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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-44220

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to alter the rules on council tax for properties that have become empty or second homes due to the bereavement of a family member.

Question reference: S6W-43987

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of taxpayers projected to enter the higher rate income tax band between 2026 and 2030 due to threshold freezes, and what assessment it has undertaken of the potential impact of any such projected fiscal drag.

The Scottish Government relies on the independent analysis provided by the Scottish Fiscal Commission, including its forecasts of the number of taxpayers in each band in future years. These are published as part of its regular economic and fiscal forecasts.

These forecasts, which include the effects of the latest policy decisions, are set out here: Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts – January 2026, and form an important part of our understanding of how the tax system may evolve.

Question reference: S6W-44144

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Scotland's (a) universities and (b) research institutes to maximise participation in Horizon Europe.

Question reference: S6W-44140

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards delivering its Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.

Question reference: S6W-44143

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with EU institutions since 2025.

Question reference: S6W-44146

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the financial sustainability of Scotland’s universities, in light of reported deficits across the sector.

Question reference: S6W-43986

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific actions it is currently taking to reverse the reported rise in violent crime, particularly in sex offences and domestic abuse.

We have invested over £6m to support implementation of the Violence Prevention Framework since its implementation in May 2023. Total recorded crime is down 38% since 2006-07 and half the level of 1991; homicide is at its lowest level since comparable records began in 1976; and the number of emergency hospital admissions due to a sharp object fell by 72% between 2006-07 and 2024-25.

However, any increase in reported crimes is of concern – particularly those relating to sexual offences and domestic abuse. We recognise that some of this may be due to actions to increase confidence in the justice system so more victims come forward to report sexual crimes. It is abhorrent that such crimes, which are mainly against women, take place.

In response we remain steadfast in our commitment to preventing and eradicating all violence against women and girls and addressing the underlying attitudes and systems that perpetuate it. That’s why we are increasing the Delivering Equally Safe Fund by 5%, bringing total investment to almost £46 million over 2026–2028, to ensure organisations continue their vital work to prevent violence and support survivors.

It is also vital that women and children have access to frontline services dealing with violence and domestic abuse - that is why, through the Victim Centred Approach Fund, we are also investing £12 million between 2025-27 for specialist advocacy support for survivors of gender-based violence.

We have also made changes to the justice system to make it easier to report incidents and legislated to give police, prosecutors, and the courts greater powers to tackle domestic abuse crimes. We are also commencing provisions with the Victims Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025, a landmark piece of legislation, that aims to transform the Justice system in Scotland through significant reforms to ensure that victims and witnesses are treated with compassion and supported throughout the legal process.

Question reference: S6F-04741

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-43842

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the rolling stock of train carriages throughout the country, and what its response is to reports of leaking roofs and uncomfortable carriages on services between Glasgow and the (a) Oban and (b) Fort William/Mallaig branch of the West Highland Line.

The Scottish Government expects that all train operators providing rail services in Scotland, including publicly owned ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper, as well as cross-border operators, schedule the necessary maintenance work to ensure the rolling stock they operate is travel worthy. These are operational matters for these operators.

I refer the Member to the answer to the question: S6W-43106 on 26 January 2026. All parliamentary questions are published on the Scottish Parliament’s website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-43985

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 5 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are currently being taken to safeguard prosecutorial independence and prevent political interference in the legal process.

Section 48(5) of the Scotland Act 1998 provides that any decision of the Lord Advocate in their capacity as head of the systems of criminal prosecution and investigation of deaths in Scotland shall continue to be taken independently of any other person. It is therefore the case, as the Lord Advocate made clear to Parliament during an Urgent Question on 25 February 2026, that the Lord Advocate is required to discharge their duties in that office independently of any other person and independently of any political interference.

During the Urgent Question, the Lord Advocate explained to Parliament that the Lord Advocate of the day may provide the First Minister of the day, or the Prime Minister or another constitutional office-holder, with appropriate information on casework or investigations. This has been done by different Lord Advocates irrespective of the political party of the recipient of the information, and is done in the proper administration of the legal system.