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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-19419

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have submitted assessments to identify any roads that are appropriate for the adoption of 20mph speed limits.

The following 24 local authorities have submitted their road assessment;

1. Highland Council

2. Angus Council

3. Orkney Council

4. Renfrewshire Council

5. Dumfries and Galloway Council

6. Fife Council

7. Dundee City Council

8. City of Edinburgh Council

9. Scottish Borders Council

10. West Lothian Council

11. Moray Council

12. North Ayrshire Council

13. Inverclyde Council

14. Aberdeenshire Council

15. East Renfrewshire Council

16. West Dunbartonshire Council

17. Perth and Kinross Council

18. Falkirk Council

19. Stirling Council

20. Argyll and Bute Council

21. Aberdeen City Council (partial)

22. North Lanarkshire Council

23. East Lothian Council

24. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

The Scottish Government is engaging with the remaining local authorities to ensure a completed road assessment is received.

Question reference: S6W-19430

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to evaluate the impact of the Low Emission Zone in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-19426

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will introduce the devolved Air Departure Tax to align aviation policy with Scotland’s climate change goals.

As outlined in the Scottish Budget 2023-24, the Scottish Government remains committed to introducing Air Departure Tax when a solution to the Highlands and Islands exemption issue has been found. The Scottish Government is carefully considering the implications for this of the UK subsidy control regime that was introduced by the UK Government in January 2023.

Until Air Departure Tax is introduced, the UK Government will maintain the application of Air Passenger Duty in Scotland.

We will review Air Passenger Duty rates and bands ahead of the introduction of the devolved Air Departure Tax to ensure that our policy aligns with our climate change goals, including the possibility of a higher tax for more polluting aircraft, while maintaining our commitment to retain the Highlands and Islands exemption.

Question reference: S6W-19428

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the environmental and climate impacts of the use of private jets departing from and arriving at Scotland’s airports.

Question reference: S6W-19420

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Police Scotland’s delivery of an online reporting system for dangerous driving.

Question reference: S6W-19423

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board last met, and what work is currently underway to progress commitments towards smart integrated ticketing across public transport in Scotland.

Secondary legislation on the establishment of The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (NSTAB) came into force in May 2023 and as such recruitment for board members is now underway, with a proposal to undertake the inaugural meeting by the end of the year. The board will advise on a national technological standard for smart ticketing, to be used in ticketing schemes and to help improve the interoperability of smart ticketing in Scotland, setting the foundation for better integration. It will also advise Scottish Ministers on the strategic direction for smart ticketing to improve passenger’s experience and help boost use of sustainable public transport modes.

Additionally, via our £1.1m Smart Pay Grant Fund, we have supported bus operators to accept contactless payment so this is now available on around 98% of buses. We have also made ITSO smartcards interoperable so you only need one smartcard for various operators’ commercial smart tickets, as well as our own concessionary bus travel schemes, simplifying access to smart travel. We have commenced a feasibility study to consider the different ‘smart’ platforms that could be used for the national concessionary travel scheme, including mobile, contactless, and ’blended’ smart device solutions.

We are refreshing the 2018 Smart Delivery Strategy, which will outline the programme of work and strategy for the next 5-10 years for smart and integrated ticketing in Scotland. This is being informed by a public survey, which ran between March 2023 and May 2023, plus engagement with operators and local transport authorities.

Question reference: S6W-19504

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Lorna Slater on 28 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the publication of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.

The Scottish Government has today published the new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, which is available at: http://www.gov.scot/ISBN/9781805251545 .

The Strategy sets out a refreshed approach to tackling litter and flytipping in order to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment, ensure safer and cleaner communities and contribute to a thriving circular economy for Scotland. It sets out how national and local government, business, third sector, communities and individuals can work together to support behaviour change, improve infrastructure and strengthen enforcement.

The strategy is accompanied by an action plan outlining priority activity for the first year of implementation. Actions for 2023-24 include measures to strengthen enforcement (including raising fixed penalty notices for flytipping to £500), support private landowners, improve data collection, engage communities and influence behaviours.

Actions will be reviewed and refreshed on an annual basis over the six-year lifespan of the Strategy to ensure these are adapted to suit a changing external environment and are informed by emerging insights and wider action to accelerate Scotland’s transition to a circular economy.

Question reference: S6W-19458

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has come to a decision on whether to provide the Scottish SPCA with additional powers to investigate wildlife crime, following the Scottish SPCA taskforce review.

I would like to thank the Scottish SPCA Taskforce for conducting the review and providing the final report. Following consideration of the report provided by the Scottish SPCA Taskforce, I can announce that I will be bringing forward provisions in the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 to allow for a limited extension of the Scottish SPCA’s current powers to investigate wildlife crime.

The powers will allow the Scottish SPCA to in certain circumstances search, examine and seize evidence in connection with specified wildlife crime offences.

Our full proposals have been published on the Scottish Government webpages, which you can find here: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835210468 , and I have written to the Parliament notifying them of the proposals. We will also be consulting with key stakeholders on the proposals over the summer.

Question reference: S6O-02455

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the pilot providing free bus travel to people seeking asylum in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-18726

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Transport Scotland’s evaluation work to assess the impact of the Young Persons' (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme on young people.

Transport Scotland are undertaking an evaluation of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme to assess whether the scheme is working as expected in achieving its objectives and benefits, and to assess any potential impacts of the scheme on other policy aims and other modes of transport.

The Baseline Study was completed prior to the launch of the scheme and the Baseline Study report was published on Transport Scotland’s website in 2022.

Fieldwork for the 1 Year After Evaluation is currently underway. This includes an online survey for children, their families and young people. Over 7000 responses to the survey were received within the first two weeks. The final evaluation report is expected to be completed by end of summer 2023.