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-05182

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of Brexit, it will review (a) its trade and investment strategy and (b) Scotland’s Economic Strategy, given that both were published before Brexit.

Question reference: S5W-05213

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards its aim of securing equal representation for women on listed private sector boards by 2020.

Question reference: S5W-05186

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution and (b) Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work has had with potential investors about infrastructure projects; (i) when and (ii) where these meetings were held, and who was present.

Ministers meet and engage with potential investors on a regular basis to discuss a broad range of opportunities. It would be inappropriate to provide more detail as these meetings are private, often discussing commercially sensitive matters.

Details of Ministerial meetings/events can be found on the Scottish Government website:https://beta.gov.scot/publications/?term=Ministerial&publicationTypes=transparency_data

Question reference: S5W-05179

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) repeated and (b) new inward investment has been achieved in each year from 2011-12 to 2015-16.

Details of foreign direct investment activity supported by Scottish Development International is set out in the following tables:

FDI Company projects supported by SDI
2011-12	Expansion	40
	New	23
	Safeguarding	6
2012-13	Expansion	42
	New	34
	Safeguarding	7
2013-14	Expansion	47
	New	23
	Safeguarding	14
2014-15	Expansion	52
	New	30
	Safeguarding	9
2015-16	Expansion	52
	New	36
	Safeguarding	8
Total FDI Jobs supported by SDI
2011-12	Expansion	5,615
	New	1,221
	Safeguarding	558
2012-13	Expansion	3,788
	New	2,770
	Safeguarding	581
2013-14	Expansion	4,481
	New	1,621
	Safeguarding	1,344
2014-15	Expansion	4,131
	New	1,771
	Safeguarding	3,757
2015-16	Expansion	5,155
	New	962
	Safeguarding	973

Question reference: S5W-05188

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution and (b) Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work has had with inward investors; (i) when and (ii) where these meetings were held, and who was present.

Details of Ministerial meetings/events can be found on the Scottish Government website:https://beta.gov.scot/publications/?term=Ministerial&publicationTypes=transparency_data

Question reference: S5W-05185

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to attract more new inward investment.

The Scottish Government, working closely with our Scottish Development International and our enterprise agencies, undertakes a broad range of activity to help attract investment to Scotland. Our trade and investment strategy published in March this year set out a comprehensive action plan to boost Scotland’s international trade activity, including stimulating inward investment opportunities, and to make it clear that Scotland is open for business. The four point plan, announced by the First Minister in October, also set out actions which will play an important role in promoting Scotland and raising its global profile to potential investors.

Question reference: S5W-05187

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government (a) when and (b) what visits have been undertaken by the (i) First Minister, (ii) Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe, (iii) Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work and (iv) Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs in relation to Brexit; how many (A) civil servants and (B) advisers accompanied them, and what the total cost for all travel and accommodation was for (1) ministers and (2) staff for each visit.

Question reference: S5W-05212

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken towards its aim of securing equal representation for women on listed private sector boards by 2020.

On 25 June 2015 the First Minister launched the Partnership for Change 50/50 by 2020 campaign, inviting private sector companies, voluntary sector organisations and public bodies to sign up to a voluntary commitment to work towards 50/50 gender balance on their boards by 2020. At the time of writing, the Partnership for Change has 191 signatories, including 36 private sector companies. Improving gender diversity on boards and in the workforce is also one of the nine components of the Scottish Business Pledge.

In the New Year the First Minister will open a Business Pledge conference for the private sector in Scotland. Business speakers will focus on the business benefits of diverse boards and delegates will have an opportunity to attend practical workshops designed to offer advice and support on improving board diversity.

Question reference: S5W-05183

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many companies are generating (a) 100% and (b) 50% of Scotland's exports.

Question reference: S5W-05000

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 8 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the withdrawal of Scottish Enterprise from its satellite office in Paisley; whether it was consulted in advance about this decision, and whether Scottish Enterprise plans other office closures.

SE has a specific remit to support economic growth across Scotland and part of that requires that they periodically review their property portfolio to ensure that this continues support their operations.

While the current SE office will close in 2017 that does not mean that SE’s presence in Paisley will end. SE is consulting with staff and is investigating the full range of options available to it to maintain presence in Paisley. Arrangements will be put in place before its current Paisley office closes ensuring continuity of delivery of services without effect or detriment.