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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: S6O-04226

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase access to thrombectomies in the Fife region, in light of the reported 1.9% increase in investment in the National Thrombectomy Service.

Question reference: S6W-32797

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to prevent so-called "ghost fishing".

“Ghost fishing” results from abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear and has a negative impact on our environment. Some loss is unavoidable because of weather, snagging or gear failure, and fishers make every effort to retrieve this gear where possible. Marine litter resulting from fishing gear is a shared global problem and we will continue our work in Scotland set out in our Marine Litter Strategy, and internationally through the Oslo Paris Convention (OSPAR) and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative to help tackle it.

Marine Directorate Coastal Offices currently operate a mechanism for reporting gear loss with an aim of helping fishers work together to recover and identify lost gear. Additionally, in 2020 we introduced The Gear Marking (Scotland) Order, which makes it a legal requirement for a fishing vessel to deploy buoys made for that purpose displaying their name and registration number. This builds on the Best Practice Guidance for Marking Static Fishing Gear we published in 2018 and gives the best possible chance for fishers to be reunited with displaced gear. We are also encouraging the industry to develop voluntary codes of conduct to reduce instances of gear conflict, and our national network of Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups are the correct medium for such proposals to be developed.

Throughout 2025 we will promote improved gear design to help reduce the risk of loss and resulting environmental impact using the European standard for circular design of fishing gear and aquaculture equipment, published in November 2024. The standard will also support our work with industry to improve the collection and recycling of end-of-life fishing gear when it is brought ashore. We will use the learning from our extensive research over the last 3 years to develop policy options that could help our fleets with their waste management and support the growth of our circular economy. Fishers' professional training modules will continue to educate on the issue of plastic pollution and environmental impact. We will also continue to fund KIMO’s Fishing for Litter programme which is now active in 32 Scottish harbours, enabling the landing of passively caught waste including fishing gear, as well as encouraging responsible waste management.

The intentional disposal of gear at sea remains an offence covered by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) regulations which are enforced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). We will continue to report information regarding intentional dumping from any fishing vessel through our intelligence system to the MCA.

Question reference: S6W-32534

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what level of carbon emissions a power generator can produce and still be considered "low-carbon".

Low Carbon electricity generation is defined for Scottish Government energy statistics reporting as electricity generated by renewable, nuclear or pumped hydro storage (PHS) technologies.

Most generation technologies are classified as low carbon by their type and there is no carbon threshold used to determine this classification.

Although nuclear power is designated as low carbon we do not support the building of new nuclear fission plants in Scotland under current technologies. Nuclear has high costs and provides poor value for money. It brings serious waste and environmental risks, and has long lead in times.

Question reference: S6W-32535

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the open letter signed by 30 climate organisations calling on it to order SSE and Equinor to resubmit an “honest assessment” of the full environmental impact of the proposed power station at Peterhead.

Question reference: S6W-32260

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost will be to deliver each local authority's 20mph speed limit implementation plan.

Question reference: S6W-32057

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation is underway with the Mobility and Access Committee Scotland (MACS) regarding the ScotRail proposal to reduce station ticket office opening hours across the network, in light of MACS reportedly indicating in its response to the 2022 consultation concern regarding the level of engagement there had been with it or other groups representing disabled people on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-32058

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has had with local authorities regarding the ScotRail proposal to reduce the opening hours of a number of station ticket offices, in light of the specific requirement for face-to-face sales of local authority concessionary fares.

Question reference: S6O-04176

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the needs of pupils with additional support needs are taken into account in the procurement and replacement of the school estate.

Question reference: S6W-31891

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether access to funding available through tiers 3 and 4 of its future agriculture support regime will be dependent upon eligibility for tier 1.

The agriculture support framework will be aimed at delivering against the following five key outcomes: support for a just transition, high quality food production, thriving agricultural businesses, climate mitigation and adaptation and nature restoration.

To summarise, Tier 1 (Base) of the framework will be a universal, entry-level payment for undertaking agricultural activity while meeting minimum essential standards in relation to sustainable farming activities, protecting the environment, animal health and welfare and ensuring Fair Work. Tier 2 (Enhanced) will supplement applicants delivering Tier 1 requirements and who wish to undertake further activity that delivers outcomes for nature and climate improvement, including recognition of wider land management.

Working closely with farmers, crofters and land managers, we are co-designing Tiers 3 (Elective) and 4 (Complementary), which both remain under development and will be subject to continued robust engagement with the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board. This collaborative approach will deliver our Vision for Agriculture, support rural communities and economic growth whilst tackling climate change and biodiversity loss.

Question reference: S6W-31893

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been awarded through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme for the restoration of natural processes in each year since 2015.

The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) was launched in 2015 to promote land management practices which protect and enhance Scotland’s natural heritage, improve water quality, manage flood risk and mitigate and adapt to climate change.

To date over £317 million has been committed to 3,342 businesses to fund a range of activities that help to maintain and enhance our rich and varied natural environment.

An annual breakdown of the funding issued has been provided in the following table.

Round	Value of Accepted Contracts (£)
2015	39,362,548
2016	55,585,998
2017	43,672,043
2018	36,346,732
2019	31,863,675
2020*	5,214,057
2021	28,978,786
2022	42,080,371
2023	28,053,233
2024A	5,879,133
Total	317,036,576

* The 2020 AECS Round consisted of a one-year extension of management options ending in 2020.

A Slurry Store and Irrigation Lagoons application approvals only. The agri-environment and organic 2024 Round application approvals are subject to the
2025-26 budget.

Further detail can be provided on any specific options of interest.