Mark Ruskell

3 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether NatureScot has analysed the impact delivered by contracted bat workers on bat species conservation.

Answer · Gillian Martin: NatureScot holds data on the type of roosts recorded by bat workers during visits to homes, including the number of bats present, and whether the roost was retained or excluded under licence. In 2023, in Bats in Houses, a total of 74 bat roosts were excluded…

3 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action NatureScot is taking to safeguard bat roost sites located on homes, while highlighting the importance of bat species protection to householders.

Answer · Gillian Martin: All bat species found in Scotland are classed as European protected species. They receive the highest level of species protection under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994. This protection also extends to bat roosts. As bats return to t…

3 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to any (a) current and (b) future mineral mining exploration and related activities in Scotland, what plans it has to ensure that just transition principles are applied to support any communities in Scotland that are affected by such activities.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government is committed to delivering a just transition to net zero for all communities in Scotland, working with those most impacted to provide a fairer, greener future for all. Our approach is therefore being informed by communities, businesses…

3 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact oncommunities in Scotland of the (a) UK Critical Mineral Strategy and (b)findings of the report, Potential for Critical Raw Material Prospectivity in the UK by the British Geographical Survey (BGS) for the UK Critical Minerals Inte…

Answer · Ivan McKee: Access to Critical Raw Materials and Technologies is a vitally important issue for our economy, energy security and Net Zero ambitions.Where areas of potential prospectivity are identified, this does not mean that critical minerals are guaranteed to be found …

3 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has over mineral mining activity in Scotland,in light of written answer HL3093 in the House of Lords on 20 March 2024, inwhich the Minister of State in the Department for Business and Trade statesthat “mineral planning policy is also a devolved matter”.  

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government is responsible for overseeing Scotland’s statutory planning system which manages the development and use of land in the long-term public interest. Applications for planning permission for the extraction of minerals in Scotland mu…

3 Jun 2024 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister by what date the Scottish Government will decide which of the National Park nominations will be taken forward to the next stage.  

28 May 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of the process that it will follow to develop a Just Transition Plan for the Mossmorran industrial site.

28 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any impact of its Infrastructure Investment Plan on it meeting its climate ambitions.

Answer · Shona Robison: On 17 January, the Scottish Government published a carbon assessment of the Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26, drawing on a range of evidence, including results from a taxonomy assessment. Through this assessment, there is clear a…

24 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what policy measures it is considering in order to reach its commitment to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded peatlands by 2030.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: Caring for our peatlands, and reducing peatland emissions, through protection, management and restoration is critical to mitigating and adapting to the linked climate and nature emergencies. Restoring 250,000 hectares is a combination of restoration through …

24 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has calculated how many hectares of degraded peatlands it has restored in 2022-23, in line with its commitment to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded peatlands by 2030.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government, through its Peatland ACTION partnership, restored 7,468 hectares in 2022-23 financial year. However, since then, in the full completed delivery year of 2023-24, a total of 10,360 hectares have been restored.  

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the commitment in the Fair Fares Review to develop policy to consider the best way to provide free bus travel to people seeking asylum, including delivery of the one-year £2 million funding commitment for 2024-25 that was announced in October 2023.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: A national pilot scheme is being developed for people seeking asylum not already eligible for free bus travel through the existing National Concessionary Travel Schemes. This scheme will build on learning from local and regional pilots that have delivered fr…

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Plugged-in Communities Grant Fund will reopen for applications in 2024-25.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since its launch, the Plugged-in Communities grant fund has supported 38 community transport organisations across Scotland make the switch to zero emission vehicles, providing over £3.5 million of funding allowing these organisations to procure 53 zero emissi…

16 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the role of new on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging technology, particularly the use of cross-pavement cable gullies for EV charging cables, in expanding the number of EV charge points and infrastructure in Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The installation of cross-pavement solutions for on-street Electric Vehicle charging has the potential to provide those without off-street parking access to more affordable domestic tariffs, whilst reducing trip hazards posed by loosely trailed cables. The ma…

15 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to consult on the introduction of a carbon emissions land tax for large landowners.

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on phase 2 of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB2) funding; a list of successful applicants to the fund, and whether it has any plans to introduce a future funding stream targeted to smaller community transport operators.  

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Final applications to the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB2) were received in January 2024. An announcement about the outcome of the applications is expected in the near future. To date, through ScotZEB 1 and the previous two rounds of the …

9 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason non-compliance with the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice 2013 is a criminal offence in the rest of the UK, but not in Scotland, and whether it has any plans to introduce a criminal offence for such non-compliance.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is an offence in Scotland, as it is in England and Wales, for utilities to fail to secure the safety of road works by ensuring that those works are adequately guarded and lit and that appropriate traffic signs are placed to guide and direct persons using t…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what its position is on introducing ticket levy schemes at large music venues in Scotland to support small and grassroots music venues.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government fully values the importance of the music industry to Scotland’s culture, and the role venues play in the talent pipeline. We have committed through the New Deal for Business to engage with industry to explore non-regulatory solutions …

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what public consultation process it carries out with local community groups when significant harvesting plans are proposed in areas that could affect national and local conservation projects.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is committed to the principle that local communities should be involved in the decisions about land that affect them, including those relating to forestry. Consultations are an essential part of the decision-making process in forestry…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many new locations Forestry and Land Scotland has identified for the translocation of beavers to Scotland’s national forests in 2024.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Forestry and Land Scotland commissioned research that identified five potential additional sites for the translocation of beavers to Scotland’s national forests in 2024.

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many beavers have been translocated to Scotland’s national forests to date, broken down by the number of locations.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Between October 2023 and January 2024, the following beavers were translocated to the following locations on Scotland's National Forests and Land by Forestry and Land Scotland: Knapdale – Two beavers into Loch Laraiche; Knapdale – One beaver into Loch Linne…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Forestry and Land Scotland plans to increase artificial nest platforms for (a) raptors in Scotland’s national forests in the two National Parks and (b) priority national conservation initiatives such as the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Forestry and Land Scotland has no plans to increase the number of artificial nest platforms for (a) raptors in Scotland’s national forests in the two National Parks nor for (b) priority national conservation initiatives. This position will be kept under revi…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what national policy Forestry and Land Scotland has for encouraging (a) raptor and owl conservation and monitoring and (b) other community conservation programmes in Scotland’s national forests.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Forestry and Land Scotland do not create policy but follow Scottish Government Policy created by other Scottish Government agencies. Forestry and Land Scotland a) encourage raptor and owl conservation and monitoring by following the principles within Scotlan…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the current reported breach of Article 9 of the Aarhus Convention, and how any remedies will be implemented before the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee’s deadline of 1 October 2024.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government is working on a contribution to the UK's report to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee- detailing the actions being taken to ensure to ensure compliance with the convention. It will be published this summer.

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has provided options for increasing access to environmental justice in Scotland.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27262 on 17 May 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-committees/…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what level of prioritisation has been given to taking forward the outcomes of the environmental governance review.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government consulted on a Report into the Effectiveness of Environmental Governance last year, as required by section 41 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021. The Report included consideration of issues re…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a progress update on Scottish Water’s commitment to increasing monitoring levels of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).

Answer · Mairi McAllan: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26620 on 25 April 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-committee…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the water quality in freshwater lochs and waterways ahead of the summer bathing water season.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Bathing water quality samples are taken by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) at each bathing water throughout the bathing season from 1 June to 15 September. Bathing water classifications are calculated at the end of each bathing water season …

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to protect 30% of Scotland’s land and seas by 2030.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government committed at CoP26 to protecting and effectively managing at least 30% of Scotland’s land, freshwaters and sea for nature by 2030 (known as the 30 by 30 target). Delivery of the 30 by 30 target is a cornerstone of the draft Scottish Bi…

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded peatlands by 2030.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government remains committed to restoring 250,000 hectares of degraded peatlands by 2030. We are scaling up our efforts and annual rates of restoration are increasing.

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to accelerate woodland creation to 18,000 hectares a year by 2024-25.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Scotland’s woodland creation planting target is set out in the Climate Change Plan. The plan includes ambitious targets for woodland creation, aiming to increase woodland cover from around 18% to 21% of the total area of Scotland by 2032, with the planting ta…