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 2015 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-41518

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-40884 by Angela Constance on 17 October 2025, how much funding in total has been provided to any restorative justice test cases that have been conducted in the last 18 months.

Question reference: S6T-02716

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the prison population reaching a record high of 8,430 prisoners.

Question reference: S6W-41148

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish Retail Consortium’s reported view that the term “shoplifting” underplays the seriousness of the crime and the cumulative impact it is having on the retail industry, and the recommendation that the term “shop theft” be used instead across the criminal justice system, including for data collection.

In Scotland, theft is defined as the taking or appropriating property from another person without their consent and with the intent to deprive them of it. This definition encompasses various forms of theft, including shoplifting, housebreaking and malicious mischief. The legal framework for theft in Scotland is based on common law, which is developed through court rulings and precedents.

Common law theft is not defined in legislation but is established through the principles of earlier court decisions. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is responsible for the public prosecution of criminal offences in Scotland, including theft.

The Scottish Government recognises the concerns expressed by the Scottish Retail Consortium regarding the impact of retail crime and the terminology used to describe it. While “shoplifting” is commonly used, both terms – “shop theft” and “shoplifting” – refer to the same underlying common law offence of theft.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling shoplifting and retail crime in general was reaffirmed in our Programme for Government, which makes clear our strong support for Police Scotland’s robust approach in addressing this issue.

We continue to invest record levels of funding in policing, with £1.64 billion provided in 2024-25, including £3 million specifically to tackle retail crime. Police Scotland has also published a dedicated action plan to deliver a visible and measurable impact in this area.

Question reference: S6W-40871

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 being named by the US State Department in its United Kingdom 2024 Human Rights Report in the context of “areas of concern, including involving restrictions on political speech deemed ‘hateful’ or ‘offensive’”, and what its position is on the assessment made in the report by the US State Department.

It is important to live in a society where human rights are sacrosanct. Hate crime is the term used to describe behaviour which is both criminal and rooted in prejudice, or which is intended to stir up hatred. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 provides greater protection for victims and supports people to feel safe. Its commencement was welcomed by the UN Human Rights Committee, in their 8th review of UK performance under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The Hate Crime Act includes rigorous safeguards on free speech, and protection for freedom of expression is embedded in the Act. It does not criminalise anyone who wishes to debate, discuss or criticise any matters in a non-threatening or abusive manner, and is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, including Article 10 which protects everyone’s right to freedom of expression.

Question reference: S6W-40889

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with its national restorative justice communications strategy.

Question reference: S6W-40888

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed Restorative Justice Champions Network has been established, and whether it will confirm its remit.

Question reference: S6W-40882

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to promote restorative justice (a) in each financial year since 2019-20 and (b) since April 2025.

Question reference: S6W-40886

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the implementation of its 2019 Restorative Justice Action Plan.

Question reference: S6W-40884

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to the principles of its 2019 Restorative Justice Action Plan, and whether it will update the plan.

Question reference: S6W-40887

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what outcomes and actions from its 2019 Restorative Justice Action Plan have been achieved, and on what dates.