Mark Ruskell

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to support the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has a long-standing policy of opposition to the possession, threat and use of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are morally, strategically and economically wrong. They are indiscriminate and devastating in their impacts; their use would…

11 Nov 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the provisions in its proposed EU Continuity Bill will stay aligned with EU principles on animal sentience.

4 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of means-testing the Self-Isolation Support Grant on its effectiveness in encouraging and enabling people to self-isolate.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Self-Isolation Support Grant provides a payment of £500 to workers who would otherwise face a loss of income when they self-isolate. Many people will be able to work from home and should continue to be paid as normal by their employer while they are doing…

23 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on establishing an inter-ministerial group on policy coherence for sustainable development.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31312 on 3 September 2020. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusine…

21 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect the flapper skate.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Flapper skate are recognised as a Priority Marine Feature and are a protected feature of the Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura MPA which has stringent management in place. Marine Scotland have sought advice from NatureScot (formerly SNH) on whether additional prot…

21 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance and support is available to encourage schools to host Bikeability training programmes given COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Cycling Scotland has issued updated guidance to all participating authorities on the support available to re-commence Bikeability Scotland training delivery in primary schools. This guidance highlights the benefits of cycle training in enabling outdoor learni…

21 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been undertaken to develop a new Cycle Action Plan for Scotland.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In 2019, Transport Scotland commissioned Cycling Scotland to produce a review of the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CAPS) 2017-20. The review was submitted in February 2020 however further work was put on hold due to the need to prioritise the Scottish Gov…

20 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the exemptions in the Single Use Carrier Bags Charge (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020 have expired or been extended, and what review process has taken place on the impact of this policy.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The exemptions in the Single Use Carrier Bags Charge (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020 expired on 3 October at 0001 hours. The temporary exemption was an emergency covid-related measure and while no review has been undertaken the number of carrier bags pl…

5 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken to assess the costs borne by (a) other sectors and (b) the marine ecosystem as a consequence of open cage salmon aquaculture in inshore waters.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: A). I refer the member to S5W-32303 on 30 October 2020. It is not standard practice to assess an entire sector in the framework of a cost benefit analysis. This is typically undertaken (in line with Green Book guidance) when considering specific policy interv…

5 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken regarding the economic impact of marine open cage salmon aquaculture on the Scottish tourist industry.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: An independent study (Poseidon, 2011, does fish farming impact on tourism in Scotland) found no stated impact, for the majority of respondents, on key recreational activities or on willingness to re-visit a site from aquaculture activity or from future expans…

5 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how Ministers have taken account of the Salmon and Trout Conservation Scotland and Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust report, The Economic Contribution of Open Cage Salmon Aquaculture to Scotland.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Understanding the economic impact of any key marine sector is an important piece of evidence for marine policy makers and the Scottish Government considers evidence from many different sources in formulating policy. All evidence has a value and the Scottish G…

2 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the “decision-making framework”, described by the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs at the Finance and Constitution Committee on 9 September 2020, when this framework will be published; what plans it has for (a) public and (b) stakeholder cons…

Answer · Michael Russell: If the Parliament indicates its support for the general principles of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1, then, as I set out to the Finance and Constitution Committee, I will be very happy to engage with the Parl…

2 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many expressions of interest or requests have been received by it and NatureScot since 1 May 2019 from parties in England and Wales interested in acquiring beavers for translocation from Scotland to assist with flood resilience and biodiversity enhancement projects, also broken down …

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has not received any requests or expressions of interest from parties in England and Wales looking to acquire beavers. Requests for the supply of beavers to populate projects in England and Wales do not routinely come directly to Natu…

2 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many beavers have been translocated from the River Tay catchment since the end of the kit dependency period, on 16 August 2020, to destinations in (a) Scotland and (b) England to assist with flood resilience and biodiversity enhancement projects.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Between 25 August 2020 and 5 September 2020, 16 beavers have been trapped in Tayside under licence from NatureScot. (a) One animal was re-released locally (relating to a licence to protect public infrastructure). (b) Eleven have been released at five differ…

26 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the St Kilda Management Plan takes into account the signatories' responsibilities under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: St Kilda is one of six World Heritage Sites in Scotland and the only site which has mixed status as being of both natural and cultural value. The islands of St Kilda are owned by the National Trust for Scotland, which has overall responsibility for managemen…

26 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether ScotRail is meeting its franchise requirements in relation to cycle carriage.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The specification in the Franchise Agreement requires a minimum of two cycle spaces be provided on each service. This minimum requirement is currently met by all ScotRail passenger services.  

26 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cycle spaces are allocated on Highland Main Line rail services, broken down by (a) rolling stock set type and (b) service.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There are 66 cycle spaces available daily on Highland Mainline services operated by ScotRail. A tabulated breakdown by rolling stock and service is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 61836).  

24 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to reverse the decline in the number of woodland birds.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The long term trend for woodland birds in Scotland is increasing, in contrast to the situation across the whole of the United Kingdom. The Index of Abundance for Scottish Terrestrial Breeding Birds, 1994 to 2018 (an Official Statistic for Scotland, accessible…

9 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on establishing the public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Sheku Bayoh.

6 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on the use of lead shot over wetlands.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Environmental Protection (Restrictions on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2004 prohibit the use of lead shot with a shot gun on or over wetlands in Scotland, in order to prevent the ingestion of lead shot by wildfowl and other wading bird…

26 Aug 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers an acceptable length of time for negotiations on planning conditions to conclude.

21 Aug 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether adequate measures are in place in Scotland's university towns to prevent local COVID-19 outbreaks as students begin to return to campuses.

21 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has had with community councils and tenants' and residents' associations regarding their ability to respond to statutory planning consultations while they are presently unable to meet in person.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has been liaising with COSLA, Community Council Liaison Officers and the Improvement Service to better understand how community council activities have been affected nationally during the Covid-19 pandemic, including their ability to r…

21 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been given to local authorities regarding public consultation on planning developments, while in-person meetings and exhibitions cannot presently take place.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has published a number of pieces of guidance to planning authorities and others regarding the operation of the system during the pandemic. The Scottish Government’s Chief Planner and I jointly issued letters on 3 April and 29 May indi…

21 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities can suspend consideration of major planning developments if community councils or tenants' and residents' associations are unable to participate in community consultations.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: It would be for a planning authority to consider in the individual circumstances of a case whether there was a reason to delay or suspend processing of an application. Where a planning authority does not process a validly made planning application for nationa…

19 Aug 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is responding to the Tayside Mental Health Draft Action Plan.

Answer · Clare Haughey: A final version of Tayside’s Mental Health Action Plan was published on 6 August. I am pleased that even while facing Covid, taking action to improve mental health services has rightly remained a priority for Tayside. In keeping with the announcement of a pa…

12 Aug 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Stagecoach about proposed bus service changes.

5 Aug 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding the finance secretary will make available to prepare for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, including to the NHS.

14 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting acupuncturists to resume treatment of patients during phase 3 of the COVID-19 response.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Following a clinical assessment, personal retail services, including Complementary and Alternative Medicine services (CAMs) and massage therapy, were advised that they could resume services as of 22 July 2020, where the service is carried out in a therapist’s…

13 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether university student accommodation providers charging tenants for storing belongings that they cannot retrieve is in line with COVD-19 regulations.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020 introduced notice to leave periods for students residing in halls of residence and Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). The Act does not make provision relating to charges by accommodation providers for the st…