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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-17153

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 21 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-16040 by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 May 2018, how the loss of the six staff will impact on Scottish Natural Heritage's capacity to deliver biodiversity conservation on its national nature reserves.

In its ‘Making Connections-Year 1’ business plan, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) indicates a planned reduction across the organisation of 1,460 days for its Managing Nature Reserves Activity, which includes the management of its 30 nature reserves with the National Nature Reserve accolade. SNH continues to prioritise the use of its resources in line with its Corporate Plan and business plans.

Question reference: S5W-17152

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 21 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how much and (b) what proportion of Scottish Natural Heritage's budget for national nature reserves has come from (i) the Peatland Action Fund and (ii) other similar sources in each of the last five years.

Year	SNH NNR budget from PAF (£)	Proportion of SNH NNR funding from PAF (%)	* SNH NNR budget from other similar sources (£)	Proportion of SNH NNR funding from other similar sources (%)
2017-18	12,514	0.8	0	0
2016-17	0	0	0	0
2015-16	16,419	1	0	0
2014-15	350,358	17	0	0
2013-14	0	0	0	0

SNH = Scottish Natural Heritage.

NNR = National Nature Reserve.

PAF = Peatland Action Fund.

Scottish Natural Heritage was not eligible for and did not receive any other Scottish Government sourced funding in addition to its Grant-in-Aid (*). The budget figures used above comprise operational/project spending only, staff costs are excluded.

Question reference: S5W-17151

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 21 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Natural Heritage-owned national nature reserves have received less than £5,000 for habitat management and species conservation, excluding for access and other infrastructure projects and promotional events, in each of the last five years.

Year	Number of SNH-owned NNRs receiving <£5k for habitat and species conservation
2017-18	Figures not available
2016-17	28
2015-16	26
2014-15	28
2013-14	24

Notes:

NNR = National Nature Reserve.

SNH = Scottish Natural Heritage.

The figures exclude the costs of nature reserve agreements, management agreements, leases and rents; staff time and costs, and volunteer costs.

The figures are net of income (e.g. from venison sales and external funding).

Question reference: S5W-17014

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will establish an environmental watchdog with legally-binding enforcement powers when the UK leaves the EU, similar to that proposed by the UK Government.

Building on the findings from the recent report by the Roundtable on Environment and Climate Change (published 1 June 2018), and in line with the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government will consult later this year on proposals to ensure that there continues to be effective and appropriate governance relating to the environment following the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.

Question reference: S5W-17073

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the obligation for ministers to do so, what its position is on all public authorities in Scotland having to adhere to environmental principles.

As set out in the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government will publish a consultation later this year on how regard is to be had to the guiding principles on the environment by Scottish Ministers in: (i) developing policies (including proposals for legislation), and (ii) determining how to exercise any of their functions; and by any other Scottish public authority in determining how to exercise any of its functions.

Question reference: S5W-16950

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 12 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take in relation to reviewing and renewing PEDL 162 licences that are due to expire on 30 June 2018.

The Scottish Government welcomes the devolution of the powers to issue and manage onshore oil and gas licences to Scotland in February 2018.

The powers transferred to Scotland through sections 47 to 49 of the Scotland Act 2016, and related subordinate legislation, provide Scottish Ministers with a wide range of powers over the administration of onshore oil and gas licences.

The Scottish Government is aware of the pending expiry of PEDL 162. It would be inappropriate to comment in respect of the future of the licence at this stage.

Question reference: S5W-16841

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that the number of open general licences that have been removed by Scottish Natural Heritage over the last four years is low, in light of the number of confirmed cases of raptor persecution across the same period.

The Scottish Government is satisfied that Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is imposing restrictions on General Licences in accordance with the ‘Framework for Implementing Restrictions’ which was published in 2014. This Framework requires SNH to be satisfied that on the balance of probabilities an offence or offences have been committed on relevant land by those responsible for the management of that land or by specific individuals.

Question reference: S5W-16837

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns that it does not offer a sufficient deterrent to the illegal killing of birds of prey, what its position is on whether the Partnership Against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAWS) Executive Group should review Scottish Natural Heritage's system for open general licence removal to examine ways to maximise its future effectiveness.

The primary purpose of imposing restrictions on the use of General Licences is to more effectively regulate the activities of land managers where Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has reason to have lost trust or confidence in the way those activities are carried out. Decisions are based on robust evidence provided by Police Scotland.

There are no plans for the Partnership Against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAWS) Executive Group to review this approach. However, SNH is planning to review the framework for implementing General Licence restrictions to consider whether evidence from satellite tags can be taken into account when considering whether to impose a restriction. SNH will consult with PAWS partners and others as part of its review.

Question reference: S5W-16840

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many satellite-tagged birds of prey are required to go missing in circumstances described as "suspicious" for Scottish Natural Heritage to consider the removal of the right to use an open general licence.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) relies on evidence of offences in relation to wild birds being provided by Police Scotland. Where there is no evidence of an offence having been committed, the criteria within the existing framework for implementing General Licence restrictions are not met.

SNH is planning to review the framework to consider whether evidence from satellite tags can be taken into account when considering whether to impose a restriction. SNH will consult with PAWS partners and others as part of its review.

Question reference: S5W-16162

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the establishment of the National Ecological Network.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) continues to develop its thinking on ecological connectivity, including the role of existing networks such as the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. This is a coordinated EU-wide network of sites for vulnerable, rare or threatened species and habitats. In addition, a range of other existing activity is contributing to ecological connectivity, including sites designated for nature conservation under Scottish legislation, landscape-scale conservation work and agri-environment support.

SNH is leading and coordinating the delivery of Scotland’s Biodiversity - A Route Map to 2020, which includes a number of projects which contribute to ecological connectivity.

SNH is also developing an ecological connectivity indicator as part of the Ecosystem Health Indicator suite (see https://www.environment.gov.scot/our-environment/state-of-the-environment/ecosystem-health-indicators/function-indicators/indicator-8-connectivity/ ). Connectivity Ecosystem Health Indicators for four key habitats (woodland, heathland, grassland and fen/marsh/swamp) have been published thus far. These indicators measure ‘functional connectivity’: how well species can move from one habitat patch to another. The indicator is based on the Habitat Map of Scotland, which uses the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) system of classifying habitats.