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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 3 July 2025
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Displaying 2999 contributions

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Meeting of the Parliament

First Minister’s Question Time

Meeting date: 21 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

That budget commitment to climate and nature is also a commitment to people. Record funding for active travel creates safer neighbourhoods. Investment in nature means more rural jobs. Funding for warm homes lifts people out of fuel poverty.

Will the First Minister outline how the Government will ensure that the economic benefits of the Government’s record investment in climate will reach the very people who need it the most?

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 20 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

I thank the cabinet secretary for that welcome update. The waiting times at Forth Valley royal hospital accident and emergency department have been a long-running concern, and they have highlighted the strain that our dedicated national health service staff are under, particularly in winter. What assurance is there that staff across health boards, including in NHS Forth Valley, will be properly supported through the winter, particularly so that we can get safe staffing levels with proper breaks and hot meals being provided to all staff?

Meeting of the Parliament

A9 Dualling

Meeting date: 20 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

The cabinet secretary rightly highlighted safety on the A9 as the overriding priority. The Green group is behind the appropriate action that is needed to cut casualties and tragedies on the road. However, given that the A9 programme will not be completed until the mid-2030s, what other options have been reviewed to improve safety on the A9 while staying on track to meet our legally binding climate targets?

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 20 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of its NHS Forth Valley assurance board. (S6O-02904)

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

National Outcomes

Meeting date: 14 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

On the same theme, I will ask Kat Feldinger about the priorities of the European Union. On a number of recent committee visits, I have picked up that there is an increasing focus from the European Union on the accession states in the east. I want to get your thoughts on responding to the EU’s agenda and on integrating and working with the EU. Where do you think the frontier of deeper engagement is, and how could a Warsaw office feed into that?

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Ukraine

Meeting date: 14 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

In that instance, Stirling Council has done great work in a complex and sensitive situation. Is it your impression that councils are able to support people right now, or are there particular areas where there is a difficulty and councils are struggling? You mentioned Edinburgh. There might be other areas where there are housing pressures.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Ukraine

Meeting date: 14 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

I am aware that there are about 3,000 people who are still in their welcome accommodation and that councils are working very hard to offer people two options: moving into a tenancy or moving into hosted accommodation. However, is there a group of people who would prefer to stay in the welcome accommodation? I am thinking in particular about rural situations where somebody might have moved into a hotel—such as the Killin hotel, which Mr Brown has mentioned—got a job in the local area and become quite settled but the accommodation options in the community are pretty limited. I know that that was previously an issue, but is it still an issue? In that particular instance, a number of people moved out of the hotel—indeed, a family went to stay with Mr Brown, which is great. For people who have become quite settled in such areas and are quite satisfied with the situation that they are in, to what extent is there a bit of a residual issue in supporting them with what is appropriate and what they want?

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

National Outcomes

Meeting date: 14 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

I will pick up on one thread of that. In the international network strategy, there is quite a strong focus on hydrogen, which involves a number of offices, including Scotland house in Brussels and teams in China, France and Germany, and I imagine that Copenhagen will be in that mix, as well.

I am interested in how that work is co-ordinated practically, because it could look like a disparate way of considering particular economic opportunities in different countries. Who is leading that work? Is it the cabinet secretary with responsibility for energy? How is the work on hydrogen being aligned with the direction of travel of the UK Government on hydrogen? It would be good to get a sense of that. I will go back to Kat Feldinger and then bring in Catriona Radcliffe, because the China office has also been involved in that.

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

National Outcomes

Meeting date: 14 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

Can Catriona Radcliffe provide the Beijing office perspective on that?

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 14 December 2023

Mark Ruskell

I welcome the progress that has been made across Scotland in rolling out 20mph speed limits, not just in Fife but in the Borders and the Highlands. All councils now have a detailed plan for how they will implement the roll-out of such limits across their areas, getting us closer to the target of ensuring that all appropriate roads have those limits by 2025. Given that the Scottish Government has not decided to go down the route of changing the 30mph default speed limit to 20mph, how will the minister ensure that there is consistency between councils and that there are adequate resources to get the job done, so that communities that need 20mph limits to create safer streets can have them and that we can move forward together?