Scope resolution operator for returning a nested class type

Question

I know that the scope resolution operator :: is used to identify and disambiguate identifiers used in different scopes.

In the example provided here C++ define class member struct and return it in a member function

class UserInformation
{
public:
    userInfo getInfo(int userId);
private:
    struct userInfo
    {
        int repu, quesCount, ansCount;
    };
    userInfo infoStruct;
    int date;
};

You can create a member function that returns a type of the nested class userInfo.

UserInformation::UserInfo UserInformation::getInfo(int userId)   <-----
{
    Userinfo x;            <-----
    infoStruct.repu = 1000;
    return infoStruct;
}

1. Why does the scope have to be stated twice in the function definition? UserInformation::UserInfo UserInformation::getInfo(int userId) It's an error if it's only stated once, but from my understanding, I thought that stating it once at the beginning, before the return value would put us in the correct scope already?
2. In the function above, I added Userinfo x; to show that the nested class type can be declared and used without the scope resolution operator. Why is that allowed?

Answer 1

1. The class scope is needed for the function return type because name lookup won't yet know of it.

You can get around that requirement if you wish with C++11 trailing function return type.

auto UserInformation::getInfo(int userId) -> UserInfo
{ ... }

2. The class scope is not needed inside the member function body because there the class scope is then obviously known.