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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.

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Question reference: S6W-11507

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 7 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported commitment to end the detention of under-18s in Young Offenders Institutions, whether it intends to raise the age of criminal responsibility.

The Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 fully commenced on 17 December 2021. Section 78 of the Act requires the Scottish Ministers to review the operation of the Act.

The Scottish Ministers must review the operation of the Act in general, and with a view to considering the future age of criminal responsibility. The review period (of 3 years) began on the day on which section 1 came into force (ie on 17 December 2021). The Scottish Ministers are required to prepare a report on the review, publish and lay it before the Scottish Parliament no later than 12 months after the end of the review period.

An Advisory Group comprising a range of different stakeholders has been established to support Ministers with the review.

Question reference: S6W-11684

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 4 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the existence and activities of a so-called "110 Overseas" centre in Glasgow, which, according to a report by the Spain-based human rights NGO, Safeguard Defenders, operates as a branch of the Chinese police service.

As the First Minister indicated in Parliament on 27 October, she was aware of the report and stated “that those reports are deeply concerning, and I want to be very clear that we take them extremely seriously. Any foreign country that operates in Scotland must abide by Scottish law. The Scottish Government fully supports individuals’ rights to freedom of expression, which is an extremely important principle".

The First Minister went on to say: "Obviously, those matters require to be fully and properly investigated. It would not be appropriate for me to go into too much detail, but I know, as a result of a conversation that I had yesterday with the Chief Constable, that the police are aware of those reports. Of course, the police are operationally independent, and it is up to them to determine what investigations would be appropriate. However, they are aware of those reports, and I repeat that those reports require to be treated extremely seriously.”

Question reference: S6W-11685

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 4 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of all communications between the Scottish Ministers and law enforcement agencies in relation to the so-called "110 Overseas" centre in Glasgow, which, according to a report by the Spain-based human rights NGO, Safeguard Defenders, operates as a branch of the Chinese police service.

Question reference: S6O-01509

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to withhold farming payments from convicted criminals.

Question reference: S6W-11031

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any (a) internal and (b) external communications involving Scottish Ministers and officials regarding the functions and activities of Fitness for Judicial Office Tribunal proceedings that have taken place in Scotland under the procedure set out in the Act of Sederunt (Fitness for Judicial Office Tribunal Rules) 2015.

To date, there have been two Fitness for Judicial Office tribunals in Scotland. Both remain ongoing.

The Court Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 sets out that the First Minister, must, if requested to do so by the Lord President, constitute a Fitness for Judicial Office tribunal. Once constituted, under the Act of Sederunt (Fitness for Judicial Office Tribunal Rules) 2015, the process and procedure of the tribunal is a matter for the Lord President and the Chair of the tribunal and not Scottish Ministers.

Once the tribunal have made their decision, the First Minister will lay the tribunal’s report before the Scottish Parliament. Until such a time, it would not be appropriate to provide further details relating to these tribunals as the process is ongoing.

Question reference: S6W-11027

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in response to the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019.

Question reference: S6W-11029

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any meetings, correspondence and other communications between Scottish Ministers, officials and any members of the judiciary, including the current Lord President, in respect of the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019.

Question reference: S6W-11030

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any discussions involving Scottish Ministers or officials that may have taken place regarding the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019 in relation to the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry.

Question reference: S6W-11026

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government which Scottish Ministers, including the current and former Lord Advocates, have had sight of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019.

Question reference: S6W-11028

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any Scottish Ministers or officials, having been made aware of the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019, contacted Police Scotland, and, if this is the case, whether it will provide details of any such contact.