- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2020
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what it considers an acceptable length of time for negotiations on planning conditions to conclude.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2020
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2020
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 26 August 2020
To ask the First Minister whether adequate measures are in place in Scotland's university towns to prevent local COVID-19 outbreaks as students begin to return to campuses.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 26 August 2020
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Stagecoach about proposed bus service changes.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2020
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 13 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what funding the finance secretary will make available to prepare for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, including to the NHS.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 13 August 2020
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 July 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 5 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting acupuncturists to resume treatment of patients during phase 3 of the COVID-19 response.
Answer
Following a clinical assessment, personal retail services, including Complementary and Alternative Medicine services (CAMs) and massage therapy, were advised that they could resume services as of 22 July 2020, where the service is carried out in a therapist’s own premises (i.e. not a mobile therapist, who provides treatment in a patient’s home), and the close contact retail guidance has been updated to reflect this.
The Scottish Government are undertaking further clinical assessment of the risk of transmission of COVID-19 for mobile massage and CAM services, and are considering whether further guidance is required for these.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 30 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether university student accommodation providers charging tenants for storing belongings that they cannot retrieve is in line with COVD-19 regulations.
Answer
The Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020 introduced notice to leave periods for students residing in halls of residence and Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). The Act does not make provision relating to charges by accommodation providers for the storage of belongings.
The Scottish Government, working in close consultation with stakeholders, has published guidance which seeks to provide reassurance and address the main questions and concerns from student renters and accommodation providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance can be found on the Student Information Scotland website.
Storage arrangements are a matter for individual providers and we encourage students and providers to work together to find an appropriate solution where students are unable to retrieve their belongings, including if a student is unable to move out of their accommodation or collect their possessions, either because they are self-isolating or are otherwise unable to travel, accommodation providers should store their items for collection at a future date. In my communications with accommodation providers, I have urged them to be sympathetic to the needs of students and to do all that they can to ensure that students are not disadvantaged.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether the process of licensing fish farms includes consideration of the presence of seals in the vicinity and any previous incidence of conflict between fish farms and seals.
Answer
Fish farms are required to comply with multiple regulatory regimes. In terms of the fish farm equipment, a marine licence is required however an exemption may apply where the installation is not considered to cause obstruction or danger to navigation. The siting of individual fish farms and associated environmental considerations, including the presence of marine mammals, are a matter for local authorities who deal with each new fish farm site on its merits through the terrestrial planning process.
Fish farm operators may also choose to apply for a seal licence. Currently, the application process for seal licences requires applicants to provide information on suspected seal predation events and seal presence in the 12 months prior to application and this information is used in the determination of the application. The Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 will remove two of the grounds for which Scottish Ministers can grant a licence to kill or take seals; namely to prevent serious damage to fisheries or fish farms, and to protect the health and welfare of farmed fish. This will mean that fisheries and fish farms will no longer be able to apply for a licence for the purpose of preventing serious damage to fisheries or fish farms, or to protect the health and welfare of farmed fish once the provisions are commenced.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether the report on the use of acoustic deterrent devices on land constituting a fish farm, required under section 10C of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) Bill, will consider the use of other non-lethal seal deterrents and their effect on the welfare of marine mammals and other wildlife.
Answer
The amendment passed by the Scottish Parliament on 17 June 2020 is specifically in relation to the use of Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs) at land constituting a fish farm. Research projects are already underway to assess the use and efficacy of ADDs. This work will be expanded to complete the statutory review required by the Bill. The report will adhere to the remit given it by the Parliament and therefore will not consider the use of other non-lethal deterrents. There is, however, complimentary work on other viable non-lethal measures also being undertaken by Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to implement the measures on conservation of seals contained in section 10B of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
As is normal practice, the Scottish Government will specify commencement dates for provisions of The Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 17 June 2020, through a Statutory Instrument after the Act receives Royal Assent.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the COVID-19 social distancing guidance for the horticulture, fruit and vegetable industry; what information it has regarding the compliance rate, and how many outbreaks of the virus have been reported as being connected to the sector.
Answer
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, officials and I have met regularly with the industry to discuss both the impacts on the sector and how best to keep their workers safe. These discussions shaped and agreed the guidance in a two-way process, demonstrating the sector’s willingness to comply with the advice. We continue to discuss updates with them, to ensure that the guidance is not only providing advice on working safely as per the latest scientific information, but that it can be practically implemented by the industry. Guidance was also translated into four additional languages to ensure workers had full access to our advice on their safety.
HSE is supporting the cross-government response to the COVID-19 Pandemic to help support employers and employees continue to work safely. The Horticulture, Fruit and Vegetables sector is not currently included in spot inspections so any COVID-19 intervention with this sector will be as a result of a concern being raised with the HSE and to date there has been 2 instances of concern which were COVID-19 related, these were followed up but did not warrant a HSE inspection. Where a risk is identified in relation to the possible exposure to farm workers in Scotland, public health officials ensure that appropriate follow-up action is taken. To date there have been no confirmed outbreaks of the virus connected to any farm in the sector in Scotland.
