Part of Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 12 June 2024.
Daniel Johnson
Labour
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests and the fact that I am a member of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers.
I was at the Scottish Grocers Federation election event yesterday afternoon. What is clear is that the biggest issue that the sector faces is retail crime. Indeed, the USDAW survey shows that the proportion of retail workers reporting that they have suffered violence has risen from 2 per cent in 2016 to 18 per cent. Although that is largely a justice issue, will the Minister outline how bodies such as the industry leadership group could be used to coalesce and provide an interface with other parts of the public sector, and will he outline in what other ways the economy brief and portfolio is looking at how it can tackle that issue, which the industry is facing?
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
