- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Ambulance Service call-outs were made in Orkney between 1 and 31 May 2026, including, for each incident, the (a) date, (b) time that the first 999 call was made, (c) time that the call-out was completed, (d) priority colour-code(s) assigned and (e) times of any follow-up 999 calls concerning the same incident.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information as this is Scottish Ambulance Service operational data. Scottish Ambulance Service published data can be found here: Unscheduled Care Operational Statistics
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) total setup and (b) ongoing costs of the Scottish Government bond programme are in relation to (i) banks, including Banco Santander, Barclays Bank Plc, Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Bank AG, HSBC Bank Plc, Merrill Lynch International, NatWest Markets Plc, RBC Europe Limited and Standard Chartered Bank, (ii) lawyers, including Clifford Chance, (iii) advisers, including EY, (iv) ratings agencies, including Moody's and S&P, and (v) investor relations, in (A) past, (B) present and (C) future budget years.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02134 on 17 August 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported statement by S&P that its credit rating would likely be cut if it took "material steps towards independence from the UK".
Answer
All Credit Rating reports will cite factors that could influence a rating action.
Importantly, the Credit Rating results confirmed the Scottish Government as high investment grade, after assessing the credit fundamentals of the Scottish economy, the Scottish Government’s financial stewardship and the approach to debt management. These strengths remain.
In the event of fundamental constitutional change, the Scottish Government would be rated as a Sovereign Government, under a different methodology.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the total savings or additional costs arising from borrowing through Scottish Government bonds rather than through existing borrowing mechanisms over the next (a) five and (b) 10 years.
Answer
In November 2025 the Scottish Government published a summary Outline Business Case (OBC) assessing the case for the Bonds Programme. This provides an assessment of the range of total present value of additional costs in 2024-25 prices across different issuance options compared to borrowing via the NLF.
The Summary OBC can be accessed from Scottish Government bonds programme: outline business case summary - gov.scot
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many times it has met with representatives of credit rating agencies regarding the issuance of bonds under the Scottish Government bond programme, and what factors those agencies identified as material to Scotland's creditworthiness.
Answer
The Scottish Government met with the credit rating agencies in Autumn 2025, prior to the inaugural credit rating announcements. Further meetings occurred in Spring 2026 as part of the normal interim review cycle. The full range of factors considered by the agencies are available in the rating reports they each published in November 2025.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding reported external assessments indicating that borrowing through the Scottish Government bond programme could cost £100 million more than borrowing through the National Loans Fund.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02130 on 17 August 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the annual costs of maintaining a Scottish Government bond programme, including investor engagement, reporting and compliance.
Answer
The Scottish Government has a total programme budget of £2.1 million for 2026-27. Costs are expected to remain within this budget.
In any subsequent year in which Scottish Bonds are issued, programme costs are not expected to exceed the 2026-27 requirement.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken a value-for-money assessment of issuing bonds under the Scottish Government bond programme, and whether it will publish the assessment.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02130 on 17 August 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has established a maximum acceptable spread over comparable UK gilt yields when determining whether to proceed with an issuance under the Scottish Government bond programme.
Answer
Publishing any indicative credit spread prior to an inaugural issuance risks compromising the final pricing that could be achieved. For these reasons, the Scottish Government will not publicly comment on the potential spread of the first bond issuance.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has received regarding any potential impact of constitutional uncertainty on investor appetite for bonds issued under the Scottish Government bond programme.
Answer
The Scottish Government has received a range of advice over the course of the bond programme to support careful development of its borrowing plans.
The Scottish Government would act responsibly and honour its obligations in the event of constitutional change.