in the valuation of licensed hospitality premises for non-domestic rates calculation purposes.

The valuation of all non-domestic property is a matter for the Scottish Assessors who are independent of central and local government. By law, Assessors must ascertain a Net Annual Value (NAV) for all subjects entered on the Valuation Roll. This is defined as “the rent at which the lands and heritages might reasonably be expected to let from year to year” under section 6(8) of the Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956.

Scottish Assessors produce Practice Notes for different types of subjects and these are accessible at: 2026 Practice Notes – Scottish Assessors. The Practice Note for Licensed premises can be found at Licensed Premises.

The essence of the valuation scheme for licensed premises is the Hypothetical Achievable Turnover (HAT). Assessors identify the relationship between available rents and turnovers for licensed premises at the relevant valuation date. This relationship can then be used to derive a scheme of value which can be used to value all licensed premises. The calculation of HAT does not incorporate operating costs such as energy or staffing costs.

Question reference: S6T-02885

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the final report and recommendations of the Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission, in light of the reported high levels of public concern regarding the findings.

Question reference: S6T-02884

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a former Chief Nursing Officer offered the parents of Sophia Smith £20,000 and a holiday following her death in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in 2017.

Question reference: S6F-04670

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will make further changes to the draft Budget 2026-27 published in January in relation to business rates, hospices and the care sector.

Question reference: S6F-04675

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide an update on the Service Delivery Review of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Question reference: S6F-04667

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that police stations across Lanarkshire, including in Bellshill, will be closed permanently to the public or have their hours reduced from 1 April.

Question reference: S6F-04656

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04672

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

To ask the First Minister how often he or the Scottish Ministers engage with the Scottish Government’s Washington DC International Office regarding the Scotch whisky industry and other economic interests in the United States.

Question reference: S6F-04655

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04654

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.