Parliamentary questions
Maurice Golden
1,697 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of construction work on Deposit Return Scheme sorting and counting centres showing (a) which sites are under construction, (b) when construction began on each site and (c) the expected completion date.
Answer · Lorna Slater: As Scheme Administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd is responsible for the development and construction of the logistical network that will support Scotland’s DRS.
30 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what loss reserve measures are in place for the Deposit Return Scheme and how much public funding has been committed to those measures.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme is an industry-led and industry-funded initiative, consistent with the vast majority of similar schemes across Europe. It is the responsibility of all affected businesses to ensure that they are prepared for the scheme’s launc…
30 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what projections have been made for Circularity Scotland’s annual turnover following the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Circularity Scotland Ltd is a private, not-for-profit, company. Accordingly, the Scottish Government does not have access to this information.
26 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to incorporating questions around eating disorders into future Scottish Health Surveys.
Answer · Maree Todd: A review of the content of the Scottish Health Survey took place between 18 July and 26 September 2022. The review asked users to explain their use of the current survey content and provided the opportunity for them to suggest any new questions, which could…
21 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of levels of vaping among school pupils.
Answer · Maree Todd: We are greatly concerned by reports of children and under-age young people obtaining vaping products. There is an increase in reports from schools, stakeholders and the media of young people vaping. Initial findings from the Growing Up in Scotland study for …
17 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of public funds given to waste incinerator operators in each of the last five years, either through grants, loans or other funding mechanisms.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has not directly given public funds to waste incinerator operators in the previous five years. It is possible that operators have received funds from UK Government departments or other public bodies including local authorities, howeve…
14 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has verified the process used by Circularity Scotland to calculate retailer handling fees for the proposed Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: In line with the principle of producer responsibility, Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) is a private company, established by industry to lead on delivery of Scotland’s DRS as scheme administrator. As such, it is not for the Scottish Government to participate in…
14 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate has been made of the proportion of retailers likely to experience financial (a) gains and (b) losses from the retailer handling fee structure for the proposed Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The retail handling fee is intended to ensure that the obligation to operate a return point is cost neutral for retailers. It is for Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) to manage this in a way that meets the needs of obligated businesses across Scotland.
14 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the programme board that will oversee compliance with the ban on all non-household biodegradable waste from entering landfill by 2025, whether it will list the members of the board, meetings held, and which Scottish Ministers have attended which meetings.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The programme board is chaired by senior Scottish Government officials and comprises representatives from SEPA, Cosla, Solace and Zero Waste Scotland. The board regularly reports to Scottish Ministers, and is supported by an advisory group which is composed…
12 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to support online retailers to prepare for the online takeback component of its Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme is an industry-led initiative, consistent with the vast majority of similar schemes across Europe. It is the responsibility of all affected businesses to ensure that they are prepared for the scheme’s launch on 16 August 2023.…
12 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its Deposit Return Scheme, when Circularity Scotland will publish Return Handling Fees for online takeback.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Circularity Scotland Ltd, announced the return handling fees for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme earlier this year. Any decision to update this information will be for them to take after consultation with industry.
12 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its Deposit Return Scheme, when Circularity Scotland will publish designs for the return counting process for online takeback.
Answer · Lorna Slater: As DRS Scheme Administrator, it is for Circularity Scotland Ltd to determine when to publish such information.
12 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether detailed guidance will be provided to online marketplace platforms in relation to online takeback as part of its Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10380 on 20 September 2022. 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-commi…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to streamline funding for textiles projects to avoid any unnecessary duplication between public bodies and agencies.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Scottish textiles businesses can access a wide range of support through our enterprise agencies, including grants (e.g. Business Innovation and Growth Grants), other funding, advice, help and events. The Find Business Support webpage, available at https://…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the challenges facing wool farmers and what targeted support it plans to provide to them.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We are aware that the wool prices have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with limited sheep farmers now reliant on their wool cheque. We have committed to support active farming and food production with direct payments - which provides certainty to th…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ban plastic use in textiles.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has no current plans to ban plastic use in textiles. Microfibre shedding from textiles containing plastic is a complex problem which adds to microplastic pollution in our environment. Fibres are shed at every stage of the product’s lif…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of consumption emissions associated with imported textiles, and what plans it has to reduce such emissions.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland is one of the few countries to publish annual reports setting out consumption-based emissions, including those associated with imported textiles, in the “Scotland’s Carbon Footprint” official statistics release [available at: www.gov.scot/publicatio…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support training in traditional textile manufacturing skills, in light of its commitment to extended producer responsibility.
Answer · Lorna Slater: In December 2020 the Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland published the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) setting out the actions required to ensure Scotland’s workforce are equipped with the skills to support the transition to net z…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what strategic plan it has for Scotland’s wool industry.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Scotland’s wool industry is covered by the British Wool Board which is a Public Non-Financial Corporation who have regional offices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is a cross-border public authority with ministers in all 4 administrations having l…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ban plastic tree guards and promote the use of delayed biodegradable tree guards.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government is fully supportive of efforts to remove, reduce or recycle plastics used in the woodland and forest environment. Forestry and Land Scotland is moving away from plastic tree shelters and using more biodegradable ones. More work is need…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of wool produced in Scotland is used in (a) Scottish and (b) other UK textile manufacturing.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government does not hold any statistical data regarding the proportion of wool produced in Scotland used in Scottish and other UK textile manufacturing.
5 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many waste water treatment works (a) there are and (b) monitoring exercises (i) were carried out during the Chemical Investigation Programme 2 (CIP2) and (ii) are planned for CIP3, in each case broken down by local authority.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Water operates 1,857 wastewater treatment works (WWTW) across Scotland; this figure includes septic tanks. Scottish Water works closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to develop the Chemical Investigation Programmes (CIP). Ph…
5 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Zero Waste Scotland would be able to provide independent advice to the Scottish Government on the circular economy and other matters in the event that it would also be in receipt of private sector funding.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) is an independent not-for-profit company, which is able to locate, apply for and accept funding from a range of sources. As an evidence-led organisation, any expertise and/or advice ZWS provide to Scottish Government would be based o…
5 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09483 by Lorna Slater on the 21 July 2022, and in light of the comments by the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport when giving evidence to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on the Scottish Budget 2022-23 on 1 February …
Answer · Lorna Slater: Zero Waste Scotland strategy is to maximise the impact of investment in the circular economy and to partner across private and public sectors. This aims to leverage funding opportunities, and to increase co-investment and partnership models to support and to …
2 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a breakdown of funding provided to local authorities that has been ringfenced for net zero projects, in each of the last three years.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 £m £m £m Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes 8.5 22.3 9.5 Switched on Fleets 9.1 7.7 3.3 Local Authority Installation Programme 8.0 2.2 2.8 Public EV Charging Pathfinder Projects 0.0 0.0 0.4 Switched on Towns & …
1 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a breakdown by local authority of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) return points rolled out by retailers.
Answer · Lorna Slater: As stated in the Business Regulatory Impact Assessment published on 22 December 2022, we expect that there will be around seventeen thousand return points operating in Scotland. We do not have a breakdown by local authority.
1 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S6W-09432 by Lorna Slater on 28 July 2022, for what reason the contract (a) with Biffa was not signed by March 2022 and (b) for IT services has still not been signed, and when it anticipates that the contract for IT services will be finalised.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Circularity Scotland (CSL) is a private not for profit business, therefore the Scottish Government was not involved in the negotiations between CSL and the vendors for any of its contracts. I can also confirm that Circularity Scotland have finalised and sign…
22 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31924 by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 October 2020, whether it will provide an update on the value of turnover that the reuse economy in Scotland has; how many jobs it supports, and what tonnage of material it enables to be reused annually.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The information is not held centrally. Some data are available for Revolve certified organisations. Revolve is Scotland’s National Reuse Quality Standard and Revolve stores are supported to work to key standards, and are committed to quality. In 2020-21 sa…
22 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09439 by Lorna Slater on 21 July 2022, which local authorities with residual waste treatment arrangements in place beyond 2025 compliant with the forthcoming ban on sending biodegradable municipal waste to landfill have (a) long-term/permanent and (…
Answer · Lorna Slater: Local authorities are responsible for the provision of local waste services and are, therefore, best placed to comment on contractual arrangements for waste services. However, based on information from local authorities, we understand that Highland and Scott…
21 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions psychoactive substances have been found in prisons in each of the last five years.
Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Statistics in relation to Psychoactive Substances (PS) detections are only available from 2018 onwards. The following table provides …