Mark Ruskell
Scottish Green Party
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region) 2016 - present day
Former MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region) 2003 - 2007
About Mark Ruskell
Contact details
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 6468
Text relay calls welcome.
Contact at their Constituency
67A King Street
Stirling
FK8 1BN
Phone: 01786 448 203
Text relay calls welcome.
Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.
Committees
Mark is a member of 4 committees
COVID-19 Committee
Member
Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee
Substitute Member
Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Mark is a member of 9 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Lung Health
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nordic Countries
Deputy Convener
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Mark does not have any parliamentary or government roles
Party Roles
Mark has 3 party roles
Party Spokesperson on Climate Change
Scottish Green Party
Party Spokesperson on Rural Economy
Scottish Green Party
Party Spokesperson on the Environment
Scottish Green Party
Previous roles
Mark has had 7 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
13 September 2018 - 16 September 2020
Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Deputy Convener
04 September 2018 - 13 September 2018
Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Member
29 June 2016 - 06 September 2018
Economy Jobs and Fair Work Committee
Substitute Member
28 June 2006 - 02 April 2007
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Substitute Member
09 September 2004 - 07 June 2006
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Deputy Convener
30 June 2004 - 09 September 2004
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Member
03 September 2003 - 30 June 2004
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Substitute Member
Register of interests
Mark's register of interests
MSPs must provide details of their financial interests in the Register of Interests. They make an initial statement on becoming or being returned as an MSP. This is then updated with any changes they provide.
Here is the register for Mark Ruskell. The date of their initial statement was 02 June 2016.
Remuneration and related undertaking
Until May 2017 I was a local authority councillor for Stirling Council (of Old Viewforth, 14-20 Pitt Terrace, Stirling FK8 2ET). I worked 15 hours per week in this role. Until 15 May 2016, when my salary ceased, I received remuneration of between £15,001 and £20,000 per annum. [Amended interest 28 October 2017]
Gifts
No registrable interests
Overseas visits
From 14 to 16 August 2018 I travelled to Norway on a study visit to explore Deposit Return Schemes. The costs of the visit were approximately £689, £220 for hotel, £319 for flights and around £150 for meals, which were met by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (a registered charity that funds the charitable work of organisations that are building an inclusive, creative and sustainable society of Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG). [Registered 28 September 2018]
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
I am an Honorary Associate Member of the British Veterinary Association. [Registered 28 October 2017]
[Ceased interest removed from entry: 28 October 2018]
Recent Activity
What was said
What Mark Ruskell has said in Parliament
These are the official transcripts of what was said by this MSP in the chamber and at committee meetings. You'll find the topic discussed and how many times this MSP has contributed to the discussion.
Chamber meeting date: 10 March 2021
Cetaceans (Acoustic Deterrent Devices)
2. Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "To ask the Scottish Government how it is protecting cetaceans from disturbance and injury caused by acoustic deterrent devices. (S5O-05091)"
Chamber meeting date: 10 March 2021
Cetaceans (Acoustic Deterrent Devices)
2. Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "To ask the Scottish Government how it is protecting cetaceans from disturbance and injury caused by acoustic deterrent devices. (S5O-05091)"
COVID-19 Committee meeting date: 10 March 2021
Coronavirus (Scotland) Acts (Early Expiry and Suspension of Provisions) Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/93)
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "First Minister, I want to ask you about support for self-isolation and, in particular, the self-isolation support grant…
Chamber meeting date: 9 March 2021
Climate Change Plan
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I join other members in wishing Roseanna Cunningham, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, all the very best…
COVID-19 Committee meeting date: 4 March 2021
Next Steps
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I want to pick up on Calum Steele’s points about workplace testing in the police. I understand that there was a commitment in the Government’s announcement last week to testing front-line officers who work in emergency control rooms…
Votes
How Mark Ruskell has voted in Parliament
Find out how Mark Ruskell has voted recently.
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Result 70 for, 49 against, 0 abstained, 10 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Result 24 for, 95 against, 1 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Result 34 for, 85 against, 1 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Result 34 for, 84 against, 1 abstained, 10 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Result 51 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Mark Ruskell in Parliament
Find out what motions Mark Ruskell has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Mark Ruskell has submitted in Parliament
These are the questions that this MSP has asked the Scottish Government about its work. It also includes any answer to these questions.
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35390 by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2021, whether Marine Scotland’s decision to make public EPS licence applications by fish farms after a determination has been made is compliant with (a) Marine Scotland’s duties under Articles 7 and 6 of the Aarhus Convention…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, with reference to the 2020 Marine Scotland-funded study, at what sound pressure level in decibels did bottlenose dolphins show startle responses to a low frequency simulated acoustic startle device signal; whether the magnitude of startle response increases exponentially with increasing sound pressure level; whether…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask Scottish Government what sound pressure level in decibels Marine Scotland has determined as the threshold for disturbance for small cetaceans and what the sound pressure level output is of each model of (a) acoustic deterrent device and (b) acoustic startle device manufactured by (i) Terecos, (ii) Genuswave, (iii) Lofitec, (iv) Ace Aquatec,…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what the sound pressure level in decibels was at which Kok et al (2017) recorded avoidance by harbour porpoises; what the sound pressure level was at which Brandt et al (2012) recorded a 96% reduction in porpoise clicks at a station 7kms away from a single Lofitec acoustic deterrent device, and what sound pressure…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will extend the Food for Life programme to support the delivery of free school meals."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 10 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the data that was required to be submitted to NatureScot by 31 December 2020 regarding the annual returns for licences that were granted in 2019 and 2020 to land owners and other stakeholders for beaver mitigation measures."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 10 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that pheasants and other gamebirds due to be released in autumn 2021 are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency Poultry Register, and to improve avian influenza health checks of gamebirds in place prior to their release."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 10 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how many licences were issued by NatureScot in the calendar year 2020 for (a) beaver dam removal and (b) the (i) lethal and (ii) non-lethal control of beavers, also broken down by how many were subject to prior site inspection by the agency or contractors."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 10 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how many expressions of interest or requests have been received by (a) it and (b) NatureScot since 1 May 2020 from parties in England and Wales interested in acquiring beavers for translocation to assist with flood resilience and biodiversity enhancement projects, broken down by the date of receipt."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 10 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how many beaver lethal control licences were issued in the calendar year 2020 by NatureScot without a site visit being carried out by the agency or its agents in the six months prior to the issue to verify that each licence was required as a last resort."
Awaiting answer
See all of Mark Ruskell's written questions submitted in Parliament