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: S6F-04296

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government will support town and city centres as retail destinations.

Question reference: S6W-40223

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Scottish Budget 2026-27 recommendations paper that no retailer in Scotland should be liable for a higher business rate than counterparts in England.

Question reference: S6W-40222

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Scottish Budget 2026-27 recommendations paper that retailers of all sizes should benefit from a meaningfully more competitive business rate than in England.

The Scottish Government offers a competitive non-domestic rates regime delivering the lowest property rate in the UK for the seventh year in a row and ensuring that over 95% of non-domestic properties continue to be liable for a lower property tax rate than anywhere else in the UK. The retail sector continues to be the largest beneficiary of the Small Business Bonus Scheme. That scheme remains the most generous scheme of its kind in the UK, and is part of our package of reliefs to support businesses and communities worth a forecast £733 million in 2025-26.

Tax policy decisions are made annually at budget in line with prevailing economic decisions and Government priorities.

Question reference: S6O-04935

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of its position on making all future funding for arts organisations conditional on the applicant’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression.

Question reference: S6O-04903

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact on farmers and food producers of the introduction of meat-free days in public institutions, such as schools and hospitals.

Question reference: S6W-40219

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Scottish Budget 2026-27 recommendations paper that spending restraint rather than tax rises should form the bulk of any measures to plug the projected gap in devolved government finances.

Question reference: S6W-40220

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Scottish Budget 2026-27 recommendations paper that there should be no new levies or taxes on retailers.

Question reference: S6W-40221

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Scottish Budget 2026-27 recommendations paper that there should be a plan to narrow any divergence between Scottish and UK income tax rates.

Question reference: S6W-39508

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Abnormal Loads Legislative Reform sub-group last met, and what actions were agreed.

Question reference: S6W-39509

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the requirement on Police Scotland of having to provide escorts for large vehicles associated with renewable energy projects.

The Onshore Wind Sector Deal, signed in September 2023, commits the Scottish Government and the onshore wind industry to working with Police Scotland to agree plans to ensure sufficient resources and the timely transportation of abnormal loads related to onshore wind.

Since then, Scottish Government officials have been working collaboratively with Police Scotland, the onshore wind industry and relevant stakeholders to develop a practical and effective approach to managing abnormal load escorts.