Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-14664

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on developing an open data service for bus travel similar to the Bus Open Data Service in England.

The Scottish Government is committed to enhancing information of public transport to improve, awareness, accessibility and support modal shift. That is why the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 includes provisions to set regulations with regards to the sharing of bus service information. Legislation is one part of the solution and we are progressing options which will inform the development of regulations and speed up enhancing information provision, recognising the technological advancements and operators positive participation. For example, we are procuring the next generation digital travel data services that sit behind Traveline Scotland and other journey planner providers, which will support enhanced data on fares, real-time information, accessibility and emissions. We are engaging with our counterparts in the Department for Transport and Welsh Government with regards to their Bus Open Data Regulatory activity, to ensure compatibility and avoid duplication or burden for those operators delivering both sides of the border.

Question reference: S6W-14554

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what impact Low Emission Zones have had on air quality in Scotland’s cities, in light of reported figures published by Friends of the Earth Scotland.

I welcome these positive achievements on air quality, which show that our actions to tackle air pollution are delivering for the people of Scotland.

The modelling undertaken by each of the cities shows that the Scottish LEZs are capable of delivering significant improvements in air quality. LEZ enforcement will begin in June 2023 in Glasgow, it is therefore too early to say with any certainty what the impact of Low Emission Zones has been.

The four cities introducing LEZs are required to report on air quality annually, and specifically on the performance of the LEZs one year after enforcement starts. I look forward to reviewing these reports when available.

Question reference: S6O-01946

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking, in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service, NHS boards and others, to support the health and wellbeing of people in prison and prevent deaths by suicide.

Question reference: S6W-14563

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many sites Forestry and Land Scotland has identified as suitable for the translocation of beavers, and by what date it anticipates that beavers will have been successfully translocated to these sites.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) have identified eight sites on Scotland’s national forests and land where within range translocations of beavers are considered to be ecologically feasible. We anticipate beavers to be moved to these sites after the kit dependency period in 2023.

A further three projects for range expansion translocations are at early stages of investigation and the number of suitable sites is as yet undetermined. It is expected these sites to be ready to accept beavers from 2024 onwards.

Question reference: S6W-14562

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps Forestry and Land Scotland has taken to support the implementation of Scotland's Beaver Strategy 2022-2045 in relation to actively expanding the beaver population into new areas.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is well placed to assist with the implementation of the Scottish Government policy to expand the range and size of the beaver population within Scotland over the next 10 years.

It is working closely with colleagues in Scottish Government land agencies, partners, and landowners/managers with an interest in actively expanding the beaver population into new areas within Scotland.

FLS is an active member of the newly formed Beaver Advisory Group, which has replaced the Scottish Beaver Forum.

Question reference: S6O-01919

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made toward increasing the availability of longer-term housing options for displaced people from Ukraine using the £50 million Ukraine Longer Term Resettlement Fund.

Question reference: S6W-14557

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering expanding Low Emission Zones to cities beyond Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen, in light of the latest reported figures on air quality from Friends of the Earth Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-01815

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 February 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on whether oil and gas companies are investing enough of their profits to support a just transition in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-14777

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Lorna Slater on 3 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity extending Dr Colin Church’s position as chair of the independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland’s waste hierarchy, following his first report, Stop, Sort, Burn, Bury? Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste Hierarchy in Scotland, to enable him to consider options to decarbonise residual waste infrastructure in Scotland, whether it will provide an update on Dr Church’s second report.

Dr Colin Church submitted his Second Report on the Decarbonisation of Residual Waste Infrastructure in Scotland to Scottish Ministers on 16 December and we have published the Report today. The Report is available at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805254942 .

We are carefully considering the key findings and recommendations of Dr Church’s Second Report and will respond to these in March.

I would like to thank Dr Church for completing the independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-14071

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12397 by Jenny Gilruth on 6 December 2022, whether it will provide an update on how many journeys have been completed by young people using a free bus pass through the Young Persons' (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme, based on the latest information available.

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