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-00855

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Criminal Courts Backlog Follow-Up, and given its acknowledgement that previous engagement with the third sector was too late to be effective, what action it is taking to ensure that third sector partners are formally involved from the outset in shaping the refreshed 2026 strategy.

Question reference: S7W-00843

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the number of outstanding High Court trials reached 1,002 at the end of 2025-26, what measures are being taken to increase capacity within the courts system.

Question reference: S7W-00853

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Criminal Courts Backlog Follow-Up, what action it is taking to bring Scotland's criminal justice digital capability in line with the rest of the United Kingdom, including what the roadmap and budget are to achieve the "whole-system approach to data" referenced in the report.

Question reference: S7W-00845

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Criminal Justice Programme Board has not met since summer 2024.

Question reference: S7W-00848

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent Audit Scotland report, Criminal Courts Backlog Follow-Up, for what reason has there been "no reporting" at the Justice Board level on progress towards the aim of renewing and transforming the justice system, and how can progress be assured in the absence of such reporting.

Question reference: S7W-00852

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Criminal Courts Backlog Follow-Up, for what reason did the judicially-led Summary Case Management project evaluations not include (a) the views of victims or witnesses and (b) any financial analysis to assess value for money.

Question reference: S7W-00851

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Criminal Courts Backlog Follow-Up, for what reason was the body worn video pilot rolled out without any formal evaluation of its impact.

Question reference: S7W-00850

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Criminal Courts Backlog Follow-Up, what action it will take to address challenges within the transformational change programme, including (a) insufficient staff, (b) a lack of coordination and oversight of projects led by various justice partners, (c) ineffective management of risks, and (d) complex governance and accountability arrangements.

Question reference: S7W-00847

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on proposals for the Justice Efficiencies and Effectiveness Collaboration to replace the Criminal Justice Programme Board.

Question reference: S7W-00844

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Criminal courts backlog follow-up, whether it plans to fund an increase in the capacity in the High Court.