Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-28033

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action NatureScot is taking to safeguard bat roost sites located on homes, while highlighting the importance of bat species protection to householders.

All bat species found in Scotland are classed as European protected species. They receive the highest level of species protection under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994.

This protection also extends to bat roosts. As bats return to the same places every year, a bat roost is protected even if no bats are present. Any action taken which might disturb or damage a bat roost requires a licence from NatureScot.

NatureScot bat workers and Licensing staff advise residents on bat species protection and how to manage the bat roosts within their homes in line with this protection through the Bats in Houses helpline or, for more complex cases, a home visit. NatureScot staff encourage residents in the first instance to retain these roosts, though in some circumstances they need to be excluded under licence because of the public health issue they can pose to residents. The licence to exclude bats contains conditions for the actions to safeguard the bats during the exclusion.

Question reference: S6W-27907

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 11 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any impact of its Infrastructure Investment Plan on it meeting its climate ambitions.

On 17 January, the Scottish Government published a carbon assessment of the Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26, drawing on a range of evidence, including results from a taxonomy assessment. Through this assessment, there is clear and consistent evidence that supports the assessment that the Infrastructure Investment Plan contributes positively to the achievement of Scotland’s emissions reduction targets. This assessment can be found here: Infrastructure investment plan 2021-2022 to 2025-2026: carbon assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The publication of the Infrastructure Investment Plan Annual Report and Pipeline Reset has had to be postponed due to the timing of the UK General Election. Scottish Ministers will now consider a revised publication date, and will inform Parliament in due course. The outcomes of the carbon assessment published in January 2024 will be reviewed in conjunction with these publications.

Question reference: S6W-27867

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what policy measures it is considering in order to reach its commitment to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded peatlands by 2030.

Caring for our peatlands, and reducing peatland emissions, through protection, management and restoration is critical to mitigating and adapting to the linked climate and nature emergencies.

Restoring 250,000 hectares is a combination of restoration through drain blocking and bare peat restoration on upland blanket bogs but also requires interventions on herbivore control as well as other farm management interventions.

Through various on-going reform programmes across government and our commitment to consult on a carbon land tax on the largest estates, we are considering the regulatory and fiscal measures that could further incentivise peatland restoration and create the conditions to keep our peatlands in good condition.

Alongside this, work continues towards implementing a ban on the sale of peat in Scotland and we have established an expert group to develop the guidance and tools needed to inform decisions on windfarm development on peat.

We are also working hard with our delivery partners through the Peatland ACTION partnership to tackle the many barriers to upscaling peatland restoration in this relatively young sector.

Question reference: S6W-27866

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has calculated how many hectares of degraded peatlands it has restored in 2022-23, in line with its commitment to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded peatlands by 2030.

Question reference: S6W-27671

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 4 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the commitment in the Fair Fares Review to develop policy to consider the best way to provide free bus travel to people seeking asylum, including delivery of the one-year £2 million funding commitment for 2024-25 that was announced in October 2023.

A national pilot scheme is being developed for people seeking asylum not already eligible for free bus travel through the existing National Concessionary Travel Schemes.

This scheme will build on learning from local and regional pilots that have delivered free bus travel to people seeking asylum over recent years and will provide evidence on nationwide delivery, costs and demand.

A Working Group has been established with representatives from Transport Scotland, Third Sector organisations and those with lived experience of the asylum system. Work is progressing to establish what is affordable and practical for delivery during 2024-25 within the £2 million budget allocated.

Question reference: S6F-03205

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2024

To ask the First Minister by what date the Scottish Government will decide which of the National Park nominations will be taken forward to the next stage.

Question reference: S6O-03540

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of the process that it will follow to develop a Just Transition Plan for the Mossmorran industrial site.

Question reference: S6W-27668

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the role of new on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging technology, particularly the use of cross-pavement cable gullies for EV charging cables, in expanding the number of EV charge points and infrastructure in Scotland.

The installation of cross-pavement solutions for on-street Electric Vehicle charging has the potential to provide those without off-street parking access to more affordable domestic tariffs, whilst reducing trip hazards posed by loosely trailed cables. The market for cross-pavement charging solutions is at a relatively early stage, however, there are already a variety of solutions that have been trialled by local authorities across the UK, including in local authorities in Scotland. The decision to allow or reject the installation of a cross-pavement solutions on the public highway ultimately rests with local authorities and cross-pavement charging solutions may not be the suitable in all circumstances. Transport Scotland is working closely with the Scottish Road Works Commissioner and Scottish local authorities to better understand the issue and how best to support local authorities as the market develops with actions incorporated within the Vision Implementation Plan.

Question reference: S6W-27670

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Plugged-in Communities Grant Fund will reopen for applications in 2024-25.

Since its launch, the Plugged-in Communities grant fund has supported 38 community transport organisations across Scotland make the switch to zero emission vehicles, providing over £3.5 million of funding allowing these organisations to procure 53 zero emission vehicles. These vehicles play a key role in their local communities by providing mobility, contributing to improved air quality and reducing polluting greenhouse gas emissions in the communities they serve.

These are unprecedented times with significant pressure on financial resources and difficult decisions had to be taken when setting the 2024-25 Scottish Budget. Given these constraints, Transport Scotland officials are currently considering future levels of funding for the Plugged-In Communities scheme, with no final decision yet made. Eligible community transport organisations can continue to register their interest on the EST website to receive further information.

Question reference: S6W-27241

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the impact of speed cameras in improving driver behaviour, in light of Safety Cameras Scotland’s reported decision to deactivate 119 speed cameras across Scotland’s transport authorities.

The Scottish Government plans to investment £7.53m through the Scottish Safety Camera Programme (“the Programme”) in 2024/25. This is the highest level of investment in the Programme since 2007 and almost double the investment ten years ago in 2014. This acts to ensure safety camera technology continues to deliver its aim of reducing the number of casualties on Scotland’s roads by encouraging improved driver behaviour.

To maximise the casualty reduction potential of the Programme an annual safety camera site prioritisation exercise is undertaken. This robust exercise, which has been undertaken in collaboration between Police Scotland, Transport Scotland and all local road authorities, assessed the performance of approximately 500 existing safety camera sites. This process identified 13 new safety camera sites which are being progressed towards delivery, and that at 119 existing camera sites there had been a sustained positive impact on driver behaviour for a number of years and therefore no longer a priority for camera deployment and being placed into dormancy.

At each of these sites the camera infrastructure and signage will remain in place and a bag displayed over any fixed camera to indicate its non-operational status. This pause allows for a thorough assessment over a three-year period, after which decisions will be made regarding potential decommissioning or reactivation.

Tell us your views

Chamber and committees