Parliamentary questions
Maurice Golden
1,697 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Oct 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its consideration of the rural exemption for food waste.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The planned consultation on the range of commitments identified in the Food Waste Reduction Action Plan, has been delayed by a number of factors, including the recent Covid-19 crisis. We remain committed to consulting on the Scottish Government’s proposals fo…
6 Oct 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the (a) quantities and (b) types of suitable materials that have been diverted from the total food waste stream to other uses in each year since 2013.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Annual data is not available for the quantities or types of all materials diverted, but that we do have some data for priority materials. Materials that could have ended up in the food waste stream have been diverted through redistribution to people, to anima…
6 Oct 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on action taken to develop best practice guidance and training for public sector procurement teams on using supply chains to reduce food waste, and how many (a) training sessions have been held, (b) staff have taken part from each (i) local authority and…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Zero Waste Scotland and the Scottish Government have been actively working together to support sustainable procurement in a wide range of sectors and organisations. Since the launch of the Food Waste Reduction Action Plan in 2019, support on food waste preven…
6 Oct 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what reduction in food waste there has been in (a) schools and (b) hospitals in each year since 2013.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: As outlined under the response to S5W-32198 on 30 October 2020, we currently do not hold food waste data at a sector-specific level, and it is therefore not possible to determine accurate national estimates of food waste specifically for schools or hospitals …
2 Oct 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which projects have received funding through the Creative Communities programme, broken down by (a) amount received, (b) purpose and (c) location of each project.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Applications for funding through the Creative Communities programme are currently being assessed. Details of the successful projects and organisations, amount received, purpose and location will be made publicly available on the Inspiring Scotland website sho…
2 Oct 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any other countries that have imposed a ban on background music being played in hospitality venues in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak, and what discussions it has had with any such countries on the effectiveness of such a ban.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The current position of no background sound in hospitality in Scotland, including low level music and audio from television, is a measured and cautious approach to reduce risk. There have been no discussions with other countries in relation to this measure. I…
2 Oct 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the advice it has received that specifically advises banning background music in hospitality venues to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Factors such as background sound that may lead to raised voices or cause people to lean-in close to others to be heard are a risk factor in the transmission of coronavirus. This is recognised by a wide body of publicly available scientific evidence in relatio…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of food waste reduction measures identified by Zero Waste Scotland through stakeholder workshops as part of the Food Waste Reduction Action Plan, and which of these measures are yet to be implemented.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The measures identified and committed to under the four action areas of the Food Waste Reduction Action Plan represent the outcome of the stakeholder workshops delivered by Zero Waste Scotland. The environmental and economic benefits of food waste prevention …
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much food waste it has prevented in each year since 2013.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: As outlined in the Food Waste Reduction Action Plan a public review of progress towards the 33% target will take place during 2021, providing updated estimates of total food waste in Scotland and the commercial & industrial and household proportions. Scotland…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the outcome of its consultation on setting a mandatory food waste reduction target and mandatory reporting of food surplus and waste by food businesses.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There has been some initial consultation with stakeholders regarding food waste and food surplus reporting within the recent consultation on proposals for legislation in the circular economy bill. It was put forward that there should be a power to enable Scot…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what projection it has made for (a) CO2e and (b) methane emissions from landfilled biodegradable waste up until 2025, broken down by (i) household food waste and (ii) biodegradable waste in general.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The following table provides a projection to the end of 2024. The projection for the year 2025 is currently under review. The projection was based on waste and emissions statistics up to 2017, assumes that key waste and recycling targets are met, and that bio…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the (a) development and (b) deployment of infrastructure to support the reporting of food waste.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We remain committed to consulting on the Scottish Government’s proposals for enhancing food waste monitoring and measurement, as set out in the Food Waste Reduction Action Plan, in due course. There is considerable ongoing work to support food businesses to v…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have used the Zero Waste Scotland Food and Drink Advice and Support Service since it launched, and what (a) food waste reductions and (b) cost savings have been made as a result.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Just under 250 audits were conducted by Zero Waste Scotland by March 2020 through the Food and Drink Advice and Support Service. Between 2016 and 2019 the service resulted in food waste reductions of 2,500 tonnes of food waste per annum (a carbon saving of 8,…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent in real terms on the Scottish National Investment Bank.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since creation of a national investment bank was announced in the September 2017 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government has spent £12.795 million in real terms (£12.725 million in nominal terms) to 31 March 2020 on the programme for delivery of the…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many investments have been made by the Scottish National Investment Bank.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish National Investment Bank will be formally established this year, at which point it will be able to make investments. The Bank will be operationally independent and will determine its own investments. The team establishing the Scottish National In…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time staff are currently employed by or engaged with the Scottish National Investment Bank, and what proportion this represents of what the anticipated workforce will be when the bank is fully operational.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are currently 37 members of staff in the team leading on establishment of the Scottish National Investment Bank. Recruitment for the Bank is ongoing. It is anticipated that there will be approximately 60 members of staff in the Scottish National Investm…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the timeframe is to deliver the £70 million fund to improve local authority refuse collection infrastructure and develop a new route map to reduce waste.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The £70 million recycling fund, announced in our Programme for Government 2020-21, will be delivered over five years beginning in 2021-22. Zero Waste Scotland is progressing the development of a route map to reducing waste and achieving our 2025 waste target…
30 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £70 million fund to improve waste and recycling infrastructure is new funding.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The entire £70 million recycling fund announced in the 2020-21 Programme for Government is new funding.
28 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been (a) allocated and (b) delivered to each venue awarded support from the Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The £12.5m Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund is being managed by Creative Scotland on behalf of Scottish Government. The Fund comprises two strands; £7.5m targeted funding for performing arts venues in Scotland currently in receipt of Regular Funding through…
24 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it has established to determine whether people previously shielding should resume doing so.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: We know that shielding can have a detrimental impact on people’s lives, families and physical and mental wellbeing. Protecting people who are at the highest risk from COVID-19 is a priority for the Scottish Government. At this time we do not believe that aski…
24 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria must be met before placing a legal obligation on employers to allow working from home where it is possible to do so.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Homeworking from the onset of the pandemic has been and continues to be part of our wider public health response. By working from home, workers and employers are playing a vital role in helping suppress the virus, and in ensuring that our transport network re…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what community initiatives it has supported in each of the last five years that support the circular economy; how much each cost, and what change in reuse/circular economic activity each achieved.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Funding for community initiatives mainly comes through support from Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS). This includes five Zero Waste Town projects between 2014 and 2020, each receiving £300,000 to pilot place-based approaches to furthering circular economy initiative…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been carried of the impact on running costs for landfill operators required to provide capacity for biodegradable waste after 2021, and whether any public funds will be issued to help meet such costs.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: No detailed analysis of the impact on running costs for landfill operators to provide capacity for biodegradable waste after 2021 has been carried out. However, we engaged widely with stakeholders, including landfill operators and trade associations, before e…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the cost of each communication initiative it has used to promote increased levels of recycling and reuse in each of the last five years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A breakdown of the Scottish Government marketing spend between 2015-16 and 2018-19 is available on the Scottish Government website:2018-19: https://www.gov.scot/publications/marketing-spend-2018-2019/ 2017-18: https://www.gov.scot/publications/marketing-spe…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much peat has been purchased through public sector procurement contracts in each of the last five years.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government has reviewed its records and found no instances of peat having been purchased by the Scottish Government in the last five years. The Scottish Government is unable to answer on behalf of other public sector organisations. However, the P…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs and outcomes of initiatives run with YoungScot to drive a circular economy agenda in each of the last five years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS), as the Scottish Government’s circular economy delivery partner, has supported a number of relevant YoungScot initiatives: Date Activity Outcomes Costs 2015 Circular economy Project with YoungScot called ‘Full Circle’ Natio…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the priorities set out in Making Things Last: a circular economy strategy for Scotland, which EU policy decisions on product and packaging design it has influenced toward a life-cycle approach since 2016.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Through regular dialogue and engagement at UK level, Scottish Ministers worked to ensure the UK position taken forward to EU negotiations properly reflected Scottish priorities, including in relation to the delivery of a more circular economy. The Scottish G…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the priorities set out in Making Things Last: a circular economy strategy for Scotland, whether it will provide a breakdown of collaborative industry-higher education projects funded by the Scottish Institute for Remanufacture since 2014.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Institute for Remanufacturing (SIR) officially launched on 21 January 2015. Since 2015, SIR has funded 40 collaborative projects between industry and higher education institutions, at a value of over £800,000 with several projects still in progre…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the priorities set out in Making Things Last: a circular economy strategy for Scotland, how many large-scale reuse and repair hubs it currently supports, and what effect on material capture rates for reuse such hubs have had since 2016.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government through Zero Waste Scotland has supported the piloting of three re-use hubs (Blythswood Dingwall in 2015, The Edinburgh Remakery in 2016, and Restyle Argyll in 2017). These hubs were a collaborative approach to re-use and all are still…
21 Sep 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the priorities set out in Making Things Last: a circular economy strategy for Scotland, what role it has played in forming EU regulations on promoting reuse, repair and remanufacturing, and what specific EU regulatory changes applicable to Scotland its interventions have sec…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Through regular dialogue and engagement at UK level, Scottish Ministers worked to ensure the UK position taken forward to EU negotiations properly reflected Scottish priorities, including in relation to the delivery of a more circular economy. The Scottish G…