Parliamentary questions
Mark Ruskell
1,773 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the process for reassessing existing data for the previous Harbour Porpoise Special Areas of Conservation in the Outer Moray Firth and Celtic Sea will be initiated and under what timeframe re-analysis and consultation will occur.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There are no current plans for re-analysis of existing data for these specific locations. Neither of these locations met the scientific criteria for designation under the EU Habitats Directive which is why they were not taken forward.
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the 18 marine protected areas that the Programme for Government states will be designated by the end of 2017.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Three of these sites have already been designated. The Inner Hebrides and Minches Special Area of Conservation, the Iona I Historic Marine Protected Area, and the Fair Isle Demonstration and Research Marine Protected Area. The other fifteen are the proposed S…
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Natural Heritage review of gamebird licensing systems in other European countries will be published.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government commissioned Scottish Natural Heritage to carry out a review of game bird hunting in selected other countries. This is currently being finalised for submission to Scottish Ministers and we anticipate that it will be published shortly.
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on inviting the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee to consider the Scottish Natural Heritage review of gamebird hunting and its implications for helping to develop more sustainable and better regulated systems of gamebird hunting and reduce wildlif…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The report of the desk-based review of game bird hunting in selected other countries will be considered by the Scottish Government when it is formally submitted by Scottish Natural Heritage. Any decisions on next steps will be taken in the light of that consi…
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Natural Heritage review of gamebird hunting will include recommendations on next steps for introducing a system of licensing for gamebird hunting.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Recommendations were not sought from the authors of the report. The remit was to conduct desk-based research to study licensing and game bird hunting legislation in countries that were comparable to Scotland in terms of huntable species and traditions.
19 Oct 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of increased winter mortality, what action it is taking to prevent fuel poverty this winter.
Answer · Angela Constance: It is a priority for this Government to ensure everyone has access to a warm and affordable home and we are committed to tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency. By 2021 we will have committed over £1 billion pounds to tackling fuel poverty and …
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following the announcement by the Chancellor on 3 October 2016 regarding the continuation of European structural and investment funding beyond the 2016 Autumn Statement, whether its portion of funding for CAP Pillar 2 and other Scottish Rural Development Fund schemes will be upheld and …
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recognises that uncertainty has been created as a result of the EU referendum outcome, not just around funding opportunities or investment decisions but also concerning people’s jobs. The Chancellor made an announcement on 3 October …
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government on the continuation of food name protection, including Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical Indicators and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed in order to retain these protections in the domestic market following the UK’…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government are engaged at ministerial and official level with the UK Government to ensure the best outcome for Scotland following the EU referendum. The UK Government have confirmed that they are looking at options for when the UK formally leaves…
18 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing domestic legislation to ensure continued protection for protected food names in Scotland, in light of the UK’s vote to leave the EU.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We are considering all possible steps to ensure Scotland’s continuing relationship with the EU and are looking at all options for ensuring the continued protection of Geographical Indications, including protected food names.
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what changes it will make to planning policy and guidance in light of its recently announced position on underground coal gasification.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03834 on 8 November 2016. All answers to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.a…
17 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what direction it will issue to planning authorities in light of its recently announced position on underground coal gasification.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: A Direction issued to all Heads of Planning from the Chief Planner on 8 October 2015 required planning applications for underground coal gasification (UCG) development received by planning authorities to be sent to Scottish Ministers. The covering letter expl…
13 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all public sector tenders that it has responsibility for must comply with the REACH (registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals) regulations where there is a need for the use of protective equipment or clothing and, if not, what its position is on introd…
Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Government’s public contracts are subject to all relevant legislation, including environmental law. The Scottish public procurement Regulations which came into effect on 18 April 2016 contain provisions to enable the exclusion of a bidder from tende…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to local authorities to make property-level protection products available at an affordable price to properties at risk of flooding.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: On 18 July the First Minister announced the agreement with COSLA of a 10 year flood funding strategy, with the local authority capital settlement, to deliver priorities identified in the Flood Risk Strategies published in December 2015. The agreed funding wil…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the availability and affordability of flood insurance.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Insurance is a reserved matter, and the Scottish Government is working in co-operation with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations to ensure flood insurance remains widely available and affordable. As a result of this work, the flood reinsur…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what agreement it reached with COSLA regarding the funding of flood prevention schemes from April 2016 onwards.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03694 on 1 November 2016. 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…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28860 by Aileen McLeod on 5 January 2016, what funding it has allocated to (a) the natural flood management (i) studies and (ii) ground works since April 2016 and (b) its “research to better understand how actions such as wetland creation, re-meande…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03694 on 1 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusines…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to flood prevention schemes in each local authority since April 2016.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03694 on 1 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusines…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the 42 formal flood protection schemes or engineering works referred to in the Floor Risk Management Plan for Scotland, which were planned to start between 2016 and 2021.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03694 on 1 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusines…
10 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish details of its updated strategy on diet and obesity, and how will this align with its commitment to a Good Food Nation Bill.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: One of the core objectives for Scotland to become a Good Food Nation is for diet related disease to be in decline. This aligns with our intention announced in the Programme for Government to set out and consult in 2017 on the development of a new Diet and Obe…
10 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will issue a response to the Concluding Observations of the Sixth Periodic Report on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which was published by UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 14 July 2016.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government participated actively in the June 2016 examination conducted in Geneva by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. In addition to the Scottish Government contribution to the formal state party report submitted on beh…
10 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the work of the Farm Advisory Service will support its ambition to be a world leader in green farming and help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Access to the best and most up-to-date advice is essential to any business. Aimed specifically at farmers and crofters across Scotland the new Farm Advisory Service, provides a faster and less complicated entry point to a range of relevant practical advice, i…
10 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to implement the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights' recommendation for a framework plan to protect and progress the right to food.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government participated actively in the June 2016 examination conducted in Geneva by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and welcomes the emphasis placed by the Committee to the need for practical action to protect and progre…
4 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Edinburgh Airport Airspace Change Programme will be subject to a (a) strategic environmental assessment and (b) habitats regulations appraisal.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Control of airspace is reserved to Westminster and governed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. It is for Edinburgh Airport to ensure that their Airspace Change Programme complies with all relevant legislation.
29 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the legal impact would be of it introducing a complete ban on fracking if the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is agreed.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03348 on 16 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusin…
29 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding keeping protected food names for Scottish products in the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03348 on 16 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusines…
29 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Scotland has been listed as exempt from the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03348 on 16 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusin…
29 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-00972 and S5W-00973 by Keith Brown on 12 July 2016, whether it will publish its assessment of the possible impact on Scotland of the Section D provisions of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government believes in free and open trade and we welcome the benefits that trade agreements can bring, in CETA, particularly the elimination of nearly all import duties and strengthened cooperation between European and Canadian standard setting …
29 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it (a) has carried out and (b) plans regarding the potential impact of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on (i) each economic sector and (ii) workers' rights in Scotland.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government monitors a wide range of information and sources relating to the impact of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and is engaging with the Department for International Trade on aspects of CETA and potential future trade …
24 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out regarding whether local authorities have the right facilities in place to (a) respond to the municipal bio-degradable waste ban and (b) reduce emissions from non-municipal waste sent to landfill.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 provided a long lead-in time to ensure that all parties could prepare for the ban on biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill from January 2021. We will continue to work with Councils and waste management companies…
24 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the voluntary measures in the agriculture sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The 2016 Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) Technology survey showed that only 4% of farmers had engaged with the programme. This evidence suggests that the programme has a strong record on delivering for those farmers who have taken part. Our focus now lies on …