General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 15 January 2026.
Elizabeth Smith
Conservative
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the open letter from Scotland’s elite swimming athletes sent to the First Minister on 6 November 2025. (S6O-05376)
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
The Scottish Government agrees that there is a real opportunity to create a lasting legacy for children across Scotland from the 2026 summer of sport. I know that Liz Smith cares a great deal about that and shares my enthusiasm for it.
The 2026-27 budget announced an additional £40 million of funding for sport and physical activity. That includes the universal offer of swimming tuition for primary school children in Scotland to give them vital water safety skills. I hope that members will welcome that announcement and support the budget proposals, which provide vital support for the sector and open up a range of sports and activities to more children.
Elizabeth Smith
Conservative
Is the Cabinet secretary aware that, earlier this morning, first at 9.48 am and then at 10.15 am, Shona Robison made a request to correct the record—I am not sure whether it is another of those “production errors”—to say that her answer to the question that Jackson Carlaw asked on Tuesday on the budget statement was factually inaccurate? Namely, the one-year commitment is not, in fact, one year but is being rolled out over a sustainable period. That is welcome, but what action is the Scottish Government taking to ensure that the 18 local authorities that are not making full provision for swimming lessons will now do so and that children in those areas have access to swimming pools in the first place?
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
I confirm for the record that the funding is, indeed, recurring, which is incredibly positive. Liz Smith shares my enthusiasm for the project, which is good news for swimming provision and is giving children life-saving skills. [ Interruption. ]
Alison Johnstone
Green
Let us hear one another.
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
It is also good news for ensuring that we provide opportunities for the next Duncan Scotts and other elite swimmers to come through the system.
On progress with local authorities, we are providing the funding to enable local authorities to make provision for all primary children in Scotland precisely because of the variability in provision. Those engagements with local authorities will continue, and, given Liz Smith’s interest, which I genuinely accept and understand, I will ensure that she is kept updated on the matter.
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.
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.
