Lewis Macdonald

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on the ability of the construction industry to secure loans for building new homes.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member the answer to question S5W-04297 on 15th November 2016. 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…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on skills in the construction sector.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The construction sector and associated supply chains are a vital part of the Scottish economy and partly depend on labour from across the EU. It is estimated that in 2015 some seven thousand employees in the construction sector were from EU member states (non…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made regarding whether (a) businesses and (b) residential premises in Scotland will lose out on the EU pledge to introduce free wifi into major EU cities by 2020.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is working to avoid a situation where Scottish projects lose out on support from the WiFi4EU initiative. As the associated funding will be available from 2017, there is likely to be a window of opportunity for Scottish projects to bene…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of Brexit on (a) it and (b) other public bodies paying at least the living wage.

Answer · Derek Mackay: No specific assessment has been made in relation to the living wage.

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on passporting for financial services in Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: Analysis published by the Scottish Government (“Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland’s Long Run Economic Performance”) on 23 August 2016 summarises the impact that leaving the EU could have on the Scottish economy based on a range of re…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many investment in Scotland proposals it is aware of that have not gone ahead since the Brexit vote.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04283 on 10 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusines…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guarantees it can give on replacing EU structural funding that will be lost as a result of Brexit.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The UK Government has recently revised its position on EU funding guarantees to cover, in full, the payment of all EU funding contracts for structural funds projects that are entered into before the date that the UK proposes to leave the EU. The Scottish Gove…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the impact of Brexit on tax revenues in Scotland.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04281 on 16 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusines…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how multinational companies with bases and operations in Scotland will be supported by it to maintain them without incurring costs.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is committed to protecting Scotland's relationship with the EU, including state aid rules, following Scotland's unequivocal vote to retain the wide range of economic and social benefits membership provides. We are considering all possi…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on exports from Scotland.

Answer · Michael Russell: Analysis published by the Scottish Government (“Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland’s Long Run Economic Performance”) on 23 August 2016 summarises the impact that leaving the EU could have on the Scottish economy based on a range of re…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on GDP in Scotland.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04281 on 16 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusines…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the estimates made by the Fraser of Allander Institute in its report to the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee regarding the economic implications of Brexit for Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: Evidence published by the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee based on analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute confirms the risks that leaving the EU poses to Scotland’s economy. The analysis forecasts that GDP could be more than 5…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many firms have indicated to it and its agencies that they are pausing or reviewing investment decisions since the Brexit vote.

Answer · Keith Brown: Our discussions with the enterprise agencies, including Scottish Development International, have indicated that the majority of companies consider it too early to gauge the specific impact of Brexit on their business or decisions to invest. In the meantime, w…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on employment levels.

Answer · Michael Russell: Analysis published by the Scottish Government (“Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland’s Long Run Economic Performance”) on 23 August 2016 summarises the impact that leaving the EU could have on the Scottish economy based on a range of re…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on business revenues in key sectors.

Answer · Michael Russell: Analysis published by the Scottish Government (“Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland’s Long Run Economic Performance”) on 23 August 2016 summarises the impact that leaving the EU could have on the Scottish economy based on a range of re…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on family incomes.

Answer · Michael Russell: Analysis published by the Scottish Government (“Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland’s Long Run Economic Performance”) on 23 August 2016 summarises the impact that leaving the EU could have on the Scottish economy. The analysis shows t…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which Lot of its Legal Services Framework it uses to obtain legal advice relating to Scotland's place in Europe.

Answer · James Wolffe: The Scottish Government has not outsourced legal advice relating to Scotland’s place in Europe under the Legal Services Framework. If it considers that it is necessary to do so it will consider how best to source that requirement, including which, if any, lot…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent under each Lot of its Legal Services Framework since May 2016.

Answer · James Wolffe: Where the Scottish Government Legal Directorate (SGLD) does not provide legal advice to the Scottish Government then the Scottish Government procures its legal advice from existing legacy contracts awarded under SGLD Frameworks (e.g. the SGLD Legal Services F…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland would continue to have access to the European Arrest Warrant system post-Brexit.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is clear that, if we leave the EU without putting successor arrangements in place for the European Arrest Warrant, the advantages of speed and the streamlined process that the European Arrest Warrant provides and which benefit all part…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01163 by Fiona Hyslop on 29 July 2016, in light of the cabinet secretary's comment that "the Scottish Government has committed to being as open and as frank as possible – with the Scottish people, as well as with the Scottish Parliament – as it expl…

Answer · James Wolffe: The Scottish Government receives legal advice on this and other EU matters on an on-going basis and will continue to do so as appropriate as it explores all options to protect Scotland’s interests and relationship with the EU. The Scottish Ministerial code …

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it procures its legal advice.

Answer · James Wolffe: Legal advice is procured via a Collaborative Framework which commenced on 1August 2015. The Scottish Government Legal Directorate (SGLD) provides the Scottish Ministers with their legal advice. In respect of legal advice which is procured, Scottish Procuremen…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland would continue to have access to Europol's data and resources if the UK Government opted out of a new European policing co-operation framework.

Answer · Michael Matheson: No. Should the UK Government take the decision not to opt in to Regulation (EU) 2016/974 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the UK's membership of Europol would cease from 1 May 2017. At that point Police Scotland would no longer be able to benefi…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that the operating and administrative costs incurred by LEADER local action groups will be met throughout the lifetime of funded projects.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The UK Government has recently revised its position on EU funding guarantees to cover in full the payment of all EU funding contracts for SRDP projects that are entered into before the UK proposes to leave the EU. The guarantee covers all payments for CAP Pil…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will guarantee the £20 million of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for digital connectivity in the Highlands and Islands if contracts cannot be secured by the date of the Autumn Statement.

Answer · Keith Brown: Derek Mackay, Scottish Government’s Finance Secretary has announced that he will be passing on the UK Government’s guarantee on European funding in full. Following the Chancellor’s statement on 3 October, that guarantee now extends to all projects formally ap…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe on 27 September 2016 (Official Report, c. 8), what proposals it has developed regarding how funding provided under the common agricultural policy could be replaced.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recognises that agriculture is one of the mainstays of Scotland's rural economy and that the CAP plays an important role in helping farmers stabilise their incomes. Our vision for the future is an agriculture industry in Scotland that…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will guarantee the £360 million of EU funding for fishing, farming and food if it is not secured by the date of the Autumn Statement.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The UK Government has recently revised its position on EU funding guarantees to cover in full the payment of all EU funding contracts for fishing, farming and food projects that are entered into before the UK proposes to leave the EU. The Cabinet Secretary fo…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the potential impact of Brexit on farm exports and incomes.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recognises that uncertainty has been created as a result of the EU referendum outcome, including on exports, and farm incomes where EU funding is an important factor. That is why my Ministerial colleagues and I have all pressed the UK …

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe on 27 September 2016 (Official Report, c. 8), what proposals it has developed regarding European Economic Area (EEA) membership and its potential impact on the common (a) agricultural and (b) fishe…

Answer · Michael Russell: The best way to protect all our interests, including those most important to rural areas, is by protecting Scotland’s place in Europe, maintaining membership of the single market and access to the free movement of labour. The Scottish Government is currentl…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide for farming after 2020, in light of the UK's decision to leave the EU.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Our vision for the future is an agriculture industry in Scotland that is innovative, profitable, sustainable and supporting economic growth. We will work closely with industry to develop the next steps to help realise that vision, and this will help inform ou…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of employees in Scotland's fishing fleet are (a) UK citizens, (b) EU citizens and (c) from elsewhere.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government 2015 Sea Fisheries Employment Report estimates that: 73 per cent of employees working in the Scottish fleet are UK citizens; 8 per cent are citizens of European Economic Area countries; and, 19 per cent are citizens of countries out…