Parliamentary questions
Maurice Golden
1,697 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08785 by Lorna Slater on 10 June 2022, whether it will provide a breakdown of all of the individual meetings that it has had with small brewers to discuss its Deposit Return Scheme since 21 July 2021.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Since July 2021 we have met representatives of small brewers on the following occasions: 5 August 2021, 7 September 2021, and 28 October 2021. This is in addition to small brewers’ representatives participating in wider Scottish Government engagement such as …
11 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) exemption and (b) voluntary return point applications have been processed by Zero Waste Scotland to date.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Deposit Return Scheme applications for exemptions and voluntary return points have been open since 1 January 2021. The following table provides a breakdown of applications received so far. Deposit Return Scheme Exemption and Voluntary Return Point Applicati…
11 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the advertised position of DRS Applications Service Manager at Zero Waste Scotland will be funded.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The role of Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Applications Service Manager at Zero Waste Scotland will be funded from Zero Waste Scotland’s Scottish Government Grant Award. The position is a fixed term appointment until 25 August 2023.
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how organisations can apply to the Textile Innovation Fund, and what the criteria are for receiving funding.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Information about applying to the fund, including the criteria involved, is available on the Zero Waste Scotland website at: https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/content/circular-textiles-fund
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Textile Innovation Fund has been spent to date.
Answer · Lorna Slater: None. The Fund officially launched on 24 June 2022.
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the decision on the scoring criteria and weighting for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leases for floating offshore wind projects will be made.
Answer · Michael Matheson: On 17 June 2022, Crown Estate Scotland published a summary of responses to its INTOG leasing engagement process and has outlined its response, including Crown Estate Scotland’s scoring and weighting criteria. Crown Estate Scotland will now finalise the leasin…
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on producing Zero Waste Scotland’s report on quantifying liquid food waste from food and drink manufacture.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Further to Scottish Government’s answer to your query on this report in February 2021 (S5W-34878 on 10 February 2021), Zero Waste Scotland have confirmed that £51,000 was spent on this work. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the…
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Zero Waste Scotland’s project in 2017 on a residual waste treatment analysis reportedly did not result in a report being produced, and how much was spent on the project.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Further to your query on this report in February 2021 (S5W-34878 on 10 February 2021), the intention of the analysis of residual waste treatment was to help inform and support future work. The output from this research was, therefore, never intended to be pub…
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of all reports commissioned by Zero Waste Scotland since 2011 that shows (a) how many were (i) published and (ii) not published and (b) the total cost of each.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Zero Waste Scotland, an independent not-for-profit company was established in 2014. I have asked Zero Waste Scotland’s Chief Executive to respond to Mr Golden directly with the information requested.
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Zero Waste Scotland’s report on reuse and repair sector stock control options was not published on its website, and how much the report cost to produce.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The final cost to produce the report on reuse and repair sector stock control options was £13,325. The figure of £20,000 quoted in the above response relates to the overarching project budget which this report forms part of.
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current publication status is of Zero Waste Scotland’s report on insight into consumer food waste behaviours, and how much the report cost to produce.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The publication of the Household Food Waste Behaviours Research was delayed due to reprioritisation of work during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, results have continued to inform ongoing intervention and communication development. Zero Waste Scotland has con…
7 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of baby boxes delivered in each year since 2017.
Answer · Clare Haughey: The Programme for Government 2016 included a commitment to provide a Baby Box for every baby born and living in Scotland containing essential items designed to provide practical help for parents. Registration opened on 15 June 2017, and delivery of boxes nat…
7 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on small businesses of banning the destruction of durable goods.
Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09005 on 23 June 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-committees…
31 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the support requirements necessary to allow small hospitality businesses to implement mandatory reporting of food waste and surpluses.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government’s consultation on proposals for a Circular Economy Bill, published on 30 May 2022, proposes that Scottish Ministers should have powers to require mandatory public reporting of unwanted surplus stock and waste of certain materials by Sc…
31 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the potential impact on small businesses of banning the destruction of durable goods.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Details of the proposal to introduce measures to ban the destruction of unsold goods and associated impact assessments, including a business and regulatory impact assessment, are included in Delivering Scotland's circular economy: a consultation on proposals …
31 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown by local authority area of the progress of work to establish a nature network, and what support it and its agencies are providing for this work.
31 May 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next propose a parliamentary debate on reaching net zero.
26 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) individuals and (b) organisations with evidence relevant to the report on the consideration of opportunities to decarbonise waste incineration can do so and, if so, (i) how and (ii) when they can do so.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Dr Church, the independent chair of the review, has advised that he intends to launch another round of stakeholder engagement for stakeholders by the end of July, running through to August or early September, during which he will be both seeking responses to …
26 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the report on consideration of opportunities to decarbonise waste incineration not being published until autumn 2022, how it will be in a position to respond to the incineration review in June.
Answer · Lorna Slater: We published the Report of Dr Church’s independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland’s waste hierarchy on 10 May 2022. Dr Church sets out 14 recommendations in his report. Two of these recommendations, on decarbonising incineration infrastructure…
26 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the consideration of opportunities to decarbonise waste incineration has reportedly been removed from the incineration review without consultation.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Consideration of opportunities to decarbonise waste incineration has not been removed from the review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy (the Review). As independent Chair of the Review, Dr Colin Church determined the detailed scope of the Re…
26 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the consistency and reliability of data on delivery and funding of Frank’s Law across all local authorities.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Data on the number of people under the age of 65 receiving Free Personal Care and expenditure on personal care by local authorities is collected through the Scottish Government Quarterly Monitoring Return . The data is quality assured and sent back to local…
26 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07724 by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022, how the additional funding that was authorised but not eventually required by SEPA has been used.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The SEPA budget position for 2020-21 was reported as part of the overall ENFOR Directorate budget monitoring return, which was reporting an underspend, providing flexibility to finance colleagues to offset any potential overspends. Unutilised funding that is…
25 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question SW6-08412 by Lorna Slater on 19 May 2022, for what reason there is a disparity between the figure of £5,267,640 allocated in 2021-22 and the intended distribution of £16 million in 2021-22 outlined in the answer to question S6W-00911 by Michael Matheson…
Answer · Lorna Slater: To date, over £20.3 million of the Recycling Improvement Fund has been awarded to 13 local authorities. This funding has been profiled over several years, based on individual project requirements. In 2021-22 local authorities required £5,267,640 of available …
25 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the proportion of plastic collected in Scotland that will be able to be recycled at the new plastic recycling plant in Fife.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has made no such estimate. However, I understand the new plastic recycling plant based in Glenrothes is expected to recycle up to 15,000 tonnes per annum of low-grade post-consumer plastic. This follows an award to Fife Council of £47…
24 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24274 by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 August 2019, what subsequent engagement it has had with online retailers regarding the cost pressures associated with collection of containers.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has continued to engage with representatives from retailers who sell drinks online throughout both the development of the policy for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), and into the implementation phase that is presently underway. …
24 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31522 by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 September 2020, what subsequent work has been carried out by SEPA and Circularity Scotland to ensure that carbon impact monitoring of the deposit return scheme is ready in time for launch, and whether it will provi…
Answer · Lorna Slater: The environmental benefits of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will be realised by the increased collection and recycling of drinks containers that the scheme entails. As scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland will be required to report regularly ag…
24 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28705 by Roseanna Cunningham on 6 May 2020, what subsequent monitoring took place; what impacts on industry this identified, and what additional steps were considered necessary to proceed with the deposit return scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: This information can be found in the amended Final Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published on 15 December 2021. You can access this report here: A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland: Final Business Regulatory Impact Assessment - gov.sco…
24 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01103 by Michael Matheson on 21 July 2021, what subsequent meetings have been held with small brewers regarding the deposit return scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Since 21 July 2021 representatives of the small brewing sector have met the Scottish Government on a number of occasions to discuss Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS); most recently, representatives of the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) discussed D…
19 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown, by local authority area, showing the progress of work in establishing a nature network, and what support is being provided for that work by the Scottish Government and its agencies.
Answer · Lorna Slater: In our Programme for Government the Scottish Government has committed to developing nature networks across Scotland, as we recognise the key role they can play in protecting and enhancing biodiversity. We are working closely with NatureScot and key stakeholde…
19 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown, by local authority area, of the area of green space currently being created and/or restored through projects funded by (a) the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme and (b) the Nature Restoration Fund.
Answer · Tom Arthur: a)We do not request that each applicant provides a breakdown of green space created and/or restored by the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme. However, 20 projects have received funding from the low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Progra…