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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-42911

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42910

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42913

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42912

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42914

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specialist capability exists in Scotland to trace, freeze and recover cryptocurrency assets linked to organised crime.

Question reference: S6W-42461

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, what work has been undertaken to date in relation to the statutory review of qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS), including any (a) analysis, (b) internal correspondence and (c) scoping exercises since June 2023.

Question reference: S6W-42459

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, for what reason the statutory review of the qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS), which the Scottish Government is required to complete “as soon as practicable” after 5 June 2023, has not yet been published.

Question reference: S6W-42462

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, whether it has undertaken any consultation or engagement with the legal profession as part of the statutory review of qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS), and, if so, which organisations or stakeholders have been consulted.

Question reference: S6W-42458

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, when it will publish the statutory review of qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS), which it is required to undertake “as soon as practicable after the end of the 5-year period", which was 5 June 2023.

Under section 23 of the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, Scottish Ministers must review the operation of Parts 1 to 3 and report to the Scottish Parliament as soon as practicable after the end of the five-year period following Royal Assent. The intention behind this period was to allow sufficient time for those Parts to be fully in force and operating as intended before the review took place.

While some sections came into force on Royal Assent and others shortly thereafter, implementation of Qualified One-Way Costs Shifting (QOCS)—which sits within Part 2 —required detailed court rules. Work on these rules was delayed because urgent rule changes were needed to keep courts operating under COVID-19 restrictions. As a result, QOCS did not come into effect until June 2021.

The Act specifies that the review must include information on the effect of QOCS on access to justice and the administration of the courts. To provide a meaningful assessment based on robust and meaningful data, the review will therefore focus on five years of actual operation rather than five years from Royal Assent. This approach reflects the original policy intention.

The Scottish Government will publish the review once sufficient evidence has been gathered and analysed. This will be after QOCS has operated for five years, ensuring the review reflects its practical effects on access to justice and court administration.

Question reference: S6W-42460

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, which Minister or directorate has responsibility for progressing the statutory review of qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS), and what oversight arrangements are in place to ensure that it is completed.

The statutory review of qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS), as provided for under the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, falls under the portfolio of the Minister for Victims and Community Safety, who has responsibility for civil law policy.

Operational responsibility sits with the Directorate for Justice – Civil Law and Legal System Division within the Scottish Government. Oversight arrangements include internal governance through the Justice Directorate’s policy teams and senior officials to ensure the review is completed in line with statutory requirements.