- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items in shops, whether the proposal is compatible with the Scottish Government’s Retail Industry Leadership Group’s vision to make Scotland the best place in the UK to grow a retail business.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00062 on 2 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a full list of the responsibilities held by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing.
Answer
The full list of Ministerial responsibilities can be found at the Scottish Government website. The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing's responsibilities are here: https://www.gov.scot/about/who-runs-government/cabinet-and-ministers/cabinet-secretary-for-social-justice-and-housing/.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many renewable energy applications in the Highlands and Islands region that were rejected by local authorities were subsequently given consent by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division, in each year since 2021.
Answer
Since 1 January 2021, a total of 10 planning appeals for renewable energy developments in the Highland and Islands region have been allowed.
The breakdown of that total by year and by planning authority are set out in the following table. The information includes appeals dismissed for context.
Year | Planning Authority | Appeals Allowed | Appeals Dismissed |
2021 | Highland Council | 1 | 0 |
2022 | Highland Council | 2 | 3 |
| | Argyll and Bute Council | 1 | 0 |
| | Moray Council | 1 | 0 |
| | Orkney Islands Council | 1 | 0 |
2023 | Highland Council | 2 | 0 |
2024 | Highland Council | 0 | 1 |
2025 | Highland Council | 2 | 0 |
Totals | | 10 | 4 |
Decisions are made in line with National Planning Framework 4 and the development plan for the area. Each case is considered on its own merits.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the pledge in the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what comparative assessment it has made of the expansion of its Best Start Foods programme or similar welfare payments and the introducing a statutory cap.
Answer
Helping people with the cost of living is a top priority of this government.
While undertaking this work the Scottish Government will continue to support policies and initiatives that aim to alleviate cost-of-living pressures faced by households including Best Start Foods, which aims to tackle the impacts of child poverty by improving access to healthy foods and milk for eligible families on a low income.
Best Start Foods provides pregnant women and families with children under the age of three, who receive certain benefits, with a minimum of £5.60 a week via a pre-paid card to buy healthy foods. The payment then doubles from birth until a child turns one to support breastfeeding mothers or help with the costs of providing first infant formula milk.
Best Start Foods is a payment that can help households buy healthy foods like milk or fruit during pregnancy and when your child is under 3.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, how prices would be set and who would take that decision.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00062 on 2 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been remanded to prison custody by the High Court of the Judiciary but given a non-custodial sentence, and what was the (a) mean, (b) median and (c) 90th percentile length of time on remand for such individuals, in each year since 2018.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00263 on 2 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been remanded to electronically monitored bail by justice of the peace courts and received a verdict of (a) not guilty, (b) not proceeded against and (c) not proven for the charges for which remanded, and what the (i) mean, (ii) median and (iii) 90th percentile length of time on remand was for such individuals, in each year since 2018.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00263 on 2 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party's 2026 manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what discussions it has had with the Groceries Code Adjudicator regarding this proposal.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00062 on 2 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Scottish Prison Service is appealing against the decision by Historic Environment Scotland to designate historic buildings at HMP Barlinnie as Category A listed, in light of reported high public and democratic support for the designation.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00406 on 2 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 2 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government further to the Scottish National Party 2026 manifesto commitment to bring forward a misogyny bill to outlaw harassment and abuse based on misogyny, when it plans to introduce this bill.
Answer
The Scottish Government has committed to bring forward legislation to criminalising misogynistic harassment and abuse in Scotland. As is standard practice, we will set out the timetable for the upcoming legislative programme in due course.