Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5F-01181

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2017

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S5F-01145

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2017

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S5F-01064

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2017

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S5F-01025

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2017

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S5W-07049

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment in the memorandum of understanding between the Scottish Government, China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone that (a) “Scottish financial institutions and other bodies may be approached with a view to obtaining their support for the program”, whether it will publish a list of those that were approached, (b) it would “support the First Minister and others in Scotland in building strong working relationships with appropriate leaders and influential decision makers in China”, whether it will publish a list of the contacts that were made and (c) it is "intended as a statement of intent and a platform to share confidential information”, whether information was shared.

The Scottish Government already has a strong working relationship with appropriate leaders and influential decision makers in China.

This information is published under Freedom of Information on 31 May 2016 and can be found at http://www.gov.scot/About/People/Directorates/BusinessDirectorate/foireleased.

There has been no further contact between the Scottish Government and financial institutions or other bodies in respect of the MoU. No confidential information was shared.

Question reference: S5W-07048

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00012 by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016, what subsequent contact it has had or plans with (a) Falkirk Council and (b) Louden Castle Developments regarding its assessment of the credibility of SinoFortone.

Question reference: S5W-07034

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments made to BBC Scotland by the Cabinet Secretary for Jobs, the Economy and Fair Work on 31 May 2016 that the Chinese companies proposing an investment deal were “serious and credible”, what the basis was for this assertion, and whether the cabinet secretary has reassessed or plans to reassess his position on SinoFortone in light of the comments regarding the company that were made by its former director, Sir Richard Heygate, and others, in a report in The Sunday Times on 5 February 2017.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was about developing a working relationship with Sinofortone and China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group to explore potential investment in Scotland. As is clear from the 70+ pages of information on the MoU released by the Scottish Government in May 2016, we felt able to commence that relationship on the basis of discussions with UKTI and Sinofortone’s then involvement in significant projects elsewhere in the UK. As the MoU involved no legal, contractual or funding commitment on behalf of the Scottish Government detailed due diligence was not necessary.

In terms of reassessing plans, I refer the member to the answer to question
S5W-07033 on 9 March 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-07033

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00024 by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016, whether it has reassessed or plans to reassess its position on SinoFortone in light of the comments regarding the company that were made by its former director, Sir Richard Heygate, and others, in a report in The Sunday Times on 5 February 2017.

Question reference: S5W-07047

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the credibility of SinoFortone, and whether it has contacted or plans to contact public sector organisations in the UK regarding this.

Question reference: S5W-07042

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what contact details it has for SinoFortone and whether it will confirm what contact it has had with the company’s representatives in the last six months.

The Scottish Government’s last engagement with Sinofortone was on 3 September 2016 when officials facilitated a visit, organised by Sinofortone, of a government delegation from the region of Inner Mongolia interested in learning about football development. They visited Spartans FC and the Oriam National Performance Centre at Heriot Watt University. There were no discussions about potential investment.