Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-02395

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with the UK Government to meet the UK target to phase out the use of peat in the horticultural sector by 2030, and what steps it is taking to address any historic consents regarding permission to extract peat beyond that year.

Scottish Government officials contributed to the work that led to the Sustainable Growing Media Task Force's 2012 report, ‘Towards Sustainable Growing Media’. In 2014 the level of peat sold for horticultural use was 24% lower than the 2011 baseline. At its August meeting Scotland’s National Peatland Group discussed the scope for further work to support phasing out the use of peat in horticulture and the group is considering what further actions it could support to address a global issue. Scottish planning policy confirms that planning authorities should use their development plans to protect areas of peatland and only allow commercial extraction in very limited circumstances; consents from historic consents are a matter for individual planning authorities.

Question reference: S5W-02310

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken to devise a framework to support the management of European beavers in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-02309

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00029 by Roseanna Cunningham on 24 May 2016, when it will make a decision on the status of the European beaver.

Question reference: S5W-02306

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2016

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.

Question reference: S5W-02307

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2016

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.

Question reference: S5W-02362

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the Scottish salmon farming industry is compliant with new regulations adopted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration prohibiting imports from fisheries where marine animals are intentionally harmed.

Question reference: S5W-02631

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in order to preserve access to the US market for fish and fish products, whether it will introduce legislation that prohibits the intentional killing of marine mammals in all of Scotland's fisheries.

Question reference: S5O-00152

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to detect, prevent and prosecute dog fighting offences.

Question reference: S5W-02311

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to strengthen the development of grassroots tennis in Scotland since the Davis Cup was won by Great Britain in 2015.

Through sport Scotland, we have invested £3.3 million in tennis facilities over the last five years, which has generated a total investment of approximately £11 million in match funding across Scotland and has delivered over 100 indoor tennis courts.

Membership of Tennis Scotland has increased by more than 42% since 2009-10 with strong growth in both adult and junior membership predicted and a target of 57,000 by October 2017. The number of people playing tennis within the Disability Tennis Network has seen a 35% increase – from 275 to 372 players.

Question reference: S5W-02308

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on preventing plastic microbeads from entering the marine environment.

Scotland’s Marine Litter Strategy sets out the Scottish Government’s policy to reduce and prevent litter entering the sea, including plastic microbeads. The strategy includes over 40 actions such as raising public awareness, encouraging companies to produce alternatives to plastic microbeads, as well as undertaking research to address gaps in knowledge.

The Scottish Government are also supportive of the recent announcement by the UK Government to ban microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products. This is consistent with Scotland’s Marine Litter Strategy and we will work with the UK Government in developing these proposals.