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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-07033

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00024 by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016, whether it has reassessed or plans to reassess its position on SinoFortone in light of the comments regarding the company that were made by its former director, Sir Richard Heygate, and others, in a report in The Sunday Times on 5 February 2017.

Question reference: S5W-07034

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments made to BBC Scotland by the Cabinet Secretary for Jobs, the Economy and Fair Work on 31 May 2016 that the Chinese companies proposing an investment deal were “serious and credible”, what the basis was for this assertion, and whether the cabinet secretary has reassessed or plans to reassess his position on SinoFortone in light of the comments regarding the company that were made by its former director, Sir Richard Heygate, and others, in a report in The Sunday Times on 5 February 2017.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was about developing a working relationship with Sinofortone and China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group to explore potential investment in Scotland. As is clear from the 70+ pages of information on the MoU released by the Scottish Government in May 2016, we felt able to commence that relationship on the basis of discussions with UKTI and Sinofortone’s then involvement in significant projects elsewhere in the UK. As the MoU involved no legal, contractual or funding commitment on behalf of the Scottish Government detailed due diligence was not necessary.

In terms of reassessing plans, I refer the member to the answer to question
S5W-07033 on 9 March 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-07048

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00012 by Keith Brown on 31 May 2016, what subsequent contact it has had or plans with (a) Falkirk Council and (b) Louden Castle Developments regarding its assessment of the credibility of SinoFortone.

Question reference: S5O-00719

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has examined restructuring Police Scotland in order to enable it to regain the VAT exemption lost due to its centralisation, and what assessment it has made of how this would benefit services across Scotland.