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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-03524

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that 3% of the high-growth companies assisted by Scottish Enterprise are led by women.

The latest Equality Mainstreaming Report from 2015 showed that the overall proportion of companies with female ownership rose from 40% in 2012-13 to 46% in 2013-14.

The 3% figure quoted relates to a subset of SE account managed companies contained within the report representing less than 20% of the account managed portfolio. Whilst this is a disappointing figure, it cannot be taken as representative of the overall picture.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that all of Scotland’s people can benefit from participation in enterprising activity. That is why in 2014 we launched a co-developed policy framework and action plan for women in enterprise which we are currently reviewing to ensure it remains effective. This remains the only Framework of its kind in the EU.

Question reference: S5W-03757

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the efficiency savings of its Strategic Forum have been in each year since the establishment of the Efficiency Programme, also broken down by the percentage of the total savings that was attributed to each Strategic Forum partner.

2012-13

(£m)

2013-14

(£m)

2014-15

(£m)

2015-16

(£m)

Percentage of the total savings achieved that was attributed to each Strategic Forum partner.

Body

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
(£m)	(£m)	(£m)	(£m)

Scottish Enterprise

58%

43%

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

11%

VisitScotland

18%

14%

Skills Development Scotland

Scottish Funding Council

13%

29%

Question reference: S5W-03756

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the efficiency savings targets of its Strategic Forum have been in each year since the establishment of the Efficiency Programme.

Question reference: S5W-04605

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action VisitScotland has taken to encourage applications from community groups to purchase the Clock Tower in Helensburgh.

The Helensburgh Clock Tower was put on the market at the beginning of August 2016.

Whilst not within the scope of the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015 VisitScotland has already been engaging with a number of relevant community groups and Councillors regarding the requirement to dispose of the Helensburgh Clock Tower. This was undertaken as part of the discussion of options for the ongoing provision of visitor information in Helensburgh, such as through the VisitScotland Information Partner programme.

A closing date of 25 November was set to allow all interested parties to submit their bids and proposals for the property.

Question reference: S5W-04401

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government which countries have been the largest investors in Scotland in each year since 2011-12.

The Ernst & Young (EY) Attractiveness Surveys provide data on the number of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects by country of origin. Table 1 provides detail on the top 5 countries in terms of the number of FDI projects into Scotland for 2012 to 2015.

Table 1: Top 5 countries of origin for FDI projects into Scotland, 2012 to 2015

Rank

2012

2013

2014

2015

Country

Project

Country

Project

Country

Project

Country

Project

1	USA	41%	USA	33%	USA	47%	USA	43%
2	France	11%	France	11%	France	6%	France	14%
3	Germany	9%	Australia	9%	Japan	5%	Germany	8%
4	Japan	7%	Germany	9%	Switzerland	5%	Norway	6%
5	Norway	7%	Canada	6%	Norway	4%	Canada	5%

Source: Ernst & Young Attractiveness Surveys

Question reference: S5W-03967

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government in which countries Scottish Development International has had a permanent base in each year since 2011-12.

Details of Scottish Development International’s office locations in each year since 2011-12 to 2016-17 can be found in the following table:

SDI Office Locations

Year

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Field Ops - Americas

Brazil		1	1	1	1	1
Canada	2	2	2	2	2	2
US	5	5	5	5	5	5
TOTAL	7	8	8	8	8	8

Field Ops – Asia Pacific

Australia & New Zealand	1	1	1	1	1	1
China	2	4	4	4	4	4
India	2	2	2	3	3	3
Japan	1	1	1	1	1	1
Singapore	1	1	1	1	1	1
South Korea	1	1	1	1	1	1
Taiwan	1	1	1	1	1	1
TOTAL	9	11	11	12	12	12

Field Ops – Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)

Denmark	1	1	1	1	1	1
France	1	1	1	1	1	1
Germany	1	1	1	1	1	1
Ghana		1	1	1	1	1
Norway		1	1	1	1	1
Russia	1	1	1	1	1	1
Saudi Arabia			1	1	1	1
UAE	1	1	1	1	1	1
UK - England	1	1	1	1	1	1
TOTAL	6	8	9	9	9	9
TOTAL NUMBER OF SDI OFFICES	22	27	28	29	29	29

Question reference: S5W-03460

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether introducing a requirement for fair work practice for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise account-managed businesses is being considered as a condition of support.

Question reference: S5W-04573

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02561 by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 September 2016, whether it will provide an update on the progress that it is making on establishing the ministerial trade board; what the board’s (a) budget, (b) remit and (c) membership will be, and when it will first meet.

Question reference: S5W-04620

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03816 by Keith Brown on 9 November 2016, what financial contribution is made by (a) the MoD and (b) other countries in respect of military flights from other countries.

Question reference: S5W-04622

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03813 by Keith Brown on 9 November 2016, how many cargo flights have there been per day in each year since 2011.