Mark Ruskell

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps Forestry and Land Scotland has taken to support the implementation of Scotland's Beaver Strategy 2022-2045 in relation to actively expanding the beaver population into new areas.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is well placed to assist with the implementation of the Scottish Government policy to expand the range and size of the beaver population within Scotland over the next 10 years. It is working closely with colleagues in Scottis…

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering expanding Low Emission Zones to cities beyond Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen, in light of the latest reported figures on air quality from Friends of the Earth Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The need for Low Emission Zones (LEZs) is for individual local authorities to consider based on specific air quality parameters within their respective areas. To date, no further LEZ proposals have been submitted for Ministerial consideration.

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact Low Emission Zones have had on air quality in Scotland’s cities, in light of reported figures published by Friends of the Earth Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I welcome these positive achievements on air quality, which show that our actions to tackle air pollution are delivering for the people of Scotland. The modelling undertaken by each of the cities shows that the Scottish LEZs are capable of delivering signifi…

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12396 by Jenny Gilruth on 5 December 2022, whether it will provide an update on how many young people have now received a free bus pass through the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme, broken down by local authority area, based on the …

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The table below shows the number of cardholders under the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme as of the end of the day on 31 December 2022, broken down to local authority level. This data is supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO…

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12397 by Jenny Gilruth on 6 December 2022, whether it will provide an update on how many journeys have been completed by young people using a free bus pass through the Young Persons' (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme, based on the latest informatio…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As of the end of the day on 31 December 2022, there had been a total of 40,204,064 journeys made under the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme.

5 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what priorities it has to support the long-term sustainability of Channel 4’s operations in Scotland.

Answer · Angus Robertson: While broadcasting is reserved, the Scottish Government wholeheartedly supports public service broadcasting and Channel 4’s important and distinctive role in that system. Channel 4 continues to deliver high quality outcomes for people in Scotland and we are c…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how changes to liquefied petroleum gas supplies in Scotland are affecting the fuel security of domestic customers.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13547 on 16 January 2023. 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-committ…

20 Dec 2022 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Onshore Wind Policy Statement, following the consultation into the draft statement between October 2021 and January 2022.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Today the Scottish Government has published the Onshore Wind Policy Statement, which can be accessed on the Scottish Government website ( https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805253754 ). This is the result of careful consideration of the 162 responses received du…

13 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to expanding the UV treatment of sewage to outside of bathing seasons.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Bathing Waters (Scotland) Regulations 2008 (“the Regulations”) aims to minimise the risks to public health at designated locations and during periods when large numbers of people bathe. For all 87 designated bathing waters in Scotland the bathing season r…

7 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08334 by Tom Arthur on 17 May 2022, whether it will provide an update on phase 3 of the review of permitted development rights.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The phasing of the PDR review programme is kept under review to ensure that it reflects – and helps to promote – wider Scottish Government objectives. The stakeholder update which I issued with the Chief Planner in October 2022 confirmed that, in light of t…

21 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on the Bute House Agreement commitment to set evidence-based targets for both native woodlands and natural regeneration as part of the 2022 Biodiversity Strategy.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: As part of the development of our new Strategic Framework for biodiversity we have recently consulted on a new Biodiversity Strategy where we set out our high level vision to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and reverse declines by 2045. Consultation responses …

19 Nov 2022 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the outcome of COP27.

17 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10308 by Jenny Gilruth on 12 September 2022, whether it will provide an update on how many journeys have been completed by young people using a free bus pass through the Young Persons' (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme, based on the latest informat…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As of the end of the day on 21 November 2022, there had been a total of 34,018,746 journeys made under the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme.

17 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10307 by Jenny Gilruth on 20 September 2022, whether it will provide updated figures on how many young people have now received a free bus pass through the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme, broken down by local authority, based on t…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The following table shows the number of cardholders under the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme as of the end of the day on 21 November 2022, broken down to local authority level. This data is supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (N…

16 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in delivering the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme commitments on the extension of 20 mph speed limits across Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The national strategy for 20 mph continues to make good progress with the Scottish Government supporting local authorities with an additional £1.4 million in funding to undertake the necessary assessments to identify the number of roads affected and the finan…

15 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is meeting the Global Methane Pledge.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We are in discussion with the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on what action is required for the UK to meet the pledge. Within Scotland, methane is emitted from a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources; agricultural activities, landfills and…

10 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to protect freshwater habitats from diffuse agricultural pollution.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government is committed to protecting freshwater habitats from diffuse agricultural pollution. Responsibility for regulation of agricultural diffuse pollution lies with SEPA. Since 2009, through River Basin Management Planning SEPA has identifie…

31 Oct 2022 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government will be building on the legacy from the Glasgow Climate Pact by attending COP27 in Egypt.

28 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by when it anticipates Police Scotland’s dashcam safety portal will be operational. 

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Programme for Government 2021-22 stated that we will work alongside Police Scotland to develop an online reporting system that will enable anyone to upload camera footage of dangerous road use. The National Dashcam Safety Portal (NDSP) initiative, which d…

28 Oct 2022 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress in relation to its Heat in Buildings Strategy.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: We laid a brief update before parliament last week on progress against our Heat in Buildings Strategy since its publication in 2021: https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-in-buildings-strategy-2022-update/ . Delivering the Strategy will be an essential pa…

26 Oct 2022 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to displaced people from Ukraine who are moving from temporary accommodation into permanent housing.

15 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government about the impact of so-called supertrawlers, fishing boats over 100 meters in length, within the Scottish Zone and the Faroes Special Area.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The management of Scottish waters is an area of devolved competency. Whilst there are currently no supertrawlers in the Scottish fishing fleet, a number of other fleets operate within Scottish waters, including a small number of EU supertrawlers. As well as v…

22 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how third sector organisations could benefit from accessing its electricity framework agreement.  

Answer · Ivan McKee: The national framework for the Supply of Electricity wholesale volumes are bought up to 2½ years in advance in tranches, following a proven ‘hedging’ purchasing strategy overseen by a cross-sectoral Risk Management Committee. The Committee comprises senior ma…

22 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been conducted to assess the potential of rail freight facilities serving docks in the Levenmouth area.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Recognising the important part that rail plays in facilitating longer distance journeys, the draft STPR2 recommendations published for consultation in January 2022 included one concerning investment in rail freight terminals and facilities. This recommendatio…

21 Sep 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to consult further on electoral reform in Scotland.

20 Sep 2022 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is regarding the impact in Scotland of the reported plans of the UK Government to grant up to 130 new oil and gas exploration licences.

14 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the 1,000 Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) that Scottish Water announced it will be monitoring as part of its Improving Urban Waters Route Map, and where monitoring data from these CSOs will be published.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Water is currently prioritising the CSOs which it intends to monitor as part of its Improving Urban Waters Route Map. Scottish Water will consider proximity to designated water bodies (for example Bathing Waters), high amenity areas, predicted spill …

8 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with its consideration on joining the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In line with the Scottish Government’s evidence based approach to policy development, we have committed to undertaking a programme of work and analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how this aligns with o…

8 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its Programme for Government 2021-22 commitment to publish a programme of work and analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as it transitions to net zero.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In the 2021-22 Programme for Government and as part of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Government committed to undertake an in-depth analysis to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero. Work …

7 Sep 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is addressing court backlogs that are reportedly leading to young people being held on remand for longer than 140 days in young offenders institutions.