Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 10 December 2025.
Tim Eagle
Conservative
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to amend tax thresholds in the next Scottish budget. (S6O-05274)
Shona Robison
Scottish National Party
As is normal, we will outline our income tax policy decisions in the Scottish budget, which for the year 2026-27 will be published on 13 January 2026.
Tim Eagle
Conservative
Labour’s decision to freeze income tax thresholds—which was unsurprising, given what Labour has been doing in government—pulls more ordinary workers into higher tax bands. Although the Scottish National Party has criticised the Labour budget, it is doing the same in Scotland. In 2018, an experienced teacher’s salary sat at around £9,000 below the higher rate threshold, whereas, next year, that same teacher will be at around £9,000 above it. I do not see how that can be fair. Does the Cabinet secretary accept that the continuation of threshold freezes is nothing more than a stealth tax on working people at a time when they need more money in their pockets?
Shona Robison
Scottish National Party
The Scottish Government has introduced many measures that have put more money into people’s pockets, including the Scottish child payment, which has meant that Scotland is the only part of these islands with falling child poverty rates. We expect those with the broadest shoulders to pay a bit more; however, we will deliver a budget that will be fair to households, fund public services and continue our ambition to eradicate child poverty.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
That concludes portfolio questions on finance and local government. There will be a brief pause before we move to the next item of business, to allow members on front benches to change.
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.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
