Mark Ruskell

3 Sep 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had since February 2016 with the Scottish SPCA regarding extending its powers to tackle wildlife crime.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Dr Aileen McLeod, met with the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on 25 February 2016. Officials had further discussions with SSPCA representatives in March 2016.

3 Sep 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00030 by Roseanna Cunningham on 24 May 2016, on what date it will announce its decision regarding extending the powers of the Scottish SPCA to tackle wildlife crime.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A decision on whether to extend the investigatory powers of the SSPCA will be announced before the end of 2016.

30 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it has provided to (a) third sector organisations and (b) local authorities to conduct research to support the development of potential projects through the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance process.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In the last eight years, the Scottish Government has provided in the region of £211,000 to a variety of organisations including Nestrans, Highland/North Ayrshire/Perth and Kinross Council and Glasgow Airport. The Scottish Government has also committed to cont…

30 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any reports produced by its Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) in relation to the planning permission appeal PPA-390-2029 will form part of its commissioned research into coal bed methane.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Work was suspended by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) in relation to the planning permission appeal PPA-390-2029 in January 2015 following the announcement of the moratorium on granting consents for unconventional oil and gas developmen…

19 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to review the work of the Climate Challenge Fund since its inception, and what scope there is to extend its remit to include community-led climate change mitigation projects.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has commissioned two external reviews of the Climate Challenge Fund, in 2011 and 2015. Both independent reviews highlighted that the Climate Challenge Fund has been a success on many levels. 2011 Review: http://www.gov.scot/Publicatio…

19 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Climate Challenge Fund will be continued beyond the current round of funding, which ends in March 2017.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Ministers will make an announcement on the future of the Climate Challenge Fund later this year as part of the draft budget 2017-18 process.

19 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place for community projects funded by the Climate Challenge Fund whose funding ends in March 2017.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A key element of the Climate Challenge Fund is the delivery of the Community Action Support Programme, which develops the capacity of community groups (not just those with Climate Challenge Fund funding) wishing to tackle climate change by providing workshops…

18 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages local authorities to adopt good practice on waste minimisation and reuse.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Waste minimisation and reuse are core to delivering a more circular economy, and the Scottish Government has set out its priorities for a circular economy in its strategy ‘Making Things Last’, published in February 2016. Local authorities and other bodies hav…

18 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what incentives there are in public procurement frameworks that encourage waste minimisation and reuse.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government uses procurement and climate change policy, law and practice to drive waste minimisation and reuse in public contracts and frameworks. Techniques such as Life Cycle Impact Mapping are outlined in the statutory guidance on the Sustain…

9 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to mandatory country of origin labelling for milk and meat in processed foods.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The EU has produced reports on the possible extension of mandatory country of origin requirements to other meats, dairy products and meat and dairy when used as key ingredients in other foods, however the commission favours a voluntary approach. The Scottish …

2 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01024 by Fergus Ewing on 15 July 2016, whether it will provide a response that addresses the specific issues raised in questions S5W-00104 and S5W-01024.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I met with representatives of Graham’s Dairy on 5 December 2014 at Grahams Bridge of Allan site where I received a tour of the Dairy and a brief outline of their development plans at Hill of Drip and Airthrey Kerse. I should like to address the specific point…

2 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has received that beavers are being persecuted in Scotland.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Between 31 December 2012 and 19 November 2015, the Scottish Government is aware of 23 beavers on Tayside that are known to have been collected for post mortem examination. Of these, 21 beavers had been shot and the remaining 2 were killed in road traffic acci…

28 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what regulations apply to the use of gas gun bird scarers.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There are no regulations which are specific to gas gun bird scarers. Responsibility for dealing with the majority of complaints about noise, including from bird scarers/gas guns, rests with local authorities who have a duty to investigate such complaints und…

25 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many carcasses have been recovered each year under the seal licences introduced by the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010; how many post-mortems were subsequently carried out, and what the results of these were with regard to the (a) cause and (b) duration of deaths.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The number of seal carcasses recovered and the numbers examined at post mortem each year is as follows: Recovered Post-mortems 2011-12 36 3 2012-13 26 19 2013-14 10 4 2014-15 16 6 2015-16 3 8* 2016 to date 2 0 The information on car…

25 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations in the Report of the Inaugural Quinquennial Review of the Operation of Seal Licensing System under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, what action it is taking to increase the recovery of carcasses under the licence system.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have had some initial internal discussions about whether or not the guidance in the Scottish Seal Management Code of Practice on this might be revised. We know, however, that it is a complex area involving an extremely delicate balance between carcass rec…

14 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the July 2014 report, Further advice to Scottish Government on the selection of Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas for the development of the Scottish MPA network; whether it plans to consult on establishing these areas and, if so, (a) when and (b) what th…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Progress of these Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area proposals has been paused to address EU obligations regarding protection of harbour porpoise and bird species, and to focus efforts on delivering management measures for existing protected areas.

7 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the results of research into the suitability of underground coal gasification in Scotland.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has appointed Professor Campbell Gemmell, Professor of Environment Research, Policy, Regulation and Governance at the University of Glasgow, to lead an independent examination of the issues and evidence surrounding underground coal gas…

7 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it expects to make a decision on the recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland's Fifth Electoral Reviews.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland published and submitted to Scottish Ministers on 26 May its reports and final recommendations for the number of councillors and the electoral ward boundaries in each of Scotland's 32 local authorities, fol…

5 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers to be the division of responsibilities between Police Scotland and local authorities in relation to animal welfare and enforcement issues.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 confers similar powers on Police Scotland and local authorities regarding enforcement. Local authorities, however, have specific responsibilities for licensing of pet shops, dog breeders and dealers, and enfor…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) when and (b) how it will review greening measures established under the Common Agricultural Policy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is continuing to engage via Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with the current greening Simplification Review undertaken by the European commission. We anticipate that this may result in changes to the detailed impleme…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the environmental benefits of the requirement for nutrient management plans have been on permanent grassland.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The nutrient management plan requirement was introduced in order to ensure that common agricultural policy (CAP) greening rules in Scotland include at least one measure to help mitigate agriculture’s contribution to climate change, by encouraging efficient us…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that new peat extraction for horticulture does not occur.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The use of peat as a source horticultural compost is a global issue requiring action at the international level as peat sourced for horticultural use comes from a number of different countries. The Scottish Government has offered its support to the market-led…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that legislation relating to existing peat extraction consents reflects national planning policy protection for peatlands.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Planning applications are determined in accordance with the relevant development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Scottish Planning Policy (2014) paragraph 248 is clear that the review of mineral permissions every 15 years should be use…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) discourage the sale of peat for horticulture and (b) encourage the continued development and sale of sustainable alternatives to peat for use in horticulture.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-001195 on 20 July 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/…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many consents for peat extraction for horticulture are extant but not yet fully exploited and what estimate it has made of the carbon loss that would occur should all extant consents for peat extraction for horticulture be fully exploited.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Decisions on peat extraction are made by individual planning authorities and the number of extant but not fully exploited consents for peat extraction is not held centrally. No estimate of the total carbon emissions or loss of carbon sequestration potential f…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all historic horticultural peat extraction planning consents are reviewed for their acceptability against current policy and legislation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01192 on 20 July 2016, planning applications are determined in accordance with the relevant development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Scottish Planning Policy (2014) paragraph 248 is c…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Midlothian Council and (b) SNH regarding proposals to extract peat from a site at Auchencorth Moss in Midlothian.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The current application is to review the operational conditions around peat extraction, not for the principle of peat extraction. The application is for Midlothian Council to determine in the first instance. The Scottish Government has sought updates from Mid…

4 Jul 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the article in the Sunday Herald on 12 June 2016 relating to proposals to extract peat from a site at Auchencorth Moss in Midlothian, whether it will call in the application for its own determination, and what the reason is for its position on this matter.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Ministers have a general power to intervene by calling in an application for their own determination. In practice though, ministers will exercise this power very sparingly, recognising and respecting the important role of local authorities in making …

29 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for breaches of Section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in each (a) year since 2012 and (b) month since January 2016, and how many were subsequently (i) prosecuted and (ii) convicted.

Answer · Alison Di Rollo: The following table contains information in respect of the number of people reported, prosecuted and convicted under sections 11 to 11 I of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 between April 2011 and June 2016. Please note that no cases were reported in Janu…

29 Jun 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27213 by Aileen McLeod on 14 September 2015, how many people had attended the training by 1 July 2016.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Further to the answer to question S4W-27213, 2,542 people had attended the training by 1 July 2016.