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: S5W-14838

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is for increasing trade with (a) India, (b) Japan and (c) the United States.

Scotland's Trade and Investment Strategy recognises the importance of Asia and North America to Scotland’s exporting ambitions. We work closely with SDI and relevant partners to identify trade opportunities across a range of sectors in each of those markets. In addition, we have specific engagement strategies for India and the United States, which outline priority sectors for trade. This activity is supported by Scotland’s network of offices in all three countries.

Question reference: S5W-14526

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12875 by Keith Brown on 30 November 2017, on what date the innovation and investment hub in Berlin was fully operational; when a business plan and objectives were formalised, and whether it will provide the address of the hub.

Question reference: S5W-14433

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many trade shows Scottish Development International has organised in each of the last five years, broken down by location.

Question reference: S5W-14431

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the business case is for the closure of the Scottish Loan Fund.

Question reference: S5W-14333

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 1 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of figures in its publication, Exports Statistics Scotland 2016, whether it will provide an estimated breakdown of the £15 million fall in real estate activities exports to the rest of the UK.

Question reference: S5W-14332

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of figures in its publication, Exports Statistics Scotland 2016, whether it will provide an estimated breakdown of the £165 million fall in financial and insurance activities exports to the rest of the UK.

The latest figures show exports to the rest of the UK from the financial and insurance activities sector down £165 million from the previous year. This was a 2 per cent decrease.

Within this sector, exports to the rest of the UK from insurance activities (down £150 million) and from activities auxiliary to financial and insurance services (down £450 million) both decreased in 2016. However exports to the rest of the UK from financial services activities increased in 2016, up £435 million.

Despite this, financial and insurance activities remains Scotland’s largest sector for exports to the rest of the UK, worth £7.8 billion in 2016.

Question reference: S5W-14331

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of figures in its publication, Exports Statistics Scotland 2016, for what reason there was a £440 million fall in the value of exports to the EU between 2011 and 2016.

Between 2011 and 2016 exports to the EU decreased by £440 million, which was a 3 per cent decrease.

During this period, a number of economic factors, including the downturn in the oil and gas sector and the aftermath of the financial crisis weighed on EU growth and import demand. This is reflected in the sector breakdown as the biggest decreases in the nominal value of EU exports during this period were in the refined petroleum and chemicals sector (down £750 million) and financial and insurance services (down £345 million).

However the EU remains the largest single market for Scotland’s International exports.

Question reference: S5W-14548

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Fife regarding the reported difficulties in recruiting community paediatricians to enable diagnostic waiting times for children and adults with autism to improve.

Health Boards are responsible for providing and resourcing the services within their area and we work closely with them to support their efforts. Improving diagnostic services and increasing diagnostic capacity are Scottish Government priorities set out within the Scottish Strategy for Autism, and the Scottish Government engages with wide range of stakeholders, including NHS Fife in the implementation of this strategy.

NHS Fife has confirmed that their new Autism Assessment pathway is facilitating earlier diagnosis and decision making. The introduction of different specialists at this stage has lessened the dependency of Paediatricians and is helping to improve waiting times.

Question reference: S5W-14524

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank will comply with international regulatory frameworks for banks including the Basel III standards for the regulation, supervision and risk management of banks.

As set out in the Implementation Plan for the Scottish National Investment Bank, published on 28 February, there will be a transition and implementation period for setting up the Bank which will include securing and complying with relevant regulatory requirements. A Banking licence is not considered necessary in order for the Bank to invest in the way that is described in the Implementation Plan, so Basel III is unlikely to apply.

Question reference: S5W-14705

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kezia Dugdale on 28 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consideration it has given to the installation of a changing places toilet on the parliamentary estate.