Chamber and committees

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-06181

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 24 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Marine Scotland did not provide a response to the licence application by Cromarty Firth Ports Authority, in December 2015, to carry out ship-to-ship oil transfers.

Question reference: S5W-06148

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings (a) ministers and (b) officials have had with Cromarty Firth Port Authority at which proposals to carry out ship-to-ship oil transfers were discussed, broken down by (i) date and (ii) location.

There have been no specific meetings between Ministers or officials and Cromarty Firth Port Authority at which their proposals for ship to ship oil transfers were discussed. However the matter was an agenda item at the Cromarty Firth Port Authority Annual and Board meetings on 24 and 25 November 2016 in Invergordon, attended by a Transport Scotland official as an observer. Officials occasionally attend various trust port board meetings as part of their role in developing guidance for the port sector.

The decision on any licence for ship to ship oil transfers is a reserved matter and the responsibility rests with the Secretary of State for Transport.

Question reference: S5W-05841

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 23 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the impact of online alcohol sales on overall (a) availability and (b) consumption in Scotland at a (i) national and (ii) local level; what data it uses to inform this and how it will ensure that sufficient data is gathered.

As part of the Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS) programme undertaken by NHS Health Scotland, retail alcohol sales data are used to estimate per adult consumption of alcohol at a national level. NHS Health Scotland assessed the validity and reliability of retail alcohol sales data in 2012 (report is available at http://www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/25959-MESAS%20validity%20reliability%20update%20-%20Aug%202015.pdf) and estimated that online sales leads to a 0.1 litre underestimate in overall adult consumption of alcohol from retail sales data. This represents less than 1% of the estimated 10.8 litres of pure alcohol sold per adult in 2015. We will be introducing a refreshed Alcohol Framework shortly and will be considering on-going monitoring arrangements, including for online sales.

As regards availability of alcohol, the provision or overprovision of licensed premises within a local area is a matter for local licensing boards to consider. In assessing the extent of any overprovision in a locality, the licensing board will have regard to the number and capacity of existing premises rather than sales volume.

Question reference: S5W-05977

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by James Wolffe QC on 19 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service resources were used to deal with wildlife crime during 2014-15.

Question reference: S5W-05984

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 19 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported rise in the use of azamethiphos, emamectin benzoate and deltamethrin on salmon farms.

The use of such chemicals in coastal waters is regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency through the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011, in the form of conditions in licences issued to salmon farms. If SEPA finds evidence of incorrect use of such chemicals, the Regulations enable SEPA to take appropriate enforcement action for non-compliance with the licence conditions.

Question reference: S5W-05983

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 17 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04342 by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 November 2016, by what date it will publish the findings of the review by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Question reference: S5W-05982

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 17 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish its response to the consultation on the extension of wildlife crime investigative powers for inspectors in the Scottish SPCA.

Question reference: S5T-00323

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support local authority action to reduce air pollution.

Question reference: S5W-06054

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5O-00556

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce a decision regarding tuition fee support for EU students applying for courses for 2018-19.