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: S5F-00004

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 June 2016

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

Question reference: S5W-00015

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had discussions with (a) Edinburgh City Council, (b) Falkirk Council and (c) East Ayrshire Council regarding the possibility of China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone investing in 5,000 affordable homes across these areas.

The memorandum of understanding between the Scottish Government, China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone is focused on developing a working relationship to explore possible investment in Scotland. The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with Edinburgh City Council or East Ayrshire regarding Sinofortone.

The Scottish Government has made no representations to Falkirk Council regarding investment by China Railway No. 3 in affordable housing in Falkirk. Discussions took place involving the Scottish Government, Sinofortone and Falkirk Council where investment in affordable housing was discussed.

Question reference: S5W-00008

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) a copy of all documentation relating to the agreement of a joint press release between the Scottish Government and China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone regarding the memorandum of understanding signed on 21 March 2016, which was published on the companies’ English language website.

Question reference: S5W-00023

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will suspend the memorandum of understanding with China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone that was signed on 21 March 2016 until it has investigated allegations of human rights abuses and the risk of gross corruption.

Question reference: S5W-00010

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £10 billion investment associated with the memorandum of understanding with China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone that was signed on 21 March 2016, and how this figure was arrived at.

Question reference: S5W-00004

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates (a) officials, (b) the First Minister and (c) other ministers have held discussions with China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone.

Officials became aware of SinoFortone’s possible interest in investing in Scotland in June 2015 via the Chair of the Asia Scotland Institute.

The First Minister’s office was contacted in July 2015 and in October 2015 regarding Sinofortone’s interest in investing in Scotland.

Officials held discussions with Sir Richard Heygate and Dr Peter Zhang representing SinoFortone on 16 December 2015, 3 February 2016, 9 March 2016 and 10 March 2016.

The First Minister met with Sir Richard Heygate and Dr Peter Zhang representing SinoFortone on 3 February 2016.

I was introduced to Sir Richard Heygate and Dr Peter Zhang on 9 March 2016 at an event on ‘Chinese Invests West Infrastructure Investment’ hosted by the legal firm Pinsent Masons.

Officials and the First Minister held discussions with Sir Richard Heygate and Dr Peter Zhang representing SinoFortone and China Railway No 3 Engineering Group on 21 March 2016.

There have been no meetings with representatives of China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone since the memorandum of understanding was signed on 21 March 2016. Officials spoke with Sir Richard Heygate by phone on 8 and 9 April 2016 to clarify issues raised in the media.

Question reference: S5W-00019

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its signing of the memorandum of understanding with China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone signed on 21 March 2016, how many hours of its officials’ time has been spent on work associated with the signing of the memorandum and at what cost; what support it will provide to the companies and at what cost, and whether they will receive privileged access to information not already publicly available.

Information on the number of hours of officials’ time spent on work associated with the memorandum of understanding and the associated cost is not recorded.

The Scottish Government’s work with China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone is part of a much broader approach by the Government and its agencies to welcome and encourage investment which delivers benefits for Scotland. This involves working with a wide range of businesses and investors to, for example, help them understand the Scottish context; connect with potential partners; and to identify opportunities and possible funding.

Question reference: S5W-00012

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what projects it or China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone have identified as opportunities for investment in (a) affordable housing, (b) communities, (c) clean energy, (d) industry and business parks, (e) transportation infrastructure and (f) any other areas.

The memorandum of Uuderstanding between the Scottish Government, China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone is focused on developing a working relationship to explore possible investment in Scotland.

At their meeting on 3 February 2016, SinoFortone expressed an interest in areas including affordable housing, energy and infrastructure, the First Minister noted SinoFortone’s interest in these areas.

The Scottish Government has not identified any specific projects for potential investment.

Scottish Government officials introduced SinoFortone to Falkirk Council and Loudon Castle Developments to help them understand and explore potential investment opportunities. No projects have been confirmed for investment by Sinofortone or China Railway No.3 Engineering Group.

Question reference: S5W-00026

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers it appropriate to enter into agreements with companies that have been allegedly implicated in human rights abuses or present a risk of gross corruption.

Question reference: S5W-00027

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Amnesty International’s allegation that one of China Railway Group’s subsidiaries was involved in illegal forced evictions in the Democratic Republic of Congo and whether the Scottish Government will take this into consideration in deciding how to proceed following its signing a memorandum of understanding with China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone on 21 March 2016.

As the memorandum of understanding does not involve any legal, contractual or funding obligations or commitments on behalf of the Scottish Government full due diligence was not undertaken prior to the signing of the memorandum. The Scottish Government was therefore not aware that the Council of Ethics for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global had recommended in 2014 that China Rail Group Ltd, the parent company of China Railway No.3 Engineering Group, be excluded from the investment universe of the fund. Nor was it aware of Amnesty International’s allegation that the Congo International Mining Corporation, a subsidiary of China Railway Group, was involved in illegal forced evictions in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the event of any specific investment proposals being confirmed or any proposals for legal or contractual agreements being brought forward both reports will be considered as part of the full due diligence that will take place.