John Swinney to face MSPs at FMQs following drug death stats and Reform walkout 'stunt'

John Swinney will take questions from MSPs in the chamber on Thursday, as First Minister’s Questions gets under way.

It comes after National Records for Scotland figures released on Wednesday showed that Scotland has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe.

The figures highlighted a rise in cocaine use, with more than 50% of deaths in 2025 linked to the drug, while synthetic opioids known as nitazenes were implicated in 247 deaths.

The First Minister could face questions from MSPs on how the Scottish Government plans to tackle the issue.

First Minister’s Questions also follows a “stunt” by Reform UK’s MSPs, who branded an independence debate on Tuesday “a waste of time” and stormed out of the chamber.

Malcolm Offord, the party’s Scotland leader, said he would have preferred to discuss the rate of homelessness in Scotland, which was “more important” and claimed he was standing up for two million Scots who did not vote in May’s Holyrood election, adding they were “scunnered” with the Scottish Parliament.

First Minister’s Questions will take place at Holyrood from 2pm.