Mark Ruskell

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many spot-checks of licensees for the lethal control of beavers were carried out in the calendar year, 2019.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage has not carried out spot checks on beaver licence compliance, but continues to work with those in receipt of licences. Compliance checks are made as part of checking licence returns. Those carrying out lethal control are required to…

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Natural Heritage has discussed with the Scottish SPCA any concerns regarding the (a) licence process for the lethal control of beavers, including the process for the verification of whether killings under licence are carried out humanely and (b) the charity’s willingness…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage has held discussions with the Scottish SPCA on the examination of animals shot under licence and understands that the Scottish SPCA is willing to assist in post-mortem examination of beavers killed under licence. Scottish Natural Her…

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many beavers were killed under licenced lethal control measures in the calendar year 2019, also broken down by what information it has regarding the (a) date of each incident, (b) number of family groups of beavers that were killed and how many were in each group and (c) sex and age …

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: 87 beavers were killed under licensed lethal control measures in 2019. a) All the records of beaver control have a date. b) The controller return data obtained does not currently allow a comprehensive answer to be provided on the size of family groups and t…

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many beaver lethal control licences were issued in the calendar year 2019 by Scottish Natural Heritage without a site visit being carried out by the agency or its agents in the six months prior to the issue to verify that each licence was required as a last resort.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage issued 21 beaver lethal control licences in 2019 without a visit being undertaken by them or their agents. The licensing process requires that the licensing tests are examined in each case; i. That action is necessary to prevent se…

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Natural Heritage has imposed date restrictions regarding the timing of authorised interventions when issuing all licences permitting the disturbance or lethal control of beavers since 1 May 2019.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage licences which permit the use of lethal control specify as a condition that ‘Lethal control or removal of mature dams (over 2 weeks old) during the Kit Dependency Period (1 April to 16 August) must only be carried out in exceptional …

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate Scottish Natural Heritage has made of the number of beavers that were (a) killed and (b) suspected of being killed in the calendar year 2019 because the person responsible (i) did not have an appropriate and (ii) failed to comply with the terms of their lethal control licen…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage is not aware of any beavers that have been killed without a licence. Police Scotland investigations are ongoing to ascertain if there have been breaches of the conditions of two licences that permit lethal control.

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many licences for the lethal control of beavers were issued by Scottish Natural Heritage for the calendar year 2019; how many were returned by licensees in compliance with the conditions set out, and how many beavers were reported as being killed under these.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage issued 40 licences for the lethal control of beavers in 2019. One of the lethal control licences was revoked before any action was undertaken because mitigation was subsequently installed at that site which removed the need for any o…

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many licences authorising the killing of beavers under the Beaver Management Framework have been issued by Scottish Natural Heritage since 1 January 2019. 

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage has issued 42 licences authorising the killing of beavers under the Beaver Management Framework since 1 January 2019. Details of beaver licences issued by Scottish Natural Heritage in 2019 are provided in the Scottish Natural Herita…

3 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28294 by Michael Matheson on 30 April 2020, how many vehicle trips it estimates have been made on each day since 9 March 2020, broken down by the percentage of vehicles making these trips that it estimates travelled above the speed limit on (a) road…

Answer · Michael Matheson: As I noted in my answer to S5W-28294, Transport Scotland maintains a number of automatic traffic count sites across the motorway and trunk road network that are able to record vehicle speeds. The following table presents the answer to part (a) the total recor…

3 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to change the law in relation to the wilful damage of animal traps.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Under existing legislation and common law a person interfering with a legally set snare or trap may be committing one of a number of possible offences. The Independent Review of Grouse Moor Management report which was published in December recommended change…

3 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Gamekeepers Association regarding creating offences and sanctions in relation to animal trap damage, broken down by (a) date and (b) location of discussion.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has not had any recent discussions with the Scottish Gamekeepers Association about creating offences and sanctions in relation to animal trap damage.  

30 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28306 by John Swinney on 29 April 2020, what steps it will take to collect data from local authorities on the use of critical provision for school and early learning during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has been collecting daily information from local authorities in relation to the provision of support for children and young people through hubs since March 2020. The Vulnerable Children Report, published on 15 May, contained some of th…

30 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28306 by John Swinney on 29 April 2020, what percentage of the relevant school and early years population are attending critical provision during the COVID-19 outbreak, broken down by reason.

Answer · John Swinney: Last week (4 May – 7 May) on average 0.9% of the school and early years population attended local authority hubs. Of these, 79% were children of key workers and 21% were vulnerable children. A further 168,000 were given support to access a school meal (e.g. …

30 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28306 by John Swinney on 29 April 2020, what percentage of the relevant school and early years population are vulnerable children, who can attend critical provision during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · John Swinney: We do not hold this information centrally. However, we estimate that there are 97,000 children with multi agency plans led by a professional in education, health or social work.  

24 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its full response to the Cleaner Air for Scotland review recommendations.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: An online survey to gather wider views on the review recommendations was undertaken between 29 October and 13 December 2019. The responses and an analysis of the responses have been published on the Scottish air quality website at http://www.scottishairquali…

24 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is utilising the veterinary science sector to increase COVID-19 testing capacity.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Work on expanding testing for the NHS has focussed on NHS laboratories which already have arrangements in place for receiving samples from patients, testing safely and ensuring that the data from test results is captured. However, we are working with two labo…

17 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work the Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change has been able to take forward since February 2020.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change held its first Stewarding Group meeting on 2 March 2020. Since this meeting, the Assembly’s Secretariat has been developing proposals on how the Assembly will operate including the size and duration of the Assembly, ho…

17 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the suspension of the plastic bag levy might have on charitable donations.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has introduced a six-month exemption from the single use carrier bag charge solely for bags used for the collection and delivery of groceries and takeaway food. This is to help limit the spread of Covid-19 and ensure customers receive …

16 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of several local authorities suspending or delaying recycling collection, what support it will be providing to ensure that all local authorities can protect workers while maintaining recycling services, to prevent recyclable materials ending up in landfill.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is in ongoing dialogue with COSLA and local authorities regarding plans for the reinstatement of waste and recycling services. It is absolutely right that the personal health and wellbeing of waste workers is safeguarded at all times. …

16 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact COVID-19 restrictions will have on raptor monitoring and persecution levels.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: It is too early to assess whether there will have been any implications for crimes involving persecution of raptors from the introduction of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance which is helping to slow down the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and save li…

15 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason its process, the Wild Wrasse Harvesting: Consultation on Proposed new Mandatory Fishing Measures, does not allow respondents to register support for (a) spatial restrictions on the fishery, (b) alternative closed periods that take account of the breeding season, (c) diffe…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The purpose of the consultation is to seek views about a specific proposal, whether the Scottish Government should introduce mandatory measures to control the harvesting of live wrasse for the salmon farming industry. The main feature is mandatory compliance…

14 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has issued in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak with regard to the (a) frailty assessment of patients with autism and learning difficulties being treated for the condition and (b) rationing of ventilators if intensive care units are overwhelmed.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: There are not and have not been any plans to ration medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every effort is being made to ensure that the capability and capacity needed are quickly put in place and to date that has been achieved. The Chief Medical Of…

14 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding participation in the EU procurement of therapies for COVID-19.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is involved in discussions with the UK Government on participation in the EU procurement of COVID-19 therapeutics. This important work will supplement the enormous efforts already being undertaken by Scotland, both independently and in…

12 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether mountain biking and off-road cycling from home that adheres to the responsible access requirements set out in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 is acceptable under its COVID-19 guidance.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: On 9 April 2020, the Scottish Government released a statement setting out what exercising rights of responsible non-motorised access to land under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 means during the Covid-19 emergency. The full statement is available here: …

10 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is responding to the reported increase in fly tipping during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We are clear that fly tipping is illegal, dangerous and unnecessary. Responsibility for responding to such behaviour rests with local councils as part of their wider role in the management of local waste services. We are committed to working with councils to …

9 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the COVID-19 outbreak is having on all-cause mortality due to reduced numbers of people presenting at health services.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: National Records of Scotland (NRS) publish weekly deaths statistics. Since 8 April, these statistics include deaths where COVID-19 (included suspected cases) was mentioned on the death certificate. The statistics published on 22nd April showed the following: …

9 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to speed up the filling of void council housing during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring void properties in the social housing sector are made available to those in most need at this time. That is why we have jointly with COSLA issued allocations advice and information to support the h…

9 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, what assessment it has made of the number of households that might require emergency provision through the Food Fund; what proportion of these households are accessing this; what action it is taking to contact those that have not, and what plans it has…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: We currently estimate that around 308,000 adults are most likely to need emergency food provision. This figure will be constantly reviewed as new data and insights become available. Of our £70 million Food Fund, up to £30 million is to support those clinical…

9 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to compel supermarkets to use home delivery services only for vulnerable and isolating households during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has no powers to compel supermarkets to use home delivery services only for specific groups of people. There is unprecedented demand for online supermarket deliveries and we are working closely with supermarkets to provide priority ac…

9 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of vulnerable children are continuing to attend critical provision for school and early learning during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. The data that has been provided by local authorities indicates that overall around 1% of the relevant school and early year’s population have been attending local authority hubs since schools were asked to close.