Podcasts By The Scottish Parliament

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Christine Grahame To ask the First Minister what measures the Scottish Government can take, in discussion with the UK Government, to assist households in very rural areas that are wholly dependent on oil or liquefied natural gas for heating, and are not connected to the gas mains, to assist with increased costs. Brian Whittle To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of any impact on the NHS arising from reports that the number of consultants working in the private healthcare system is the highest on record. Kevin Stewart To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to promote vaccinations to combat measles, in light of reports of recent diagnoses in the NHS Grampian area. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone MSP speaks with Ellie Craig MSYP, Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament. They talk about issues including: International Women's Day 2026 Youth participation and how young people shape democracy Gender representation and creating a more inclusive Parliament Social media’s impact on political engagement Respectful political debate Encouraging higher voter turnout among young people

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Kenneth Gibson To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the UK Government’s Spring Statement. Stephen Kerr To ask the First Minister, in light of the recently published Commission on School Reform manifesto warning that the curriculum for excellence has been poorly implemented and is harming long-term prospects, what the Scottish Government's position is on whether a lack of clear, nationally specified curriculum content and standards has contributed to declining attainment and inconsistency across Scotland’s schools. Katy Clark  To ask the First Minister, in light of the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day being equal rights and equal justice, what action the Scottish Government is taking to improve the legal rights of women and girls.  A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Michelle Thomson MSP To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of warnings from industry leaders that high transmission charges are making wind farms in the north of Scotland uncompetitive, including any implications for its work to grow the renewable energy sector. Liam Kerr MSP To ask the First Minister, in light of reported renewed calls over the weekend to end the Lord Advocate’s dual role, when the Scottish Government will publish its proposals and begin a consultation on separating the prosecution function from the role of providing legal advice to the Scottish Ministers.  Mercedes Villalba MSP To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the outcome of the University of Aberdeen UCU ballot, which resulted in 83% of those voting in support of strike action and 90% in favour of action short of a strike. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Christine Grahame To ask the First Minister what measures the Scottish Government is taking to standardise the criteria for urgent referrals to child and adolescent mental health services for an assessment, in light of reports that it is currently a postcode lottery. Roz McCall To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that hundreds of teachers have sought medical treatment following attacks by pupils in the last five years. Maggie Chapman To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the development of a Just Transition plan for the north east of Scotland, including how communities and workers have been engaged. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include:   Michelle Thomson MSP To ask the First Minister how often he or the Scottish Ministers engage with the Scottish Government’s Washington DC International Office regarding the Scotch whisky industry and other economic interests in the United States.   Rachael Hamilton MSP To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide an update on the Service Delivery Review of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.   Mark Griffin MSP To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that police stations across Lanarkshire, including in Bellshill, will be closed permanently to the public or have their hours reduced from 1 April.   Jamie Greene MSP To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will make further changes to the draft Budget 2026-27 published in January in relation to business rates, hospices and the care sector.    A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include:   Rona Mackay MSP To ask the First Minister how the new measures that the Scottish Government has announced to tackle long-term unemployment will support its work to grow Scotland’s economy.   Brian Whittle MSP To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reported warnings that a significant proportion of the medical workforce is experiencing stress, anxiety and burnout.   Rhoda Grant MSP To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure the long-term financial and operational stability of specialist domestic abuse services in the Highlands.   A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Willie Coffey To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government’s new national housing agency will support its work to deliver more affordable homes. Liz Smith To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to improve transparency and accountability within NHS boards. Clare Haughey To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government's launch of walk-in GP clinics will support its work to bring down waiting times and ensure everyone gets the care they need.  A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Keith Brown To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update regarding the Scottish Government’s latest engagement with the UK Government in relation to the distribution of Local Growth Fund allocations in Scotland. Douglas Ross To ask the First Minister for what reason the Scottish Government is going to court to continue to allow it to house male prisoners in the female prison estate, in light of any projections it has made of the cost to taxpayers in Scotland of challenging the Supreme Court ruling in this way. Pam Duncan-Glancy To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to findings published by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow indicating that a majority of clinicians anticipate practical challenges in implementing the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: David Torrance To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to support households with the cost of living this winter. Tim Eagle To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the partial collapse of the Spey Viaduct, including what support it can offer to Moray Council in responding to the immediate consequences and the next steps for the local community. Monica Lennon To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the recent EIS findings that young people with additional support needs are being let down, and teachers are experiencing stress due to inadequate resourcing, in light of the reported reduction of nearly 20% in specialist ASN staff since 2010, despite a rise of over 710% in the number of pupils requiring such support since 2007. Beatrice Wishart To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on local authorities, which host renewable energy infrastructure, receiving Scottish Crown Estate revenue allocations, such as a share of the income from ScotWind projects. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Marie McNair To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential implications for its work to eradicate child poverty in Scotland of the UK Government’s child poverty strategy. Miles Briggs To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of, and support it is providing to, childhood dementia awareness. Jackie Baillie To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the independent investigation into NHS Scotland by the retired consultant surgeon and former President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Mr Mike McKirdy. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Paul McLennan To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government's latest engagement with the UK Government regarding any impact on poverty levels in Scotland of the freeze to Local Housing Allowance. Murdo Fraser To ask the First Minister what funding is in place to ensure that the A9 dualling project is completed by the target date of 2035. Stuart McMillan To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on whether the Scottish Government will instigate a direct award to Ferguson Marine for the replacement of MV Lord of the Isles. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Kenneth Gibson To ask the First Minister what impact the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement will have on Scotland. Dr Pam Gosal MBE To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government plans to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. Alex Rowley To ask the First Minister, in light of ExxonMobil's announcement of the closure of the Mossmorran ethylene plant, what action the Scottish Government is taking to mitigate any damage this will cause to the Cowdenbeath area and the wider Scottish economy. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

“We were given a space… and in there we were allowed to develop a voice.”   We chat with Afam and Justine from Commission Advocating Rights for Minorities (CARM).   CARM worked with the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee to test what a truly participatory approach to human rights budgeting could look like. Their lived experience shaped the scrutiny process, influenced MSPs directly, and helped reframe how the Committee thinks about voice and accountability.   Members of CARM worked with the Committee exploring participation and accountability in Scotland’s budget. They composed questions for Ministers, co-designed scrutiny themes, and helped MSPs hear lived experience in people’s own words.   In this episode, Afam and Justine explain what that work involved, why the experience mattered, and how the framework they helped shape is now influencing organisations beyond Holyrood.

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Clare Haughey To ask the First Minister, in light of the UK Government’s reported decision to revisit compensating Women Against State Pension Inequality, what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential social security implications for those affected in Scotland. Douglas Ross To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take in response to reported figures from the road safety charity, Brake, which show that over the last year road deaths and serious injuries rose by 2.8% nationally, with Moray recording the highest increase with a rise of 83%. Carol Mochan To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to news that public satisfaction with the NHS has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to the Scottish Household Survey. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time.   Topics covered this week include: Kevin Stewart  To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report on regional economic growth by former University of Glasgow principal, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli. Rachael Hamilton To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will maintain its manifesto commitment to freeze income tax rates and bands. Ariane Burgess  To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government is still on track to restore 250,000 hectares of peatland by 2030.

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Christine Grahame To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding the implementation of the proposed scheme for the renovation of military homes in Scotland. Douglas Lumsden To ask the First Minister when the Scottish Government will announce a timetable for improvement works on the A96 north of Inverurie, following the publication of its corridor review consultation report. Michael Marra To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the Auditor General’s report, 2024/25 audit of the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts, which indicates a £1 billion underspend by the Scottish Government. Beatrice Wishart To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the recent news that Eastern Airways, which runs lifeline regional services in the Highlands and Islands, has entered administration. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Emma Harper To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government has had any initial response from the UK Government in relation to the letter sent to the Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs on 22 October regarding the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund. Roz McCall To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that Babcock, in Fife, has had to hire workers from overseas as a result of reductions in some college courses. Pauline McNeill To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is regarding the reported 200,000 public sector workers who are still waiting on their pension entitlement following the 2018 McCloud judgement on pension discrimination. Ash Regan To ask the First Minister for what reason the Scottish Government has reportedly abandoned key provisions of the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022, including the proposed licensing system, as communities prepare for potential disorder during Bonfire Night. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions will be available on the Scottish Parliament website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report