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 MSPs 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: S7W-04060

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how concerns raised by Environmental Standards Scotland regarding the timing of the draft Climate Change Plan have informed its approach to the introduction of biodiversity targets under the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026.

Question reference: S7W-04061

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns raised by Environmental Standards Scotland in its letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs on 24 August 2026, what steps it is taking to ensure that the agency's scrutiny and feedback on biodiversity targets, which will be set under the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026, is not constrained by the proximity of parliamentary dissolution.

Question reference: S7W-03998

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the correspondence from the Cabinet Sectary for Climate Action to the Climate Action Committee on 30 July 2026, what plans it has to engage with stakeholders across the housing, design and construction sectors regarding the commencement of the provision to install swift bricks in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026.

Question reference: S7W-04002

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the interaction of building standards legislation with the commencement of section 41 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026.

Question reference: S7W-03999

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its final evaluation of the Nature Restoration Fund, in light of its interim evaluation, which was published on 6 August 2025.

Question reference: S7W-04000

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will commence the provision in the Natural Environment Act (Scotland) 2026 to make regulations regarding the installation of swift nest boxes in new buildings.

Question reference: S7W-04007

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage with the COP31 climate summit.

Question reference: S7W-04001

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made to inform its plans for the commencement of the provision in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 requiring installation of swift nest boxes in buildings.

Question reference: S7W-03914

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the amount of packaging used for fruit and vegetables.

Question reference: S7W-03307

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Delivery Plan to introduce statutory nature restoration targets by 2026, for what reason consultation on targets has been delayed until 2027, and what steps it is taking to establish targets as soon as possible.

Part 1 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (the 2026 Act), which was passed by the Scottish Parliament in January 2026, places a duty on the Scottish Ministers to set targets in connection with nature restoration.

The work to deliver statutory targets is progressing at pace. The Biodiversity Programme Advisory Group (PAG) has developed scientific recommendations covering species status, habitat condition and extent, and the environmental conditions needed to support nature restoration. Officials are developing target proposals and assessing the delivery, monitoring and reporting arrangements to ensure that targets are robust, measurable and achievable.

I anticipate that Part 1 of the 2026 Act will be commenced during the first half of 2027 and draft regulations, setting out the targets themselves, will be laid before the Scottish Parliament within 12 months of Part 1 of the 2026 Act coming into force. In early 2027, and subject to completion of target proposals, pre-consultation will be undertaken with stakeholders to help develop and refine target proposals and gather their views and expertise to ensure they are supported by the best available evidence.

In addition, the first statutory report on delivery of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy will be published in 2027, providing an opportunity to assess progress towards its outcomes and actions, and to consider evidence from across government and delivery partners as we work collectively towards restoring biodiversity by 2045.