Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-43421

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how regional transport partnerships will access the £4 million allocated in the draft Scottish Budget 2026-27 to support bus franchising, as set out in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

It is right that local transport authorities explore how best to use the measures in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, as our approach is to enable them to determine what is best to improve services in their areas. I am pleased that £4 million is included in the draft Scottish Budget 2026-27 to support these authorities to build business cases for local bus improvements.

Work on the design of the fund is at an early stage, but we will develop appropriate governance arrangements and work on the detail of administering the £4 million, which will be considered with various stakeholders, including CoSLA and regional transport partnerships.

Question reference: S6W-43430

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce (a) standards and (b) regular public reporting on hospital discharges and the use of non-clinical spaces to deliver care, in light of national standards being set for emergency department waits and ambulance holdovers but no equivalent standards relating to discharges or corridor care.

a)Standards on hospital discharges and the use of non-clinical spaces

We do not collect national data on the use of non-clinical spaces. Our focus is on addressing the underlying causes of this practice, such as high hospital occupancy and poor patient flow.
We are driving improvements and working closely with local systems to ensure plans are in place to improve system flow. Through the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, we are investing £220 million to reduce waiting times, improve hospital flow, and minimise delayed discharges.

b)Regular public reporting

Regular public reporting on hospital discharges is already undertaken and published by Public Health Scotland (PHS) and can be found on their website.

Question reference: S6W-43422

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support there will be for regional transport partnerships to support the development and delivery of franchising of local bus services.

The Scottish Government has allocated £4 million funding to support Local Transport Authorities to build business cases for local bus improvement through franchising, announced as part of the draft Scottish Budget for 2026-27.

Work on the design of the fund is at an early stage, but we will develop appropriate governance arrangements and work on the detail of administering the £4 million, which will be considered with various stakeholders, including CoSLA and regional transport partnerships.

Question reference: S6W-43436

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to launch a public consultation on any legislation required to enable the operation of roll-on, roll-off (a) passenger and (b) freight ferry services between Rosyth and Dunkirk.

Question reference: S6W-43270

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the safety of fixed ankle leashes in water sports, and what consideration it has given to regulating the sale and use of these for such purposes.

We are committed to increasing opportunities for people to participate in sport and be active. At the same time, the safety and wellbeing of all who participate is paramount.

The use of safety equipment in sport is not a legal requirement but rather will be determined by relevant governing bodies, international federations, or specific competition rules.

Advice on the use of ankle leashes have been developed by Scottish Governing Bodies of sport and supported by national bodies such as Water Safety Scotland, the RNLI and Paddle UK.

The Scottish Government encourages any participant in sport to ensure they have the appropriate safety equipment for the activity in which they are engaging.

Question reference: S6O-05467

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to ensure the safety of people seeking asylum who are housed in hotels across Perth.

Question reference: S6W-42792

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what obligations are placed on bus operators to accept the National Entitlement Card for local cross-border journeys.

The rules governing journeys made under the National Concessionary Travel Schemes are set out in the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Eligible Persons and Eligible Services) (Scotland) Order 2006 as amended and the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons (Scotland) Order 2021.

These Orders state that operators admitted to the scheme must provide travel concessions to eligible persons travelling on eligible services on eligible journeys on presentation of a valid travel card.

Eligible services are defined as services which operate wholly within Scotland or a Northern England service, which is (a) a service to or from Carlisle which starts, passes through or ends in Dumfries and Galloway, and (b) a service to or from any part of North Northumberland adjoining Coldstream, Norham and Berwick-uponTweed, which starts, passes through or ends in the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6O-05359

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Deputy First Minister has had with ministerial colleagues regarding when a Just Transition Fund for Mossmorran will be introduced.

Question reference: S6W-42486

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 31 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the practical effects of Part 5 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill would be with respect to reserved matters, including energy consents, transport and telecommunication.

Part 5 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill(as introduced)is not intended to have a practical effect on any matters which are reserved.

Section 34 replaces the definition of public body or office holder in section 58 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 with provision that makes it clear that for the purposes of that Act, where the Act refers to a public body or office holder it includes a reference to:

a Scottish public authority,
across-border public authority (which is not a Scottish public authority) but only in relation to functions exercisable in or as regards Scotland which do not relate to reserved matters, and
a statutory undertaker and any person exercising functions of a public nature, but not a court or tribunal.

The amendments also provide that the 2004 Act applies only in relation to the exercise of functions by public bodies or office holders in or as regards Scotland which do not relate to reserved matters.

Sections 35, 36 and 37 provide standard regulation-making, ancillary and commencement powers to Scottish Ministers to implement the Bill effectively. Further detail about these provisions are set out in the Delegated Powers Memorandum for the Bill-Delegated Powers Memorandum

Question reference: S6O-05293

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to update national guidance for local authorities on their responsibilities to uphold public access rights.

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