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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: S4W-27234

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) agencies and (b) projects are supported by the tourism budget.

The 2015-16 Scottish Budget states:

“The Tourism budget supports VisitScotland to promote Scotland as a tourism destination, both within the UK and in key overseas markets.”

Table 6.07 of the 2015-16 Scottish Budget sets out the level 3 detail of the tourism budget, shown in the following table with level 4 data.

	2015-16 Budget (£ million)
Tourism
Level 3	50.580
Level 4
VisitScotland (Resource)	48.000
VisitScotland (Capital)	0.700
VisitScotland (Non cash)	1.480
Tourism special projects	0.400

As the lead public body on the visitor economy in Scotland a wide range of projects are supported by VisitScotland and these are set out in the VisitScotland Corporate Plan which may be accessed using the following URL:

http://www.visitscotland.org/pdf/Final%20Corporate%20Plan%202015%20revision.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-27232

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what funding streams are available for local tourism bodies.

Financial support is available for local tourism bodies from a number of public bodies, although as funding is an operational matter for these organisations the information requested is not held centrally.

Examples of potential funding support include:

VisitScotland provides support through its growth fund, available for well researched, collaborative marketing campaigns to groups of tourism businesses operating at a local or national level, which will generate additional visitors to Scotland. The fund can support groups with up to 50% of approved total marketing costs to a maximum award of £40,000.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Enterprise (SE) are currently working with and supporting a number of tourism groups across Scotland in line with their business priorities. The nature and scale of intervention varies across the tourism groups and is driven by the specific requirements and development needs of the group, aligned to the priorities for tourism for the local area and set in the context of the ambitions of the industry led Tourism 2020 Strategy and their operating plan priorities. HIE and SE are able to support tourism groups by drawing on a number of products and services offered across their portfolios. Support can be targeted at strategy development, internationalisation, project feasibility, organisational capacity and capabilities. Where there is a clear business case for support, both organisations are able to grant in aid to tourism groups to deliver specific projects.

Scottish Natural Heritage operates a grants programme to which tourism bodies can apply if their projects fit the relevant criteria. Its most recent round had a specific priority on nature based tourism, wild foods and innovative enterprises based on sustainable use of natural assets. The focus was on projects based on wide cross-sector partnerships: those developing partnerships with businesses reliant on Scotland’s nature and landscapes in the tourism and food and drink sectors, those adding value to businesses using natural heritage based brands, and those strengthening links between wildlife sites and the local economy.

National Park authorities support tourism projects which focus on key outcomes for the National Parks. This includes maximising the benefits of national initiatives such as Visit Scotland’s focus years and promoting sustainable transport around the National Park. The authorities may make a contribution to tourism groups on a case by case basis to assist the delivery of projects to achieve these outcomes.

Question reference: S4W-27219

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the current level of inward investment is by companies based in China.

Question reference: S4W-27218

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that the economic slowdown in China will have on the Scottish economy.

As the chief economist’s latest State of the Economy report highlighted, slowing growth in the Chinese economy represents a key headwind for global economic conditions and the Scottish economy. Whilst China accounts for only a small share (2%) of Scottish international exports, slowing Chinese growth could affect the Scottish and UK economies by several channels: via exports with weaker global demand; via lower commodity prices; via company returns on overseas investment; and via financial market volatility. However, slowing growth in China must be viewed against improving conditions in Scotland’s main trading partners, the UK, US and Europe. Furthermore, the continuous growth over the last three years has demonstrated the Scottish economy’s underlying resilience given the external and domestic challenges that we have seen during this period. Latest forecasts expect Scottish economic growth of around 2.4 per cent this year, broadly in line with the expected performance of the UK economy.

Question reference: S4W-27220

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the current level of exports is from Scottish companies to China.

Question reference: S4W-27221

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to help Scottish companies affected by the economic slowdown in China.

At this early stage, Scottish Development International (SDI) and Scottish Enterprise (SE) are maintaining close links with account managed companies trading in China to monitor potential impacts. SDI and SE are already assisting Scottish companies trading with China and will remain on hand to provide guidance and support for Scottish companies as required. As the pace of growth in China remains faster than most western economies, SDI and SE will continue to encourage Scottish businesses to remain focussed on the potential that China still offers and to take a long term approach to the opportunities which the market presents.

Question reference: S4F-02948

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 September 2015

To ask the First Minister when the Scottish Government will bring forward revised proposals for greater independence of the Scottish Fiscal Commission following the recent consultation.

Question reference: S4W-27278

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 14 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government who the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform has met to discuss the proposed by-laws for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and when.

As part of my consideration of the camping management byelaw proposals submitted by the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, on 8 July 2015 I met representatives of the National Park Authority, the Loch Lomond Destination Group, the 5 Lochs Management Group & Community Council, the Loch Earn Tourism Initiative and the St. Fillans Community Council. On 3 September 2015, I met Ramblers Scotland and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland to hear about their work and their views on the proposed camping management proposals. A meeting is also being arranged with Ms Baillie.

Question reference: S4W-27250

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it gave to the Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award in each year from 2012-13 to 2014-15 and how much it has provided for 2015-16.

The Scottish Government provided £600,000 of funding for the Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award between 2012-13 and 2014-15. The funding broken down by financial year was:

£220,000 in 2012-13;

£200,000 in 2013-14;

£180,000 in 2014-15.

The Scottish Government has committed £100,000 of funding in 2015-16 for the award.

As Minister for Community Safety, I met recently with the Outward Bound Trust to hear of their work, and its positive impact on beneficiaries, and to discuss future activities associated with the awards programme and funding requirements.

Question reference: S4W-27087

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reviewing the legislation on mooring and navigation licences.