Meeting of the Parliament

General Questions John Mason S6O-05339 1. To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to prevent starvation and suffering among the sheep on St Kilda. Emma Roddick S6O-05340 2. To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of the findings of the Ending Homelessness Together 2025 annual report. Roz McCall S6O-05341 3. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns from businesses across Scotland that have recently received letters confirming a revaluation of their non-domestic rate liability. Liz Smith S6O-05342 4. To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with Scottish Mountain Rescue teams regarding mountain safety this winter. Kenneth Gibson S6O-05343 5. To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the purchase of Ardrossan Harbour with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd. Pauline McNeill S6O-05344 6. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Centre for Social Justice's Lost Boys campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the issues that boys and young men are facing, including in Scotland. Gordon MacDonald S6O-05345 7. To ask the Scottish Government what impact recent recruitment initiatives have had on staffing levels across NHS Scotland. Karen Adam S6O-05346 8. To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local roads authorities on maintaining public safety on local roads and pavements in winter, including decisions on street lighting, footway treatment and local grit provision. followed by First Minister’s Questions Russell Findlay S6F-04556 1. Question to be taken in Chamber. Anas Sarwar S6F-04557 2. Question to be taken in Chamber. Alex Cole-Hamilton S6F-04558 3. Question to be taken in Chamber. Karen Adam S6F-04571 4. To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to support those affected by fuel poverty, in light of the recent rise in energy prices and their potential impact on the cost of living for households in Scotland. Dr Pam Gosal MBE S6F-04560 5. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to Police Scotland figures showing a 10% increase in reported domestic abuse crimes over the past 12 months. Ariane Burgess S6F-04564 6. To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the rollout of the £2 bus fare cap pilot agreed as part of the 2025-26 budget negotiations. Jackie Baillie S6F-04559 7. To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking following reports that the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital released the wrong body for cremation. followed by Members’ Business: Non-fatal Strangulation Laws and Intimate Partner Homicides Claire Baker S6M-19504 That the Parliament notes the calls for legislation to create a standalone offence of non-fatal strangulation (NFS), in light of new research led by Professors Sonia Oreffice and Climent Quintana-Domeque at the University of Exeter on intimate partner homicides and NFS; understands that this is the first known study to examine the impact of standalone NFS laws on intimate partner homicides across multiple jurisdictions internationally; notes that the study finds that, in US jurisdictions where NFS has been criminalised as a standalone serious offence, intimate partner homicides fell by double-digit percentages, with female-victim homicides declining by around 14% and male-victim homicides by 27%, and estimates that more than 1,500 lives have been saved since the adoption of such laws; expresses concern regarding the view that these reductions could highlight a significant gap in Scots law; understands that criminalising NFS could be considered as a potential approach to reduce the deadliest consequences of intimate partner violence; further understands that NFS often leaves no visible injuries, yet is a strong predictor of future lethal violence, and that, in the absence of a standalone offence, NFS may go unrecorded or be prosecuted only as minor assault due to the absence of visible injuries or a weapon; notes with alarm the scale and salience of violence against women and girls in Scotland, including in the Mid Scotland and Fife region; considers that standalone NFS laws could disrupt any escalation of violence and coercive control and help prevent lethal outcomes and wider harms, and commends the research team for its ongoing work in this area. Further details available for S6M-19504