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.

Question reference: S3W-00208

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 4 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Scottish Development International to consider ways in which support can be provided to those seeking to attract more ship-to-ship oil transfer business to Scapa Flow.

Question reference: S3W-00213

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 4 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to attract overseas buyers to Scottish craft trade shows in each of the last four years.

Responsibility for internationaleconomic activity such as promoting Scotland as a place to do business in and with rests with ScottishDevelopment International (SDI). The craft industry is not currently an SDI priorityindustry and over the last four years SDIhas not been involved in attracting overseas buyers to Scottish craft trade shows.We are not aware of any evidence of failure within the industry to attract overseasbuyers, though SDI would be happy to discuss with industry representatives how wecan best support the craft industry in the future.

Question reference: S3W-00210

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 4 June 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider supporting a trade delegation to Russia, with a specific focus on the oil industry.

The Scottish Executive, throughScottish Development International (SDI), the international arm of the ScottishGovernment’s economic development agency, provides support to individual companiesand organises trade delegations to oil and gas provincesthroughout the world, including Russia.

This gives companies new to themarket the opportunity to meet with contractors and operators in the oil and gassector and attend meetings and presentations on how to operate in an overseas market.Twelve Scottish companies participated in a trade delegation to Moscow in June2004.

SDI has an office in Moscow whichworks very closely with the UK Embassy and UK Trade and Investment on research,assistance and recruiting Scottish companies interested in the Russian market fortrade delegations and exhibitions.

In 2007, SDI has taken spaceat 8th International Conference and Exhibitionfor Oil and Gas Resources. Development of the Russian Arctic and CIS ContinentalShelf (RAO/CIS) Exhibition 11 to 13 September,and the Moscow International Oil and Gas Exhibition (MIOGE) in June.

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