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-20573

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to take any steps to encourage the European Council to support the European Commission’s proposals for a climate-neutral EU by 2050 at the European Council meeting in May 2019.

The Scottish Government welcomes the European Commission’s proposals for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy by 2050. We contributed to the consultation on this strategy, sharing our experience and urging the EU to maintain its leadership.

Scottish Ministers regularly attend Environment Council to showcase Scotland’s climate policies and push for more ambitious action. Most recently, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment attended December’s Council where Ministers from Member States had a first exchange of views on the strategy. We will continue to take a proactive and positive approach to collaboration with our EU partners following the UK’s departure from the European Union.

We also make representations to the UK Government to include Scotland’s climate policies and level of ambition in its discussions with the EU and actively share our experience of developing climate policies and plans.

We now look forward to the strategic long-term vision set out by the Commission being translated into legally binding emissions reduction targets and credible policies to deliver on these. One of the first steps in this process will be a strong commitment from European leaders at the informal European Council in Sibiu in May 2019.

Question reference: S5W-20266

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the levels of the pollutant, bisphenol A, are (a) at potential point sources such as landfill, sewage and paper sludge sites and (b) elsewhere in Scotland.

Data on Bisphenol A is not required to be routinely collected. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has, however, included BPA analysis of groundwater and fresh and marine surface waters alongside other substances routinely monitored for the purposes of the Water Framework Directive for a number of years at a range of locations across Scotland; and also holds a limited quantity of sewage and trade effluent data for BPA.

I will ask the SEPA’s Chief Executive to write to you with further details.

Question reference: S5W-20265

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 13 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Marine Scotland has not responded to the formal notifications made on 15 August and 7 September 2018 by Salmon & Trout Conservation Scotland and the Garynahine Estate, pursuant to Regulation 14 of the Environmental Liability (Scotland) Regulations 2009, requesting action in relation to alleged damage caused to wild Atlantic salmon populations by sea lice emanating from open cage salmon farms on Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis.

Question reference: S5W-20140

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Cross Tay Link Road not being included in the final list of funded projects under the Tay Cities Deal, whether it will provide alternative funding to allow the link road to be built.

The Tay Cities Deal includes several Scottish Government commitments to support connectivity across the region in the coming years. It will lead to investment in low carbon and active travel hubs, better integration of public transport in Perth and developing Dundee Airport as well as the work which is already ongoing to produce a region wide strategic transport model.

As part of our previously stated commitment to invest £200 million in the area the Scottish Government will set out the details of the further £50 million in the coming months following discussions with regional partners.

Question reference: S5W-20007

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the second Strategic Transport Projects Review will be (a) completed and (b) published.

Procurement for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) is ongoing, it is expected that consultants will be appointed before the end of the calendar year. The Scottish Government has committed to complete the STPR2 during the lifetime of this Parliament and that it will be aligned with the next National Planning Framework (NPF4).

A detailed project programme will be drawn up once consultants have been appointed, which will set out planned dates for completion and publication of the review.

Question reference: S5W-19966

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the Waste Market Study referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform in Parliament on 14 November 2018 (Official Report, c.8).

Question reference: S5W-19970

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce which projects are included in the pipeline for rail enhancements beginning in Control Period 6.

Question reference: S5O-02549

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected demand will be for the incineration of waste following the ban on sending biodegradable waste to landfill in 2021.

Question reference: S5W-19642

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the sites of the sudden disappearances of satellite-tagged golden eagles and other birds of prey, which were identified in Scottish Natural Heritage-commissioned report, Analyses of the fates of satellite tracked golden eagles in Scotland, as being "suspicious" are not included in the raptor persecution maps and figures that have been published by Partnership Against Wildlife Crime Scotland, and what plans it has to include these in future.

The Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAW Scotland) raptor crime hotspot maps and accompanying figures relate to incidents confirmed as crimes by Police Scotland. Unexplained disappearances of satellite-tagged golden eagles do not meet the Police Scotland criteria for classification as a crime unless there is sufficient additional evidence.

There are no plans to change the basis of the PAW Scotland maps or accompanying figures, which adopt a consistent approach to help inform analysis of multi-year trends.

Question reference: S5W-19641

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response to the legal opinion that has been published by the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association, which disputes some of the conclusions of the Scottish Natural Heritage-commissioned report, Analyses of the fates of satellite tracked golden eagles in Scotland, and, in light of this, whether it plans to review the report's conclusion that the disappearances of some satellite-tracked golden eagles and other birds of prey were "suspicious".