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The Scottish Government has not set a time limit for Glasgow Prestwick Airport to repay the loan support provided.

Glasgow Prestwick Airport published their Strategic Vision in October 2014. This built upon a business plan that was developed by a senior adviser and included as much of his work as possible without impinging on commercial confidentiality and the airport’s ability to operate commercially. Glasgow Prestwick Airport is finalising a new 5 year Strategic Plan for 2017 – 2022 now and this will be published shortly.

On 11 January, Andy Willox, FSB’s Scottish policy convenor, said: “The reasons for this divergence aren’t immediately clear".Brexit is by far the biggest threat to Scotland’s jobs, prosperity and economy. That is why the Scottish Government have always been clear that remaining in Europe – and maintaining full membership to the world’s largest single market of more than 500 million people – is the best option for our future. Last month we published a detailed set of proposals in “Scotland’s Place in Europe”. The Scottish Government will continue to use all available levers to foster economic growth.

As part of our support for the economy, the Scottish Government announced a package of action to reduce business rates as part of the draft budget. This includes expanding the Small Business Bonus Scheme from 2017 to lift 100,000 properties out of rates completely, while 8,000 business properties will no longer pay the Large Business Supplement, and the overall business rates poundage – the core tax rate that applies to the rateable value of business properties – will also be cut by 3.7% to 46.6p.

Care needs to be taken in reading too much into the results of a single survey result for one quarter. Other recent survey evidence has provided a more positive picture for Scotland. For example Lloyds Bank report ‘Business in Britain’ showed that business confidence increased markedly in Scotland in recent months whilst the latest CBI Industrial Trends Survey showed that in the 3 months to January 2017, the business optimism reading was higher in Scotland than the UK and had improved at its quickest pace since July 2014.

Our research has indicated that integrated project insurance (IPI) can be a positive contributor to a successful public project and was considered as part of the Review of Scottish Public Sector Procurement in Construction which published in October 2013. We have offered support to contracting authorities to undertake a pilot. To date no projects have been identified where an IPI pilot would be appropriate. We remain ready to offer support to those looking to pilot IPI.

European Union membership has been vitally important for attracting inward investment into Scotland as it allows companies free access to European markets. There are currently 1,000 EU-owned companies in Scotland employing 127,110 people. Ernst and Young estimate that since 2006, Foreign Direct Investment in Scotland has created nearly 40,000 jobs. According to the most recent data, Scotland secured more Foreign Direct Investment projects than any part of the UK outside of London.

Lower Foreign Direct Investment is just one of the channels through which the economy will be affected should the UK leave the single market. A Scottish Government analysis, "Potential Implications of the UK leaving the EU on Scotland's Long Run Economic Performance", was published in August 2016 and highlighted that by 2030, a hard Brexit could reduce Scottish GDP by £3.7bn - £11.2bn (£700 to £2,100 per capita).

A copy of the analysis is on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00504615

The Review of Scottish Public Sector Procurement in Construction, published in October 2013, recommended that cash retentions should only be used after careful consideration by contracting authorities, and not as a default measure, and that more detailed guidance was required to help contracting authorities make appropriate and proportionate decisions regarding their use. We are currently developing that guidance in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, and will consider the feasibility of ring fencing retentions along with possible alternatives to them.

Scottish Development International (SDI) is a tripartite arrangement between Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. SDI provides support for companies to establish and grow their businesses in Scotland and help companies to expand their international trade. Scottish Development International is continually working with Scottish companies to help them achieve their international growth ambitions. The information requested is contained in the following table, and is subject to change:

Migrant workers make a valuable contribution to our country and are an important part of Scotland’s future. We consider immigration as a positive lever in contributing to the Scottish economy, society and population and the Scottish Government published two analytical reports on the characteristics and contribution that migrants make to Scotland on 28 October 2016: ‘Characteristics of migrants in Scotland: Analysis of the 2011 Census’ and ‘The Impacts of migrants and migration into Scotland’ While the Scottish Government has not undertaken any specific assessment of the contribution of migrant workers to industries that export, the Scottish Government has published relevant data on the value of exports by industry and National Records for Scotland has published information on the number of migrant workers by industry:

Information is published by the Scottish Government on industries which export in the publication Export Statistics Scotland. The latest information was published for 2014 on the 27 January 2016 at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/Exports/ESSPublication

Information on number of migrants employed by detailed industry is published by National Records of Scotland from Scotland Census 2011 and can be accessed on the Scotland’s Census web site in table ‘CT_0171a_2011 – Migrant status (1) by Industry (detailed)’ accessible via the ‘Scotland Census Table index’ at: http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ods-web/data-warehouse.html

European Directive 2014/24/EU on Public Procurement introduced the concept of a European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) for public procurements and this has been given effect in Scotland in the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. When bidding for a public contract, all companies are required to submit an ESPD as a formal statement declaring that they do not breach any of the exclusion grounds, and that they meet any minimum standards set by the buying organisation in relation to their capacity and capability to perform the contract.

In addition, statutory guidance published in March 2016 under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, states that the ESPD should also be used for regulated procurements below the EU contract threshold values.

As part of the process of implementing the 2015 Regulations, a public consultation asked whether the Regulations should require or to give discretion to public bodies to verify whether there are grounds for the exclusion of subcontractors, in some limited circumstances through the use of the ESPD. The 2015 Regulations support the overwhelming view of responses, which was for public bodies to have discretion to decide when it is appropriate to ask for that information based on each individual case.

Scottish Development International (SDI) is a tripartite arrangement between Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. SDI provides support for companies to establish and grow their businesses in Scotland and help companies to expand their international trade. SDI’s programme of international market events (held both in Scotland and abroad) are designed to support an increase in international trade and investment and form part of an integrated package of international support for the Scotland’s sectors and companies. SDI undertake a robust appraisal process for each event and following each event companies are asked for feedback including any potential international sales secured. However, there is in most cases a lag between attending the event and securing international orders. SDI is currently undertaking a formal evaluation of all its international activity which will include international market events. Scottish export statistics are published on an annual basis.

The following table contains a breakdown of trade delegations since May 2016: