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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-08387

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06774 by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 February 2017, what further communication it has had with the UK Department for Transport regarding the review of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010.

Question reference: S5W-08692

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07554 by Kevin Stewart on 6 March 2017, what target date it has set to determine the planning appeal.

Question reference: S5O-00859

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government and the EU regarding the licensing of seal killing and the fishery product import regime of the United States.

Question reference: S5W-08393

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 10 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on draft European Commission regulations that would ban the use of neonicotinoids in agriculture.

The Scottish Government is aware of draft European Regulations to further restrict the use of three neonicotinoid insecticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) to permanent greenhouses or for the treatment of seeds to be used in permanent greenhouses where the crop stays its entire life cycle within the greenhouse.

We note that the European Commission's proposals pre-empts the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) main review of these three neonicotinoids, which is not yet complete. This review, the findings from which will be published later in the year, will look at the risk to bees of the use of these chemicals.

Question reference: S5W-08133

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the research that it used to underpin its consultation on unconventional oil and gas extraction, Talking Fracking, explored the impacts of fracking on wildlife and biodiversity.

The Scottish Government continues to take a cautious, evidence-led approach to unconventional oil and gas. An Independent Expert Scientific Panel, convened by the Scottish Government to examine the scientific evidence relating to unconventional oil and gas, published its findings in July 2014. Their remit included examining environmental and regulatory issues associated with the potential development of unconventional oil & gas in Scotland.

When the Panel reported in July 2014, they determined that the regulatory framework is largely in place to control the potential environmental impacts of the production of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. However, the Panel identified a number of gaps in the wider evidence base and in response to these findings the Scottish Government commissioned a suite of expert reports to examine specific issues in more detail. These studies were published in November 2016, and have informed our four-month public consultation, Talking “Fracking”, which was published on 31 January.

The consultation document sets out the Scottish Government’s commitment to “undertaking all relevant statutory assessments in coming to a final position on unconventional oil and gas, including undertaking a Strategic Environmental Assessment, which would be required regardless of the form of our final decision”.

The Scottish Government also hosted a workshop in October 2016 for regulators to examine gaps in the current Unconventional Oil and Gas regulatory framework. The regulators considered the current regulatory framework which exists to minimise hazards, and mitigate risks to the environment, including wildlife habitats and ecosystems. An overview of the current regulatory framework can be viewed at http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00509369.pdf. A summary of the regulatory workshop can be read at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/onshoreoilandgas/EvidenceGathering/RegulatoryWorkshop

Question reference: S5W-08140

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how NHS Fife is performing with regard to the waiting time targets for neurology.

NHS Fife performance for a first outpatient appointment in neurology was 69.6% of patients seen within the 12 week standard on 31 December 2016. Of the 21 NHS residents who were treated as inpatient or day cases within the specialty of Neurology during the quarter end 31 December 2016, 86% of patients were seen within the 12 week treatment time guarantee. 75% of patients were seen within the 18 week referral to treatment standard during the month of December 2016.

Question reference: S5W-07900

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in establishing the independent rural stakeholders group to advise on rural support beyond 2020, which was agreed by the Parliament in the debate on motion S5M-03463 on 19 January 2017.

The Scottish Government is currently working up proposals for an external group to provide advice on future agricultural support, including how this new group should fit with the work being taken forward by the four Agriculture Champions - Education and Training Champion Henry Graham; Food and Drink Champion Archie Gibson; Sustainability Champion John Kinnaird; and Public Value Champion Marion MacCormick. Members will be updated in due course.

Question reference: S5W-07776

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to develop a vision for the uplands.

A report and advice prepared by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on ‘Scoping a Strategic Vision for the Uplands’ was submitted to the Scottish Government in early February. This work was commissioned to deliver Proposal 5 in the Land Use Strategy 2016-2021, which committed the Scottish Government to ‘scope the potential to develop a strategic vision for the uplands, exploring the multiple benefits they deliver and how they can contribute to climate change targets’. The Scottish Government will consider and respond to the SNH report in due course and the report will also be published.

Question reference: S5W-07699

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether guidance is provided to local authorities regarding the setting of fees for licensing (a) pet shops and (b) dog breeding facilities.

The Pet Animals Act 1951 and The Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 provide the fees regime for the licensing of pet shops and dog breeding facilities respectively. Each of these Acts provide that it is for the relevant local authority to determine the fees that it charges.

The potential benefit to animal welfare of standardising fees for these activities is being considered as part of an ongoing review of pet welfare.

Question reference: S5W-07635

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what actions, identified by the Scotland's Rural College’s marginal abatement cost curve as cost-effective, appear as policies in its draft Climate Change Plan.

The Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) was a key guide when drafting the Agriculture chapter of the draft Climate Change Plan. Actions such as improving synthetic Nitrogen use, improving organic Nitrogen planning, the adoption of precision farming, the use of catch and cover crops, soil compaction, improving livestock health and nutrition etc. were all highlighted in the MACC and are all addressed throughout the policy outcomes.

For example;

Outcome one - is to provide the industry with the advice, information and the practical demonstrations needed to be able to adopt mitigation measures including the ones mentioned above on farms.

Outcome two - is aimed at reducing the emissions associated with excessive Nitrogen use by improving use efficiency and improving the condition of the soils it is being applied to.

Outcome three - is aimed at reducing the emissions from livestock production through addressing areas such as livestock health and nutrition as well as improving fertility and reducing mortality.