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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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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: 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.

Question reference: S4F-03225

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 February 2016

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

Question reference: S4F-03212

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 01 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 February 2016

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

Question reference: S4W-29272

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of households served by the telephone exchange in (a) Falkland, (b) Letham, (c) Newburgh, (d) Gauldry, (e) Balmullo, (f) Tayport, (g) Newport on Tay, (h) Leuchars, (i) Cupar, (j) Ceres, (k) Strathkinness, (l) St Andrews, (m) Peat Inn, (n) Colinsburgh, (o) Elie, (p) St Monans, (q) Anstruther and (r) Crail in Fife is able to connect to fibre broadband.

The Scottish Government’s Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme is aiming to deliver fibre broadband to 95% of all homes and businesses in Scotland by the end of March 2018.

To date, over 16,600 homes and businesses in the areas requested have been enabled for fibre broadband.

In addition there are homes and businesses in these areas enabled for fibre via commercial programmes that are not part of this programme. Detailed information about commercial deployment in Scotland is not available to the Scottish Government.

The latest available verified figures correct to the end of September 2015 by area are detailed in the following table:

Question letter	Area	Number of homes or businesses enabled
a	Falkland	1,225
b	Letham	0
c	Newburgh	350
d	Gauldry	390
e	Balmullo	1,044
f	Tayport	1,980
g	Newport on Tay	1,580
h	Leuchars	1,444
i	Cupar	328
j	Ceres	807
k	Strathkinness	510
l	St Andrews	6,422
m	Peat Inn	146
n	Colinsburgh	0
o	Elie	0
p	St Monans	0
q	Anstruther	465
r	Crail	0

Question reference: S4W-29249

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much central funding it has provided using the Bellwin formula to assist local authorities in meeting significant unanticipated expenditure in each year since 2007-08; which local authorities received this support and (a) for what purpose and (b) how much was provided on each occasion.

The information requested is set out below:

Funding paid out under the terms and conditions of the Bellwin scheme.

2009-10 Aberdeenshire Council received £450,999 following severe flooding incidents during October and November 2009.

2009-10 The Moray Council received £281,726 following severe flooding incidents during October and November 2009.

2012-13 Scottish Borders Council received £917,334 following various flooding incidents throughout the year.

Funding paid out to local government for weather-related incidents which replaced the need for Bellwin scheme claims.

2009-10 Aberdeenshire Council received £2 million following a landslip at Bervie Braes caused by heavy rainfall in February 2009.

2010-11 All 32 local authorities received a share of £5 million to repair local roads and potholes following the severe winter weather.

2011-12 All 32 local authorities received a share of £15 million to repair local roads and potholes following the severe winter weather.

2012-13 All 32 local authorities received a share of £2 million to repair local roads and potholes following the severe winter weather.

2014-15 Dumfries and Galloway Council received £0.5 million to repair the river bank, the sea walls and coastal paths.

2015-16 Confirmed funding of £14.74 million support for nine local authorities worst affected following the severe flooding caused by Storms Desmond, Frank and subsequent severe rainfall. In addition this support has been expanded to other affected local authorities.

Question reference: S4T-01281

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 18 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that plans for a high speed rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh have been shelved.

Question reference: S4F-03176

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 18 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2016

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