Milly Hean, associate, looks at the top stories for the week ahead.
The debate over the dual role of Scotland’s lord advocate is a long-running saga that simmers away in the background, boiling up occasionally when fuelled by political events. It bubbled over again last week, following an exchange in the Holyrood chamber that featured almost as much tension, huffing and puffing as Scotland’s Six Nations victory in Cardiff on Saturday.
Joanna Cherry KC turned up the heat in a Sunday Times column yesterday,restating the case for reform of the role and its responsibilities, while making clear she does not believe its incumbent is corrupt.
Meanwhile, the future of the Alba Party is in some doubt, as party leader Kenny MacAskill admitted it’s unlikely the party will field candidates in May’s Holyrood election, as it grapples with financial irregularities that have left the party’s funding position in a “perilous state”. Insisting that the “dream will never die”, MacAskill’s email to members nonetheless struck a sombre tone as he admitted there are major question marks over “the viability of a party which neither has financial resource nor the ability to contest elections.”
All eyes will be on Anas Sarwar at the Scottish Labour Party conference in Paisley on Friday, the leader’s first major platform since he publicly distanced himself from the prime minister Keir Starmer. With the SNP expected to dominate the election in the constituency vote, the regional list will be a topic of energetic discussion. For Labour and other opposition candidates, a high ranking on the list will be crucial.
South of the border, the UK government is weighing up ways to ostracise Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from public and royal life following his dramatic and unprecedented arrest, including legislation to remove the former prince from the line of succession and calls for a treason probe from former Tory cabinet minister Tom Tugendhat.
On Thursday, the Gorton and Denton by-election in South Manchester promises a three-way dogfight between Labour, Reform and the Greens. The Greens are hoping to win over disaffected Labour voters, borrowing from Plaid Cymru’s playbook in Caerphilly. Meanwhile, loss of a second once rock-solid Labour seat in less than a year will doubtless cause more grumbling about Keir Starmer’s leadership from within and without his party.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
The recent spike in energy prices cost Scotland’s economy £11 billion, according to a new report by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) on energy costs between 2021 and 2024. The Herald reports that the findings have kickstarted renewed calls for Scotland to end its “dependence on international fossil fuels” and noted previous analysis by the International Monetary Fund, which suggested the UK was the worst-hit economy in western Europe by the post-Ukraine invasion price spike.
The Scottish Government has appointed a market research company to assess the potential for a wealth tax on personal assets such as savings and pensions. While chancellor Rachel Reeves ruled out a similar plan, the SNP conference in October voted for a wealth tax. Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservatives MSP, said such a tax would “deter exactly the entrepreneurs and aspirational people essential for economic growth”.
With the finance secretary Shona Robison set to ask MSPs to pass her 2026/27 budget on Wednesday afternoon, companies across Scotland are receiving their new business rates evaluations. The Scotsman reports that many are warning the government’s “Victorian-era taxation policies” will be fatal to operations. Research by the Federation of Small Businesses suggests that more than a third of Scottish firms expect to shrink or close in the next year, compared to just one-in-five predicting growth.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
Monday
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Westminster returns from recess
- House of Commons: Oral questions on Housing, Communities and Local Government; Committee stage of the Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill
- Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2026 begins
- US-Mauritius talks on the UK handing over the Chagos Islands begin
- Reports: EU CPI update
Tuesday
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In the Holyrood committee rooms
- Health, Social Care and Sport Committee: consideration of the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill at Stage two
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Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee: evidence on the Council Tax (Variation for Unoccupied Dwellings) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026 [draft] and on the Private Housing Rent Control (Exempt Property) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 [draft]
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Scottish Government data
- Scottish House Conditions Survey: Key findings 2024
- Recorded Crime in Scotland: Quarterly update
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Westminster
- House of Commons: Oral questions on Health and Social Care; debate on a motion relating to the Charter for Budget Responsibility
- House of Lords: Oral questions on optimising quantum technology; oral questions on student loans regime review; third reading of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill; report stage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill; Committee stage of the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill
- General Committee: Debate on the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill
- Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee: Oral evidence on propriety, ethics and the wider standards landscape in the UK
- Industry and Regulators Committee: Oral evidence on regulators and growth
- International Development Committee: Oral evidence on the situation in Sudan
- Treasury Committee: Oral evidence on the Bank of England monetary policy reports
- Standard Chartered 2025 full-year results
- National Farmers Union conference begins in Birmingham, running until 25 February
- US: President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address.
- Fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine
Wednesday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- Portfolio Questions: Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Economy and Gaelic; Finance and Local Government
- Budget (Scotland) (No. 5) Bill at stage three
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In the Holyrood committee rooms
- Rural Affairs and Islands Committee: evidence on the follow-up inquiry into salmon farming
- Education, Children and Young People Committee: evidence on group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation
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Scottish Government data
- GDP estimate, 2025 Q4
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Westminster
- Prime Minister’s Questions
- House of Commons: Oral questions on Scotland; general debate on Ukraine
- Westminster Hall; debate on the potential merits of a levy on energy developers
- House of Lords: Oral questions on British military equipment containing Chinese components; Oral questions on the AI Security Institute’s research into threats to economic stability arising from labour market changes
- Scottish Affairs Committee: Oral evidence on digital connectivity in Scotland
- Health and Social Care Committee: Oral evidence on food and weight management
- Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls: Oral evidence on the UK’s trade sanctions regime
- OFGEM announces quarterly change to energy price cap
Thursday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- First Minister’s Questions
- Portfolio Questions: Climate Action, and Energy, and Transport
- Scottish Government debate on the Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 2026
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Scottish Government data
- Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) Weighted Scotland Estimates, Wave 150
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Westminster
- House of Commons: Oral questions on Culture, Media and Sport
- House of Lords: Debate on resetting the UK-EU relationship; Committee stage of the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill day 2
- General Committee: Debate on the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill
- Gorton and Denton constituency by-election
Friday
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Scottish Government data
- Small Business Survey Scotland 2024/2025
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Westminster
- House of Lords: Committee stage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill Day 10; third reading of the Rare Cancers Bill
- Scottish Labour conference in Paisley
- Plaid Cymru spring conference in Newport begins, running until 28 February
Saturday
- Rare Disease Day