Mark Ruskell
Scottish Green Party
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region) 2016 - present day
Former MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region) 2003 - 2007
About Mark Ruskell
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
Committees
Mark is a member of 4 committees
COVID-19 Committee
Member
Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee
Substitute Member
Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Mark is not a member of any cross-party groups
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Mark has 1 parliamentary and government role
Scottish Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund
Trustee
Party Roles
Mark has 3 party roles
Party Spokesperson on Climate Change
Scottish Green Party
Party Spokesperson on Rural Economy
Scottish Green Party
Party Spokesperson on the Environment
Scottish Green Party
Previous roles
Mark has had 7 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
13 September 2018 - 16 September 2020
Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Deputy Convener
04 September 2018 - 13 September 2018
Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Member
29 June 2016 - 06 September 2018
Economy Jobs and Fair Work Committee
Substitute Member
28 June 2006 - 02 April 2007
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Substitute Member
09 September 2004 - 07 June 2006
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Deputy Convener
30 June 2004 - 09 September 2004
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Member
03 September 2003 - 30 June 2004
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Substitute Member
Register of interests
Mark's register of interests
MSPs must provide details of their financial interests in the Register of Interests. They make an initial statement on becoming or being returned as an MSP. This is then updated with any changes they provide.
Here is the register for Mark Ruskell. The date of their initial statement was 02 June 2016.
Remuneration and related undertaking
Until May 2017 I was a local authority councillor for Stirling Council (of Old Viewforth, 14-20 Pitt Terrace, Stirling FK8 2ET). I worked 15 hours per week in this role. Until 15 May 2016, when my salary ceased, I received remuneration of between £15,001 and £20,000 per annum. [Amended interest 28 October 2017]
Gifts
No registrable interests
Overseas visits
From 14 to 16 August 2018 I travelled to Norway on a study visit to explore Deposit Return Schemes. The costs of the visit were approximately £689, £220 for hotel, £319 for flights and around £150 for meals, which were met by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (a registered charity that funds the charitable work of organisations that are building an inclusive, creative and sustainable society of Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG). [Registered 28 September 2018]
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
I am an Honorary Associate Member of the British Veterinary Association. [Registered 28 October 2017]
[Ceased interest removed from entry: 28 October 2018]
Recent Activity
What was said
What Mark Ruskell has said in Parliament
These are the official transcripts of what was said by this MSP in the chamber and at committee meetings. You'll find the topic discussed and how many times this MSP has contributed to the discussion.
Chamber meeting date: 23 March 2021
Mossmorran Ethylene Plant (Independent Review)
2. Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "To ask the Scottish Government how the regulation of Mossmorran ethylene plant will change following the independent review. (S5T-02719)"
Chamber meeting date: 23 March 2021
Covid-19 (Reflections and Next Steps)
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "Some people will have been faced with impossible choices during the pandemic, such as deciding whether to go to work to earn enough money to eat or to stay at home and self-isolate…
COVID-19 Committee meeting date: 18 March 2021
Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) (No 2) Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/117)
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I am thinking about the next two and a half months…
Chamber meeting date: 17 March 2021
Human Right to a Healthy Environment
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I, too, thank Ruth Maguire for bringing the motion to the chamber for debate. As the last environment debate, it is a really fitting end to the session…
Chamber meeting date: 17 March 2021
Testing Strategy
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I welcome the extension of asymptomatic testing for early learning and childcare settings, but what has been announced today falls way short of a workplace testing strategy for Scotland…
Votes
How Mark Ruskell has voted in Parliament
Find out how Mark Ruskell has voted recently.
Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Emma Harper, South Scotland, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Result 120 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Motion of No Confidence
Submitted by: Ruth Davidson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Thursday, March 4, 2021
Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Bill Bowman, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Donald Cameron, Jackson Carlaw, Peter Chapman, Maurice Corry, Murdo Fraser, Maurice Golden, Jamie Greene, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Rachael Hamilton, Alison Harris, Liam Kerr, Gordon Lindhurst, Dean Lockhart, Tom Mason, Margaret Mitchell, Edward Mountain, Oliver Mundell, John Scott, Graham Simpson, Liz Smith, Alexander Stewart, Adam Tomkins, Annie Wells, Brian Whittle
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 31 for, 65 against, 27 abstained, 6 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Neil Bibby, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 111 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 18 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Andy Wightman, Lothian, Independent. Date lodged: Thursday, February 25, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 114 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 15 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
National Mission to Reduce Drug Deaths and Harms
Submitted by: Brian Whittle, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Supported by: Donald Cameron
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 18, 2021
Result 43 for, 69 against, 1 abstained, 16 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Mark Ruskell in Parliament
Find out what motions Mark Ruskell has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Mark Ruskell has submitted in Parliament
These are the questions that this MSP has asked the Scottish Government about its work. It also includes any answer to these questions.
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 10 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how many beavers were translocated from Tayside in the calendar year 2020."
Answered by: Roseanna Cunningham on 24 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government which fish farms hold EPS licences for the use of acoustic deterrent device(s) (ADDs) or acoustic startle device(s) (ASDs); which fish farms are currently using unlicensed ADDs/ ASDs, broken down by (a) how many devices and (b) which model is being used; whether Marine Scotland will comply with its duty to enforce…
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 24 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government whether Marine Scotland has considered evidence suggesting that almost all fish farms that use acoustic deterrent devices use multiple arrays of these and, if so, and in light of the reported concerns regarding how the use of these devices might impact on animal welfare, what action the agency plans to take."
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 23 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35394 by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2021, whether it considers that double-skinned anti-predator nets, Seal Pro nets or equivalent are ‘satisfactory alternatives’ to the use of acoustic deterrent devices already in use in Scotland."
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 23 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35390 by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2021, whether Marine Scotland’s decision to make public EPS licence applications by fish farms after a determination has been made is compliant with (a) Marine Scotland’s duties under Articles 7 and 6 of the Aarhus Convention…
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 23 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Marine Scotland stating that its model for determining whether cetaceans can be maintained at Favourable Conservation Status within each SCANS-III block relies on the assumption that cetaceans are evenly distributed over the seabed, whether Marine Scotland has considered evidence that porpoises are not…
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 23 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask Scottish Government what sound pressure level in decibels Marine Scotland has determined as the threshold for disturbance for small cetaceans and what the sound pressure level output is of each model of (a) acoustic deterrent device and (b) acoustic startle device manufactured by (i) Terecos, (ii) Genuswave, (iii) Lofitec, (iv) Ace Aquatec,…
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 23 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, with reference to the 2020 Marine Scotland-funded study, at what sound pressure level in decibels did bottlenose dolphins show startle responses to a low frequency simulated acoustic startle device signal; whether the magnitude of startle response increases exponentially with increasing sound pressure level; whether…
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 23 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what the sound pressure level in decibels was at which Kok et al (2017) recorded avoidance by harbour porpoises; what the sound pressure level was at which Brandt et al (2012) recorded a 96% reduction in porpoise clicks at a station 7kms away from a single Lofitec acoustic deterrent device, and what sound pressure…
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 23 March 2021
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what analysis Marine Scotland has carried out of the impact that acoustic deterrent and startle devices within a narrow channel might have on migration and access to feeding and nursery grounds."
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 23 March 2021
See all of Mark Ruskell's written questions submitted in Parliament