Seòmar agus comataidhean

As indicated in the answer to question S5W-00024, as the Memorandum of Understanding does not involve any legal, contractual or funding obligations or commitments on behalf of the Scottish Government, full due diligence was not undertaken.

Written information provided was included in the material released by the Scottish Government on 31 May 2016 and which was placed in SPICe (Bib No. 57958). The broad activities of China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone were discussed with officials.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Scottish Government, China Railway No.3 Engineering Group (CR3) and SinoFortone is focused on developing a working relationship to explore possible investment in Scotland.If and where such investment involves CR3, SinoFortone and third parties then any contract would be a matter for those parties.The Scottish Government has not identified any specific projects for potential investment.

Neither company has had access to privileged Scottish Government information. Any information provided by other parties which SinoFortone and/or China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group have had discussion with is a matter for them.China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group and SinoFortone will receive the same access to information as any potential significant investor in Scotland. Some of that information is available publicly. Other information is provided to help and encourage investors to invest in Scotland to create jobs and economic growth.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01412 on 9 August 2016, on what assessment the Scottish Government made of the activities of China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group. 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

The Scottish Government is aware that since 21 March 2016 representatives of China Railway No. 3 and SinoFortone have had conversations with a number of third parties about possible investment opportunities. The Scottish Government has had no role in those conversations.

There have been no discussions between the First Minister or other Ministers and China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group or SinoFortone since 5 May 2016.At his request, Scottish Government officials participated in a short teleconference with the Chair of the Asia Scotland Institute, Roddy Gow, and Sir Richard Heygate of SinoFortone on 30 June. SinoFortone highlighted their conversations with third parties about potential investment opportunities. No other issues were discussed and a minute of the teleconference was not taken.Officials met with the Chair of the Asia Scotland Institute on 29 July. The Memorandum of Understanding was discussed along with a range of issues relating to Scotland’s relationship with Asia. A note of the meeting has been placed in SPICe (Bib No. 58117).

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01412 on 9 August 2016, on what assessment it made of the activities of China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group. 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

The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were exported on a different date and the database may have changed between the dates extracted, e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

The following table sets out the length of each trunk road managed and maintained by Scottish Ministers.