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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-42558

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42561

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42560

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42557

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42559

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2026

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 clarification was not made to the Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-42556

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2026

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.

Question reference: S6W-42118

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding reports that Professor Alexis Jay's comments on grooming gang inquiries were misrepresented during a debate on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill on 16 September 2025, on what date it was first informed that comments made about her views were inaccurate.

Question reference: S6W-42121

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding reports that Professor Alexis Jay's comments on grooming gang inquiries were misrepresented during a debate on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill on 16 September 2025, when it first received correspondence from Professor Alexis Jay or her representatives relating to the accuracy of comments made about her views.

Question reference: S6W-42117

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding reports that Professor Alexis Jay's comments on grooming gang inquiries were misrepresented during a debate on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill on 16 September 2025, on what date it decided whether or not to correct the Official Report following notification that comments made about her views were inaccurate.

In Stage 3 of the Victims Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill in closing remarks to the member’s amendment that the post of Victims Commissioner, when it is established, should carry out research into child sexual abuse, I raised awareness of the work led by Professor Alexis Jay.

I noted that Professor Jay had been the chair of an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse in England and Wales and had put on record to the media that she did not support further inquiries into child sexual abuse and exploitation and that “people should just get on with it”. I was quoting from remarks given by Prof Jay to BBC Radio on 7 January which were: "people should get on with" implementing her reforms and "We've had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions - especially for the victims and survivors who've had the courage to come forward.”

Professor Alexis Jay wrote to me on 26 September 2025 regarding the debate wanting it clarified that her remarks were from January and not related to the specific amendment to the Bill. On 3 October 2025, Scottish Government officials contacted Professor Alexis Jay on this matter and it was agreed that it would be minuted at the Strategic Group’s meeting in October, that the quote was correct, and was from January and not made in relation to the amendment or the Victims Bill. That was then done.

Question reference: S6W-42120

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding reports that Professor Alexis Jay's comments on grooming gang inquiries were misrepresented during a debate on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill on 16 September 2025, whether it will set out the timeline of actions taken after it became aware that comments made about her views were inaccurate.