Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-27086

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether SEPA has assessed any impact of flea and worm treatments used for companion animals on the environment.

SEPA have developed a new analytical technique to screen environmental water samples for a range of chemical substances, including a range of pesticides and pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary).

Through targeted screening methodology, this helps identify and provide estimated concentrations for approximately 450 chemical substances including medicines used to control parasites. Monitoring began late 2023, with initially around 100 monitoring locations (rivers and lochs) expanding to over 300 locations in 2024.

This investigative monitoring programme was designed to help SEPA understand chemical pressures on Scotland’s water environment. SEPA are finalising monitoring results for substances used in veterinary medicines to treat parasites in companion animals and will share as it becomes available, with other UK regulators and agencies through the UK cross-government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment group. In addition, SEPA are also exploring options for making this data more widely available.

Question reference: S6W-27099

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any steps that sportscotland is taking to (a) assess the impact of artificial sports pitches on (i) the natural environment and (ii) human health and (b) identify long-term alternatives to artificial sports pitches.

Artificial grass pitches play an important role in the delivery of sport and physical activity across Scotland, helping the nation to lead more active, healthy lives. Well maintained artificial pitches allow for year-round, intensive use and can provide significantly more playing hours than traditional grass pitches.

There are already alternatives on the market such as cork, corn husks and olive pits amongst others. sport scotland are part of the UK Artificial Grass Pitch forum monitoring work on the long-term viability of these products. St Andrews University has already installed a full-size 3G pitch with cork infill, and there is research and development continuing across the industry with more products in the market.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry published a wide-ranging report in April on rubber crumb infill. It is the largest study ever conducted in the US on the topic and was launched to characterise the chemicals associated with tire crumb rubber and to identify how people may be potentially exposed to those chemicals based on their activities on synthetic turf fields. In its conclusion, the report highlighted that:

‎ “As expected, a range of metals, semivolatile organic compounds, volatile organic compounds and bacteria were detected in recycled tire crumb rubber infill.
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‎ "Although chemicals are present in the tire crumb rubber and exposures can occur, they are likely limited. For example, only small amounts of most organic chemicals are released from tire crumb into the air through emissions and no differences in PAH metabolites in urine were observed between study participants using synthetic turf fields compared to those using grass fields.”

The full report can be read here: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/federal-research-recycled-tire-crumb-used-playing-fields-and-playgrounds?utm_source=brevo&utm_campaign=Friday%20News%20Roundup%2019%20April&utm_medium=email

Question reference: S6W-27261

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a progress update on Scottish Water’s commitment to increasing monitoring levels of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).

Question reference: S6W-27085

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when SEPA last met with the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE) cross-government group regarding fipronil and imidacloprid levels detected in UK surface waters, and what steps it is taking to reduce these levels in Scotland.

SEPA is a member of the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE) Group. The group last met on 31st January 2024 to continue discussions and undertake process mapping to understand the current evidence, as well as regulatory and non-regulatory tools available to inform future activities and strategy regarding levels of imidacloprid and fipronil in UK surface waters.

SEPA has designed an investigative monitoring programme to help understand chemical pressures on Scotland’s water environment.

Question reference: S6W-27270

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 3 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what its position is on introducing ticket levy schemes at large music venues in Scotland to support small and grassroots music venues.

The Scottish Government fully values the importance of the music industry to Scotland’s culture, and the role venues play in the talent pipeline.

We have committed through the New Deal for Business to engage with industry to explore non-regulatory solutions to deliver policy objectives across Scottish Government. We are sympathetic to the needs of grassroots venues and are engaging with stakeholders to understand how we can best support industry-led initiatives.

Question reference: S6W-26877

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 24 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support the economic and creative growth of Scotland’s unscripted screen sector.

The Scottish Government remains focused on strengthening our screen sector and creating the conditions for continued growth across production, development, talent, and skills, including in unscripted production.

We have funded, and continue to fund, Screen Scotland, who over the last 3 financial years have supported a total of 138 unscripted productions, including many through the Broadcast Content Fund (BCF), which is supported by Scottish Government Grant-in-Aid funding.

Screen Scotland’s Unscripted team continue to support the development and production of unscripted projects, and support talent development, skills and training opportunities for people working in the unscripted sector.

As well as supporting the annual unscripted film talent development programme, ‘Docscene’, delivered by the Scottish Documentary Institute, Screen Scotland also work closely with partners such as the BBC and Channel 4, on a range of projects and initiatives to support the production of unscripted factual and entertainment content.

They have also worked closely with production companies and local training providers to help incorporate freelancers from unscripted production into scripted training programmes and productions, for those seeking to transition their careers or broaden their portfolios.

In March 2024, Screen Scotland published their Strategy to 2030-31 which outlines their plan of work across skills and training, audience development, support for Scottish creatives and international collaboration to ensure that all those working in the screen sector, including in unscripted production, have a wide range of opportunities for employment and professional development.

Question reference: S6W-26411

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to create a working group with relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the NICE guidance on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

The Scottish Government fully supports the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on diagnosing and managing ME/CFS. We wrote to all Scottish health boards following its publication to raise awareness of the guidance and encourage its implementation.

We are committed to improving care for people with ME/CFS and want to facilitate constructive communication between patients and clinicians so that all parties are engaged in finding a way forward.

We are currently reviewing options to foster consensus around the applicability and implementation of the NICE guideline on ME/CFS, and how this relates to other existing clinical guidance in Scotland. Input from people with lived experience of ME/CFS will be integral to any agreed option.

Question reference: S6O-03349

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to deliver a safer speed limit of 20 mph by 2025 on all appropriate roads in built-up areas.

Question reference: S6W-26412

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcome was of the pilot of the NHS Education for Scotland training module on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Question reference: S6W-26480

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jackson Carlaw (on behalf of the SPCB) on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) whether SPCB staff are permitted to wear disability awareness lanyards.

Colleagues with adjustment passports can wear Sunflower lanyards and/or pins or badges but must also wear a parliament issued purple lanyard.

It’s estimated that 70-80% of disabilities are hidden, including physical and mental health, sensory such as visual, auditory and processing difficulties, chronic conditions, and rare diseases. The SPCB want to make it easier for staff and visitors who have a non-visible disability to get the support they need. SPCB staff have been trained to recognise the Sunflower and offer help or adjustments as part of our existing reasonable adjustment process.

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