Parliamentary questions
Stephen Kerr
2,595 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made regarding whether the Children's Parliament is the most effective mechanism for children's engagement in policy making.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: Children’s Parliament was established in 1996. Their organisational mission is to lead the development of a rights-based culture in Scotland and ensure that children’s voices are actively engaged in shaping our world. They support the Scottish Gov…
7 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many hours of ministerial time was spent on matters relating to the Children's Parliament in 2024, and what its position is whether this was an effective use of ministers' time.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: Children’s Parliament was established in 1996. Their organisational mission is to lead the development of a rights-based culture in Scotland and ensure that children’s voices are actively engaged in shaping our world. They support the Scottish Gov…
7 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase children's engagement with the Children's Parliament, and how much these measures are costing.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: Children’s Parliament was established in 1996. Their organisational mission is to lead the development of a rights-based culture in Scotland and ensure that children’s voices are actively engaged in shaping our world. They support the Scottish Gov…
7 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers Members of the Children’s Parliament to be representative of Scotland's children, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: Children automatically become a Member of the Children's Parliament (MCP) when they become involved in projects, run by the Children’s Parliament, that are designed to give them the opportunity to engage directly on issues that matter to them. Children …
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the remit of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service investigations into cases of death in custody where institutional failure is suspected.
Answer · Angela Constance: A Fatal Accident Inquiry is mandatory following all deaths in custody.
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many deaths in custody have occurred in each of the last five years, and how many of these were followed by internal disciplinary or criminal investigations.
Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:Any death of an individual whilst is the care of SPS is a tragedy, irrespective of the cause. All deaths in custody are reported to the …
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure full accountability and transparency in the governance of the Scottish Prison Service.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government ensures accountability and transparency in the governance of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) through the SPS Framework Document which was updated and published last year (2024). This includes the Chief Executive’s direct accoun…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering introducing legislative changes to enable individuals or families to pursue criminal justice where concerns have been raised that systemic failures in the prison estate have resulted in avoidable deaths.
Answer · Angela Constance: Under Scots law, there are established legal avenues for addressing concerns arising from deaths in the prison estate.The Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 requires a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) to be held where the de…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on removing the immunity of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) from criminal prosecution, as called for by the SPS chief executive.
Answer · Angela Constance: The retention or otherwise of Crown immunity from prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is a reserved matter for the UK Government. The Scottish Government is committed to working with the UK Government on the removal of corporate Crow…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic impact of the recently announced USA import tariffs on Scotland-based businesses, and what representations it has made to the UK Government in response.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We are acutely aware of the risk tariffs on the UK and globally pose on Scottish businesses.We have carried out initial analysis of trade statistics to understand Scottish exposure to US trade across key products and where that may differ from the UK economy.…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported calls for it to have urgent engagement with the UK Government and international partners regarding securing tariff exemptions for Scotch whisky.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government continues to engage with all our partners to call for a long-term return to tariff free trading that has been mutually beneficial for the Scottish and US spirits sectors, as part of a wider UK-US negotiated solution. I met with the UK …
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency planning it has undertaken to mitigate the economic consequences of any tariffs being placed on Scotch whisky in foreign markets.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government continues to provide support to the entire food and drink sector to help businesses with their economic growth ambitions. This includes £10 million funding for the period 2023-2025 to support the implementation of Scotland's food…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support Scotland-based exporters in mitigating the effects of the recently announced USA trade policy.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-36536 on 28 April 2025. 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-…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to work with the UK Government with the aim of strengthening economic ties with the USA and resisting the imposition of any trade barriers.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government officials and Ministers are in continuous dialogue with the UK Government about USA tariff barriers and we support all efforts to find mutually beneficial resolutions that are in the interests of Scotland. We have been clear that we need t…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support any older people who are having to skip meals due to financial hardship.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: No one should have to compromise on food or other essentials. Food insecurity is driven by insufficient and insecure household incomeState Pensions remain reserved to the UK Government, and it is crucial that they remain committed to retaining the Triple Lock…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted of income levels among older people in Scotland and how this compares with other parts of the UK.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Statistics on pensioner household income by UK country and English region are published by the Department for Work and Pensions. The median income for these households is presented in the following table.Median weekly equivalised household income for pensione…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported finding that older women are disproportionately affected by low income in retirement.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Gender equality is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s vision for a fairer Scotland. We want women of all ages to be empowered to exercise equal rights and opportunities, and to have equitable access to economic resources and decision making.The S…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 19% of people in Scotland over the age of 66 are living on less than £15,000 a year.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: We aim to enable better access to a range of services for older people as and when they need them. We want to ensure people are financially secure and supported as they age. This is why, in 2025-26 the Scottish Government has allocated over £15.4 millio…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported call by the Scottish Grocers’ Federation for stronger legislative and enforcement action to tackle shoplifting.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government understands the impact of retail crime on businesses and the concerns of retailers including the Scottish Grocers’ Federation.Sufficient legislation already exists in order to prosecute those who are guilty of shoplifting.Our Bud…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects on retail crime trends broken down by region, crime type and outcomes, and whether it will publish any such data.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Official Statistics on Recorded Crime in Scotland provide data on shoplifting and offences recorded under the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021. The statistics include the number of crimes and offence…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the creation of a specific criminal offence of assaulting a retail worker, and what steps it has taken to explore this.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: There are no plans to update the current legislation regarding the protection of retail workers. Section 1 of the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021 already makes it a specific offence to assault, threaten…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that retail crime, including shoplifting and vandalism, cost businesses £420 million in 2024-25.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government understands the impact of retail crime on businesses. Our Budget will make an additional £3 million available in 2025-26 to tackle retail crime. This is in addition to an investment next year of a record £1.62 billion for p…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of sewage spills on Scotland’s (a) rivers, (b) beaches and (c) tourism economy.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency monitors the water quality of Scotland’s rivers and designated bathing beaches and publishes its classification results annually.87% of Scotland’s entire water environment is assessed by SEPA as having a …
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that Scotland is lagging behind the rest of the UK in monitoring sewage overflows.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Rather than deploying permanent monitoring, which is the common approach for water companies in England, Scottish Water has taken an outcomes focussed approach by carrying out comprehensive Scotland-wide environmental modelling (in partnership with SEPA) to a…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to publishing real-time data on sewage spills, in a similar way to other parts of the UK.
Answer · Gillian Martin: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:Scottish Water has already published this data at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/Your-Home/Your-Waste-Water/Overflows/Live-Overflow-Map.Currently, dat…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) environmental and (b) public health impact of the 24,398 sewage spills reported in 2024.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for monitoring the water quality of Scotland’s rivers and designated bathing beaches and publishes its classification results annually.87% of Scotland’s entire water environment is c…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to strengthen enforcement powers or penalties for illegal or excessive sewage spills.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) currently licences and regulates 345 sewer networks operated by Scottish Water, carrying out inspections on a rolling basis under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (CAR)…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many sewage overflows remain unmonitored, and when it plans to ensure 100% coverage.
Answer · Gillian Martin: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:Scottish Water currently has around 1,400 overflow monitors in place (covering over one third of all intermittent discharges). Scottish Water has plans…
3 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what immediate action it will take to reduce the volume and frequency of sewage spills into Scotland’s rivers and coastal waters.
Answer · Gillian Martin: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:Scottish Water has already taken action and made commitments to improve the sewer network under its improving urban waters routemap, published in Decem…
2 Apr 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the provision of additional financial support for housing decarbonisation.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the UK Government about heat decarbonisation. For example, we continue to press the UK Government to align delivery of the Energy Company Obligation and Great British Insulation Schemes with Local Heat and …