Parliamentary questions
Mark Ruskell
1,773 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Jan 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase access to thrombectomies in the Fife region, in light of the reported 1.9% increase in investment in the National Thrombectomy Service.
6 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what licence conditions requiring prior landowner notification are applied in relation to each species under schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: At present the only existing licence condition applied by NatureScot for Schedule 1 species is for disturbance of any such species where the work is to be undertaken on a National Nature Reserve (NNR). This condition requires prior land owner notification bef…
23 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it provides to prevent the closure of public libraries.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government works closely with the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), which provides leadership and advice to Scottish Ministers, local authorities, and the wider libraries sector.In 2024-2025 we have provided the Scottish Library an…
23 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to prevent so-called "ghost fishing".
Answer · Gillian Martin: “Ghost fishing” results from abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear and has a negative impact on our environment. Some loss is unavoidable because of weather, snagging or gear failure, and fishers make every effort to retrieve this ge…
22 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on applying a cap to fishing activity in inshore waters, of up to three nautical miles, that will limit activity to current levels and set a ceiling from which activities that disrupt the seabed can be reduced.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In 2024 the Scottish Government launched the Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement Programme to develop a more agile, responsive and regional management framework. Our vision is that this framework will enable us to tailor a wider range of fisheries manage…
21 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) NatureScot and (b) other relevant stakeholders about varying licence conditions for bird ringing, in relation to schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, to require prior landowner notification.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government has discussed the proposed new condition to schedule 1 licences with NatureScot on a number of occasions. The new condition will require prior notification to landowners, where reasonably practical, of all visits to nests, or other sit…
18 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what level of carbon emissions a power generator can produce and still be considered "low-carbon".
Answer · Gillian Martin: Low Carbon electricity generation is defined for Scottish Government energy statistics reporting as electricity generated by renewable, nuclear or pumped hydro storage (PHS) technologies.Most generation technologies are classified as low carbon by their type …
18 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the open letter signed by 30 climate organisations calling on it to order SSE and Equinor to resubmit an “honest assessment” of the full environmental impact of the proposed power station at Peterhead.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: In February 2022, an application under section 36 of the Electricity Act seeking consent for construction and operation of the Peterhead Low Carbon Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Station was formally lodged with the Energy Consents Unit. This is currently b…
18 Dec 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the needs of pupils with additional support needs are taken into account in the procurement and replacement of the school estate.
11 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost will be to deliver each local authority's 20mph speed limit implementation plan.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Discussions continue between my officials at Transport Scotland and local authorities to re-affirm their expected expenditure for the 2025-26 financial year. Funding from the road safety allocation that is contained in the wider Roads budget will be made avai…
11 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated in its draft Budget 2025-26 for (a) the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund, (b) Places for Everyone projects, (c) the National Cycle Network, (d) People and Place projects, (e) regional transport partnerships and (f) Bikeability Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Budget for 2025-26 has been set at £63.4 billion. The recent draft budget allocated and indicated a value of £4 billion for the Transport portfolio, which includes £188.7 million for Active and Sustainable Travel. This investmen…
9 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has had with local authorities regarding the ScotRail proposal to reduce the opening hours of a number of station ticket offices, in light of the specific requirement for face-to-face sales of local authority concessionary fares.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: ScotRail proposals to adjust opening hours of some of its ticket offices have been accepted by the Scottish Government on the condition that passengers will receive an improved, more direct customer service. Any consultation regarding these adjustments is a m…
9 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation is underway with the Mobility and Access Committee Scotland (MACS) regarding the ScotRail proposal to reduce station ticket office opening hours across the network, in light of MACS reportedly indicating in its response to the 2022 consultation concern regarding the lev…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: ScotRail adjusted its proposals in the light of feedback received in the 2022 consultation. The Scottish Government’s agreement to ScotRail proposals to adjust opening hours of some of its ticket offices is predicated on the condition that disabled trav…
4 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce primary legislation to reform water, wastewater and drainage systems within the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Gillian Martin: As set out in the 2023-24 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government has been reviewing its policy in relation to drinking water and wastewater with a view to bringing forward new primary legislation as soon as practicable. As part of the review, it is…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that Police Scotland designs its Digital Evidence Sharing Capability to enable the public to upload journey-cam footage directly to the police rather than having to report the incident first.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government welcomes His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS) highlighting the issue of journey-cam footage in its recent report, the thematic inspection of road policing in Scotland.The Digital Evidence Sharing Capabi…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Police Scotland acts on recommendation 1 of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland report, Thematic inspection of road policing in Scotland.
Answer · Angela Constance: I welcome the recent Thematic inspection of road policing in Scotland report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland. The recommendations contained within the report are for Police Scotland to consider and respond, and how they do so …
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on recommendation 10 of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland report, Thematic inspection of road policing in Scotland, that Police Scotland should progress a facility for the public to report road traffic offences by directly uploading journey-cam footage.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31897 on 9 December 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-co…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been awarded through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme for the restoration of natural processes in each year since 2015.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) was launched in 2015 to promote land management practices which protect and enhance Scotland’s natural heritage, improve water quality, manage flood risk and mitigate and adapt to climate change.To date over &p…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the Weeds Act 1959, in light of all of the “injurious weeds” listed in it reportedly being considered native plants vital to biodiversity.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Weeds act is referenced by the direct payments regulations in regard to minimum activity rules around region 1 land which is to say that the control of weeds is one of the minimum activities required in the absence of agricultural production from that lan…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the classification of wildlife habitats such as marsh, trees, ponds and scrub as "ineligible features" in any future guidance issued in connection with its agriculture support regime.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The consideration of qualifying land and the active farmer eligibility rules is part of the agricultural reform programme. We will look at how we best support farmers and crofters to deliver the vision for agriculture including the right balance of incentives…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been awarded through Greening payments for the restoration of natural processes in each year since 2015.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Greening Scheme was introduced in 2015 with the intent to improve the environmental performance of farming. The Scheme delivers thirty per cent of Scotland’s Direct Payment budget as a top up to the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). Farmers and crofters m…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether access to funding available through tiers 3 and 4 of its future agriculture support regime will be dependent upon eligibility for tier 1.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The agriculture support framework will be aimed at delivering against the following five key outcomes: support for a just transition, high quality food production, thriving agricultural businesses, climate mitigation and adaptation and nature restoration.To s…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing an option for agriculture support to be made available to landholdings where nature restoration is the primary aim.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government is already committed to delivering the ambitions set out in the Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture. Scotland will have a support framework that delivers high quality food production, climate mitigation and adaptation, a…
26 Nov 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it will ensure that all appropriate roads have a safer speed limit of 20mph by 2025.
22 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the regulations are in place to allow local authorities to introduce congestion charge schemes, and what support is available for local authorities to introduce these.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 established the discretionary power for local authorities to implement road user charging schemes, including congestion charging and they are best placed to determine whether a local road user charging scheme supports the obj…
22 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its updated route map to achieve a 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The route map to achieving a 20% reduction in car use is co-produced with CoSLA, in recognition of the joint commitment to a just transition to reducing car use. We continue to work closely with local and regional partners to update the route map and timeline…
22 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29293 by Jim Fairlie on 24 September 2024, whether it will provide more detailed information distinguishing between public and private deer management, and, if so, by what date it will do so.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: As stated in the answer to question S6W-29293, NatureScot data does not differentiate between culls undertaken by the private and public sector.Included below is the information that is held and shows reported culls for the last two years for overall deer cul…
20 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations of ASLEF's 2024 report, Dignity for Drivers.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government notes the report commissioned by ASLEF and its findings. Every worker should be able to work with dignity and this includes having an access to toilet facilities. The report findings are for train operating companies, as employers to c…
20 Nov 2024 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consideration has been given to reviewing its parental leave policies.
Answer · Jackson Carlaw (on behalf of the SPCB): In accordance with the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme the SPCB is responsible for setting and maintaining minimum terms and conditions for the employment of staff by MSPs and for the terms and conditions of parliamentary service staff. I can …
13 Nov 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland’s latest report on road policing.