Maurice Golden

13 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Zero Waste Scotland report, Circular Steel in Scotland: Current landscape and opportunities, stating that implementing a domestic steel value chain would "likely require strategic decisions at a governmental level", what timeframe it is working to in order to make such d…

Answer · Lorna Slater: I welcome the Circular Steel in Scotland: Current landscape and opportunities report published by Zero Waste Scotland, which will inform ongoing policy development including the Energy Just Transition plan. The report can be accessed via: - https://cdn.zero…

5 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific plans or trials are being deployed to lower emissions from cement production.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Tarmac is the only cement plant in Scotland located in Dunbar. In 2021, they published their sustainability strategy, followed by the recent publication of Tarmac’s Net Zero Roadmap which state the paths to decarbonise their operations. Scottish Government of…

5 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to introduce (a) Whole Life Carbon Assessments and (b) Circular Economy Statements for large-scale developments.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), adopted and published on 13 February 2023, sets out that development proposals will be sited and designed to minimise lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions as far as possible. All national developments designated in NPF4 we…

5 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of source reduction and separation on the availability of residual waste to be valorised for Sustainable Aviation Fuel, energy from waste and other fuels, oils and chemicals.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has not assessed the impacts of source reduction and separation on the availability of residual waste, specifically for the production of SAF, and other fuels, oil and chemicals. However, it is considering potential actions it could ta…

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether an Assurance of Action Plan was commissioned following the fourth Deposit Return Scheme gateway review.

Answer · Lorna Slater: No. As a result of the UK Government’s actions and intervention at the 11th hour, we have been left with no other option than to reset the timescale of DRS and delay the launch until October 2025 at the earliest, when the UK Government aims to launch its own …

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the view in the fourth Deposit Return Scheme gateway review that “to conduct a launch with minimal performance issues, many months will be required to understand, design and then implement a complete end-end testing capacity and, this would first require a whole s…

Answer · Lorna Slater: Following the March 2023 gateway review we established an expanded governance framework with representation from all key stakeholders. This includes a Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group, which sits above the already established Executive Oversight Group an…

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the fourth Deposit Return Scheme gateway review identifying that “the ongoing debate amongst potential First Minister candidates is bringing much uncertainty to programme delivery”, what meetings the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity had with each …

Answer · Lorna Slater: I have kept Ministerial colleagues fully informed of progress on the deposit return scheme through the normal internal processes. Internal party leadership elections are a matter for the relevant parties themselves.

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it required the establishment of a minimum viable product from applicants to be a Deposit Return Scheme administrator, and, if not, for what reason such a requirement was not deemed necessary.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The information to be contained in an application for scheme administrator approval is set out in Schedule 2 of the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 as passed by the Scottish Parliament. The design and operational detail of the scheme i…

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to appoint directors to the board of any future Deposit Return Scheme administrator.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has no current plans do so. Following the UK Government’s 11th hour intervention which undermined Scotland’s deposit return scheme, the establishment of any future scheme administrator will be considered in due course.

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it took to intervene in matters of corporate oversight regarding Circularity Scotland, in light of the fourth Deposit Return Scheme gateway review stating that deficiencies in industry oversight and control led to some members of Circularity Scotland to seek government supp…

Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19790 on 31 July 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-committes/…

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it discussed establishing a shared common programme to identify workstream and stakeholder activity interactions prior to the fourth Deposit Return Scheme gateway review, and, if so, when any such discussions took place.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The deposit return scheme is designed to be industry led and managed. The Scottish Government convened and chaired a System Wide Assurance Group with industry representatives to assess system-wide readiness and to monitor and address risks to delivery. Member…

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the fourth Deposit Return Scheme gateway review stating that “it was not a policy intention to control...the corporate behaviour of the [Scheme Administrator]”, how it anticipated the public interest to be represented in corporate oversight of scheme administrators.

Answer · Lorna Slater: As a private limited company, corporate oversight of the scheme administrator is a matter for the Board of that company. However, the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 gave the Scottish Environment Protection Agency enforcement powers i…

4 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19151 by Lorna Slater on 29 June 2023, whether it will provide a breakdown of each of the listed projects showing the (a) current status of the project, (b) environmental impacts achieved by the project and (c) return on investment provided.

Answer · Lorna Slater: A summary of available information on each project is provided in the following table, based on information provided by Zero Waste Scotland. Circular Economy Business Support (CEBS) is provided by Zero Waste Scotland in order to build capacity, raise the pro…

3 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to raise the issue of how e-cigarettes are treated in Scotland under Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations as part of the ongoing UK-wide review.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government, along with the other UK administrations, is carefully considering proposals to reduce the environmental impacts of e-cigarettes as part of the consultation on reforms to the WEEE regulations which will be published later this year.

3 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional resources it plans to make available to strengthen the enforcement of age restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government provides funding of £1.34 million annually to Local Authorities for the enforcement of legislation around the sale and purchase of Nicotine Vapour Products (NVP’s). In addition, through continued funding and regular engagement with th…

3 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how much it cost to produce the Zero Waste Scotland report, Scoping policy options for Scotland focusing on understanding and managing the environmental impact of single use e-cigarettes.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Zero Waste Scotland has advised Scottish Government that the cost of producing the report was £22,522.56.

3 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19249 by Lorna Slater on 28 June 2023, whether the corporate running costs for Zero Waste Scotland have been revised since the level 4 budget data was released, and which Zero Waste Scotland budget figures are correct for each of the previous three …

Answer · Lorna Slater: The budget figures provided in answer S6W-18435 on 14 June 2023, further clarified in response to question S6W-19249, relate to the Scottish Government’s budget for its Zero Waste programmes which, in addition to Deposit Return, supports major circular econom…

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19150 by Lorna Slater on 27 June 2023, whether its response also applies to the commercial waste sector.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Adoption of a kitemark standard for the commercial waste sector is not currently being pursued by Scottish Government. The 2012 Waste (Scotland) regulations along with the existing Recycling Charter and its associated Code of Practice act as the Scottish sta…

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19148 by Lorna Slater on 27 June 2023, whether it will (a) publish the data that it states was provided by Zero Waste Scotland and (b) confirm that neither it or Zero Waste Scotland hold a copy of the underlying efficiency studies provided by WRAP, …

Answer · Lorna Slater: Neither Scottish Government nor Zero Waste Scotland retain the data or own the research undertaken by WRAP. Queries on the data and publication status should be directed to WRAP. The figure from WRAP was used to engage stakeholders through the Circular Econo…

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18920 by Lorna Slater on 22 June 2023, whether it will provide details of the composition of the Specialist Advisory Group.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The SEFARI (Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions) gateway, who are administering the Specialist Advisory Group on waste emissions on behalf of the Scottish Government, received a number of notes of interest from waste specialists t…

27 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in Dundee, in light of Shelter Scotland's recent Housing Emergency Report Card, which showed an increase in both the average time spent in temporary accommodation and the number of children trapped in temporary accommodation.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government commissioned an expert group to make recommendations on action to reduce the number of people in temporary accommodation and the length of time spent there, with a strong focus on households with children. The Scottish Government is th…

21 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18498 by Lorna Slater on 16 June 2023, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether notification was received in accordance with the request made in the cabinet secretary’s letter of 24 March 2021; if notification was not rece…

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government does not hold a record of a formal notification of a material change in circumstances in relation to this matter, however as mentioned previously in my response to S6W-18498, the letter and anticipated schedule to which the member refe…

15 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18435 by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2023, for what reason the budget figures given for 2022-23, of £42.9 million, and 2023-24, of £46.9 million, differ from those in the Scottish Budget 2023-24, which state that funding levels were £43.4 million in 202…

Answer · Lorna Slater: The budget figures provided in answer S6W-18435 did not include corporate running costs (CRCs). CRCs are a share of the costs, such as accommodation, IT, legal services, and HR, that cannot be readily attributed to individual portfolios. Annex G of the Scotti…

13 Jun 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether its target for a one third reduction in food waste by 2025 will be met.

11 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18098 by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023, whether the Circular Economy Business Support provided by Zero Waste Scotland provides grant funding; if so, whether it will provide a breakdown of what grant funding has been provided to early-stage circular te…

Answer · Lorna Slater: Circular Economy Business Support (CEBS) offers a range of support to small and medium-sized enterprises depending on the needs of each business. This includes, but is not limited to, technical and market support, developing growth strategies, building busine…

11 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement that "analysis by WRAP has suggested that businesses could save up to 40% by collaborating on service procurement" in its publication, Delivering Scotland’s circular economy: A Route Map to 2025 and beyond, whether it can confirm that it has seen the analysis t…

Answer · Lorna Slater: The data referred to was provided by Zero Waste Scotland, drawing on data made available by WRAP. WRAP has advised Zero Waste Scotland that the data is drawn from a range of initial efficiency studies undertaken to support the UK wide consultation on packagi…

11 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of any meetings it has had with (a) industry and (b) local authorities, in the last year, regarding the implications of waste zoning.

Answer · Lorna Slater: In the last year, three meetings have been held on the subject of waste zoning with the Resource Management Association Scotland (RMAS) in June, July and August 2022. One meeting on the subject of waste zoning was held with the Scottish Environmental Services…

11 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to adopting a kitemark standard to encourage improved performance in the waste collections sector.

Answer · Lorna Slater: This is not currently being pursued. The Scottish Government is open to the adoption of standards where there is evidence of the potential to improve performance. However, though a kitemark standard is aimed at enabling a consistent, accessible and high perf…

4 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether subsection 1, section 67 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 applies to discarded Deposit Return Scheme articles, and, if so, whether members of the public would be in contravention of the law if they redeemed or disposed of any such scheme articles that they find.

Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18867 on 21 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…

4 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which body will be responsible for monitoring the quantity of glass collected through the Deposit Return Scheme that is recycled into high-value forms, and what enforcement measures it will have to ensure that collected glass is not used for aggregate.

Answer · Lorna Slater: We have been left with no other option than to reset the timescale of DRS and delay the launch until October 2025 at the earliest, when the UK Government intends to launch its own scheme. This is a consequence of the decision by the UK Government to impose a …