Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1641 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-23750

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Ministers have the power to direct SEPA to refuse pollution prevention and control permits to new incineration plants under regulation 60 of the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012.

The Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) regulations 2012 (“the PPC regulations”) require that SEPA make impartial assessments of all PPC Permit applications and make decisions relating to environmental permits in accordance with these regulations. Whilst Scottish Ministers do have the ability to intervene in the PPC process by way of a direction, they would not normally do so in the absence of exceptional circumstances.

The key policy levers available to Scottish Ministers to manage capacity are in planning. We responded to the Review’s recommendation, that no further planning permission for incineration facilities beyond what was already in place should be granted. This was addressed in National Planning Framework 4, which is clear that Scottish Government will not support development proposals for energy-from-waste facilities except under very limited circumstances.

This policy, alongside the development of an indicative cap for the amount of residual waste treatment needed, will serve to limit and gradually reduce Scotland’s incineration capacity. This approach will ensure we have an appropriate treatment capacity to manage our waste today, and that this treatment capacity declines as we move towards our circular economy and carbon reduction goals.

Question reference: S6W-23752

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish details of any developments that it has made in relation to an indicative cap for declining incineration capacity, which it accepted as recommendation 5 of the independent review of the role of incineration in June 2022, and, if so, when.

To support future planning decisions, we accepted the review’s recommendation to develop an indicative capacity cap. It is important that any indicative cap is as robust as possible and developing such a cap is a significant piece of work.

For that reason, we are undertaking work to improve the quality of data on waste to support the development of an indicative cap. This includes, working with other governments of the UK to implement mandatory Digital Waste Tracking from April 2025, which will provide a step-change in the quality of Scottish waste data, and engaging with partners, including ZWS and SEPA, to draw together key waste composition, carbon and environmental impact data insights. In addition, the Strategic Research Programme 2022 to 2027, Theme C: Human Impacts on the Environment includes work on the circular economy. As part of this, a mapping exercise of the waste flows in Scotland is being undertaken by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

Together, these initiatives will provide invaluable data to support the accurate forecasting of Scotland’s waste infrastructure needs and the development of an indicative cap.

Further information on these developments can be found here:

Digital Waste Tracking Consultation Response.

Outcome of the Household Waste Composition Analysis.

Information on the Strategic Research Programme 2022 to 2027.

Our draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map, due for publication shortly, will set out further detail and associated timescales on the steps we will take to minimise the environmental and climate impacts of waste, including the development of an indicative capacity cap.

Question reference: S6F-02672

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the First Minister how the Budget will support climate action.

Question reference: S6W-23296

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent correspondence it has had with the UK Government regarding the possibility of the UK joining the EU in a coordinated withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), and any impact that the UK’s continued ECT membership has on Scotland’s climate ambitions, following the Energy Charter Conference on 20 November 2023.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero about the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT).

Following the ECT Annual Conference on 20 November 2023, Scottish Government officials contacted the UK Government, seeking an update on their review of UK membership of the ECT. Subsequently, the UK Government has confirmed publicly that it is continuing to review the UK’s membership, and to consider stakeholder views.

The Scottish Government shares many of the concerns raised by experts, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Climate Change Committee, about ECT membership and sees merit in calls for the UK to withdraw. Our position, as set out in our Vision for Trade, is that no part of a trade or investment agreement should limit the ability of the Scottish Parliament to regulate in devolved areas, or constrain much needed action to achieve our net zero goals.

We therefore remain concerned at the lack of a decision on this issue and the prospect of Scotland continuing to remain subject to the provisions of an unreformed Treaty, through the UK’s continued membership.

Question reference: S6O-02904

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of its NHS Forth Valley Assurance Board.

Question reference: S6W-23610

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shona Robison on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill and Future Generations Commissioner.

We have today launched our consultation on the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill, including the potential role of an Independent Commissioner for Future Generations. The consultation will run until 14 February 2024 and can be accessed at https://consult.gov.scot/national-performance-framework-unit/wellbeing-and-sustainable-development-scotland .

We committed in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Programmes for Government to explore the development of a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill, and we are now at the stage of seeking views on how this legislation could best ensure that wellbeing and sustainable development are embedded into public sector decision making and that future generations are considered in decisions made today.

We are seeking views on providing legislative definitions of “sustainable development” and “wellbeing”, strengthening duties on public bodies to consider the National Outcomes in decision making, and extending these duties to Scottish Ministers. We are also asking for views on how best to ensure that the necessary accountability and support for these duties is in place, including the potential role of an Independent Commissioner for Future Generations. I look forward to receiving a range of views on these matters.

I have also written to the Finance and Public Administration, Net Zero and Transport, Economy and Fair Work and Rural and Islands Committees to inform them of the consultation launch.

Question reference: S6W-23053

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to align with the EU's Nature Restoration Law.

Scotland and the EU share a high ambition for nature, and are both putting in place the actions required to meet the targets set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed in December 2022. The EU’s provisional agreement on nature restoration seeks to restore 20% of EU’s land and sea.

In line with Scottish Government’s commitment to maintain and enhance environmental standards, we have our own ambitious commitment to protect 30% of our land and sea for nature by 2030 (30 by 30).

Our Scottish Biodiversity Strategy sets out our ambition to halt nature loss by 2030 and restore Scotland’s natural environment by 2045.

Our strategy will be supported by the introduction of a Natural Environment Bill which will introduce a framework for statutory nature recovery restoration targets. In developing those targets we will take into account the position in the EU.

We are currently consulting on key elements of the overall Biodiversity Framework, including the Biodiversity Strategy, the first 5 year Delivery Plan, proposals for the Natural Environment Bill, and as set of principles to guide delivery of key commitments including 30 by 30 and nature networks.

Question reference: S6W-23052

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to align with updated Commission Regulation (EU) No 546/2011 as regards bees principles for evaluation and authorisation of plant protection products.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1441 of 31 August 2022 amended Commission Regulation (EU) 546/2011 as regards specific uniform principles for evaluation and authorisation of plant protection products containing micro-organisms. It did not amend Commission Regulation (EU) 546/2011 as regards bees principles.

The Health and Safety Executive, as the UK regulator, closely monitors EU developments. Regulatory changes at GB level are considered in line with our domestic governance structure. The UK National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides , which outlines the UK approach to minimise the impacts of pesticides, will be published this year.

Question reference: S6O-02832

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of introducing ticket levy schemes at large music venues in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-22077

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the contribution of its latest Infrastructure Investment Plan to meeting Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

Annex C of the Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP), published February 2021, used a taxonomy approach to assess planned infrastructure spend into low, neutral and high carbon categories, drawing on the annual carbon assessment of the capital budget. The 2022-23 annual IIP progress report, published June 2023, considers Major Capital Projects within the IIP in the context of the climate change targets.

My previous answer to question S6W-21956 on 25 October 2023 sets out details of Scottish Ministers’ commitment to comply fully with the requirements of section 94A of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

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/written-questions-and-answers