Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18378 by Lorna Slater on 12 June 2023, whether ministers sit on any of the stakeholder groups, and, if so, which ministers.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Minister does not sit on the stakeholder groups however the Minister does receive updates from the groups. The Minister chairs the Ministerial Strategy Assurance Group, referred to in answers to questions S6W-18537, S6W-18540 and S6W-18541 on 15 June 202…
12 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18378 by Lorna Slater on 12 June 2023, whether GS1 UK was invited to join any of the stakeholder groups.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Given that labelling, including barcodes, is a reserved issue and therefore requirements for barcodes and labels were not part of the regulations covering Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme, we have not previously engaged with GS1 UK, who are a company dealing …
12 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18378 by Lorna Slater on 12 June 2023, how many stakeholder groups have been established, and what the (a) title and (b) remit is of each stakeholder group.
Answer · Lorna Slater: There are currently three stakeholder groups that are chaired by the Scottish Government, these are; Deposit Return Scheme - Retailers Sector Group Meeting, Deposit Return Scheme - Hospitality Sector Group Meeting, and Deposit Return Scheme - Producer Sector …
7 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) has met and (b) plans to meet with Police Scotland regarding its consultation on a National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.
Answer · Lorna Slater: During the consultation process for the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, the Scottish Government convened the inaugural meeting of the Flytipping Forum, of which Police Scotland is a member and the purpose of which is to support co-ordinated action to…
7 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) has met and (b) plans to meet with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service regarding its consultation on a National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.
Answer · Lorna Slater: During the consultation process for the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, the Scottish Government engaged a wide range of organisations and has been carefully considering consultation responses, of which there were 978. The majority of proposals receiv…
7 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding is allocated to preventing fly tipping and littering for the financial year 2022-23.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government is taking forward a range of measures that contribute to tackling litter and flytipping as part of our wider efforts to tackle Scotland’s throwaway culture. In 2022-23 this included ongoing investment in local authority recycling infra…
7 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition has met with regarding its consultation on a National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Responsibility for developing the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy sits within the remit of the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity. The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition has not met with any organisations reg…
7 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity has met with regarding its consultation on a National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.
Answer · Lorna Slater: During the consultation process for the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, I attended the inaugural meeting of the Flytipping Forum, the purpose of which is to enable ongoing engagement between policy makers and stakeholders to support co-ordinated acti…
7 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money was raised from fixed penalty notices for littering and fly tipping between 2014 and 2022.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government does not hold data on how much money has been raised from fixed penalties issued for the offence of littering or flytipping. This detailed information can be obtained by contacting individual issuing authorities.
6 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings with stakeholders the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity has had since her appointment, which relate to matters outwith the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.
Answer · Lorna Slater: All Ministerial Engagements, travel and gifts received are proactively published within 3 months in line with the Scottish Ministerial Code . I refer the member to the following link: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) …
31 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17484 by Lorna Slater on 11 May 2023, for what reason it made no such publications during May 2023.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government is committed to transparency and openness. We aim to publish key information such as notes of meetings and letters relating to the deposit return scheme as soon as possible.
31 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17484 by Lorna Slater on 11 May 2023, what plans it has to publish the notes and actions of the meeting held on 20 April 2023.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government is committed to transparency and openness. We aim to publish key information such as notes of meetings and letters relating to the deposit return scheme as soon as possible.
31 May 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to Pakistan, following the severe flooding that the country experienced in 2022.
25 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17872 by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023, when the Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group first met in relation to the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group first met on 22 May 2023. The meeting was held virtually on MS Teams.
25 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17872 by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023, what the remit is of the Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group in relation to the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group was established as part of the refreshed system wide governance for the Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland (DRS) for the implementation stage of the programme. The function of this group is:To provide collective strate…
25 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17872 by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023, in relation to the Deposit Return Scheme, whether there is any cross over between the roles of the Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group and Deposit Return Scheme Implementation Advisory Group.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18425 on 14 June 2023. I confirm there was no crossover with the Implementation Assurance Group and Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group. The Implementation Assurance Group was disbanded in 2020 with the Minis…
25 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17872 by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023, what the membership is of the Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18432 on 14 June 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees…
25 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17872 by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023, how much time, specifically, will be available for end-to-end testing.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to my statement of 7 June 2023 which has been published on the Scottish Parliament website . The process for considering an exclusion for Scotland’s DRS from the Internal Market Act led to the unilateral UK Government decision on 26 May n…
25 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the growing needs for dentistry and GP services in Lothian, in light of data showing that, for example, the population of East Lothian has increased by 21.5% compared to Scotland’s average of 8.2% between 2001 and 2021.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Health and Social Care Partnerships are responsible for planning for the health and social care needs of their residents. Funding for general medical services is based on population level data about registered patients and practice shares are continuously ad…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to publish an updated version of its publication, Timeline and process for securing an Internal Market Act exclusion for DRS, published on 13 February 2023.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to my statement of 7 June 2023 which has been published on the Scottish Parliament website. The process for considering an exclusion for Scotland’s DRS from the Internal Market Act led to the unilateral UK Government decision on 26 May not …
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there was a six-month delay between the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs agreeing a narrow exclusion to the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 for single-use plastics regulations, in March 2022, and the Scottish Government engaging in cross-admin…
Answer · Lorna Slater: As set out in the Scottish Government publication of 28 February 2023 on “Timeline and process for securing an Internal Market Act exclusion for DRS”, in July 2021 the Scottish Government proposed a broad exclusion from the Internal Market Act under the Resou…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Ministers were first advised by officials that a separate Deposit Return Scheme exclusion, under the Resources and Waste Common Framework, would be required.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to Scottish Government’s publication on 28 February 2023 of the timeline and process for securing an Internal Market Act exclusion for the Deposit Return Scheme: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/correspo…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what discussions Circularity Scotland has had with the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Circularity Scotland are a private limited company, Scottish Government do not hold records of Circularity Scotland and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs discussions regarding DRS. However, we are aware that Circularity Scotland have w…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any reporting arrangements in place for Circularity Scotland, and, if so, what any such arrangements are.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Circularity Scotland are a private limited company established to deliver DRS on behalf of drinks producers. They do not report to the Scottish Government. However officials and I have met regularly with Circularity Scotland as part of preparations for the DR…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many countries with deposit return schemes that include glass in their scope the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity has travelled to in order to research deposit return schemes, and whether it will provide a list of any such countries.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme has been based on successful schemes across Europe. The Minister has been thoroughly briefed by Zero Waste Scotland on relevant research findings throughout the policy’s development. As stated in question S6W-18000 on 31 May …
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many countries in total the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity has travelled to in order to research deposit return schemes, and whether it will provide a list of any such countries.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme has been based on successful schemes across Europe. The Minister has been thoroughly briefed by Zero Waste Scotland on relevant research findings throughout the policy’s development. As stated in question S6W 18000 on 31 May …
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has consulted people with visual impairments in relation to any concerns regarding the accessibility of the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland consulted several organisations including Disability Equality Scotland and Inclusion Scotland in the process of assessing the potential impacts of the Deposit Return Scheme. This was accounted for in the Final E…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met British Glass to discuss (a) the Deposit Return Scheme and (b) any other matter.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Officials met with representatives from British Glass on 2 May to discuss the Deposit Return Scheme. Officials were clear in that meeting that Ministers strongly believe in the inclusion of glass in the DRS, due to the environmental and economic benefits this…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the Deposit Return Scheme on recycling rates for (a) glass and (b) plastic.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has undertaken extensive analysis of the impact of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme on recycling rates of both glass and plastic. Scotland’s DRS will target a recycling rate of 90% of scheme articles by the third year of DRS being ope…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what projections it has made on recycling rates for (a) glass and (b) plastic following the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18462 on 15 June 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees…