Scottish Parliament announces first ever virtual question time for MSPs

Online session on Thursday

MSPs will quiz ministers online instead of in the Holyrood chamber

THE Scottish Parliament is to hold its first ever Members’ Virtual Question Time on Friday, allowing 19 MSPs to quiz four ministers online.

Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh said last week’s virtual question time for the party leaders with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had worked well and he wanted to build on that success.

Friday’s session will start with an opening statement from Health Secretary Jeane Freeman before the MSPs are given 30 seconds to put their question and the relevant minister will have up to one minute to respond.

The 19 MSPs involved will be nominated by the business managers of each of the parties and reflect the balance of the parties in the parliament - nine SNP, five Conservative, three Labour and one each for the Greens and the Lib Dems.

Friday’s session - which is to be broadcast live on the parliament website and by the BBC - will start at 2.30pm and is expected to last about an hour.

The parliament will also hold another virtual question time for leaders tomorrow at 12.30pm for about 30 minutes. It will start with an opening statement from the First Minister on the latest developments.

Mr Macintosh said online meetings were planned later this week to discuss arrangements for parliament business in the weeks ahead.