Meeting of the Parliament (Accessible)

Portfolio Questions Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and Parliamentary Business George Adam S6O-05323 1. To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential impact on parliamentary business, what its position is on whether a rise of far-right political parties in the UK would cause issues in the relationship between the Scottish and UK parliaments and could result in the diminution of the Scottish Parliament. Richard Leonard S6O-05324 2. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether regional news serves an important function in a democracy. Evelyn Tweed S6O-05325 3. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of initiatives used by other nations to support artists and creatives. Annabelle Ewing S6O-05326 4. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the constitution secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential implications for Scotland’s relations with EU member states of the UK rejoining the Erasmus programme. Sarah Boyack S6O-05327 5. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken since the publication of the independent review into Creative Scotland to implement its recommendations. Tim Eagle S6O-05328 6. To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its work to support the historic environment, whether it will provide an update on its involvement in the regeneration of Grant Lodge in Elgin. Michelle Thomson S6O-05329 7. To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its provision of funding for humanitarian aid, what representations it has made to the UK Government in relation to humanitarian issues arising in Ukraine as a result of landmines and other explosive threats. Submitting member has a registered interest. James Dornan S6O-05330 8. To ask the Scottish Government how its £600,000 contribution in humanitarian aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territory Humanitarian Fund will support civilians and demonstrate Scotland’s commitment to international solidarity and human rights. Justice and Home Affairs Alasdair Allan S6O-05331 1. To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to ensure that rural and island communities have access to legal aid. Colin Beattie S6O-05332 2. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what discussions it has had with the UK Government in relation to Crown immunity and the Scottish Prison Service. Miles Briggs S6O-05333 3. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the justice secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any plans to deliver campus police officers across all schools. Sue Webber S6O-05334 4. To ask the Scottish Government how many victims were notified in 2025 of the early release of an offender under any early release or temporary release scheme. Brian Whittle S6O-05335 5. To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made any assessment of recent prison inspection findings on the use of restricted regimes and their impact on prisoners’ welfare and safety. Emma Harper S6O-05336 6. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve family support services within the prison estate. David Torrance S6O-05337 7. To ask the Scottish Government how it anticipates the abolition of the not proven verdict will improve victims’ experiences of the justice system. Murdo Fraser S6O-05338 8. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of AI in the composition of judicial judgements. followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Lowering Bills for Scotland’s Workers Craig Hoy S6M-20294 That the Parliament calls on the Scottish Government to reduce income tax on working people in Scotland; commits to uprating income tax thresholds in line with inflation in the forthcoming Scottish Budget and in future Scottish Budgets; further commits to removing the Scottish basic rate and intermediate rate of income tax and replacing them with a single Scottish income tax rate of 19 pence on income up to the higher rate threshold, and believes that these fairer measures would begin to reduce the tax differential with the rest of the United Kingdom, put more money into the pockets of working families, and support economic growth by addressing the cumulative effects of current income tax policy. Further details available for S6M-20294 Ivan McKee S6M-20294.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-20294 in the name of Craig Hoy (Lowering Bills for Scotland’s Workers), leave out from first “reduce” to end and insert “respect Parliament by outlining its tax policy when it publishes its Budget on 13 January 2026, and ensure that the policy is progressive, fair to the people of Scotland, and supports vital public services like Scotland’s NHS, schools, and blue light services.” Further details available for S6M-20294.2 Michael Marra S6M-20294.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-20294 in the name of Craig Hoy (Lowering Bills for Scotland’s Workers), leave out from "calls" to end and insert "understands that the Scottish Government’s incompetent approach to the public finances and failure to grow Scotland’s economy are leading to heightened budgetary pressures; further understands that income tax should not be used as a substitute for economic growth and believes that, given the pressure on household finances, income tax rates should not increase in the course of the next parliamentary session; welcomes the UK Labour administration’s Budget, which tackles the cost of living for households across Scotland by cutting costs on energy bills, lifting thousands of children out of poverty, and increasing wages for hard-working people in Scotland, and believes that the Scottish Labour Party’s plan to establish a Scottish treasury with strategic oversight for spending in all Scottish Government departments is essential in order to put an end to waste and ensure that taxpayers’ money is treated with respect." Further details available for S6M-20294.1 followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Stopping the Scottish Government’s Business Tax Increases Murdo Fraser S6M-20295 That the Parliament recognises that businesses across Scotland are facing an acute and worsening cost crisis, driven by inflation, energy prices, wage pressures, supply chain disruption and weak economic growth; notes with serious concern the scale of proposed increases in rateable values arising from the 2026 non-domestic rates revaluation, particularly in the hospitality and self-catering sectors; believes that sharp and unaffordable increases in non-domestic rates now pose an existential threat to business viability, employment, investment and local economic resilience in many parts of Scotland; notes the growing divergence between Scotland’s non-domestic rates regime and those operating elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and the competitive disadvantage that this risks creating for Scottish firms; understands that, since 2022-23, the Scottish Government has failed to pass on at least £700 million in business rates relief received through the block grant; calls on the Scottish Government to act urgently to provide certainty and stability by pausing the implementation of the 2026 revaluation, introducing meaningful transitional protections against excessive bill increases, and matching reductions in bills for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England, and affirms that a strong and thriving business base is essential to Scotland’s economic recovery, public finances and communities, and that the tax system should support growth rather than accelerate decline. Further details available for S6M-20295 Ivan McKee S6M-20295.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-20295 in the name of Murdo Fraser (Stopping the Scottish Government’s Business Tax Increases), leave out from “are facing” to end and insert “have seen increased costs in recent years due to rampant inflation and increased energy costs; notes the reliefs and support that are currently in place on non-domestic rates, and recognises that policy decisions by the Scottish Government on these matters will be set out in the Budget on 13 January 2026.” Further details available for S6M-20295.1 Daniel Johnson S6M-20295.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-20295 in the name of Murdo Fraser (Stopping the Scottish Government’s Business Tax Increases), insert at end "; believes that the current business rates system is not fit for purpose, and calls on the Scottish Government to create a new system that levels the playing field between the high street and online giants, better incentivises investment, tackles empty properties and supports entrepreneurship." Further details available for S6M-20295.2 followed by Decision Time followed by Members’ Business: Scotland's Flood Defences Craig Hoy S6M-20235 That the Parliament notes proposals for a number of flood defence schemes across Scotland, including in the South Scotland region; considers the impact and pressure caused by climate change on coastal and rural communities; recognises reported public concerns about the design and costs of flood defence projects, and notes the calls for the Scottish Government and local authorities to fully consult with local communities, partners, businesses, organisations and other stakeholders during the appraisal and consenting process. Further details available for S6M-20235