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: S4F-01753

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2013

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

Question reference: S4W-18372

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, whether it has a policy position on Kurdistani statehood and whether it discussed the matter with (a) the government of Turkey at the meeting on 31 October 2013 and (b) representatives of Kurdistan on 12 June 2013.

Question reference: S4W-18373

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, what matters the Minister for External Affairs and International Development discussed with representatives of the government of Syria at the meeting on (a) 16 May 2013 and (b) 9 September 2013.

The Minister for External Affairs and International Development has met with Mr Walid Saffour, Ambassador of National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, and members of the Scottish Syrian community respectively on these occasions. The Syrian National Coalition is recognised as the sole legitimate representation of the Syrian people as it is an inclusive body and as such it provides the best opportunity to secure a peaceful transition of power. They discussed the deepening political and humanitarian crisis in Syria, and the effects on the Syrian diaspora and the Scottish Government’s pledge of £200,000 to the DEC appeal for Syria. The meetings also enabled the Minister to outline the Scottish Government’s position regarding these issues.

The minister raised these issues, as well as the situation in Egypt, in telephone calls with Mr Alistair Burt, former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Question reference: S4W-18374

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, whether it has commented publicly on all of the meetings listed in the answer and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S4W-18394

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, whether Mr Dunn has verified the details of the meeting with the government of Egypt on 13 September 2013.

Question reference: S4W-18375

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, whether it considers that the people of Scotland have a right to know what was discussed at the meetings listed in the answer.

Question reference: S4W-18370

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, for which meetings it issued a public statement (a) acknowledging that a meeting had taken place and (b) providing details of the topics discussed.

Question reference: S4W-18368

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, whether its policy is to keep details of the meetings between the Minister for External Affairs and International Development and the governments of other countries out of the public domain.

Question reference: S4W-18371

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, what geographical or political entity it is referring to as "Kurdistan".

Question reference: S4W-18369

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17874 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2013, whether it issued a statement (a) prior to or (b) following the Minister for External Affairs and International Development's meetings with representatives of the government of (i) Syria, (ii) Egypt and (iii) Turkey and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Minister for External Affairs and International Development met with neither representatives of the Syrian nor Egyptian governments. He did meet with the Turkish Ambassador on 31 October 2013 and Mr Walid Saffour, Ambassador of National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces. I should explain the Syrian National Coalition is recognised as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people as it is an inclusive body and as such it provides the best opportunity to secure a peaceful transition of power.

Meetings with representatives of overseas governments are a regular part of ministers work. When appropriate the Scottish Government will issue a statement after a meeting because we may wish to convey our position on a particular issue.