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: S5T-02719

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how the regulation of Mossmorran ethylene plant will change following the independent review.

Question reference: S5W-35877

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that pheasants and other gamebirds due to be released in autumn 2021 are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency Poultry Register, and to improve avian influenza health checks of gamebirds in place prior to their release.

There is no evidence that released gamebirds have been linked to onwards transmission of Avian Influenza. There is a legal requirement for all bird keepers with 50 or more birds to register their premises on the Great Britain Poultry Register. The voluntary registration of premises with fewer than 50 birds is highly encouraged. This includes captive game birds. Game birds are considered captive until the point of release where they become wild birds.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency carries out active surveillance through the national survey for avian influenza of subtypes H5 and H7 in domestic poultry (including game birds and poultry kept as pets). Samples are taken from a random selection of premises and are subject to serological testing for AI antibodies. Any positive results trigger further enquiries at the premises in question and further laboratory testing.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government has worked together with other UK administrations and the gamebird sector to create the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes . The code of practice provides information on good biosecurity, husbandry and inspection measures to prevent disease.

Question reference: S5W-35879

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what research has been carried out into the role of released non-native gamebirds in the spread of Avian Influenza.

The Scottish Government has not commissioned any research on the role of released gamebirds in the spread of Avian Influenza because there is no scientific evidence to suggest that any links exist.

In addition to the active surveillance through the national survey for avian influenza in domestic poultry, including game birds kept in captivity and surveillance of dead wild birds undertaken across GB, a thorough epidemiological assessment is completed after each outbreak of Avian Influenza, these include ornithological assessments. No evidence has been found of released game birds having a role on the spread of Avian Influenza.

Evidence to date shows that Avian Influenza is mostly spread in the wild by migratory bird species such as geese, swans, ducks and other species in close contact with them including birds of prey and other waterfowl that share similar habitats.

Question reference: S5W-35878

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure that the large numbers of non-native gamebirds released into the countryside do not act as vectors of Avian Influenza.

There is no evidence that released gamebirds have been linked to onwards transmission of Avian Influenza. Gamebirds are considered captive birds until they are released and are subject to the restrictions set out in the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ). The new housing measures, which came into force on 14 December, remain in place and mean that it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.

Once game birds have been released they are classified as wild birds. Surveillance of dead wild birds in undertaken across GB. If you find a single dead bird of prey, gull or wildfowl species (particularly wild geese, wild ducks, swans), or find five or more birds of any other species in the same location and at the same time, then you should report these incidents to GB Dead Wild Bird Helpline.

Question reference: S5W-35909

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many beaver lethal control licences were issued in the calendar year 2020 by NatureScot without a site visit being carried out by the agency or its agents in the six months prior to the issue to verify that each licence was required as a last resort.

COVID restrictions have limited NatureScot’s ability to carry out site-based activities in 2020.

NatureScot issued four licences that permitted the use of lethal control in 2020 without a site visit being undertaken. Of these one was subsequently revoked pending a site visit.

NatureScot uses a combination of information and photographic evidence provided by land managers, details of site topography and the knowledge of issues on neighbouring properties (which has been built up over time by staff and contractors), combined with the use of site visits, where appropriate, to inform the assessment of licence applications.

Question reference: S5W-35907

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many expressions of interest or requests have been received by (a) it and (b) NatureScot since 1 May 2020 from parties in England and Wales interested in acquiring beavers for translocation to assist with flood resilience and biodiversity enhancement projects, broken down by the date of receipt.

The Scottish Government has not received any requests or expressions of interest from parties in England and Wales looking to acquire beavers.

Requests for the supply of beavers to populate projects in England and Wales do not routinely come directly to NatureScot. However, NatureScot works in collaboration with a beaver consultant and with Natural England and Natural Resources Wales.

The following projects have been granted release licences from Natural England and Natural Resources Wales, with NatureScot agreeing that animals can be sourced from Tayside.

Project name-Site	Dates	Number proposed; up to
River Otter Beaver Trial, Devon	4-1-2018 to 12-2-2020	3
Pickering Beaver Project, Yorkshire	27-3-2019 to 30-4-2019	2
Poole Harbour Farm, Plymouth City Council	1-5-2020 to 30-4-2025	6
Hamathey Estate, Cornwall	1-3-2020 to 1-3-2025	6
Highloft Beaver Project, Cartmell Fell	1-6-2020 to 31-5-2025	6
Valewood Beaver Project, National Trust	1-1-2020 to 31-12-2025	4
Holnicote Beaver Project, National Trust	1-4-2020 to 31-3-2025	6
Dorset Wildife Trust	1-3-2020 to 1-3- 2025	6
Cheshire Wildlife Trust	29-6-2020 to 29-6-2025	6
Cabilla Farm, Cornwall	1-3-2020 to 1-3-2025	6
Sussex Beaver Project, Knepp Estate	9-1-2020 to 9-1-2025	14
Forest of Dean	1-2-2018 to 31-1-2023	8
Lowther Beaver Project, Lowther Estate	9-1-2020 to 6-1-2025	6
Kenhill Estate	14-1-2020 to 13-1-2025	15
Broadridge Farm, Witheridge, Devon	15-8-2020 to 14-8-2025	6
Willington Gravel Pits, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Cornwall Sea Life Trust Welsh Beaver Project	1-10-2020 to 30-9-2025 17-2-2021 to 17-2-2026 11-3-2021 to 28-2-2021	12 5 6

Question reference: S5W-35910

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many spot-checks of licensees for the lethal control of beavers were carried out in the calendar year, 2020, also broken down by how many (a) discrepancies were identified and (b) licences were revoked.

COVID restrictions have limited some of NatureScot’s operational activities, including the ability to undertake site visits throughout 2020.

NatureScot has not carried out spot-checks on beaver licence compliance in 2020, but maintains contact with those in receipt of licences.

NatureScot is currently considering how routine site visits could be carried out in the future.

Compliance checks are made as part of checking licence returns.

(a) Discrepancies were identified in 3 licence returns from 2019 and have been followed up.

(b) 1 licence was revoked pending a site visit

Three licence holders failed to submit returns in 2020 and are currently being dealt with by NatureScot in accordance with the compliance process.

Question reference: S5W-35912

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring of beaver control is in place, and how many beavers are known to have been killed in the calendar year 2020.

Question reference: S5W-35895

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the data that was required to be submitted to NatureScot by 31 December 2020 regarding the annual returns for licences that were granted in 2019 and 2020 to land owners and other stakeholders for beaver mitigation measures.

NatureScot published a summary of beaver management licences issued in 2019 in May 2020: https://www.nature.scot/naturescot-beaver-licensing-summary-1st-may-31st-december-2019

NatureScot will publish a further report covering the period 1 January to 31 December 2020 later this year, once they have completed the final checks on licence returns and a full data analysis.

The report will include details of the number of dams removed, the number of beavers killed, trapped and translocated under licence in 2020, alongside details of other mitigation works. It will include an assessment against the results of a beaver population survey carried out over the winter of 2020-21 and due to report in July 2021.

Together, this package of information will include analysis of data and provide comprehensive details of the range of actions under the beaver management framework along with recommendations for future management.

Question reference: S5W-35902

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many flood mitigation trials deploying translocated beavers were established in the calendar year 2020.