Parliamentary questions
Mark Ruskell
1,773 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27215 by Aileen McLeod on 14 September 2015, when it will announce the timeframe and procedure for the review.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The review into snaring will be undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage who will provide a report to Scottish Ministers by 31 December 2016. Scottish Ministers will then lay a report of the review before the Scottish Parliament, as set out in Section 11F …
29 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what procedures are in place for de-registering a snaring identification number, including when the person who was granted the number (a) ceases employment in snaring, (b) retires or (c) dies.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There is no requirement at present for a snaring operator to de-register their snaring identification number when the person who is granted the number a) ceases employment in snaring, b) retires, or c) dies. The snaring review, due to be completed by the e…
29 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27214 by Aileen McLeod on 14 September 2015, how many people had obtained an identification number by 1 July 2016.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Further to the answer to question S4W-27214, 1,463 people had obtained an identification number by 1 July 2016.
26 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following the result of the EU referendum, whether it will seek to maintain and implement minimum standards of environmental protection as required by the EU birds and habitat directives and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: At present, the UK remains a member state of the European Union. The Scottish Government has been clear in its belief that European Union membership delivers many social, economic and cultural benefits for individuals, business and communities across Scotland…
23 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not provided a response to question S5W-00104, which had an expected answer date of 30 May 2016, and when it will now provide the information that was requested.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I met with representatives of Graham's Dairy on 5 December 2014, at which various issues were discussed, including development proposals.
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the (a) UK Government, (b) Canadian Government and (c) European Commission regarding the potential impact of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on devolved competencies.
Answer · Keith Brown: The former Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment wrote to the UK Government's Secretary of State for Agriculture, Rural Affairs and the Environment about protected food names in the comprehensive economic and trade agreement in Septemb…
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the potential impact of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on (a) public services, (b) regulatory standards and (c) public procurement in Scotland.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has carried out an initial assessment of Section D investment protection provisions and has made clear to the UK Government and the European Commission that trade agreements must not adversely affect the delivery of public services, lo…
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the potential impact of the Section D investment protection provisions of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on its ability to legislate in the interests of the public and the environment.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government carried out an initial assessment of the Section D provisions of Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and considered it unlikely that these would to any appreciable extent restrict the legislation which the Scottish Parliament ca…
20 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many enforcement orders were issued by Scottish Natural Heritage between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2015 in relation to the control of giant hogweed, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage have not made any Species Control Orders (as provided for in Section 14D of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) relating to giant hogweed. One species control agreement is in place for giant hogweed.
30 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its Resilience Division has a position on the distribution of stable iodine tablets to all households within 30km of nuclear facilities without waiting for an incident or accident to occur and, if so, what position.
Answer · John Swinney: There are currently no plans to alter the existing arrangements for the distribution of stable iodine tablets to households close to a nuclear facility. In Scotland as part of the planning for, and response to, a potential incident at a nuclear power station…
30 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action its Resilience Division has taken to plan a response to an attack on (a) fuel stores at nuclear reactor sites and (b) nuclear fuel flasks during transport.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00298 on 14 June 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/2…
30 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether, as part of its civil contingency planning, it has made an assessment of (a) insider, (b) cyber, (c) aircraft and (d) drone attacks on nuclear facilities.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00298 on 14 June 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/2…
30 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the conclusions and recommendations in Nuclear Free Local Authorities briefing number 145, Nuclear security concerns – how secure is the UK civil nuclear sector, will have on its civil contingency planning.
Answer · John Swinney: Nuclear security is a reserved matter. The Department for Energy and Climate Change works closely with the home office to ensure that security at all UK civil nuclear sites, and for civil nuclear material in transit, remains robust and effective. A threat ass…
30 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet last discussed the risk of and response to a nuclear incident.
Answer · John Swinney: The contents of discussions of the Scottish Cabinet are not routinely disclosed. Ministers are briefed at the highest level on civil contingency matters including nuclear.
21 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27557 by Margaret Burgess on 18 September 2015, what plans it has to take forward the planned consultation on proposals for the regulation of energy efficiency in private sector homes.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government remains committed to taking forward consultation on proposals for minimum energy efficiency standards during this parliamentary session. The setting of standards is one of the key elements of the ongoing development of Scotland’s En…
21 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28202 by Margaret Burgess on 10 November 2015, whether it will provide an update on what progress it has made in developing the national infrastructure priority approach to energy efficiency.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme, the cornerstone of the national infrastructure priority, is in its development phase and is building on our existing energy efficiency and heat generation programmes. In January 2016 we made available up to £14 million …
21 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its requirements set out by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, what approach it is taking to the development of the third report on policies and proposals.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Development of the third report on proposals and policies is underway. Our approach builds on existing evidence, including research, analysis and experience of how emissions reduction measures have worked in practice, and advice from the independent Committee…
21 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Committee on Climate Change report, Scottish emissions targets 2028-2032.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government welcomes the advice the Committee on Climate Change has provided in its publication dated 15 March 2016: Scottish emissions targets 2028-2032 – The high ambition pathway towards a low-carbon economy. We note the committee's acknowledge…
21 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24398 by Aileen McLeod on 19 February 2015, when the sub-committee on climate change will next meet; what matters will be discussed, and which (a) cabinet secretaries and (b) ministers will attend.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Cabinet is the forum for consideration of key policy issues, including major cross-cutting issues such as climate change, and decisions on whether to delegate responsibility for specific issues to a cabinet sub-committee is a matter for the cabin…
21 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) timescale and (b) scope is of its review of NPD and PFI/PPP projects.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00171 on 3 June 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/28…
21 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what project-specific detail will be considered in relation to Balfron High School as part of its review of NPD and PFI/PPP projects.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is currently considering what next steps would be most helpful in terms of any potential wider issues arising from the recent Edinburgh school closures, taking into account the City of Edinburgh Council’s plans to undertake a review ov…
19 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Audit Scotland's view that (a) conflicts of interest within the CAP Futures programme were not dealt with effectively and (b) the delivery director should not have been on the resources group and allowed a direct involvement in recruitment decisions.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The situation referred to in the report has been resolved and no longer represents a conflict of interest. We take the comments raised by Audit Scotland very seriously and will be looking to apply these considerations across the programme and wider Scottish G…
19 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of CAP Futures project costs has been spent on contractors.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have spent £85.6 million (excluding VAT) with our main IT delivery partner. We have also spent approximately £15.5 million (excluding VAT) on other external contractors to support the programme through the Scottish Government procurement framework.
19 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Audit Scotland's assessment that there is a "high risk" that the CAP Futures programme will not achieve its aim to minimise disallowance.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Fines from the EU can take the form of late payment penalties or disallowance for inaccurate calculations. Our focus continues to remain 100 per cent on getting payments out to farmers and crofters ahead of the EU’s deadline of 30 June 2016. On the topic of…
19 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings published by Scottish Natural Heritage in The Proportion of Scotland's Protected Sites in Favourable Condition 2016, that show that the proportion of such features on these sites at 31 March 2016 was 66.6%, for what reason the national indicator for protected na…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The official statistic (which was published by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on 13 May 2016) is based on the results of Site Condition Monitoring (SCM), a six-year rolling programme monitoring the condition of natural features on protected areas. The condit…
16 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings (a) ministers and (b) officials have had with representatives from Graham's the Family Dairy at which development proposals at (i) Hill of Drip and (ii) Airthrey Kerse were discussed, broken down by (A) date and (B) location.
Answer · Fergus Ewing : I met with representatives of Graham's Dairy on 5 December 2014, at which various issues were discussed, including development proposals.
12 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the (a) aquaculture, (b) forestry and (c) agriculture sector (i) plays a full role in delivering its biodiversity strategy and (ii) meets Aichi biodiversity targets 3 and 7.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scotland’s Biodiversity - a Route Map to 2020 was published in June 2015 to guide work towards the 2020 Aichi targets and complement the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS). The route map brings together the key work needed to deliver on the SBS. The Scottis…
12 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to meet its 2020 Aichi biodiversity targets and what its position is on whether the targets will be met.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scotland's biodiversity strategy, Scotland's Biodiversity: It's in Your Hands, was published in 2004 and sets out how the government will conserve biodiversity for the health, enjoyment and wellbeing of the people of Scotland now and in the future. Scotland’s…
12 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that Scotland's protected (a) land and (b) sea areas contribute to meeting the Aichi biodiversity target 11 and lead to an increase in the number of natural features that are recorded as being in a favourable condition.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The United Kingdom is party to the Convention on Biological Diversity which agreed the so-called ‘Aichi targets’ at its 10th conference of parties in Nagoya in 2010. Target 11 requires that at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per…
12 May 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-05291 by Aileen McLeod on 21 January 2016 (Official Report, c 8), what plans it has to implement each of the recommendations of the Wildlife Crime Penalties Review Group and when it will do so.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government wrote on 24 February 2016 to the Chair of the Wildlife Crime Penalties Review Group, Professor Mark Poustie, with a formal response to the report. The letter can be read in full at: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00494565.pdf The…