Dean Lockhart

13 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it makes available to businesses seeking to take advantage of opportunities presented by the (a) 2019 Rugby World Cup and (b) 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Japan.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Scottish Government through SDI support will provide assistance to businesses. We will be announcing the details of the available programmes along with particular pieces of activities shortly. It is anticipated that opportunities will be significantly trade-…

11 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Chinese students enrolled at higher education institutions in Scotland in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The number of Chinese students enrolled in Scottish HEIS over the last two years is as follows. Chinese domiciled enrolments at Scottish HEIs  2016-17 2017-18 Enrolments 9,465 10,405 Source: HESA student data All enrolments have been rounded to neares…

5 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there are no barriers to businesses accessing broadband.

28 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown by origin of inward investment into Scotland, including from the rest of the UK, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: I have place the answer in the Parliament’s Reference centre, BIB number 60521.

27 Feb 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the feasibility study on junction improvements on the A84 near Blair Drummond Safari Park will be completed.

26 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5F-03084 by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 February 2019 (Official Report, c. 22), whether it will confirm what new business contracts and investment were agreed during the First Minister's visits.

Answer · Ivan McKee: North America is one of Scotland’s most important markets with 550 US-owned enterprises employing more than 106,000 people and 40 Canadian-owned firms employing nearly 4,000 people. In the face of Brexit, with Scotland being taken out of the Single Market an…

20 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21724 by Fiona Hyslop on 20 February 2019, how many people will be employed at the Paris hub, and whether it is located in the British consulate building on rue d'Anjou.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are currently two members of staff employed in the Scottish Government Hub in Paris with a third member of the team currently being recruited. The Hub is co-located with Scottish Development International (SDI), within the British Consulate building at …

7 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the build-out rate for large housing development sites in each local authority area.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for planning authorities and local authorities.

7 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many large housing development sites with outline planning permission there are in each local authority area, broken down by the number of houses.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for planning authorities and local authorities.

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce child and adolescent mental health waiting times in NHS (a) Forth Valley and (b) Fife.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Our 2018 Programme for Government has mental health at its very heart. It contains a package of measures to support positive mental health and prevent mental ill health, and is backed by £250 million of additional investment. There is a clear focus on childre…

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in research and development as a proportion of GDP in each of the last five years.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The following table shows Scottish Government net expenditure on research and development over the last five years for which data are available. Note that the following figures exclude Scottish Funding Council grants to universities for research and developme…

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of LINK’s decision to introduce a "super premium" for some ATMs in rural or deprived communities.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I met with the Payment System Regulator in December 2018 and intend to meet with Which? in the near future, to discuss their continuing campaign to protect free ATM access, among other issues, and will encourage them to continue their efforts to safeguard ess…

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in closing the productivity gap in Scotland.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Latest figures for productivity in Scotland will be released on 6 February 2019. Between 2007 and 2017, Scotland’s productivity has increased by 5.7% in total, or 0.6% per year on average. This compares to a UK increase of 1.9% in total, or 0.2% per year on …

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Japanese students have enrolled at higher education institutions in each of the last five years.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The number of Japanese domiciled enrolments at Scottish Higher Education Institutions for the last 5 years have been provided in the following table. Japanese Enrolments at Scottish Providers Scottish Provider 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 T…

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Development International (SDI) offices there are, and how many are located at British embassies.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: SDI has 35 international offices (36 including Glasgow) - 26 of these are physically located within either a British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission.

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much Scottish Enterprise has received through clawback from its investments in each of the last five years.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have passed your query on to Steve Dunlop, the Chief Executive, and asked him to respond to you directly.

8 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the non-savings, non-dividend (NSND) income tax revenue it has raised in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) band and (b) percentage.

Answer · Derek Mackay: HMRC are responsible for publishing non-savings non-dividend (NSND) income tax outturn for Scotland. The data are published around 15 months following the end of the tax year, primarily due to the time Self-Assessment taxpayers have to complete their tax retu…

7 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for people affected by servitude law, and how it enforces legal rights relating to maintenance without the complainant incurring significant legal costs.

Answer · Ash Denham: A dispute arising from servitude law (access rights) is a civil matter. The Scottish Government encourages individuals to find a resolution to a problem out with a court, where possible such as the use of a mediation service which can help to bring the parti…

20 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which capital projects had an underspend in 2017-18, broken down by the (a) amount and (b) reason.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The following figures are from activities reported within the published 2017-18 Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts and rounded to the nearest £million The list provides details of ‘projects’ as requested and as such excludes other capital expenditure b…

13 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional tax revenue from business rates will be generated in 2019-20 from the increase in the poundage rate, broken down by sector.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The estimated additional Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) Income for 2019-20 generated by the annual increase to the poundage rate, broken down by property type, is shown in the following table. CLASS Estimated additional NDR income (£m) Advertising 0.1 Care Fac…

11 Dec 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that its social enterprise strategy makes use of public procurement policy to promote social enterprise.

6 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what losses (a) it and (b) its agencies have realised in relation to investments of over £1 million in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The annual accounts of all Scottish public bodies are published online and provide detail of all losses, in accordance with the requirements in the Scottish Public Finance Manual and the Financial Reporting Manual. Losses in excess of £250,000 are identified…

6 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many shares it has in Burntisland Fabrications Limited (Bi-Fab) and what their market value is.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government currently holds a 28% shareholding in BiFab which, under the agreed facility, could rise to a maximum of 38%. BiFab shares are not actively traded in any financial markets. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting BiFab re-es…

6 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many shares in Burntisland Fabrications Limited (Bi-Fab) it has sold, and on what date, also broken down by the (a) purchase and (b) selling price of these. 

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has not sold any shares in BiFab.  

4 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19894 by Mairi Gougeon on 27 November 2018, which other organisations are involved in the development of the Sea Eagle Action Plan; when the plan will be publicly available, and whether there will be any consultations on the plan other than with tho…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In addition to the partners referred to in the answer to S5W-19894, the Scottish Crofters Federation, Forestry Commission Scotland and the Scottish Rural Colleges are also involved in the development of the Sea Eagle Action Plan. The plan is a working docume…

13 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is implementing to manage white-tailed eagles.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Scottish Natural Heritage operates the Sea Eagle Management Scheme which supports farmers and crofters to manage impacts. The scheme provides advice on a range of management methods, and farmers and crofters can apply for financial support of up to £1,500 per…

13 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to farmers to adapt farming practices to accommodate white-tailed eagles.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage are currently working with partners, including the National Farmers Union Scotland and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, to deliver a Sea Eagle Action Plan which will build on the current Sea …

8 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much Scotland-based businesses have raised from e-commerce sales in each year since 2016.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The latest available data for e-commerce are at the UK level and for 2016. Using UK data and apportioning to Scotland based on business turnover it can be estimated that e-commerce sales in Scotland were of the order of £26.4bn in 2016.

8 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Scottish Development International offers to companies to trade via e-commerce, and whether this is reviewed on an annual basis.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Building on the e-commerce activity carried out by Business Gateway as part of their Digital Boost programme, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International work together to provide additional support focussed support, especially aimed at internat…

7 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Japanese students enrolled at higher education institutions in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The number of Japanese domiciled enrolments at Scottish Higher Education Institutions for 2016-17 have been provided in the following table. Data relating to the 2017-18 enrolments at Scottish Higher Education Institutions will not be available until January …