Questions and answers

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 ��˿�� 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-00013

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 the First Minister expressed a preference that China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone invest in (a) affordable housing and (b) clean energy during discussions, as stated by Sir Richard Heygate on Good Morning Scotland on 8 April 2016, and whether she indicated that she would "like to get something moving this year" and, if so, on what date this occurred.

Question reference: S5W-00003

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 date (a) officials, (b) the First Minister and (c) other ministers became aware of the proposals by China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone to invest in Scotland.

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.

Question reference: S5W-00009

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 with what foreign companies it has signed memorandums of understanding in each year since 2007-08; on what dates each was signed; how many led to the intended collaboration and financial investment, and whether each was announced on the Scottish Government’s website.

Question reference: S5W-00020

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 advice on China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone it sought from external stakeholders before signing the memorandum of understanding on 21 March 2016.

Question reference: S5W-00018

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 the (a) interest rate, (b) timescale and (c) financial return for the companies would be in relation to the £10 billion of investment planned by China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone in projects across Scotland in accordance with the memorandum of understanding signed with the Scottish Government on 21 March 2016.

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. There is no confirmed investment and no legal or contractual obligations, any discussions on interest rates, timescales or financial return would only take place in the event of confirmed investment and would take place between the partners in any investment.

Question reference: S4F-03322

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2016

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

Question reference: S4F-03285

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2016

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

Question reference: S4F-03266

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 29 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2016

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