Parliamentary questions
Mark Ruskell
1,773 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial compensation has been provided to salmon farms that have culled their stock since 2007, broken down by (a) year and (b) individual farm.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: No salmon farms have been provided with financial compensation for fish culled for disease control purposes.
8 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to prohibit the intentional killing or serious injury of marine mammals in all fisheries.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) already protects all cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) from deliberate or reckless injury or killing. The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 similarly protects seals from intentional or …
8 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with stakeholders, including the UK Government, in relation to the seafood import provisions of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, broken down by (a) date and (b) location.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Since late 2015 the Scottish Government have been in regular dialogue and raising awareness of the MMPA and its potential impact on Scottish seafood exports with Scotland’s aquaculture sector (through the SSPO), within the Seafish Regulatory Experts Group, di…
8 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what biological testing is carried out on salmon processing plant effluent.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Government does not test the outflow of fish processing plants for pathogens. The Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture recommends that drainage from areas where effluent and fish by products are generated should feed into a disinfe…
8 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many farmed salmon died in 2017 due to mechanical sea lice treatments, including the Thermolicer, Hydrolicer and Optilicer.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Under current fish health legislation, it is a requirement to report increased mortality in aquaculture animals to either a veterinarian or Scottish Government's fish health inspectorate. As a consequence, the total number of salmon mortalities specifically a…
8 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is addressing the welfare challenges associated with brachycephalic dogs.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has long stressed that any organisation laying down breed standards must give paramount regard to the health and welfare of the dogs, including the need to avoid breed-specific health problems. We are working with partners such as the …
8 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many commercial livestock have been slaughtered without having been pre-stunned in each year since 2013, broken down by species.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: There has been no non-stun slaughter of animals, apart from chickens, in the period since 2013. We understand that non-stun slaughter of chickens has not been carried out since July 2015.
6 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what tonnage of (a) sheep meat and (b) beef was exported in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017 to (A) the rest of the UK and (B) other countries, and how much these exports were worth.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Quality Meat Scotland’s ‘The Scottish Red Meat Industry Profile 2017’ reports the value of sheep meat and beef trade to other countries for 2016. Data is not currently available for 2017; the tonnage of meat exported is not reported. Beef to the value of £42…
6 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), how many (a) sheep and lambs and (b) cattle and calves were exported for slaughter or fattening in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017 to (A) the rest of the UK and (B) other countries, and how mu…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has identified the following data for movements of cattle and sheep. The data are from the Trade Control and Export System compiled by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. Information on movements within the UK are only available for mo…
6 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what consultation it has had with (a) animal welfare groups, (b) farmers' representatives and (c) other stakeholders regarding the impact on Scotland of a UK-wide ban on the export of…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has had initial discussions with stakeholders about DEFRA proposals to consult on this issue.
6 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what assessment it has made of how a UK-wide ban on the export of live animals for slaughter could impact on the quality livestock sector in the (a) Northern Isles, (b) Western Isles …
Answer · Fergus Ewing: As there are currently no exports of animals from Scotland for slaughter to continental Europe, there would be little impact of a ban on these movements.
6 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), how many (a) sheep, (b) cattle and (c) poultry were exported for breeding in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017 to (A) the rest the UK and (B) other countries outside of the UK, and how much thes…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has identified the following data for movements of cattle and sheep. The internal UK data are from Rapid Analysis and Detection of Animal-related Risk (RADAR)and apply to movements from Scotland to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. …
6 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding a ban on the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Government officials have had routine meetings on animal transport with their counterparts in other UK administrations at which a possible ban on live exports for slaughter was discussed.
5 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what scientific protocol is being used to regulate the trial of electro-fishing of razor clams.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The scientific trial of electro-fishing is being conducted under carefully controlled conditions. Participant vessels are subject to limits on catch and on days at sea. The electrical equipment that may be used in the trial is only that which is specified by …
5 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) location and (b) total area is that is being used for the scientific trial of electro-fishing for razor clams.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The trial of electro-fishing for razor clams will be undertaken in 11 specified areas around the Scottish coast. A map of these areas is shown at annex A of the Marine Scotland letter of 27 June 2017, which can be viewed on the Scottish Government website (ht…
5 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many vessels have applied to participate in the scientific trial of electro-fishing for razor clams.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: 51 vessels submitted an application to participate in the scientific trial of electro-fishing for razor clams. Of these 26 have so far been invited to participate.
5 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the current population of razor clams in the location selected for the scientific trial of electro-fishing.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Two razor clam surveys were undertaken over the summer of 2017, in the Firth of Clyde and the Sound of Harris. The final report from these surveys will be published shortly. It is intended that the trial will also assist in building information about stock ab…
25 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications Creative Scotland received for the Regular Funding Network 2018-21, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Decisions on the Regularly Funded Organisations are a matter for Creative Scotland. Details of the 116 organisations in the 2018-21 Network, and their Local Authority areas, are available on the Creative Scotland website http://www.creativescotland.com/fundin…
25 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in establishing an advisory group to consider fiscal and other measures to reduce waste and boost the circular economy, as mentioned in its Programme for Government 2017-18.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is developing a shortlist of experts who will be invited to sit on the panel. We plan to announce the Chair shortly along with details of what the panel will be asked to consider, with disposable cups and plastic straws being early pri…
24 Jan 2018 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all schools should be fitted with fire alarms and smoke detectors.
17 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the European Parliament vote to ban electric pulse fishing will have on the planned trial in Scotland of electrofishing for razor clams.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The recent vote in the European Parliament was concerned with the proposal for a new EU Technical Conservation regulation. No new regulation has been agreed so far through the EU co-decision legislation process. The scientific trial of electrofishing for raz…
10 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date the second national flood risk assessment will be published, and how the methodology used in compiling this differs from previous versions in how the needs of small communities are addressed.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Work is currently underway by SEPA to review and update the National Flood Risk Assessment and, through it, the Potentially Vulnerable Areas. These will be subject to a three month public consultation and the outputs will be published by 22 December 2018. To …
10 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) monitoring and (b) research activity it is supporting to improve the understanding of (i) industry and (ii) decision makers of the impacts of onshore wind farms on (A) birds, (B) bats, (C) peatlands and (D) other species and habitats.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish National Heritage (SNH) advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e. national nature reserves, local nature reserves, long distance routes, national parks, Sites of Special Scientif…
10 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will fulfil the commitment in its onshore wind policy to facilitate coordination between developers to maximise benefits of re-powering, including “more widely coordinated habitat restoration”.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government have started working with Scottish National Heritage and other agencies through the Interagency Group on Renewables to consider how we can better coordinate habitat restoration. We are developing proposals for a regional approach to ha…
10 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what opportunities there are for developers to coordinate wind farm re-powering proposals to maximise their climate and environmental benefits.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The recently published Onshore Wind Policy Statement promotes a coordinated approach amongst developers of new wind farms or repowering proposals to make more efficient use of land and supporting infrastructure. The goal is to minimise impacts on the environm…
10 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many onshore wind farms it estimates will be re-powered in each of the next five years.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: There have been 2 repowering proposals in Scotland to date, one completed in Orkney on a wind farm that had been operational for less than 10 years, and one in progress in Argyll that will include a significant extension. The timing of future repowering is a …
2 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the impact will be on Scotland's (a) recycling targets, (b) local authority collection schemes and (c) levels of waste incineration of the reported Chinese import restrictions on plastic recyclate.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: At this stage, it is not yet clear what the final impact of China's decision will be on waste materials supply chain in Scotland. SEPA is working closely with the Environment Agency to monitor the impact of the ban as it develops. In parallel with the SEPA’s…
21 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role it believes cooperative housing plays in providing appropriate accommodation for older people; whether specific provisions for such housing will be made in the next update of the National Planning Framework; how local authorities can support aspirations for such initiatives, an…
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is keen to encourage self and custom build housing in Scotland and to encourage alternative house building models including options like cooperative housing. However, it is the responsibility of local authorities to determine the appro…
18 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which transport strategies are predicated on increasing levels of motor vehicle traffic, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The existing National Transport Strategy (NTS) was published in 2006 and set out a 20 year vision to 2026 and strategic framework setting out our priorities for transport in Scotland. A Refresh of the National Transport Strategy was undertaken and published i…
18 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of schools in each local authority area is fitted with smoke detectors.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. As fire safety is a responsibility of local authorities, this information may be available by contacting local Authorities directly and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. However, I wrote …