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-15392

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 12 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will report on the findings of its consultation regarding the registration and licensing of animal sanctuaries and rehoming activities.

The Scottish Government published the responses received to the consultation on the registration and licensing of animal sanctuaries and rehoming activities on 29 March 2018. These are publicly available at

The responses to the consultation are currently undergoing analysis and the completed analysis will be published in due course. In line with the Scottish Government's commitment in the Programme for Government 2017-18 legislation will be prepared for the consideration and approval of the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S5O-01934

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to local authorities responsible for the maintenance of strategic park and ride facilities.

Question reference: S5O-01941

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing a levy on vacant and derelict land.

Question reference: S5W-15240

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the rail enhancements and capital investment strategy.

Question reference: S5W-14465

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what consultation it has had with (a) animal welfare groups, (b) farmers' representatives and (c) other stakeholders regarding the impact on Scotland of a UK-wide ban on the export of live animals for slaughter.

Question reference: S5W-14467

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), how many (a) sheep and lambs and (b) cattle and calves were exported for slaughter or fattening in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017 to (A) the rest of the UK and (B) other countries, and how much these exports were worth.

The Scottish Government has identified the following data for movements of cattle and sheep. The data are from the Trade Control and Export System compiled by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. Information on movements within the UK are only available for movements to Northern Ireland.

Exports	Sheep and Lambs 2016	Sheep and Lambs 2017	Cattle and Calves 2016	Cattle and Calves 2017
To Northern Ireland for production	not available	0	not available	170
To Northern Ireland for Slaughter	not available	2,282	not available	5,397
To countries outside of UK for production	not available	997	not available	5,535
To countries outside of UK for Slaughter	not available	2,456 (to Republic of Ireland only)	not available	671(to Republic of Ireland only)

The Trade Control and Export System contains information that 2,708 weaned sheep, 47 weaned cattle and 3,250 un-weaned cattle were exported to countries outside of the UK in 2016. Information on whether this was for breeding, fattening or slaughter is not available.

Data on the value of these exports is not available.

Question reference: S5W-14724

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10828 by Humza Yousaf on 14 September 2017, how many incidents of stop-skipping have occurred on the ScotRail network since 20 August 2017, and what percentage of trains this represents, broken down by station affected.

Question reference: S5W-15038

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the potential impact on Scotland of the proposals in the Nuclear Safeguards Bill, which has been introduced in the UK Parliament.

Nuclear safeguards are activities to verify that nuclear material and equipment are not diverted from their intended use as declared by the users and that international legal obligations to use nuclear material and equipment for peaceful purposes are honoured. The UK Government has introduced UK legislation to ensure the continuity of nuclear safeguards in the event of the UK leaving the Euratom Community, as this will be a reserved responsibility. The UK Government has kept the Scottish Government informed about its developing policy, the measures in the Bill and draft Regulations. The Scottish Government has carried out informal analysis of the proposals to ensure that we understand the effect of the measures in Scotland and that there are no difficulties over interactions with devolved responsibilities.

Question reference: S5W-14468

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what tonnage of (a) sheep meat and (b) beef was exported in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017 to (A) the rest of the UK and (B) other countries, and how much these exports were worth.

Quality Meat Scotland’s ‘The Scottish Red Meat Industry Profile 2017’ reports the value of sheep meat and beef trade to other countries for 2016. Data is not currently available for 2017; the tonnage of meat exported is not reported.

Beef to the value of £420 million and £36.5 million was sent to the rest of the UK and to other countries respectively in 2016. Sheep meat to the value of £75 million and £30.5 million was sent to the rest of the UK and to other countries respectively in 2016.

Question reference: S5W-14464

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what assessment it has made of how a UK-wide ban on the export of live animals for slaughter could impact on the quality livestock sector in the (a) Northern Isles, (b) Western Isles and (c) rest of Scotland.