Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, whether it has published any reports or analysis on the effectiveness of the previous iteration of the surtax, which was in place from 2012 to 2015.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government has not published any reports in relation to the previous Public Health Supplement which was in place from 2012 to 2015.
30 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, whether the surtax would only be liable on those parts of a store that sell alcohol.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24444 on 22 January 2024. 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-committ…
30 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate in the Parliament on Forestry (Contribution to Net Zero) on 9 November 2022, what progress it is making on the delivery of the £100 million investment for the forestry sector to increase woodland creation.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Since 2021 the Scottish Government have made strong progress in meeting the 2021 PFG commitment to provide £100m of funding for new woodland creation during this parliament. We have already spent £96.3m and have commitments for a further £87.8m, for approved …
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with Scotland’s Improvement Districts regarding the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers prior to the announcement in the 2024-25 Budget.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24110 on 18 January 2024. 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-committ…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the Scottish Assessors Association regarding the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers prior to the announcement in the 2024-25 Budget.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24110 on 18 January 2024. 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-committ…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with Scotland Food and Drink regarding the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers prior to the announcement in the 2024-25 Budget.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24110 on 18 January 2024. 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-committ…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the Competition and Markets Authority regarding the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers prior to the announcement in the 2024-25 Budget.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24110 on 18 January 2024. 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-committ…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers as set out in the 2024-25 Budget, whether it has assessed the potential impact on commercial investment in relation to net zero and the circular economy by those firms that may be liable …
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24498 on 23 January 2024. 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-commit…
12 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Cabinet Secretary for Finance has reportedly declined to meet the Scottish Hospitality Group to hear its case for provision to be made in the Budget for 2024-25 to match that provided to hospitality businesses in England.
Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Ministers met with the Scottish Hospitality Group on several occasions in advance of the Scottish Budget 2024-25. The Scottish Hospitality Group are represented on the New Deal for Business Non-Domestic Rates consultative sub-group which is chaired …
4 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23481 by Mairi McAllan on 30 November 2023, whether any farms affected by flooding will qualify for the grant scheme, and whether farms in Inverness-shire will be excluded from the grant scheme, even if damaged by flooding.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government recognised that damage from flooding during the autumn of 2023 extended into parts of the Highlands and for this reason the eligible area of the Agricultural Floodbank scheme has been extended to include Highland Speyside.
6 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what it is doing to meet its tree planting and coverage targets.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In June this year, a delivery action plan was announced aimed at ramping up tree planting levels. This included a £1 million investment by Scottish Forestry to provide comprehensive training for its staff to speed up the woodland creation application process.…
21 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18715 by Lorna Slater on 15 June 2023, whether it will provide the information requested, specifically regarding whether or not the gateway review will be made publicly available, and what its reasons were for not providing this information in its a…
Answer · Lorna Slater: As stated in my answer to S6W-18715 all correspondence with the Committee will be made publicly available. My letter of 16 June setting out the findings of the gateway review and the Scottish Government response is available on the Scottish Parliament website…
31 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18066 by Lorna Slater on 31 May 2023, whether the (a) gateway review and (b) letter that the Minister will send to the Committee will be made publicly available, and, if this is not the case, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Lorna Slater: All correspondence received by the Committee is published on the Parliament’s website and is therefore publicly available. Gateway reviews are routine components of the Scottish Government’s approach to project management, providing a snapshot of implementati…
12 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15390 by Lorna Slater on 21 March 2023, whether it will now publish in full details of the gateway review that commenced in March 2023, and whether there have been any additional reviews instructed or carried out that the public has not been made aw…
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has taken into account the findings of the gateway review commenced in March 2023 and has taken action to address the issues raised. A letter and plan of action which outline how the Scottish Government has addressed or plans to addres…
9 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the additional junior ministers recently appointed, for what reason the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands is not supported by a junior minister to assist in the range of her expanded portfolio responsibilities, and whether the absence of a supporti…
Answer · George Adam: The recent Policy Prospectus confirmed the Government’s continuing, strong commitment to matters covered by the Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands portfolio, and set out actions that government is taking across a number of portfolios in order to create …
16 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of SEPA's position statement that it “will not take enforcement action against any retailer who does not offer a takeback service to consumers in Scotland in relation to online or distance retail sales of scheme articles", whether it can provide any assurance to retailers t…
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is a separately constituted statutory body, independent from the Scottish Ministers, that has primary regulatory responsibility for protecting and improving the environment. Scottish Ministers are not responsi…
6 Mar 2023 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that small shops in Scotland fear they cannot survive because of the costs and impacts of the Deposit Return Scheme, what its position is on Circularity Scotland’s confirmation on 1 March that retailers who use Reverse Vending Machines would have to wait one month fo…
27 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments by the Secretary of State for Scotland that, in seeking an exemption from the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, the "bar is very high indeed", what its position is on the potential success of any such application for an exemption, and what it considers th…
Answer · Lorna Slater: There is an agreed and published process between the UK Government and devolved governments for excluding certain areas from the Internal Market Act. The Scottish Government has been following that process for excluding the deposit return scheme Regulations f…
27 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on any plans that Circularity Scotland has to publish details of the remuneration of its chair, chief executive officer, and executive board members.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
27 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Deposit Return Scheme, whether it has made an application for an exemption under the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, and, if not, what plans it has to submit any such application.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has been following the process for excluding the deposit return scheme regulations from the Internal Market Act 2020 and we expect a decision from the UK Government as soon as possible. I recently met with ministers and senior officia…
27 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a ministerial direction will be sought by the Accountable Officer in respect of the decision to continue with the plan to commence operations on the Deposit Return Scheme on 16 August 2023.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Permanent Secretary has confirmed in a letter to Members on? 6 March that written authority from Scottish Ministers (the equivalent of a Ministerial Direction) has not been sought.
27 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on whether any members of the Executive Team of Circularity Scotland have had any direct experience of running a deposit return scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
27 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Accountable Officer has raised the possibility of seeking a ministerial direction in respect of the Deposit Return Scheme with the Scottish Ministers.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15420 on 13 March 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-committee…
24 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out, or plans to carry out, a full Gateway Review for the Deposit Return Scheme in February 2023, or close to that date, as recommended in the Gateway Review: Assurance of Action Plan report, which was published in December 2022, and, if so, whether it will commit …
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government plans to carry out a further Gateway Review during week commencing 13 March 2023, in line with the last Assurance of Action Plan report’s recommendations for a review to take place in February 2023, or close to that date. The Scottish …
8 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement by the UK Government on 20 January 2023 that its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will not include glass, and the reported concerns of SMEs regarding the inclusion of glass in Scotland’s DRS, whether it will review its plans to include glass as part of the DRS.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14934 on 8 March 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-committee…
8 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement by the UK Government on 20 January 2023 that its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will not include glass, whether it will reappraise the financial assumptions for its DRS regarding any additional costs relating to compliance with two different regimes operating i…
Answer · Lorna Slater: The financial assumptions contained with the Final Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) published in December 2021 show the projected cost to businesses in terms of compliance with the Scottish Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The UK Government is res…
8 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08012 by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022, and in light of the announcement by the UK Government on 20 January 2023 that its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will not include glass, whether it will provide an answer to the question that was asked.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The UK government announcement related to the proposed scheme in England. Wales has also confirmed their scheme will include glass. The Scottish Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) business case suggests that including glass will save over 1.2 megatonnes CO2 equival…
8 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07097 by Lorna Slater on 23 March 2022, and in light of the announcement by the UK Government on 20 January 2023 regarding the operation of its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), whether it will provide an answer to the question that was asked.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Parliament approved the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations in 2020. The Regulations are wholly within devolved competence. The Scottish Government has been following the agreed process to seek the exclusion of the DRS regulations…
6 Feb 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that 600 drinks producers are concerned about the impact on their businesses, and the survival of them, in relation to the Deposit Return Scheme.
19 Dec 2022 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will set a clear ambition in its planned Energy Strategy for delivery of 4 to 6 GW of solar power by 2030.