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 Cycling, Walking and Buses
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Food
Co-Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on International Development
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Lung Health
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nordic Countries
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nuclear Disarmament
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Rail
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Rural Policy
Co-Convener
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Mark has 1 parliamentary and government role
Scottish Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund
Trustee
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 9 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
21 June 2005 - 02 April 2007
Party Spokesperson on Fisheries
Scottish Green Party
28 June 2006 - 02 April 2007
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Substitute Member
28 May 2003 - 02 April 2007
Party Spokesperson on the Environment
Scottish Green Party
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: 14 January 2021
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "The cabinet secretary has highlighted the importance of the creeling sector…
COVID-19 Committee meeting date: 14 January 2021
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "Good morning. I welcome the extension of the evictions ban to the end of March, but I am aware that a number of European countries have a wider winter evictions ban…
Chamber meeting date: 13 January 2021
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "On 4 January, the First Minister said that the Government was considering how to prioritise the vaccination of school and childcare staff…
Chamber meeting date: 13 January 2021
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "There are now more than 80,000 people on the shielding list due to the burden of lung disease…
COVID-19 Committee meeting date: 8 January 2021
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): "I start with a quick question for John Swinney. Does the Government now accept that teachers are more at risk of contracting Covid than the rest of the general population?"
Votes
How Mark Ruskell has voted in Parliament
Find out how Mark Ruskell has voted recently.
Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union
Submitted by: Ruth Davidson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Result 30 for, 94 against, 0 abstained, 5 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union
Submitted by: Nicola Sturgeon, Glasgow Southside, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Supported by: Michael Russell
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Result 92 for, 30 against, 1 abstained, 6 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union
Submitted by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Supported by: Anas Sarwar
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Result 94 for, 30 against, 0 abstained, 5 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Bill
Submitted by: Graeme Dey, Angus South, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, December 21, 2020
Supported by: Jenny Gilruth, Michael Russell
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Result 117 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Result 33 for, 86 against, 0 abstained, 10 no vote
MSP voted for
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: 21 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31967 by Clare Haughey on 5 October 2020, whether (a) the funded training of additional psychological therapists is available to NHS staff only, (b) it is funding training in (i) clinical and (ii) applied psychology for people who do not work in the NHS, and (c) it is funding…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 9 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33328 by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 December 2020, whether NatureScot will publish its monitoring programme that led it to conclude that “there is little evidence to show that gamebirds are causing damage to European sites in Scotland”."
Answered by: Roseanna Cunningham on 18 December 2020
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 9 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33328 by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 December 2020, whether it considers its decision to take no action regarding the unregulated release of non-native gamebirds is consistent with the precautionary principle and the principle that preventative action should be taken to avert…
Answered by: Roseanna Cunningham on 18 December 2020
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 9 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33328 by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 December 2020, how many Habitats Regulations Appraisals have been completed regarding applications for the release of non-native gamebirds in each of the last 10 years; whether Scottish Natural Heritage will publish the environmental reports that…
Answered by: Roseanna Cunningham on 18 December 2020
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 10 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on granting protected status to (a) hedgehogs and (b) hedgehog breeding sites from property developers."
Answered by: Roseanna Cunningham on 18 December 2020
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 17 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the independently-chaired taskforce established to consider whether the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals should be given extra powers to investigate wildlife crime, which it announced on 17 June 2020."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 17 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the announcement on 17 June 2020 that an independently-chaired taskforce was to be set up to consider whether the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals should be given extra powers to investigate wildlife crime, how many times the taskforce has met; who is chairing it, and who is…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 9 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government, in the light of Scotland being declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone, what measures are in place to ensure that gamebird breeders (a) register captive flocks and (b) comply with all relevant aspects of the legislation."
Answered by: Mairi Gougeon on 16 December 2020
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 26 November 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32898 by Fergus Ewing on 30 October 2020, whether, within the work of the new steering group and priority workstreams of the Farmed Fish Health Framework, (a) it still plans to (i) scale up the use of cleaner fish, with a concurrent increase of the production of farmed cleaner…
Answered by: Fergus Ewing on 15 December 2020
Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 14 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the regulation and use of neonicotinoid pesticides."
Awaiting answer
See all of Mark Ruskell's written questions submitted in Parliament