- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 November 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding calls for the ban on the import of chlorinated chicken to be lifted and for the UK to adopt US environmental and food safety regulations.
Answer
In my discussions with the UK Government, I have repeatedly made clear that there should be no weakening of current environmental and food safety regulations as a consequence of Brexit. I will expect Mr Gove and his Ministerial colleagues to deliver on their commitment to maintain existing standards. To that end, I have written earlier this week to Mr Gove to propose an amendment to the UK Agriculture Bill which would prohibit imports of agricultural and food products where the relevant standards are lower than those in the UK.
We also continue to underline that future trade deals must not impose changes in devolved policy areas without the explicit and prior agreement of the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 September 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Vibrant Economy Index that Edinburgh has been ranked as the most vibrant place in Scotland, with the highest levels of dynamism and opportunity.
Answer
The Scottish Government welcomes the asset-based approach used in the Vibrant Economy Index. A range of evidence is used to inform policy development and implementation, and to assess the assets and needs of Scotland's people and places.
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide flexibility for recipients of universal credit.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2018
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with delivering the Edinburgh and South East City Region Deal.
Answer
Edinburgh and its city region is an area of huge importance to the Scottish economy, containing over a quarter of Scotland’s population and contributing around £36 billion annually to the Scottish and UK economies. The Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal was signed on 7 August 2018 and aims to deliver 41,000 new homes across the region, create 21,000 jobs and improve skills in an estimated 14,700 people. The Scottish Government will contribute £300 million over a 15 year period to this project to help deliver inclusive economic growth.
Work is now being taken forward in order to develop individual business cases in order to progress them into delivery.
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 September 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recent Migration Advisory Committee report and its implications for Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2018
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to grow exports, in light of the possible impact of Brexit.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognise that action is required to maintain and improve our export performance. The Programme for Government highlighted a range of measures designed to boost the value and range of Scottish products, services and businesses in overseas markets. A trading nation: our plan for growing Scotland’s exports will set out how we will achieve our export ambitions, working with industry and other partners, in particular the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board. The plan, which will be published in Spring next year, is underpinned by over
£20 million investment over the next three years. As part of that work we will:
- Invest £2 million over three years to intensively support 50 high growth businesses per year to ramp up overseas activity and create 100 new business to business peer mentorships per year for new exporters;
- Build on the investment we have already made to double the number of SDI staff in Europe by expanding Scotland’s network of in-market specialists to identify untapped potential in overseas markets and support Scotland’s exporting interests;
- Increase Export Finance support for Scottish companies looking to enter new markets.
The Scottish Government has also made a support grant of up to £4,000 per company available to help businesses in Scotland mitigate the risks that Brexit presents and to capitalise on export opportunities. In addition, Scottish Enterprise has created a toolkit to support businesses that includes a 15 point Brexit impacts checklist, access to export advisers and support to businesses to build an action plan specific to their needs.
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its Programme for Government means for the long-term level of infrastructure spend in Edinburgh and across Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2018
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to develop the food and drink sector, including through the tourism industry.
Answer
This is such an important area for us in Scotland. The industry-led food and drink strategy “Ambition 2030” sets out our partnership vision for development of the Food and Drink Sector, including the importance of working closely with the tourism industry.
On 27 August the First Minister launched our first ever Food Tourism Action Plan – Food Tourism Scotland – the overarching aspiration of that is to double the annual visitor spend on food and drink to £2bn by 2030 and there are a number of actions detailed as to how we achieve that.
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the potential impact on Scotland of the UK Government’s recently published technical notices to prepare for leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2018
- Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in the college estate since 2007, also broken down by college.
Answer
Since 2007 (1) the Scottish Government has invested £704 million in the college estate ( 2) This investment, broken down by college, is noted in the following table.
Since 2012-13 a further £330 million has been invested through Non-Profit Distribution (NPD). The Scottish Government also funds the unitary charge on the NPD college projects (3)
College | Total capital funding 2007-18 (formulaic & projects) |
Aberdeen College | 22,496,223 |
Adam Smith College | 9,447,958 |
Angus College | 3,168,723 |
Anniesland College | 45,960,931 |
Ayr College | 8,650,699 |
Ayrshire College | 13,190,889 |
Banff & Buchan College of Further Education | 24,386,567 |
Barony College | 1,064,694 |
Borders College | 19,430,653 |
Cardonald College | 5,920,999 |
Carnegie College | 5,615,212 |
Central College of Commerce | 2,981,252 |
City of Glasgow College | 28,400,082 |
Clydebank College | 9,531,475 |
Coatbridge College | 20,607,430 |
Cumbernauld College | 3,562,195 |
Dumfries & Galloway College | 24,811,544 |
Dundee and Angus College | 6,563,533 |
Dundee College | 37,854,197 |
Edinburgh's Telford College | 8,752,227 |
Edinburgh College | 24,040,436 |
Elmwood College | 2,190,438 |
Fife College | 14,309,435 |
Forth Valley College | 56,718,469 |
Glasgow Clyde College | 8,255,372 |
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies | 21,122,641 |
Glasgow Kelvin College | 6,553,944 |
Glasgow Metropolitan College | 5,250,493 |
Inverness College UHI | 13,400,015 |
James Watt College of Further & Higher Education | 11,330,398 |
Jewel & Esk College | 27,396,967 |
John Wheatley College | 2,863,270 |
Kilmarnock College | 6,337,007 |
Langside College | 35,991,485 |
Lews Castle College UHI | 1,692,355 |
Moray College UHI | 3,236,207 |
Motherwell College | 46,428,145 |
New College Lanarkshire | 11,744,038 |
Newbattle Abbey College | 690,499 |
North East Scotland College | 8,477,588 |
North Glasgow College | 24,905,814 |
North Highland College UHI | 5,669,169 |
Oatridge College | 1,260,752 |
Orkney College UHI | 1,333,809 |
Perth College UHI | 3,994,483 |
Reid Kerr College | 6,336,460 |
Sabhal Mor Ostaig UHI | 2,100,000 |
Shetland College UHI | 1,878,461 |
South Lanarkshire College | 8,891,749 |
SRUC | 2,416,495 |
Stevenson College | 6,426,663 |
Stow College | 4,464,718 |
West College Scotland | 10,195,717 |
West Lothian College | 11,851,851 |
West Highland College | 2,173,489 |
Total | 704,326,315 |
(1) 2007 to 2018 spans the period where the sector underwent major regional mergers: some investments were in campuses which are now part of larger regional colleges.
(2) That is, since 2007, colleges have received £704 million grant payments for capital from the Scottish Funding Council.
(3) Since 2012-13 Scottish Government has funded the following unitary charges: Ayrshire College - £7,138,762: City of Glasgow - £36,785,000; Inverness College UHI - £12,438,272.
