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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-19892

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to continue its support for veterans.

As I set out in the recent parliamentary debate on veterans and the Armed Forces community, veterans are assets to our country, which is why the Scottish Government’s support for them is absolute. I am therefore pleased to announce today, in the week where we have just marked 100 years since the Armistice, that the Scottish Government is joining with the other Governments of the UK in launching the Strategy for our Veterans which aims to build on the care, support and respect our society gives to veterans. This strategy sets out the vision and principles that will help ensure that we respond to the needs of our veterans - both now and in the future.

To inform how we deliver the Strategy, we are also this week launching our own consultation in Scotland. The outcome of the consultation will help us to identify our priorities for veterans and consider how we shape our support services to meet their changing needs. We will engage with key stakeholders, large and small, across the public, private and 3 rd sectors. We will also continue to learn from the work of the Scottish Veterans Commissioner, the only such position in the UK, whose recommendations form a key part of setting our ambitions for the Armed Forces and veterans community in Scotland.

During this consultation process we will engage closely with the other governments across the UK, who are conducting their own consultations, to ensure that we share information on emerging findings. While there will be differences in how services are provided by the respective governments, the needs of veterans will have many common themes, which is why it why I am pleased to support this collaborative approach to which all of the governments have committed.

We will continue the consultation process until February 2019, with the aim being to report on the outcomes by early summer 2019.

Question reference: S5O-02536

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding calls for the ban on the import of chlorinated chicken to be lifted and for the UK to adopt US environmental and food safety regulations.

In my discussions with the UK Government, I have repeatedly made clear that there should be no weakening of current environmental and food safety regulations as a consequence of Brexit. I will expect Mr Gove and his Ministerial colleagues to deliver on their commitment to maintain existing standards. To that end, I have written earlier this week to Mr Gove to propose an amendment to the UK Agriculture Bill which would prohibit imports of agricultural and food products where the relevant standards are lower than those in the UK.

We also continue to underline that future trade deals must not impose changes in devolved policy areas without the explicit and prior agreement of the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5W-18934

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Vibrant Economy Index that Edinburgh has been ranked as the most vibrant place in Scotland, with the highest levels of dynamism and opportunity.

Question reference: S5O-02445

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide flexibility for recipients of universal credit.

Question reference: S5W-18540

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with delivering the Edinburgh and South East City Region Deal.

Edinburgh and its city region is an area of huge importance to the Scottish economy, containing over a quarter of Scotland’s population and contributing around £36 billion annually to the Scottish and UK economies. The Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal was signed on 7 August 2018 and aims to deliver 41,000 new homes across the region, create 21,000 jobs and improve skills in an estimated 14,700 people. The Scottish Government will contribute £300 million over a 15 year period to this project to help deliver inclusive economic growth.

Work is now being taken forward in order to develop individual business cases in order to progress them into delivery.

Question reference: S5T-01225

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recent Migration Advisory Committee report and its implications for Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-18550

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to grow exports, in light of the possible impact of Brexit.

The Scottish Government recognise that action is required to maintain and improve our export performance. The Programme for Government highlighted a range of measures designed to boost the value and range of Scottish products, services and businesses in overseas markets. A trading nation: our plan for growing Scotland’s exports will set out how we will achieve our export ambitions, working with industry and other partners, in particular the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board. The plan, which will be published in Spring next year, is underpinned by over
‎ £20 million investment over the next three years. As part of that work we will:

Invest £2 million over three years to intensively support 50 high growth businesses per year to ramp up overseas activity and create 100 new business to business peer mentorships per year for new exporters;
Build on the investment we have already made to double the number of SDI staff in Europe by expanding Scotland’s network of in-market specialists to identify untapped potential in overseas markets and support Scotland’s exporting interests;
Increase Export Finance support for Scottish companies looking to enter new markets.

The Scottish Government has also made a support grant of up to £4,000 per company available to help businesses in Scotland mitigate the risks that Brexit presents and to capitalise on export opportunities. In addition, Scottish Enterprise has created a toolkit to support businesses that includes a 15 point Brexit impacts checklist, access to export advisers and support to businesses to build an action plan specific to their needs.

Question reference: S5O-02364

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its Programme for Government means for the long-term level of infrastructure spend in Edinburgh and across Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-02345

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to develop the food and drink sector, including through the tourism industry.

This is such an important area for us in Scotland. The industry-led food and drink strategy “Ambition 2030” sets out our partnership vision for development of the Food and Drink Sector, including the importance of working closely with the tourism industry.

On 27 August the First Minister launched our first ever Food Tourism Action Plan – Food Tourism Scotland – the overarching aspiration of that is to double the annual visitor spend on food and drink to £2bn by 2030 and there are a number of actions detailed as to how we achieve that.

Question reference: S5O-02303

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the potential impact on Scotland of the UK Government’s recently published technical notices to prepare for leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.