Mark Ruskell

13 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its response to its consultation on the licensing of activities involving animals.

5 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the bathing water site designation process will be revised.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Scotland now has the highest number of designated Bathing Water sites ever, with the vast majority classified as good or excellent and 98% overall achieving the bathing water quality standards. Under the Bathing Water (Scotland) Regulations 2008, Scottish Min…

1 Feb 2024 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, as an employer located in the zone, how it is preparing for the enforcement of the Edinburgh Low Emission Zone.

Answer · Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB): As an employer located in the Edinburgh Low Emission Zone (LEZ), there are several steps we are taking to prepare for its enforcement:Understanding the LEZ regulations: We have familiarized ourselves with the specific regulations of the Edinburgh LE…

1 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the guidance for conducting transport assessments for planning applications will be updated in line with the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Transport Scotland's Transport Assessment Guidance (2012) is the current guidance for conducting transport assessments for planning applications. We are currently monitoring the practical implementation and impact of policies contained within National Plannin…

23 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to request advice from the Climate Change Committee regarding the appropriate value of the multiplier to be applied to greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, as required by section 2C(3)(h) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 as amended.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: As required under section 2C of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, the Scottish Government plans to request advice from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) on the appropriate value of the international aviation multiplier, and other advice about emissions…

17 Jan 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the support that is available for people living with, or affected by, dementia.

18 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given as part of its planning reform programme to require greater public transparency of developers’ actions to meet the planning conditions attached to large-scale developments.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Conditions attached to any planning permission are published as part of the consent on the relevant planning authority’s publicly available Register of Applications. Any member of the public who considers that a developer may not be in compliance with any con…

18 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23014 by Neil Gray on 28 November 2023, until such time as the review of the carbon calculator is completed, how it plans to comply with policy 5(c)(ii) of the National Planning Framework 4 by ensuring that developers correctly calculate emissions f…

Answer · Neil Gray: National Planning Policy 5d) makes clear that, where development on peatland, carbon-rich soils or priority peatland habitat is proposed, a detailed site specific assessment will be required to identify: i) the baseline depth, habitat condition, quality and s…

18 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether sportscotland continues to allocate any funding to support the development of a tennis centre at Park of Keir.

Answer · Maree Todd: sport scotland’s provisional allocation of up to £5m for the development of a potential tennis facility at Park of Keir remains in place. However, at this stage, a full application for a tennis facility at Park of Keir has not been received. Any decision on …

18 Dec 2023 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the Budget will support climate action.  

13 Dec 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of its NHS Forth Valley Assurance Board.

7 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish details of any developments that it has made in relation to an indicative cap for declining incineration capacity, which it accepted as recommendation 5 of the independent review of the role of incineration in June 2022, and, if so, when.

Answer · Lorna Slater: To support future planning decisions, we accepted the review’s recommendation to develop an indicative capacity cap. It is important that any indicative cap is as robust as possible and developing such a cap is a significant piece of work. For that reason, w…

7 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how often it has met with community groups since June 2022, when it accepted recommendation 9 of the independent review of the role of incineration to facilitate the co-production of guidelines for effective community engagement by the end of 2023.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The commitment to facilitate the co-production of guidance on community engagement is a key commitment made in response to the incineration review and we are currently considering the best approach and timing for delivering it. Scottish Government has met wi…

7 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Ministers have the power to direct SEPA to refuse pollution prevention and control permits to new incineration plants under regulation 60 of the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) regulations 2012 (“the PPC regulations”) require that SEPA make impartial assessments of all PPC Permit applications and make decisions relating to environmental permits in accordance with these regulations. Whi…

7 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any risks to Scotland's native trees from the fungus, Curreya pithyophila.

Answer · Lorna Slater: An assessment of current and potential future impacts on Scotland’s native trees from the fungus Curreya pithyophila is ongoing. In late 2022, reports were received of canker and crown dieback symptoms on Scots pine at various locations across Scotland. Subs…

5 Dec 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill and Future Generations Commissioner.

Answer · Shona Robison: We have today launched our consultation on the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill, including the potential role of an Independent Commissioner for Future Generations. The consultation will run until 14 February 2024 and can be accessed at ht…

29 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of introducing ticket levy schemes at large music venues in Scotland.

23 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent correspondence it has had with the UK Government regarding the possibility of the UK joining the EU in a coordinated withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), and any impact that the UK’s continued ECT membership has on Scotland’s climate ambitions, following the Energ…

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero about the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). Following the ECT Annual Conference on 20 November 2023, Scottish Government officials contacted the UK …

16 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to align with the EU's Nature Restoration Law.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland and the EU share a high ambition for nature, and are both putting in place the actions required to meet the targets set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed in December 2022. The EU’s provisional agreement on nature restor…

16 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to align with updated Commission Regulation (EU) No 546/2011 as regards bees principles for evaluation and authorisation of plant protection products.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1441 of 31 August 2022 amended Commission Regulation (EU) 546/2011 as regards specific uniform principles for evaluation and authorisation of plant protection products containing micro-organisms. It did not amend Commission Reg…

30 Oct 2023 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on developments regarding access to bus travel.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: On 28 October 2023 the Scottish Government announced that £2 million will be made available in next year’s budget to progress free bus travel for people seeking asylum in Scotland. Work will continue to establish the most appropriate way to extend this suppor…

30 Oct 2023 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is making public transport more affordable.

25 Oct 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to residents who have been required to evacuate their properties due to deteriorating reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

25 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what assessment it has made of any additional revenue raising tools, such as ticket levies on large music events and areas, to support grassroots music venues and the talent pipeline.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government values our culture sector and the contribution of the grassroots music industry to the cultural and economic offer in Scotland. I met with Music Venue Trust on 20 September to discuss the challenges faced by grassroots music venues, an…

25 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to support grassroots music venues across Scotland.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government fully values the important contributions that grassroots music venues provide for Scotland and recognise the role venues play in skills development and the talent pipeline. I met with the Music Venue Trust on 20 September to better und…

6 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on (a) its position on aligning its Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) with Scotland’s pathway for achieving net zero and (b) whether it has discussed creating a new methodology for assessing the contribution of individual infrastructure projects withi…

Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Ministers are committed to complying fully with the requirements of section 94A of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and are engaging with Environmental Standards Scotland on this matter through the informal resolution process. To this end, the …

6 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the contribution of its latest Infrastructure Investment Plan to meeting Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

Answer · Shona Robison: Annex C of the Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP), published February 2021, used a taxonomy approach to assess planned infrastructure spend into low, neutral and high carbon categories, drawing on the annual carbon assessment of the capital budget. The 2022…

27 Sep 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of SEPA’s proposed regulatory framework on sea lice, Managing interactions between sea lice from finfish farms and wild salmonids.

20 Sep 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19419 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 July 2023, whether any more local authorities have submitted assessments to identify any roads that are appropriate for the adoption of 20mph speed limits.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Further to my response on 5 July 2023 I can confirm that a further two local authorities have now completed and submitted their road assessments. Six local authorities are still assessing their networks and Transport Scotland officials remain in contact with…

19 Sep 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations regarding taxation policy in Oxfam GB's analysis, Payment Overdue: Fair ways to make polluters across the UK pay for climate justice.