- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 June 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle aggressive behaviour towards cyclists.
Answer
The Scottish Government provides record levels of funding to a range of organisations to develop and deliver high quality programmes to encourage an increase in everyday cycling. These organisations are obliged to incorporate road safety guidelines and promote mutual respect to all road users as part of their projects.
There are a number of initiatives that contribute to reducing aggressive behaviour towards people cycling, such as the recent "Operation Close Pass" and the annual "Give Everyone Cycle Space" awareness campaigns. Organisations also promote the use of the Highway Code for all road users. Additional projects include cycle skills training for children, adults and cycle ride leaders and "Practical Cycle Awareness Training" provision for HGV, and PCV drivers as well as young and learner drivers.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how (a) house prices and (b) rental costs in national park areas compare with other rural areas.
Answer
The Scottish Government estimate average house prices and rents in the Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) Tool. This assists Local and Planning Authorities and National Parks to estimate housing need and demand over the next 20 years. The Tool provides results for different size areas including Strategic Development Plan Authorities, Local Authorities and National Parks and Housing Market Areas.
The Tool provides the following estimates of house prices and rents as at 2016:
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Cairngorms National Park – median house price £218K, median weekly rent £135.
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Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park - median house price £245K, median weekly rent £121
These estimates are based on Registers of Scotland and Rent Service Scotland data as at 2012, which are then projected forward. The HNDA Tool will be updated with the latest house price and rent data in Summer 2017.
The Tool can only provide estimates of house prices and rents for four geographies shown above. it is not designed to produce outputs based on rural or urban geographies although the available geographies may be of interest. The Tool is available on the Scottish Government website at . A short user instruction is also available.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 5 June 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports apprenticeships in veterinary nursing.
Answer
There is no specific Modern Apprenticeship framework available for Veterinary Nursing. However, training is available through a variety of veterinary nursing courses at the Scottish Rural College and North Highland College. The latest figures available for Quarter 2 of this year show that there were 262 enrolments to those course.
Full details of these courses and how to apply are available on the individual Colleges’ websites.
Prior to Skills Development Scotland being established in 2008, LANTRA (Land-based, Aquaculture and Environmental Conservation Industries) delivered a Modern Apprenticeship, including a NVQ delivered by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, but both of these were withdrawn due to lack of uptake from employers and prospective students.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 1 June 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release of 7 February 2017, Future of Farming, whether it will confirm the (a) the terms of reference, (b) membership and (c) timescale of the agricultural review group to be chaired by Professor Griggs.
Answer
The updated terms of reference, including membership and timescale, for the group chaired by Professor Griggs were published on the Scottish Government website in May 2017. The membership of the group is as follows:
Russel Griggs (Chair)
Allan Bowie
Caroline Drummond
Maggie Keegan
John Kinnaird
David Michie
Colin Mitchell
Pete Ritchie
Geoff Squire
Vicki Swales
John Thomson
Christine Watson
Graham Young
The updated terms of reference are available at this link: .
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 1 June 2017
To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide a substantive answer to question S5W-07899, which received a holding response on 22 March 2017, and what the reason is for the delay.
Answer
A final reply has now been issued to question S5W-07899. This provides a link to updated terms of reference for the group chaired by Professor Russel Griggs, including details of the group members.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2017
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how many professional veterinary bodies have indicated support for its legislative proposal to allow the amputation of tails in healthy puppies.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2017
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 May 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding whether dust clouds from the Valleyfield ash lagoons have exposed communities in West Fife to hazardous pollutants.
Answer
In addition to taking enforcement act to ensure ash spread was stopped, SEPA undertook additional environmental monitoring which was shared with Health Protection Scotland (HPS). On the basis of analysis undertaken by HPS, NHS Fife were able to provide reassurance to the public that there is no evidence that the composition or concentration of the ash cloud presents a significant risk to public health.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2017
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2017
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the recent pay award to Scottish Prison Service operational staff has not been extended to non-operational staff in the same institutions.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2017
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 May 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what advice or instruction it has given to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) regarding the nature conservation advice that SNH is providing to the Secretary of State for Transport regarding proposals for the ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Cromarty Firth, and what the reason is for its position on this matter.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is a public body and is responsible for determining how it fulfils its statutory functions. The Scottish Government did not instruct, or advise, SNH on how to respond to the Port of Cromarty Firth Oil Transfer Licence application. However, it is not uncommon for marine scientists from different organisations to discuss matters within their area of scientific expertise to help inform and confirm their understanding of a subject, as happened in relation to the Port of Cromarty Firth Oil Transfer Licence application.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 18 May 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it (a) has had and (b) plans with (i) the UK Government and (ii) stakeholders regarding the commitment made in the white paper accompanying the Great Repeal Bill that "the Bill will give the devolved ministers a power to amend devolved legislation to correct law that will no longer operate appropriately"; what processes it plans to introduce to enable it to carry out such actions, and what involvement the Scottish Parliament will have with this.
Answer
We have sought information on these vital issues from the UK Government but have been told little beyond what was publically published in the white paper on the Great Repeal Bill. While recognising the difficulties caused by the general election, we need greater engagement from the UK Government as soon as possible and in detail about the planned legislation.
The white paper does not address many important aspects of the proposals, such as the requirement for consent of the Scottish Parliament under the Sewel Convention and the procedure for this Parliament to scrutinise secondary legislation made under powers in the Bill. As we have and will continue to make clear to the UK Government, protecting the interests of this Parliament and ensuring appropriate processes for parliamentary involvement, both in the passage of the Bill and in the exercise of powers under its provisions, will be a key objective for the Scottish Government in future discussions with the UK Government.
The Bill envisaged in the white paper would require legislative consent: this Parliament could legislate in a similar way for devolved areas affected by EU law, and the proposals envisage altering Scottish Ministers' executive competence. As set out in Scotland’s Place in Europe, there is also the option of separate Scottish legislation which we are examining closely. In due course we will make proposals to this Parliament on handling the legislative consequences of the UK's withdrawal from the EU. As part of that process, we will engage with stakeholders in developing the Scottish Government’s proposals.
