Parliamentary questions
Liam Kerr
2,161 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average length of time has been between release on licence and recall to prison for people recalled since January 2024.
Answer · Angela Constance: The average length of time between release on licence and recall is not calculated.Licence conditions which are applied vary significantly depending on the original sentence and individual consideration of each case. As a result, there is substantial variatio…
29 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the reported (a) probation workload, (b) staffing pressures and (c) lack of accommodation on prisoner recall rates since January 2024.
Answer · Angela Constance: All recall decisions are made based on an individualised assessment of each case. There is no available evidence of the potential impact of justice social work force or housing availability on the rates of recall.When considering whether to recall someone, th…
27 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on (a) Food Standards Scotland’s guidance permitting the use of alcohol-free labelling on products containing up to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), and whether this adequately protects consumers who are allergic to alcohol, and (b) Alcohol Focus Scotland’s …
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not have a position in relation to this issue as Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has policy responsibility for general food labelling in Scotland and as such Scottish Ministers are advised by FSS on such matters.FSS does not have pu…
21 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08117 by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2022, whether the deliverables listed for the rail improvement project will be completed by the end of 2026; whether any are projected not to be completed, and, if so, which ones, and what the (a) original projected c…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-32369 on 8 January 2025. The Aberdeen to Central Belt Service Improvement Project arose from an agreement between Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council, and the Scottish Government which committed to…
20 Jan 2026 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the five National Performing Companies are essential infrastructure investment and whether the funding that it provides to them is sufficient.
19 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide funding to re-open Bon Accord Baths, Aberdeen, in light of its commitment to provide universal swimming lessons to primary school children.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government places great importance on community sports and leisure facilities, such as swimming pools. They are crucial to the wellbeing of all our country and are essential in providing opportunities for our children and young people to learn to…
19 Jan 2026 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that grooming gangs are targeting children living in residential care homes in Scotland.
15 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what specific changes to national Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) training standards have been implemented since September 2025, in response to the CSAE Workforce Learning and Development Subgroup's initial deep dive report.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43146 on 2 February 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-committe…
15 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the finding of the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Workforce Learning and Development Subgroup in its initial deep dive report that there is “little evidence that training in Scotland adequately equips professionals with the skills needed to respo…
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Group has been established to increase cross-sectoral coordination and capability to address the risks and harms of CSAE in Scotland. This includes a focus on better equipping frontline staff with the sk…
14 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the points made by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs in the debate on Non-fatal strangulation Laws and intimate partner homicides on 8 January 2026, (a) when the public consultation referred to will (i) be published, (ii) open for responses and…
Answer · Angela Constance: The public consultation referred to in the debate on 8 January 2026 will be published in the coming weeks. It will be open for responses up to, including and after the pre-election period with the exact closing date yet to be set. It will be for the administr…
13 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the Aberdeen-Central Belt Service Improvements Project in each financial year since 2021-22, including the current financial year to date.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: To 6 December 2025 (End Of Railway Period 09 2025-26) a total of £24.7 million has been spent on schemes to reduce journey times between Aberdeen and the Central Belt.Further detail is provided in the following table. Dundee – Aberdeen Improv…
13 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37327 by Fiona Hyslop on 19 May 2025, whether it will provide an update on how many businesses and individuals it has provided funding to since 1 January 2021 to date “through the LEZ Support Fund to assist small businesses and individuals wit…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Due to the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the privacy policy agreed by applicants to the LEZ Support Fund, we are unable to disclose personal details of the funds recipients.However, I can advise that in the Aberdeen area 210 households received gr…
13 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Low Emission Zone Support Fund for Households since its introduction; what proportion of that has been allocated to be used for eligible households within the relevant area in Aberdeen, and how much of that allocation has been distributed to eligi…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Support Fund has allocated £15,414,650 to households and businesses within 20km of any LEZ in Scotland since 2020. To date £9,136,003.87 has been paid out to households in Scotland.There was no set allocation per city, …
8 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide any data that shows how 20 new nationwide solicitor traineeships will address the reported workforce crisis in legal aid representation and ensure there is sufficient provision across the country in future.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The provision of funding to support the employment of additional trainees has been identified by the profession as making a significant contribution to the provision of legal aid services. In addition to providing support for the cost of employing a trainee, …
8 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been recovered in Scotland through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 that originated from cryptocurrency or digital assets in each of the last five financial years.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not hold information on how much money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 specifically originated from cryptocurrency or digital assets.
8 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether weaknesses in tackling cryptocurrency-enabled organised crime risk depriving communities of potential funding through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 that could otherwise be reinvested in Scotland.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that cryptocurrency-enabled organised crime is tackled and does not consider that weaknesses in this area risk depriving communities of potential POCA funding.Law enforcement agencies in Scotland are equipped w…
8 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what specialist capability exists in Scotland to trace, freeze and recover cryptocurrency assets linked to organised crime.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Government has increased police funding year on year since 2016-17. The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) budget will increase to a record £1.7 billion in 2026-27 to support Police Scotland to deliver on its priorities including frontline service deli…
8 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that any failure to seize and recover cryptocurrency-linked criminal assets has on the level of funding available for community programmes supported through receipts from the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, including CashBack for Communities.
Answer · Angela Constance: POCA receipts in Scotland are primarily used to fund the CashBack for Communities, which has been delivered successfully in each of its six phases so far. These funds are drawn from the overall level of POCA receipts rather than from any specific category of …
5 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of any delays to the national roll-out of body-worn video cameras on police officer safety, in light of reported reductions in assaults on officers in divisions where the technology is already in use.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42803 on 19 January 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-committe…
5 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether any delay to the roll-out of body-worn video cameras is preventing Police Scotland from fully realising any benefits in court efficiency, including reductions in officer court citations and earlier guilty pleas.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42803 on 19 January 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-committe…
5 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which governance group is responsible for overseeing the delivery of body-worn video cameras for Police Scotland; when it last considered progress, and what action it has taken to address any delays.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42803 on 19 January 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-committe…
5 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that all frontline Police Scotland officers will be routinely equipped with body-worn video cameras, and what its position is on whether inconsistent access undermines (a) officer safety, (b) victim confidence and (c) public trust.
Answer · Angela Constance: Police Scotland has been clear from the beginning of the rollout of Body Worn Video (BWV) in March 2025, that it expected the first phase of 10,500 officers to be equipped by spring 2026. This remains the case, with the remainder of officers expected to be eq…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any special adviser provided advice or guidance on how the Scottish Government should handle or respond to the concerns raised by Professor Alexis Jay on 26 September 2025, including any recommendation regarding whether the parliamentary record should be corrected.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42557 on 5 January 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-committee…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) First Minister and (b) Permanent Secretary considered whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs’ interpretation of Professor Alexis Jay’s comments met the requirements of the Ministerial Code, and what conclusion he reached.
Answer · Graeme Dey: As set out under the Scottish Ministerial Code, the First Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a Minister. The First Minister's Independent Advisers on the Scottish Ministerial Code have considered this matter fully and the…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs personally approved the decision to clarify Professor Alexis Jay’s position solely within the minute of the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group meeting of 8 October 2025, and for what reason this cl…
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42557 on 5 January 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-committee…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it made of whether the Ministerial Code applied to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs’ statement to the Parliament regarding Professor Alexis Jay, in light of the correspondence received from Professor Alexis Jay on 26 September 2025.
Answer · Graeme Dey: As set out under the Scottish Ministerial Code, the First Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a Minister. The First Minister's Independent Advisers on the Scottish Ministerial Code have considered this matter fully and the…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any civil servant or special adviser provided advice to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs recommending that she correct or clarify the parliamentary record following the letter sent to her by Professor Alexis Jay on 26 September 2025.
Answer · Angela Constance: As already noted in my 11 December response to the member’s previous question (S6W-42117), following Professor Alexis Jay’s letter of 26 September, Scottish Government officials contacted Professor Alexis Jay about this matter. As Professor Jay&rs…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce does not maintain a formal risk register, and whether it plans to introduce one.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Serious Organised Crime Taskforce (SOCT) exists to bring together a range of organisations and sectors to promote the aims and objectives of the SOC Strategy through partnership working. It has no operational or tasking function, and its priorities are in…
9 Dec 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many farmers in the North East Scotland region have applied for the Future Farming Investment Scheme this year, including how many of those were unsuccessful.
8 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Civil Litigation (Expenses and GroupProceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, whether it has undertaken any consultation orengagement with the legal profession as part of the statutory review ofqualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS), and, if so, which organisations orstakeholders…
Answer · Siobhian Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42458 on 6 January 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-committee…