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£283 million was set against the Scottish Government’s borrowing cap in 2015-16. This meant that the budget cover available from the borrowing facility was utilised to cover non-cash costs without having to draw down funds and incur the interest costs normally associated with borrowing.

There is no guarantee required for NPD projects. The provision set out in the
2016-17 Draft Budget published last December to reflect the budgeting treatment of the capital costs of NPD projects is £398 million. No decision has been taken yet on borrowing requirements in 2016-17.

The answer to this question varies depending on the grade of staff. For Scottish Government staff in lower paid grades, there have been real term increases in average salary between 2011 and 2016. This reflects specific measures put in place by Scottish Ministers in their Public Sector Pay Policy to support lower paid staff at a time of continued real term reductions in public sector budgets for Scotland flowing from the UK Spending Round. For staff in higher paid grades, there have in some cases been real term decreases in average salaries between 2011 and 2016. The position for the majority of Scottish Government staff is that there has been a real term increase in average median salary between 2011 and 2016 ranging between 2.7% and 3.9% depending on grade.

The 2017-18 pay policy allows for the following increases in pay:

• an overall 1 per cent cap on the cost of the increase in the baseline paybill for those earning more than the low pay threshold of £22,000

• an increase of £400 for all staff with a full-time equivalent salary of less than the low pay threshold

• a commitment to paying at least the Scottish Living Wage

• allow individual employers to reach their own decisions about pay progression where staff are eligible to move towards the maximum rate for the job

Full details of the 2017-18 pay policy are available at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/public-sector-pay

This link also contains a list of the public bodies that are directly covered by the Scottish Government’s pay policy.

Historic Environment Scotland are responsible for operations at Dumbarton Castle and at Scotland's other historic properties in care. I understand that Historic Environment Scotland wrote to the member on 22nd December detailing their forward plans for Dumbarton Castle, including the removal of scaffolding from the Governor’s House.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information by calendar year. However, since the Scottish Government took ownership, the income achieved, along with the operating loss, as reported in the Statement of Profit and Loss in the TS Prestwick Holdco Limited annual report and financial statements are:

Between January 2016 and November 2016 a total of 10,313 tonnes of freight was transported through Glasgow Prestwick Airport. These are the latest figures available at this time.

The September 2016 Programme for Government indicated that we would take further action to boost exports, maintain and attract investment and actively demonstrate that Scotland is open for business. This was reflected in the four point plan to boost Scotland’s export performance, including plans to establish an Innovation and Investment Hub in Berlin, announced by the First Minister on 15 October 2016. We have regular dialogue with Scottish Development International on operational activities to deliver our trade and investment objectives. The Berlin Hub formed part of continuing discussions about increasing our presence in Europe following the outcome of the EU Referendum.

There have been 1,659 inbound military flights to Glasgow Prestwick Airport between January 2016 and November 2016. These are the latest figures available at this time.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information by calendar year. However, the gross revenue generated from all military flights by financial year is:

• 2013-14 - £796,657

• 2014-15 - £966,822

• 2015-16 - £1,058,727

The airport have recorded a total of 647,813 passengers using the airport between January 2016 and November 2016. These are the latest figures available at this time.