Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-42834

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments from the former chair of the Scottish Government’s Retail Industry Leadership Group, Andrew Murphy, in The Times on 22 December 2025, that if Scotland does not follow England and introduce a permanent business rate discount for all retail premises it would be “a huge mistake” and could see existing shops close and fewer new ones open.

The draft Budget ensures the estimated revenues raised from non-domestic rates in 2026-27 will be 6% lower in real terms measured by CPI than pre-COVID, despite the number of properties on the valuation roll increasing in that time, and introduces the lowest Basic Property Rate for 2026-27 since 2018-19.

Businesses and communities will be supported with a generous non-domestic rates relief package worth an estimated £864 million in 2026-27, including the Small Business Bonus Scheme which remains the most generous scheme of its kind in the UK and is confirmed for the next three years, as well as transitional relief schemes.

Recognising the challenges faced by the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, for the next three years we will offer 15% relief for eligible properties in these sectors liable for the Basic or Intermediate Property Rate, capped at £110,000 per business per year; and extend and expand 100% relief for the next three years to retail, hospitality and leisure premises located on islands as defined by the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, and in prescribed remote areas (Cape Wrath, Knoydart and Scoraig) capped at £110,000 per business per year.

Around half of the properties in the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure sectors continue to be eligible for 100% Small Business Bonus Scheme relief in 2026-27. A further 37,000 properties could benefit from the new 15% relief for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties with a rateable value up to and including £100,000 and on Islands.

Taken together around 96% of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses could benefit from some form of relief in 2026-27.

Question reference: S6W-42836

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 20 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its current business and regulatory impact assessment in relation to its defence sector support policy, which was updated on 3 September 2025, including the number of any affected companies.

Question reference: S6W-42835

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 20 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what business and regulatory impact assessment was undertaken prior to the First Minister’s announcement of a new defence sector support policy on 3 September 2025, and whether it will publish this.

Question reference: S6W-43148

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the adequacy of existing legislation regarding serving councillors who face serious criminal charges and whether they should be suspended from office or subject to temporary restrictions during the period in which any charges are being investigated or prosecuted.

Question reference: S6W-43149

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether national guidance is required regarding the position of councillors who are subject to criminal proceedings holding ceremonial or civic positions.

Question reference: S6W-43150

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the adequacy of the current Ethical Standards Framework, in relation to local councillors, to ensure that it protects public confidence in local democracy.

Question reference: S6O-05367

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist businesses that have seen a significant proposed increase in rateable value as a result of the current revaluation for non-domestic rates.

Question reference: S6O-05338

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of AI in the composition of judicial judgements.

Question reference: S6W-42268

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment by the Scottish Retail Consortium in The Herald on 1 December 2025 that if Scotland did not follow England in introducing a retail-specific discounted business rate, it will "become a materially less attractive investment option” and that this could lead to a “shift in investment to other parts of the UK”.

In its 2025-26 Budget, the Scottish Government maintained a competitive non-domestic rates package including the most generous small business rates relief in the UK.

The retail sector continues to be one of the main beneficiaries of the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) with 30,000 shops receiving SBBS relief, reducing their collective rates bill by £86 million as at June 2025. Overall, 34,000 shops receive rates relief worth over £110 million and half of all shops in Scotland pay no rates.

Ministers regularly discuss matters of importance including budget priorities and the views of stakeholders in the run-up to the Scottish Budget. As is normal, decisions on non-domestic rates policy for 2026-27 will be set out on in the budget on 13 January 2026.

Note - These figures relate to the ‘shops’ property class, as defined by the Scottish Assessors. Property class is a classification used by Scottish Assessors to describe the type of property and does not necessarily accurately reflect the actual use of a property.

Question reference: S6W-42269

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment by the Scottish Retail Consortium in The Herald on 1 December 2025 that if Scotland did not follow England in introducing a retail-specific discounted business rate, then it will "be at odds with" the vision of its Retail Industry Leadership Group, which is to make Scotland “the best place in the UK to grow a retail business”.

The Scottish Government offers a competitive non-domestic rates regime to support businesses and communities worth an estimated £730 million in 2025-26, with nearly half of all non-domestic properties in Scotland paying no rates. This includes the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS), the most generous relief scheme of its kind in the UK, which reduces the rates bill for small businesses by nearly £250 million as at June 2025.

The Scottish Government recognises how vital the retail sector is to Scotland’s economy. The retail sector is the largest beneficiary of SBBS relief, with 30,000 shops receiving SBBS, reducing their collective rates bill by £86 million as at June 2025. Overall, 34,000 shops receive rates relief, worth over £110 million, and half of all shops in Scotland pay no rates.

Ministers regularly discuss matters of importance including budget priorities and the views of stakeholders in the run-up to the Scottish Budget. As is normal, decisions on non-domestic rates policy for 2026-27 will be set out on in the budget on 13 January 2026.

Note - These figures relate to the shop’ property class, as defined by the Scottish Assessors. Property class is a classification used by Scottish Assessors to describe the type of property and does not necessarily accurately reflect the actual use of a property.

Chamber and committees