Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1234 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-00028

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 information China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone provided about their activities and those of their subsidiaries elsewhere in the world prior to the signing of the memorandum of understanding on 21 March 2016.

Question reference: S5W-00014

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 large railway project Sir Richard Heygate referred to during an interview on Good Morning Scotland on 8 April 2016.

Question reference: S5W-00005

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 how it first came into contact with representatives of China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone.

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-00006

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 for what reason the press release agreed between the Scottish Government and China Railway No.3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone regarding the memorandum of understanding signed on 21 March 2016 was published on the companies’ English language website only, and who took the decision not to publish it on the Scottish Government’s website.

Question reference: S5W-00001

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) copies of (a) all correspondence and (b) the minutes of meetings that it had with representatives of China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone (i) in advance of and (ii) after the signing of the memorandum of understanding on 21 March 2016.

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-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.