Nicola Sturgeon willing to accept ‘unlimited’ time for FMQs grilling

Nicola Sturgeon says she is prepared to accept an open-ended question time grilling from opposition politicians at Holyrood.

Labour MSPs complained yesterday that there was lack of time to question all SNP ministers on Covid-19 issues.

Ms Sturgeon faces a weekly 45-minute First Minister’s Questions session at Holyrood which has now been moved to Tuesday afternoons.

But she said yesterday: “I am more than happy to have First Minister’s Questions sessions right now, given the uniqueness of the circumstances we’re in, that continue until such time that everybody who wants to ask a question has asked that question.”

Nicola Sturgeon during a special coronavirus Covid-19 social distancing First Minister's Questions. Picture: Fraser Bremner - Pool/Getty Images

Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh said he recognised the “frustration” among MSPs and was looking into the issue.

Labour’s Anas Sarwar had earlier said MSPs were “breaking the rules” imposed on the public by going to Holyrood to ask questions.

“Every effort should be made for that member to get to ask that question and for ministers to get the opportunity to answer,” he said.