Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-16626

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the topic of Scottish independence was discussed in the meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and Seamus Boland, of the European Economic and Social Committee, on 1 June 2022.

Seamus Boland of the European Economic and Social Committee and I held a positive meeting in June last year, in which we spoke about Scottish civic society's involvement in the EU’s Domestic Advisory Group.

The subject of Scottish independence was not an agenda item in discussions, however Scottish ministers will always be polite enough during international meetings to answer any questions put to them about the Scottish Government's stated policies, including a legal, constitutionally sound referendum, as set out in our Programme for Government.

Question reference: S6W-16628

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the topic of Scottish independence was discussed in the meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and Urmas Paet MEP on 1 June 2022.

Urmas Paet MEP and I held a positive meeting in June last year, in which we spoke about Scotland maintaining close relationships with Northern European neighbours on a range of issues such as energy, innovation and cohesion.

The subject of Scottish independence was not an agenda item in discussions, however Scottish ministers will always be polite enough during international meetings to answer any questions put to them about the Scottish Government's stated policies, including a legal, constitutionally sound referendum, as set out in our Programme for Government.

Question reference: S6W-16631

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the topic of Scottish independence was discussed in the meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and the Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the EU on 1 June 2022.

The Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the EU and I held a positive meeting in June last year in which we spoke about the Czech Republic's priorities for the Presidency of the European Council, including energy policy.

The subject of Scottish independence was not an agenda item in discussions, however Scottish ministers will always be polite enough during meetings to answer any questions put to them about the Scottish Government's stated policies, including a legal, constitutionally sound referendum, as set out in our Programme for Government.

Question reference: S6W-16150

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what level of funding has been invested each year by the Scottish National Investment Bank since it was established.

The level of funding invested each year by the Bank since it was established is as follows:

2020-21 (November to March): £23,097,000

2021-22: £130,414,000

2022-23: The Bank’s final outturn is still being finalised and it is too early to provide a provisional figure to Parliament. The Bank will lay its audited Annual Accounts in Parliament before the end of September.

The Bank’s most recent Annual Accounts are published on its website: https://www.thebank.scot/sites/default/files/2022-10/the-bank-annual-report-2022.pdf .

The portfolio page on the Bank’s website also provides details of the deals they have completed: https://www.thebank.scot/portfolio .

Question reference: S6F-02002

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government's plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas, following the end of its public consultation.

Question reference: S6W-16050

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has set aside any contingency funding to meet any unforeseen additional costs associated with the planned repairs of Bute House, and, if so, how much it has set aside.

Question reference: S6W-16057

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated towards the planned repairs of Bute House.

Question reference: S6W-16055

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes in the Highlands and Islands region currently (a) have and (b) do not have access to broadband.

Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2022 report for Scotland – published on 15 th December 2022 – stated that 198,196 properties across the electoral region of the Highlands and Islands were capable of receiving a superfast broadband connection of 30 Megabits per second (Mbps) and above, with 5,824 properties unable to access speeds of 2Mbps or above.

Local authority and constituency breakdowns of those figures can be found on Ofcom’s Connected Nations interactive dashboard at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/infrastructure-research/connected-nations-2022/interactive-report .

Similarly, independent broadband analysis website, thinkbroadband, provides up-to-date coverage percentage breakdowns for local authorities, as well as Scottish Parliamentary constituencies and regions, at https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/scotland .

Question reference: S6W-16054

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04824 by Kate Forbes on 22 December 2021, whether it will provide an update on how many website domain names that it owns and pays for are currently (a) active and (b) inactive.

Question reference: S6W-16151

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total running costs of the Scottish National Investment Bank have been in each year since it was established.

The following table (taken from the Scottish National Investment Bank’s annual reports) shows the Bank’s operating costs and income for 2020-21 and‎ 2021-22. The Scottish Government provides budget to cover all operating costs which are not covered by the Bank’s income.

Operating

Costs

£000s

Investment Income

£000s

Net Costs

£000s

2020-21 (November to March)

2,875

-423

2,452

2021-22

9,677

-1,905

7,772

2022-23: The Bank’s final outturn is still being finalised and it is too early to provide a provisional figure to Parliament. The Bank will lay its audited Annual Accounts in Parliament before the end of September.

Chamber and committees