Dean Lockhart

21 Mar 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an updated estimate of how much it will cost to implement and administer the new tax bands introduced in its Budget.

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the financial and advisory support that will be offered by the Scottish National Investment Bank will be in addition to that provided by Scottish Enterprise, Highland and Islands Enterprise and the Business Gateway.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Implementation Plan recommends that the Bank should work collaboratively with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise as well as the new South of Scotland Enterprise Partnership and key partners supporting Scotland’s company base deliveri…

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the Scottish National Investment Bank Implementation Plan, whether the Scottish Futures Trust will be operated by the Scottish National Investment Bank.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Implementation Plan identifies Scottish Futures Trust as a key stakeholder and that the Bank should work collaboratively alongside Scottish Futures Trust. This will ensure that the objectives of Scottish Government in delivering value for money infrastruc…

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Scottish Investment Bank in each year since the bank was established.

Answer · Keith Brown: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have passed your query to Paul Lewis, the Interim Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, who will provide an answer to you directly.

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much assistance has been provided each year by the Scottish Growth Scheme, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Growth Scheme became operational in summer 2017. Just over £23 million was dispersed in 2017. Up to 26 March 2018, £7.4 million has been dispersed. The information requested is not available by local authority area.

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where the Scottish National Investment Bank will be based.

Answer · Keith Brown: Ministers will give consideration to the location of the bank in the next phase of planning.

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost to establish the Scottish National Investment Bank, and what its annual operating costs will be.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Implementation Plan estimates that given the scale of ambition for the Bank, and the associated scope of activity, the potential running costs for the Bank when fully established will be between £20m-£30m per annum. This is, however, subject to the full d…

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the funding that it will allocate to the Scottish National Investment Bank will be in addition to the commitment in its Budget to allocate £500 million to the Scottish Growth Scheme.

Answer · Keith Brown: Yes, the £340 million that the Scottish Government has set aside for initial capitalisation of the bank and the additional £150 million for the Building Scotland Fund – a precursor to the Bank, is new money made available from Financial Transactions.  

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce the legislation to establish the Scottish National Investment Bank.

Answer · Keith Brown: Primary legislation is required to enable the Scottish Government to formally establish and capitalise the Bank. The Implementation Plan recommends commencing this process during 2018. Ministers will consider this in the next stage of planning.  

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much will be allocated each year by the Building Scotland Fund, broken down by portfolio area.

Answer · Keith Brown: The £150 million Building Scotland Fund is a pre-cursor to the Bank with £70m made available in 2018-19. Further details about it will be made available in due course.  

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the Scottish National Investment Bank Implementation Plan, whether the Scottish Investment Bank will continue to be operated by Scottish Enterprise, or whether it will be operated by the Scottish National Investment Bank.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Plan recommends that the financing activities undertaken by and on behalf of the Scottish Government, such as Scottish Enterprise’s Scottish Investment Bank sit within the Bank. Ministers will consider the Plan and its recommendations over the coming week…

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the Scottish National Investment Bank Implementation Plan, whether the Scottish Growth Scheme will continue to be operated by Scottish Enterprise, or whether it will be operated by the Scottish National Investment Bank.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Growth Scheme is currently delivered by Scottish Government although some elements can be led by Scottish Enterprise e.g. equity investment. The Scottish National Investment Bank Implementation Plan recommends that to build on the success and sk…

15 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the (a) Building Scotland Fund and (b) Scottish National Investment Bank will be funded each year via financial transactions.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is making use of available Financial Transactions for the initial capitalisation of the Bank and for the Building Scotland Fund. As set out in the Draft Budget 2018-19 financial transactions will be used to support the Building Scotlan…

14 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to grassroots-level basketball.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government supports grassroots basketball through the national agency for sport, Sport Scotland.   Sport Scotland investment in Basketball Scotland (the Scottish Governing Body for basketball) for 2017-18 is £707,900, with up to £448,900 of this…

13 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the change in its Budget linking annual increases in poundage to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rather than the Retail Price Index (RPI) is permanent or applies to 2018-19 only.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Decisions on the inflationary measure used to set future the non-domestic poundage rate will be made in light of affordability as part of future years Budgets.

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the purpose was of the £15 million loan that it recently provided to Burntisland Fabrications (BiFab), and how much of it will be paid back.

Answer · Keith Brown: The loan facility extended by Scottish Ministers was secured on commercial terms. The terms of the loan cannot be disclosed due to commercial confidentiality. We recognise work remains to be done to secure the long term future of BiFab and will continue to o…

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is for increasing trade with (a) India, (b) Japan and (c) the United States.

Answer · Keith Brown: Scotland's Trade and Investment Strategy recognises the importance of Asia and North America to Scotland’s exporting ambitions. We work closely with SDI and relevant partners to identify trade opportunities across a range of sectors in each of those markets. …

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the value of exports to (a) India, (b) Japan and (c) the United States has been in each year since 2013.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government produces a National Statistics publication, Export Statistics Scotland, which estimates the nominal value of Scottish exports (excluding oil and gas). The value of exports for the requested countries are shown in the following table: …

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been part of the Global Scots Network in each year since 2014.

Answer · Keith Brown: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have passed your query to Paul Lewis, the Interim Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, who will provide an answer to you directly.

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been employed by Scottish Development International in each year since 2014.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-11830 on 2 November 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/parliamentarybusines…

21 Feb 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Scotland’s productivity has dropped to its lowest level in more than eight years.

16 Feb 2018 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consideration it has given to the installation of a changing places toilet on the parliamentary estate.

Answer · Kezia Dugdale: The Parliament has two changing places toilets. One is in the first aid room in the Garden Level Foyer and the other is adjacent to the shop in the Main Hall.

8 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Fife regarding the reported difficulties in recruiting community paediatricians to enable diagnostic waiting times for children and adults with autism to improve.

Answer · Shona Robison: Health Boards are responsible for providing and resourcing the services within their area and we work closely with them to support their efforts. Improving diagnostic services and increasing diagnostic capacity are Scottish Government priorities set out withi…

8 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12875 by Keith Brown on 30 November 2017, on what date the innovation and investment hub in Berlin was fully operational; when a business plan and objectives were formalised, and whether it will provide the address of the hub.

Answer · Keith Brown: On her appointment on 27 November 2017), the Head of the Innovation and Investment Hub in Germany was immediately operational, working between Scotland and Berlin until 1 February when office space was formally taken up. The address is: Scottish Government In…

8 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank will comply with international regulatory frameworks for banks including the Basel III standards for the regulation, supervision and risk management of banks.

Answer · Keith Brown: As set out in the Implementation Plan for the Scottish National Investment Bank, published on 28 February, there will be a transition and implementation period for setting up the Bank which will include securing and complying with relevant regulatory requirem…

6 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many official trips the First Minister has made each year to (a) the EU institutions, (b) EU member states and (c) other European countries since September 2014.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The First Minister's official travel is routinely published on the Scottish Government website. September 2014 - April 2016 can be found here: https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20170401123948/http://www.gov.scot/About/People/14944/travel/visitso…

6 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many trade shows Scottish Development International has organised in each of the last five years, broken down by location.

Answer · Keith Brown: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked Paul Lewis, Interim Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, to contact you directly with the information you have requested.

6 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the business case is for the closure of the Scottish Loan Fund.

Answer · Keith Brown: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have passed your query to Paul Lewis, the Interim Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, who will provide an answer to you directly.

6 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many official trips the First Minister made in each year to (a) the EU institutions, (b) EU member states and (c) other European countries between May 2011 and September 2014.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The First Minister's official travel is routinely published on the Scottish Government website. May 2011 to September 2014 can be found here: https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20170401123948/http://www.gov.scot/About/People/14944/travel/visitsove…

1 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of figures in its publication, Exports Statistics Scotland 2016, whether it will provide an estimated breakdown of the £745 million fall in professional, scientific and technical activities exports to the rest of the UK.

Answer · Keith Brown: The latest figures show exports of professional, scientific and technical activities to the rest of the UK were down £745 million in 2016 which was a 16 per cent decrease. Within this sector, the largest decrease was in architectural and engineering activiti…