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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-44272

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister or his civil servants or special advisers have been updated on any action connected to Operation Branchform by the Lord Advocate or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in addition to the notes provided to him by the Lord Advocate on 20 March 2025 and 19 January 2026.

As clearly set out in the Lord Advocate’s letter to the Presiding Officer of 24 February 2026, the Lord Advocate was advised on two occasions that it was appropriate to provide limited factual information to the government in relation to the case against Peter Murrell. First, on his appearance in court on March 2025 and then again on the service of the indictment in January 2026.

On each occasion, given the extremely high level of publicity which the investigation had attracted, it was appropriate to provide the government with appropriate and limited confirmation of decisions taken by the independent prosecutor and the nature of the charges. This also served to protect proceedings where there is a strong likelihood that ministers will be asked about prosecution decisions. Each minute also provided reassurance that the Law Officers had no operational involvement in prosecutorial decision making in this case.

Question reference: S6W-44273

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the First Minister's responses during First Minister's Questions on 19 February 2026 in relation to the briefing that he had received from the Lord Advocate about Operation Branchform, for what reason he failed to mention that he had also been briefed by the Lord Advocate on the same case in March 2025.

It would not have been appropriate for the First Minister to give details of any briefings without understanding the impact on proceedings should information be released. The Lord Advocate has now provided members with a wide range of examples to demonstrate the long-standing practice of prosecutors properly advising the Government of the day, of significant prosecutorial decisions taken by an independent prosecutor.

Question reference: S6O-05689

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments by the Scottish Information Commissioner who stated, in relation to the Government's handling of information concerning the Salmond files, "I can no longer trust the government to handle this information unsupervised and will explore more intrusive options to ensure compliance."

Question reference: S6O-05683

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will initiate a review of how the scheduling of parliamentary business during the current session has impacted on parliamentary resources, particularly in light of the large volume of stage 3 proceedings in the final weeks.

Question reference: S6O-05669

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Lord Advocate briefed the First Minister that suspects arrested on alleged embezzlement charges as part of Operation Branchform were not being charged, before the individuals themselves had been notified.

Question reference: S6O-05635

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether colleges should have borrowing powers and how any such powers would be delivered.

Question reference: S6W-43733

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills is ashamed that the written case for Scottish ministers and the Lord Advocate in the judicial review of the Scottish Prison Service policy for the management of transgender people in custody did not include a single mention of women’s rights.

Question reference: S6W-43739

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs is ashamed that the written case for Scottish ministers and the Lord Advocate in the judicial review of the Scottish Prison Service policy for the management of transgender people in custody did not include a single mention of women’s rights.

Question reference: S6W-43735

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Transport is ashamed that the written case for Scottish ministers and the Lord Advocate in the judicial review of the Scottish Prison Service policy for the management of transgender people in custody did not include a single mention of women’s rights.

Question reference: S6W-43729

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister is ashamed that the written case for Scottish ministers and the Lord Advocate in the judicial review of the Scottish Prison Service policy for the management of transgender people in custody did not include a single mention of women’s rights.