Parliamentary questions

Mark Ruskell

1,773 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what scientific advice it has received from the statutory nature conservation bodies (SNCBs) to support the acceptance of the distribution of bottom trawling in the recently reopened Windsock cod recovery area.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has received no scientific advice from the statutory nature conservation bodies on this matter. The removal of the Windsock cod recovery area under revised EU fisheries technical regulations was implemented by the European Parliament a…

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether damage to protected features in the West Shetland Shelf MPA as a result of trawling is an offence under Section 140 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Section 140 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 creates a general offence to deliberately or recklessly damage the protected features of an offshore MPA, such as the West Shetland Shelf MPA. Section 141(4) of the Act provides a defence to this general o…

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to further the conservation objectives for the West Shetland Shelf MPA.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The conservation objectives set out the broad ecological aims for the site. The conservation objectives for the West Shetland Shelf MPA are included in the designation order, which is available on the Scottish Government’s website at https://www2.gov.scot/Re…

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the repealing of the Windsock cod recovery area, in light of the recent assessment by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which states that North Sea cod stocks have declined to critical levels and that a 70% reduction in total allowab…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Windsock closure was in ICES Area 6a (West of Scotland). While there are strong links between the cod in the northern part of area 6a and those in the northern North Sea, they are still assessed and managed separately.

23 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken since the enactment of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 to monitor activities under S.14(2A) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended in Scotland, and what assessment it has made of (a) how many birds have been (i) released and…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is aware of a paper published in 2018 “Why do many pheasants released in the UK die, and how can we best reduce their natural mortality? Madden JR, Hall A, Whiteside MA. (2018)” which examined the fate of released pheasants in the UK, …

23 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made or is aware of of the ecological impact of the unregulated release of common pheasant and red-legged partridge, permitted by S.14(2A) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended in Scotland, and whether any assessment has been made of the effect of su…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The majority of terrestrial Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in Scotland are co-designated with and underpinned by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Where the release of game birds on an SSSI is potentially da…

23 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made or is aware of of the animal welfare impact of the unregulated release of common pheasant and red-legged partridge, permitted by S.14(2A) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended in Scotland, on (a) the released birds and (b) other wild species of …

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The welfare of any animal under the control of a person is regulated by the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. Breaches of the Act are a matter for the Police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The husbandry and management of relea…

22 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the proposal to add ravens to General Licence 2 on (a) animal welfare and (b) conservation in the Scottish Natural Heritage consultation on general licences, which was published on 17 July 2019, was not accompanied by any public announcement or with any evidence relating …

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) announced on its website on 21 May 2019 its decision to bring forward from 2020 a planned consultation on general licences. A further statement was made when the consultation formally opened on 17 July 2019. Both announcements …

22 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Scottish Natural Heritage consultation on general licences, which was published on 17 July 2019, what assessment it has made of the impact of adding ravens to General Licence 2 on (a) animal welfare and (b) conservation.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Consideration of animal welfare is fundamental to Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH) wildlife management work. The conditions imposed by their general licences seek to ensure that animal welfare is protected when wildlife management activities are undertaken. …

12 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations will be represented on the Animal Welfare Commission; when it will first meet, and what issues it will be considering in its first year.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I refer the member to the answer to S5W-24152 on 31 July 2019 . 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.asp…

3 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce its preferred policy for addressing an environmental governance gap in the event of the UK leaving the EU.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Given the on-going uncertainty over timing and nature of the UK’s exit from the EU, the timescale for a policy announcement is not clear.

3 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on developing interim measures for environmental governance in the event of a no deal Brexit.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is carefully considering the results of its consultation on future environmental principles and governance in Scotland, and developing detailed policy proposals which will include consideration of arrangements for a UK exit from the EU…

3 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its analysis of the responses to its Consultation on Environmental Principles and Governance in Scotland.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government will publish the analysis of responses in autumn 2019.

3 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether DEFRA's draft proposals for an Office of Environmental Protection are an effective governance model for providing oversight, scrutiny and ensuring the implementation of environmental laws and standards in Scotland.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is currently developing proposals for proportionate, effective governance arrangements. This is a devolved matter and, ultimately, the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament

2 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the first meeting of the Animal Welfare Commission will be held; what organisations will be represented on it, and what welfare issues it will be considering in its first year.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Work is underway to establish the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission and it will have its inaugural meeting after it is established. The membership and programme of work to be taken forward by the Committee in its first year will be determined once the Chair …

27 Jun 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm details of the publication of the civil contingency preparedness review of nuclear warhead transportation by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and HM Fire Service Inspectorate.

Answer · Ash Denham: Following the parliamentary debate last May, the Scottish Government made a commitment to carry out a review of the consequence management planning, response and recovery aspects related to road transportation of Defence Nuclear Material in Scotland, led join…