Questions and answers

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 ��˿�� 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: S5W-08682

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the role of natural flood management measures in flood risk reduction, and how the potential associated benefits of these measures, such as enhanced biodiversity, are considered as part of decisions and action taken under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

Managing flood risk at the catchment level through a portfolio of measures is key to achieving sustainable flood risk management and a statutory requirement set out in the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. Scottish Government guidance on Sustainable Flood Risk Management () and SEPA’s Natural Flood Management Handbook (), further reinforce the importance of working across catchments and coastlines to reduce flood risk.

The Scottish Government’s guidance on options appraisal for flood risk management ) describes how the associated benefits of natural flood management are considered as part of decision making in selecting measures. SEPA and the responsible authorities considered both the positive and negative effects of any action, including effects on biodiversity. Where natural flood management actions were identified, more detailed assessments of opportunity (carried out in the natural flood management studies) will consider where additional benefits may be accrued, such as river restoration that benefits both Water Framework Directive status and flood risk.

Question reference: S5W-08685

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many natural flood management measures have (a) not progressed and (b) been scaled down due to a lack of landowner buy-in.

Under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, lead local authorities are required to provide an interim report on the progress that has been made towards implementing all actions in the local flood risk management plan. This review and report of the plans is to be no earlier than June 2018 and no later than June 2019. A final report is also required, due between June 2021 and June 2022. The final report will include an assessment of progress made towards implementing actions, including natural flood management, and a summary of any reasons for non-implementation.

Question reference: S5W-08684

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what natural flood management measures are being progressed with funding allocated as part of its 10-year flood funding strategy with COSLA.

The 14 Flood Risk Management Strategies and Local Plans include 104 actions with a natural flood management element; most of these actions are flood studies. Nearly all of the flood studies will be funded through this budget. Where local authorities subsequently decide to implement natural flood management measures, this budget will also be the main source of funds for works on the ground.

Question reference: S5W-08683

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any natural flood management studies (a) completed and (b) that are ongoing under the Flood Risk Management Strategies.

To support delivery of the natural flood management actions outlined in the flood risk management strategies, local authorities and other responsible authorities have committed to undertaking 85 natural flood management studies. These studies will examine the potential contribution of natural flood management in greater detail and, where appropriate, provide an initial specification for works on the ground. Some of these studies are being progressed as part of wider flood protection studies, while others are stand-alone natural flood management studies. Currently, 36 studies are underway and three have been completed on the South Esk (Angus), Glen Moss at Kilmacolm, and River Nith at Kirkconnel. Of the remaining studies, 35 are due to commence within the current planning cycle (2015-2021) while 11 will commence in the next planning cycle (2022-2028).

Question reference: S5W-08694

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many planning appeals have been determined under ministerial direction since April 2016.

Question reference: S5W-08387

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06774 by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 February 2017, what further communication it has had with the UK Department for Transport regarding the review of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010.

Question reference: S5W-08692

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07554 by Kevin Stewart on 6 March 2017, what target date it has set to determine the planning appeal.

Question reference: S5O-00859

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government and the EU regarding the licensing of seal killing and the fishery product import regime of the United States.

Question reference: S5W-08393

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 10 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on draft European Commission regulations that would ban the use of neonicotinoids in agriculture.

The Scottish Government is aware of draft European Regulations to further restrict the use of three neonicotinoid insecticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) to permanent greenhouses or for the treatment of seeds to be used in permanent greenhouses where the crop stays its entire life cycle within the greenhouse.

We note that the European Commission's proposals pre-empts the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) main review of these three neonicotinoids, which is not yet complete. This review, the findings from which will be published later in the year, will look at the risk to bees of the use of these chemicals.

Question reference: S5W-08133

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the research that it used to underpin its consultation on unconventional oil and gas extraction, Talking Fracking, explored the impacts of fracking on wildlife and biodiversity.

The Scottish Government continues to take a cautious, evidence-led approach to unconventional oil and gas. An Independent Expert Scientific Panel, convened by the Scottish Government to examine the scientific evidence relating to unconventional oil and gas, published its findings in July 2014. Their remit included examining environmental and regulatory issues associated with the potential development of unconventional oil & gas in Scotland.

When the Panel reported in July 2014, they determined that the regulatory framework is largely in place to control the potential environmental impacts of the production of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. However, the Panel identified a number of gaps in the wider evidence base and in response to these findings the Scottish Government commissioned a suite of expert reports to examine specific issues in more detail. These studies were published in November 2016, and have informed our four-month public consultation, Talking “Fracking”, which was published on 31 January.

The consultation document sets out the Scottish Government’s commitment to “undertaking all relevant statutory assessments in coming to a final position on unconventional oil and gas, including undertaking a Strategic Environmental Assessment, which would be required regardless of the form of our final decision”.

The Scottish Government also hosted a workshop in October 2016 for regulators to examine gaps in the current Unconventional Oil and Gas regulatory framework. The regulators considered the current regulatory framework which exists to minimise hazards, and mitigate risks to the environment, including wildlife habitats and ecosystems. An overview of the current regulatory framework can be viewed at . A summary of the regulatory workshop can be read at