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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-20655

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that split household payments are made available for benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-02709

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of Social Security Scotland.

Question reference: S5F-02884

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2018

To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Government is making in delivering the Best Start Grant.

Question reference: S5O-02515

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how productivity and the economy can be supported through innovations in technology.

Question reference: S5O-02475

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes women’s football.

The Scottish Government is a strong supporter of women and girls’ football and recognises the strong contribution it makes to encouraging women and girls to participate as well as raising Scotland’s profile on the European and world stage.

We work closely with the Scottish FA and Scottish Women’s Football to promote the women’s game and provide support and investment through sport scotland .

Like everyone in the country, I was delighted our national team qualified for next year’s FIFA women’s World Cup for the first time. The First Minister, who is patron of the women’s national team, recently announced a bursary scheme to allow all members of the squad to train full-time ahead of the tournament.

We are nearing the climax of another exciting domestic season, including the crucial Glasgow City and Hibs fixture at the weekend. Glasgow City are also still in European competition, and I wish the club well in its tough return fixture against Barcelona in the UEFA women's Champions League.

Finally, I would like to congratulate Motherwell FC, from the members' constituency, for winning the Premier League 2 championship and reaching the final of the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup Final for the first time.

Question reference: S5O-02396

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 26 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding residency for EU citizens in Scotland.

The Scottish Government values the contribution that the 235,000 EU citizens in Scotland make to our economy and the diversity they bring to our communities. Our priority is ensuring that those EU Citizens who have chosen to make Scotland their home are able to keep the rights they currently have.

In June, the Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs Fiona Hyslop and Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Finance Mark Drakeford wrote a joint letter to the Home Secretary setting out our shared concerns around the EU Settlement Scheme and the need to urgently provide clarity to EU citizens about their rights. Last month, Mr Macpherson met with the UK Immigration Minister, Caroline Nokes, to highlight these concerns and reiterate our argument that EU citizens should not have to pay to apply to retain rights they already have. While this Government fundamentally disagrees with the UK Government’s policy on this issue we have reiterated our willingness to work collaboratively to safeguard the interests of EU citizens in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-18543

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of schools built or refurbished.

Question reference: S5W-18542

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how Scotland is strengthening economic ties with Canada.

The Scottish Government’s Canada Engagement Strategy was refreshed in March 2017 and identifies trade and investment in Canada a key part of our overarching strategic objective to enhance Scotland's global outlook. Scotland's key sectors of technology, energy, life sciences, financial services, food and drink, creative industries and tourism have much to offer and gain from increased engagement in the Canadian market and collaboration with Canadian companies. We will work with Scottish Development International and other partners to support Scottish companies to make the most of these opportunities.

The Programme for Government in September 2017 announced the intention to expand our presence in Canada. As part of this expansion, we are opening a new office in Ottawa, which will be operational later in the year. Canada is a priority market for Scotland and our enhanced presence will forge stronger links across Canada at all levels. Meanwhile, our current office in Toronto will continue to ensure that Scotland’s interests are represented in Canada’s financial and business centre.

Co-location of Scottish Government, Scottish Development International (SDI) and Visit Scotland staff in Toronto reflects our Strategic Board's approach to collaboration across agencies and partners in a key market. Strong business alignment and optimising of resource also includes effective leveraging of Globalscots and the alumni of Scottish universities. Alongside Toronto, SDI has an office presence in Calgary. Trade & Investment focus in Canada is concentrated on supporting priority sector and market development opportunities in food and drink; energy; the financial services; and in technology and creative industries.

In the food and drink sector, we are building demand for (premium) Scottish food and drink via in-market specialist support. This includes working directly with importers, distributors, retailers and food service companies in the market, as well as supporting Scottish companies to enter and export more to Canada.

In the energy sector, we are developing inward investment and Scottish supply chain opportunities with oil and gas companies in and around Calgary, Canada’s energy ‘capital’. SDI is also identifying renewables-related opportunities across the Canadian maritime provinces on the Atlantic coast.

SDI also have financial services specialists working in the Toronto market - a recognised North American financial services hub. Toronto presents opportunities to work with large corporate financial services companies, as well as emerging, disruptive ‘fintech’ companies.

In technology and creative industries, SDI has identified significant market development potential in the Greater Toronto Area, and a number of other Canadian cities, with opportunities to align Scottish capability in several emerging and disruptive technology platforms.

Question reference: S5O-02331

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the establishment of a deposit return scheme.

Question reference: S5W-17923

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how Scotland’s Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) expenditure as a percentage of GDP compares with that for the (a) UK as a whole, (b) average of OECD countries and (c) average of EU member states.

The Scottish Government publishes Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) expenditure statistics in the “Gross Expenditure on Research and Development Scotland” report on an annual basis. The data in the table below is taken from the “Gross Expenditure on Research and Development Scotland 2016” report, which was published on 28 March 2018 and can be found at https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Business/RD/GERDreport .

Expenditure on R&D performed in Higher Education as a percentage of GDP in 2016

Region	HERD expenditure as % of GDP
Scotland 1	0.71
United Kingdom	0.41
EU28	0.44
OECD	0.42

Source: OECD MSTI 2017/2, ONS and Scottish Government

Notes

1. Market price GDP for Scotland sourced from Quarterly National Accounts Scotland