Parliamentary questions

Mark Ruskell

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

18 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what involvement (a) ministers and (b) its officials have with award decisions for the Climate Challenge Fund.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: An independent panel makes recommendations to Ministers on which projects to support through the Climate Challenge Fund. The Panel has representatives from community groups, the third sector and local government and includes two representatives of young peopl…

15 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been awarded to organisations from the Climate Challenge Fund in each of the last five years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The amount awarded from the Climate Challenge Fund to organisations in each of the last five financial years is set out in the following table: Year Amount Awarded (project grants and development grants) 2014-15 £10,925,860.06 2015-16 £9,514,004.92 201…

1 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which geographic areas are given priority in relation to the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis Fund.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Tennis Scotland, sport scotland and the Lawn Tennis Association are working together to deliver The Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis (TSIT) Fund which will see a significant investment into Scottish tennis facilities over the course of the next 10 years, w…

1 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with (a) Judy Murray and (b) the Murray Play Foundation in the last 18 months to discuss proposals for development at Park of Keir, broken down by (i) date and (ii) location.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21904 on 21 March 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/…

1 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with (a) Judy Murray and (b) the Murray Play Foundation in the last 18 months to discuss funding for sports development at Park of Keir, broken down by (i) date and (ii) location.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government has met with Judy Murray and her representatives on two separate occasions during the past eighteen months where they discussed the plans for their proposed development, including their funding strategy. The first meeting took place o…

28 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12975 by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2017, whether it will (a) amend the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 or (b) introduce new measures to ensure that the recognition of the sentience of all wild animals is reflected in its legis…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Animal sentience has been implicitly recognised in Scottish legislation for over a century, most recently in the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 which ensures the welfare of all vertebrate animals kept by man. This recognition included wild anim…

25 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in allowing juvenile raptors to be taken from Special Protection Areas to be reared under protective conditions for subsequent release.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is currently considering a licence application from the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project. No other applications to allow juvenile raptors to be taken from Special Protection Areas intended for release have been received …

25 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact Brexit may have on European bird census data gathering and sharing.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: As membership of the European Bird Census (EBC) is not limited to EU members, the Scottish Government does not envisage Brexit having any impact on the European Bird Census (EBC) data gathering and sharing. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has an agreement wi…

25 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the impact of second generation rodenticides on wildlife.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Rodenticide active substances are authorised for use in the European Union under the Biocides Regulation 528/2012 (EU BPR). Pest control products that contain these substances require to be used in accordance with their authorisation conditions. Whilst the us…

22 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring of beaver control is currently in place, and how many beavers are known to have been killed in (a) 2018 and (b) 2019.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There is currently no monitoring of beaver control in place. The Scottish Government does not hold data on how many beavers were killed during 2018 and 2019 as land managers were not obliged to record this information.

22 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when beavers will be given legal protection in accordance with the EU Habitats Directive, as announced by the Scottish Government on 24 November 2016.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A Scottish Statutory Instrument, granting beavers European Protected Species status, was laid before the Scottish Parliament on Friday 22 February 2019. The legislation will come into force on 1 May 2019.

22 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to prevent the killing of beavers in the period up until they are made a European Protected Species, in light of reports that a shot beaver was found dead on a wildlife reserve in Tayside.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is not seeking to prevent all lethal control of beavers in the period until European Protected Species status applies. The Scottish Government does however urge land managers and other to take note of SNH advice on the prevention and m…

21 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many wildlife crime investigations were reported by the Scottish SPCA to Police Scotland in 2018 within the Cairngorms National Park, and, of these, how many (a) were pursued, (b) led to a prosecution and (c) led to a conviction.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21764 on 5 March 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/2…

21 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many wildlife crime investigations were reported by the Scottish SPCA to Police Scotland in 2018, and, of these, how many (a) were pursued, (b) led to a prosecution and (c) led to a conviction.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government or Police Scotland.

21 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what contribution the pilot wildlife Special Constable scheme in the Cairngorms National Park has made to (a) deterring and (b) increasing the rate of detection and successful prosecution of wildlife crime.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The wildlife Special Constable pilot scheme was launched in March 2018 and will conclude at the end of March 2019. Following the conclusion of the pilot an evaluation of the scheme and the contribution made by Special Constables in the Cairngorms National Par…

20 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what powers its ministers have to impose operating restrictions on airspace change programmes at airports.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Decisions on Airspace Change Proposals (ACP) are reserved to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Outside the planning system, Scottish Ministers have existing powers under S78(3) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 to impose operating restrictions. Any operating …

20 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the recent consultation on the implementation of EU regulation 598/2014 relating to noise-related operating restrictions at airports was not made public and did not appear on its Consultation Hub.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government’s consultation covered the singular issue of legislating for a Competent Authority in Scotland. The England and Wales consultation on implementing EU Reg 598/2014 in addition, covered a number of other signification aviation issues. In…

20 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the recent consultation on the implementation of EU regulation 598/2014 relating to noise-related operating restrictions at airports considers proper management of aircraft noise for communities that are not in the area of proposed competent authorities but are affected by noise from…

Answer · Michael Matheson: It will be the responsibility of the Competent Authority in Scotland to ensure that all communities potentially impacted by the introduction of noise operating restrictions at Scotland’s airports are fully consulted on proposals and that their views are consi…

18 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the issue of racing greyhounds being drugged with substances such as cocaine, amphetamines and codeine.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government considers that the provisions of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 are sufficient to ensure that action can be taken if the welfare of greyhounds is not being met. The provisions of Part 2 of the Act apply to all people…

18 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of racing greyhounds being drugged have been reported in the last five years.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government does not receive routine reports on the misuse of drugs on racing greyhounds. The Scottish Government encourages persons with concerns over the drugging of racing greyhounds to bring evidence to the attention of Police Scotland, the r…

8 Feb 2019 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many Parliament car park spaces are allocated to (a) MSPs, (b) MSP staff and (c) other staff on average each week.

Answer · Kezia Dugdale: As agreed with Mr Ruskell, based over a four-week period commencing 7 January 2019, the one- week average of car park spaces allocated are:154 MSPs113 Staff22 MSP Staff

8 Feb 2019 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many MSPs use the Parliament car park at least once a week, broken down by (a) party and (b) parliamentary region.

Answer · Kezia Dugdale: As agreed with Mr Ruskell, based over a four-week period commencing 7 January 2019, 64 MSPs used the car park at least once. (a) by party:Scottish National Party – 23 MSPsScottish Conservative and Unionist Party – 23 MSPsScottish Labour Party – 14 MSPsScott…

8 Feb 2019 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many MSPs use the Parliament car park (a) three times a week or more, (b) twice a week, (c) once a week and (d) less than once a week, and how many never use it.

Answer · Kezia Dugdale: As agreed with Mr Ruskell, based on an average over a four-week period commencing on 7 January 2019, the following number of MSPs used the car park as follows: (a) 38 MSPs three times a week or more, (b) 8 MSPs twice a week, (c) 13 MSPs once a week, (d) 5 MSP…

7 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the level of protection for Ramsar sites in Scotland has compared with that in England since the publication of the guidance note, Implementation of Scottish Government policy on protecting Ramsar sites.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is committed to meeting all of its obligations under the Ramsar Convention and to providing a high level of protection for Ramsar sites in Scotland. The guidance on the implementation of Scottish Government policy on protecting Ramsar …

7 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the guidance note, Implementation of Scottish Government policy on protecting Ramsar sites, might impact on each Ramsar site.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The guidance note on the implementation of Scottish Government policy on protecting Ramsar sites restated and explained existing policy contained within Scottish Planning Policy 2014. There will, therefore, be no impact on Ramsar sites.

7 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders it consulted when preparing the guidance note, Implementation of Scottish Government policy on protecting Ramsar sites, and what methods of consultation it used.

7 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will take to increase the scale of development and investment in district heat networks as part of its proposed package of regulation for the sector, and what plans it has to provide direct support to projects to mirror the Heat Networks Investment Project, which will pr…

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: A key part of the Scottish Government’s approach to heat network regulation will be the introduction of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES). LHEES will identify the most suitable areas for district and communal heating in Scotland, sending str…

5 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the deaths of four horses at Musselburgh Racecourse at a meeting on 3 December 2018, and, in light of this incident, what discussions it has held with management at (a) Musselburgh and (b) Scotland’s other racecourses regarding animal welfare at meetings.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government was sorry to hear of the deaths of four horses at Musselburgh Racecourse at a meeting on 3 December 2018. The Scottish Government takes the welfare of all animals very seriously; and is committed to the highest possible standards of we…

5 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the British Horseracing Authority regarding the deaths of four horses at Musselburgh Racecourse at a meeting on 3 December 2018, and what action it can take to encourage the authority to publish the full findings of the inquiry that it carried out regardi…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has not held any discussions with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in regard to the deaths of four horses at Musselburgh Racecourse at a meeting on 3 December 2018. The BHA ensures racehorse welfare in Scotland, including compl…

5 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether horseracing is covered by the Scottish Government Code of Practice for the Welfare of Equidae.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Horseracing is not specifically mentioned in the Scottish Government Code of Practice for the Welfare of Equidae. However, Paragraph 3 of the Code notes that the “Code covers all domesticated equidae for which a person is responsible, including all horses, po…