Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-16537

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the three missions set for the Scottish National Investment Bank, and what assessment it has made of whether the current missions are maximising the bank's effectiveness.

The Bank’s three missions are - achieving a Just Transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2045; extending equality of opportunity through improving places by 2040; and harnessing innovation to enable our people to flourish by 2040. These missions, which reflect the ‘grand challenges’ facing Scotland over the coming decades, were set by Scottish Ministers in December 2020 to give the Bank long term strategic direction for its investment activity. Given the long term nature of these challenges and that the Bank is only just entering its third full year of operation, Ministers have no plans to review the three missions at this point.

The Bank’s recently published Impact Report provides an assessment of the Bank’s performance, including against its three missions, in 2022. This report was published on the Bank’s website on April 3 2023 ( Impact Report | Scottish National Investment Bank (thebank.scot) .

Question reference: S6W-16536

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Scottish National Investment Bank to discuss the ongoing recruitment process for a new CEO.

Question reference: S6W-16535

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance will next meet with each chief executive of Scotland’s enterprise agencies.

Question reference: S6W-16616

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the £202.6 million figure that the Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth stated to the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 7 March 2023 (Official Report, c. 14), whether it will provide a breakdown of this figure; whether the figure represented the projected cost of the Ferguson Marine contract or the actual cost, to date, and whether the figure included the (a) £45 million loan payments agreed for Ferguson Marine in 2017-18 and (b) payments from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited to Ferguson Marine under the original contract of £83.25 million.

The £202.6 million is the cost included in David Tydeman’s letter to NZET committee of 28 September 2022. The breakdown of this figure is:

£202.6m split

	801	802
Cost to complete (m)	94.8	101.6
Contingency (m)	2.7	3.5
Total cost to complete	97.5	105.1

The member will likely be aware that due diligence is ongoing on the costs to complete figure. This figure is the estimated cost to complete both vessels since public ownership. It does not include the £45 million loan payments paid to Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL) and it does not include the £83.25 million payment from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) to FMEL.

Question reference: S6W-15975

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of any potential impact of local authorities decreasing relief on non-domestic rates for empty, listed properties.

Empty Property Relief was devolved to councils on 1 April 2023, including non-domestic rates exemptions for unoccupied listed buildings. Listed buildings were specifically included following discussion with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in 2019, as set out in a letter from the then Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy to the Local Government and Communities Committee dated 7 October 2019.

The Scottish Budget 2023-24 confirmed a financial transfer of £105m to local authorities to spend at their discretion, concurrent to this devolution. This allows local authorities to tailor any support for unoccupied property, including listed buildings, to best support their local needs.

The Scottish Government will collect data from local authorities on any local relief awarded to unoccupied properties, including listed buildings, which will inform an early evaluation of the impact of the devolution of EPR in advance of the next revaluation.

Question reference: S6W-15973

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on efforts to recommence operations at Stoneywood paper mill, in Aberdeen, in light of reports from 12 February 2023 that there was about to be a "credible bid" made.

My officials in Scottish Enterprise remain in regular contact with the Joint Administrators (Interpath Advisory) and continue to work with them to consider all viable options for the Stoneywood site in Aberdeen.

The administration process continues to progress and, prior to formal marketing of the site, Interpath Advisory had re-engaged with potential interested parties in February 2023. Discussions between the Joint Administrator and interested parties continue.

Question reference: S6W-15974

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on efforts to assist the workforce of Stoneywood paper mill, in Aberdeen, since the paper mill ceased operations.

The Scottish Government, through our initiative for responding to redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE), has provided continuous support to assist the workforce of Stoneywood paper mill, in Aberdeen.

On 22 September 2022, PACE information was supplied to the administrator, Interpath Advisory, for distribution to the workforce immediately following the announcement of redundancies, to facilitate their self-referral to PACE services. As previously advised, a PACE support and employment event took place on 29 September, which was attended by approximately 136 individuals, followed by a Jobs Fair on 10 October, which was attended by approximately 500 individuals. Additional PACE support has also been routinely provided to the retained Arjowiggins staff, which included onsite delivery on 11, 24 and 31 January 2023. Further on site delivery may take place with retained staff, should demand be confirmed.

Question reference: S6O-02048

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce bullying in schools.

Question reference: S6O-01987

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it would remove its presumption against oil and gas from its Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan in the event that it received significant feedback in favour of such a move.

Question reference: S6O-01961

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the £200 million Aberdeen to Central Belt enhancement project, which aims to reduce travel times between Aberdeen and the Central Belt by 20 minutes by 2026.

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