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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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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

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 6468
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

Unit 23
Stirling Business Centre
Wellgreen
Stirling
FK8 2DZ

Phone: 01786 448 203
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Cross-party groups

Mark is a member of 6 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Autism

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Lung Health

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Migration

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nature and Climate

Co-Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Sustainable Transport

Deputy Convener

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Mark has 1 parliamentary and government role

Scottish Commission For Public Audit

Member

Party Roles

Mark has 2 party roles

Party Spokesperson on the Environment

Scottish Green Party

Party Spokesperson on Transport

Scottish Green Party

Previous roles

Mark has had 23 previous roles

Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.

21 May 2025 - 18 November 2025

Education Children and Young People Committee

Substitute Member

29 April 2025 - 02 September 2025

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Member

29 November 2023 - 29 April 2025

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Substitute Member

21 May 2021 - 01 July 2024

Party Spokesperson on Climate

Scottish Green Party

29 November 2023 - 26 June 2024

Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Substitute Member

08 September 2021 - 26 June 2024

Constitution Europe External Affairs and Culture Committee

Member

14 June 2017 - 09 March 2022

Scottish Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund

Trustee

26 May 2016 - 04 May 2021

Party Spokesperson on Climate Change

Scottish Green Party

26 May 2016 - 04 May 2021

Party Spokesperson on the Environment

Scottish Green Party

26 May 2016 - 04 May 2021

Party Spokesperson on Rural Economy

Scottish Green Party

29 June 2016 - 04 May 2021

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Substitute Member

08 June 2016 - 04 May 2021

Environment Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Member

16 September 2020 - 04 May 2021

COVID19 Committee

Member

06 September 2018 - 04 May 2021

Economy Energy and Fair Work Committee

Substitute Member

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

21 June 2005 - 02 April 2007

Party Spokesperson on Fisheries

Scottish Green Party

28 May 2003 - 02 April 2007

Party Spokesperson on the Environment

Scottish Green Party

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 2021.

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.

Gifts

No registrable interests

Overseas visits

From 14 t o 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).

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.

I am a hobby beekeeper. [Registered 28 May 2024]

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.

Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Chamber meeting date: 29 January 2026

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I am very proud to bring to the chamber a bill that gives us a momentous opportunity to end greyhound racing in Scotland and the suffering that those wonderful dogs face…

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Chamber meeting date: 29 January 2026

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "The purpose of the bill is to tackle the nature emergency. We should be in no doubt that, sadly, Scotland is a nature-depleted country…

Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Chamber meeting date: 29 January 2026

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I am very proud to bring to the chamber a bill that gives us a momentous opportunity to end greyhound racing in Scotland and the suffering that those wonderful dogs face…

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Chamber meeting date: 29 January 2026

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "The purpose of the bill is to tackle the nature emergency. We should be in no doubt that, sadly, Scotland is a nature-depleted country…

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Chamber meeting date: 27 January 2026

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I thank Ariane Burgess for highlighting a major gap in the bill. I will speak to amendment 27…

Votes

How Mark Ruskell has voted in Parliament

Find out how Mark Ruskell has voted recently.

Business Programme

Motion ref. S6M-20611.1

Submitted by: Ash Regan, Edinburgh Eastern, Independent. Date lodged: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Sharon Dowey, Fergus Ewing, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Rachael Hamilton, Liam Kerr, Stephen Kerr, Douglas Ross, Graham Simpson, Michelle Thomson, Tess White
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 29, 2026

Result 28 for, 83 against, 1 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-20549

Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, January 26, 2026

Supported by: Jim Fairlie, Mairi Gougeon
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 29, 2026

Result 90 for, 26 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-20527

Submitted by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Thursday, January 22, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 29, 2026

Result 69 for, 27 against, 19 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 59 Amendment 179

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Result 81 for, 25 against, 0 abstained, 23 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 59 Amendment 178

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Result 25 for, 81 against, 0 abstained, 23 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Motions

Motions made by Mark Ruskell in Parliament

Find out what motions Mark Ruskell has submitted recently.

Questions

Questions Mark Ruskell has asked

These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.

Question reference: S6W-43439

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding seafarers’ employment rights on any new roll-on, roll-off ferry services between Rosyth and Dunkirk."

Question reference: S6W-43440

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-40006 by Fiona Hyslop on 18 September 2025, what recent discussions it has had with the operator regarding the Fair Work First criteria in the granting of public funds."

Question reference: S6W-43425

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to a national path fund, in light of the impact of the Ian Findlay Path Fund that has been delivered by Walking Scotland."

Question reference: S6W-43433

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of (a) seafarer and (b) port jobs in Scotland that could be created by the introduction of a roll-on, roll-off passenger and freight ferry service between Rosyth and Dunkirk, and whether it will discuss these matters with representatives from the maritime trade unions in…

Question reference: S6W-43420

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government how many tickets that would have previously been considered peak-fare have been sold on ScotRail routes since the permanent removal of peak fares in September 2025."

Question reference: S6W-43418

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government how many first-class rail tickets across all ScotRail routes have been sold since the permanent removal of peak fares in September 2025."

Question reference: S6W-43429

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what long-term implementation plan is in place to reduce Type 1 emergency department bed occupancy to below the 85% level advised by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) and ensure that people can be seen quickly and safely admitted."

Question reference: S6W-43438

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government when its (a) ministers and (b) officials last met representatives of (i) DFDS, (ii) Ptarmigan Shipping and (iii) the Port of Dunkirk to discuss roll-on, roll-off ferry services between Rosyth and Dunkirk."

Question reference: S6W-43437

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the five dimensions in the Fair Work Framework are applied to (a) seafarer and (b) port jobs in Scotland connected to any roll-on, roll-off ferry services between Scotland and Continental Europe in 2026-27."

Question reference: S6W-43427

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party

Date lodged: 29 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 12 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure (a) the improvement and maintenance of paths and path networks and (b) sustained investment to support outdoor access, access officers and ranger services across Scotland."

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