Parliamentary questions
Mark Ruskell
1,773 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last published a report on safe staffing levels in early learning and childcare provision.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The legislative requirements in relation to safe staffing levels in Early Learning and Childcare settings falls under The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act which was enacted on 1 April 2024. The Act is applicable to all health and care staff in Scotla…
26 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the safe staffing guidance for early learning and childcare settings has been reviewed, including in relation to safe staffing levels when supporting children with additional support needs.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The legislative requirements for Early Learning and Childcare settings falls under The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act which was enacted on 1 April 2024. The Act is applicable to all health and care staff in Scotland. Statutory guidance was publishe…
26 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on (a) what new action it has taken to reduce waiting times for gender-affirming care at Glasgow's Sandyford Gender Identity Clinic, and (b) what funding it has allocated in the Budget 2026-27 to support this work.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government continues to work closely with Health Boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to improve the delivery and accessibility of gender identity services in Scotland.Since December 2022, the Scottish Government has invested over &po…
20 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the £60 million Bus Infrastructure Fund is included under the Active and Sustainable Travel budget, rather than having its own line in the 2026-27 Budget.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The ‘Support for Active Travel’ budget line was re-named ‘Support for Active and Sustainable Travel’ when the Bus Infrastructure Fund was launched at the start of financial year 2025-26 and brings together programmes and investment des…
20 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the active travel budget being underspent over the last two years of budget decisions, for what reason it was reduced in the Autumn revision of the Budget.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The active travel budget was adjusted in the Autumn Budget Revision. The original 2025-26 active travel budget was £164.8 million, comprising £12.4 million resource and £152.4 million capital. In addition, a further £23.9 million for C…
18 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) has considered creating guidelines for Scotland relating to the way that Business Improvement District (BID) levies are set and enforced and (b) plans to introduce a public record of the levies being charged by BID companies across Scotland.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government has no plans to produce guidelines on how BID levies should be set or enforced, as this is a matter for individual BIDs operating within the existing framework of the Business Improvement Districts (Scotland) Regulations 2007.We do, ho…
18 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to shape incinerator capacity once all planned incinerator facilities have entered into the full consultation process.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste Hierarchy in Scotland made it clear that Scotland does not need additional waste incineration facilities to treat our unavoidable and unrecyclable municipal residual waste, beyond those for which…
18 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to waste being sent for incineration in Scotland, whether (a) it knows where this waste comes from and (b) it is possible for waste to be sent from other parts of the UK to be burned in Scotland's incinerators.
Answer · Gillian Martin: SEPA collect waste returns from waste sites in Scotland and those returns indicate where waste inputs originate.Although uncommon, waste can travel from across the UK to Scotland for incineration. SEPA data shows small amounts of waste incinerated in Scotland…
18 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its recent agreement with Environmental Standards Scotland regarding action to prevent excess incineration capacity, whether it plans to conduct its revised incinerator capacity analysis earlier than 2027, and when it plans to publish this analysis.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is working with Zero Waste Scotland to update their latest capacity analysis and expect to publish the results in 2026.This work will inform the development of Scotland's residual waste plan to 2045.
18 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what resources it estimates will be required to conduct a revised incinerator capacity analysis.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is working in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) to undertake an update of their recent capacity analysis, and is being covered as part of ZWS's activities covered under its annual block grant as a non-departmental public body.…
17 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address any issues regarding the potential financial burden or loss of living-cost funding associated with the different Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) funding paths for modular routes of study, such as HNC/HND to degree progression courses, which are n…
Answer · Ben Macpherson: Eligibility for higher education student support is assessed by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) at the beginning of each separate course. Students progressing from an HNC or HND to a degree are therefore subject to a new assessment and there are exi…
17 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support youth organisations to include trans young people, in light of the UK Supreme Court’s judgment in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers and any subsequent updates to equality guidance.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government has been clear since the Supreme Court ruling that it accepts the judgment. As such, it is taking forward the actions required in response to the ruling.Trans and non-binary people are a small, marginalised group of 0.44% of Scotland&r…
17 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Supreme Court’s judgment in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers and any subsequent updates to equality guidance reportedly leading some youth organisations to exclude trans children and young people from their serv…
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government accepts the judgment of the Supreme Court. The Court emphasised that this decision does not diminish the protections against discrimination and harassment that trans people are entitled to under the Equality Act 2010, whether or not th…
13 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions nationally, and what steps it is taking to ensure that respiratory health is prioritised nationally.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Assessments of respiratory prevalence and emergency hospital admissions are produced and published by Public Health Scotland, including data for NHS Grampian and national averages. The Scottish Government draws on these official statistics rather than underta…
13 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the potential role of a respiratory framework in reducing winter pressures on the NHS by simultaneously improving outcomes for long-term respiratory conditions and short-term respiratory illnesses such as the flu.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government’s strategic direction for respiratory care is currently set through the Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland. This work supports resilience across the health system throughout the year, including during periods of increased …
8 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential environmental impact, what its position is on the decommissioning and storage of nuclear submarines at dockyards in Scotland, including Rosyth.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The only site in Scotland that is used for decommissioning and storing nuclear submarines is the Royal Rosyth Dockyard in Fife. The Scottish Government’s position is that this activity must be undertaken under the strict oversight of the relevant indepe…
7 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the UK Government report, Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security.
Answer · Gillian Martin: We welcome DEFRA's strategic assessment report on Nature security and the attention it brings to the critical importance of biodiversity both domestically and globally. We will take these findings into consideration as we work to deliver our biodiversity ambi…
3 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to a requirement for greyhounds exiting the racing industry to have a complete veterinary history, including full disclosure of any injuries or medical conditions resulting from racing.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Detailed consideration for such a proposal is not considered necessary: the Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2025 requires that anyone selling or otherwise transferring ownership of any dog must give regard to a Code of Practice setting out a range of considera…
3 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms are in place to ensure that all greyhounds residing in Scotland have microchips registered with approved database operators.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: In Scotland Under The Microchipping of Dogs (Scotland) Regulations 2016 all owners are legally obligated to ensure their dog’s microchip details are recorded on a compliant database, and to keep their dog’s microchip details up to date.Any owner …
3 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what enforcement mechanisms are in place to mitigate issues arising from a greyhound having a microchip registered with a non-approved database operator.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Under the 2016 Regulations all dogs in Scotland must be microchipped and the details recorded on a compliant database, regardless of breed. If a dog is not microchipped or that chip is registered with a non-compliant database the owner could be fined up to &p…
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding seafarers’ employment rights on any new roll-on, roll-off ferry services between Rosyth and Dunkirk.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government has not had recent discussions with the UK Government regarding seafarers’ employment rights on the prospective Rosyth-Dunkirk ferry service.The UK Government Employment Rights Bill received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025 and i…
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has discussed the Fair Work Convention with (a) DFDS, (b) Ptarmigan Shipping and (c) trade unions, in relation to the crewing of vessels on any new roll-on, roll-off ferry services planned between Rosyth and Dunkirk.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government has not held discussions regarding the Fair Work Convention in relation to the crewing of vessels on the prospective Rosyth-Dunkirk ferry service. As employment law is reserved, any new ferry service will be required to comply with UK …
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of (a) seafarer and (b) port jobs in Scotland that could be created by the introduction of a roll-on, roll-off passenger and freight ferry service between Rosyth and Dunkirk, and whether it will discuss these matters with representatives from the m…
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government has not made an estimate of the number of jobs that could be created by a ferry service between Rosyth and Dunkirk. This is a commercial consideration for the prospective ferry operator and port authority.Any new ferry service will be …
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-40006 by Fiona Hyslop on 18 September 2025, what recent discussions it has had with the operator regarding the Fair Work First criteria in the granting of public funds.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Fair Work First is a key aspect of the Scottish Government’s Fair Work plan and it requires employers to meet a minimum standard of practice to access public sector grants.The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with any operators of a pro…
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when its (a) ministers and (b) officials last met representatives of (i) DFDS, (ii) Ptarmigan Shipping and (iii) the Port of Dunkirk to discuss roll-on, roll-off ferry services between Rosyth and Dunkirk.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government continues to support the development of our ports, and the potential for new direct freight and passenger ferry services linking Scotland to Europe.Ministers and officials have met with the sponsors on a number of occasions regarding t…
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the five dimensions in the Fair Work Framework are applied to (a) seafarer and (b) port jobs in Scotland connected to any roll-on, roll-off ferry services between Scotland and Continental Europe in 2026-27.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: A new ferry service from Scotland to Continental Europe would be a commercial operation led by a private ferry operator. As employment law is reserved, any new ferry service will be required to comply with UK employment laws, including the Seafarers’ Wa…
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the level of public funding required to restart a ferry service between Scotland and Continental Europe.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not made an estimate of the level of public funding required for a ferry service between Scotland and continental Europe. The costs of any such service are a commercial matter for ferry operators to consider. The Scottish Governmen…
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to launch a public consultation on any legislation required to enable the operation of roll-on, roll-off (a) passenger and (b) freight ferry services between Rosyth and Dunkirk.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government recently ran a public consultation on the Minimum requirements for the location of Border Control Posts (BCPs). The consultation ran from 16 December 2025 and concluded on 16 January 2026.
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what long-term implementation plan is in place to reduce Type 1 emergency department bed occupancy to below the 85% level advised by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) and ensure that people can be seen quickly and safely admitted.
Answer · Neil Gray: As set out within our NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, we are committed to improving patient flow throughout the system, reducing delays for admission to and discharge from acute settings and bring down length of stay for patients. This is being don…
28 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to ending corridor care in NHS Scotland, and, if so, whether it will set clear milestones, timelines and accountability mechanisms to ensure that people are no longer treated in corridors and other non-clinical spaces.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is clear that any care out with standard care areas should be avoided where possible and if required, all actions to mitigate the risks of this should be undertaken, and the length of time in which patients are in these areas should be…