Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-20700

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on meeting its commitment in the Road Safety Framework to introduce speed awareness courses in Scotland, similar to those that operate in the rest of the UK.

Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020 contains the commitment by road safety partners to consider if the introduction of a Speed Awareness Scheme focused on speeding would be an appropriate contribution to road safety in Scotland. Police Scotland has submitted its findings on preparatory scoping work and options for the introduction of the courses in Scotland to the Lord Advocate. These proposals are currently being carefully considered by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The decision on whether the courses should be introduced in Scotland is ultimately a matter for the Lord Advocate.

Question reference: S5O-02773

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Scottish Environment Link's 10 principles for future land management support in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-20646

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the consultation paper on its Good Food Nation Bill.

Question reference: S5W-20573

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to take any steps to encourage the European Council to support the European Commission’s proposals for a climate-neutral EU by 2050 at the European Council meeting in May 2019.

The Scottish Government welcomes the European Commission’s proposals for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy by 2050. We contributed to the consultation on this strategy, sharing our experience and urging the EU to maintain its leadership.

Scottish Ministers regularly attend Environment Council to showcase Scotland’s climate policies and push for more ambitious action. Most recently, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment attended December’s Council where Ministers from Member States had a first exchange of views on the strategy. We will continue to take a proactive and positive approach to collaboration with our EU partners following the UK’s departure from the European Union.

We also make representations to the UK Government to include Scotland’s climate policies and level of ambition in its discussions with the EU and actively share our experience of developing climate policies and plans.

We now look forward to the strategic long-term vision set out by the Commission being translated into legally binding emissions reduction targets and credible policies to deliver on these. One of the first steps in this process will be a strong commitment from European leaders at the informal European Council in Sibiu in May 2019.

Question reference: S5W-20574

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the EU adopting the European Commission’s proposals for a climate-neutral EU by 2050, and whether it considers that this is beneficial to the net-zero section of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill.

The Scottish Government welcomes the European Commission’s proposals for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy by 2050. We contributed to the consultation on this strategy, sharing our experience and urging the EU to maintain its leadership. We now look forward to the strategic long-term vision set out by the Commission being translated into legally binding emissions reduction targets and credible policies to deliver on these.

The Climate Change Bill introduced to the Scottish Parliament in May includes emissions reduction targets for 2020, 2030 and 2040 that are the most stretching statutory targets for these years of any country in the world. The targets in the Bill also mean that Scotland will be carbon neutral by 2050. The Scottish Government wants to go further and achieve net-zero emissions for all greenhouse gases as soon as possible. We’ll set a target date for this as soon as it can be done credibly and responsibly. The independent advice on targets we have requested from the UK Committee on Climate Change next Spring will consider whether even more can now be done in Scotland, including in light of the European Commission’s current proposals.

Question reference: S5W-20266

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the levels of the pollutant, bisphenol A, are (a) at potential point sources such as landfill, sewage and paper sludge sites and (b) elsewhere in Scotland.

Data on Bisphenol A is not required to be routinely collected. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has, however, included BPA analysis of groundwater and fresh and marine surface waters alongside other substances routinely monitored for the purposes of the Water Framework Directive for a number of years at a range of locations across Scotland; and also holds a limited quantity of sewage and trade effluent data for BPA.

I will ask the SEPA’s Chief Executive to write to you with further details.

Question reference: S5W-20265

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 13 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Marine Scotland has not responded to the formal notifications made on 15 August and 7 September 2018 by Salmon & Trout Conservation Scotland and the Garynahine Estate, pursuant to Regulation 14 of the Environmental Liability (Scotland) Regulations 2009, requesting action in relation to alleged damage caused to wild Atlantic salmon populations by sea lice emanating from open cage salmon farms on Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis.

Question reference: S5W-20140

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Cross Tay Link Road not being included in the final list of funded projects under the Tay Cities Deal, whether it will provide alternative funding to allow the link road to be built.

The Tay Cities Deal includes several Scottish Government commitments to support connectivity across the region in the coming years. It will lead to investment in low carbon and active travel hubs, better integration of public transport in Perth and developing Dundee Airport as well as the work which is already ongoing to produce a region wide strategic transport model.

As part of our previously stated commitment to invest £200 million in the area the Scottish Government will set out the details of the further £50 million in the coming months following discussions with regional partners.

Question reference: S5W-20007

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the second Strategic Transport Projects Review will be (a) completed and (b) published.

Procurement for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) is ongoing, it is expected that consultants will be appointed before the end of the calendar year. The Scottish Government has committed to complete the STPR2 during the lifetime of this Parliament and that it will be aligned with the next National Planning Framework (NPF4).

A detailed project programme will be drawn up once consultants have been appointed, which will set out planned dates for completion and publication of the review.

Question reference: S5W-19970

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce which projects are included in the pipeline for rail enhancements beginning in Control Period 6.

Chamber and committees