Parliamentary questions
Brian Whittle
810 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Jun 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reported concerns that its proposals to ban gas and other direct emission heating systems in new build homes from next year could have a serious adverse impact on the housing sector.
8 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates publishing the findings of its review of the environmental impact of non-methane volatile organic compounds emitted by the whisky industry.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The review has now been completed and the report is currently being finalised. Following this, the report will be published later in 2023.
8 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure effective early detection of kidney disease.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We recognise the importance of early detection of kidney disease in preventing the progression of chronic kidney disease and its associated complications. We expect NHS Boards to adhere to current guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment options from authori…
8 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported urgent need for talking therapies for people with kidney disease.
Answer · Maree Todd: We recognise that the physical impact of living with kidney disease can have a significant impact on a person’s mental health and wellbeing. Living with an incurable, long-term condition can be deeply distressing. The Scottish Government’s new Mental Health a…
8 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the prevention of chronic kidney disease.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is committed to improving care for people with chronic kidney disease through a number of activities which are aligned with the recommendations set out in Kidney Research UK’s Changing the Future for Chronic Kidney Disease in Scotland …
8 Jun 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to provide psychosocial support for people with kidney disease.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living with kidney disease are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care. Psych…
7 Jun 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent water scarcity updates from SEPA, which state that the majority of Scotland is now affected by water scarcity, what assessment it has made of the impact of water scarcity conditions on peatland restoration and the ability to sequester carbon.
31 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support people to incorporate more vegetables, pulses and wholegrains into their diets instead of other options such as ultra-processed foods, as suggested by the Eatwell Guide.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland recommends following a healthy balanced diet as represented by The Eatwell Guide . Doing so will increase consumption of vegetables, pulses and wholegrains and will likely reduce the consumption of less healthy food and drink. The E…
30 May 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that police officers are fully resourced.
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with Circularity Scotland prior to the recently reported statements by the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, suggesting that the Deposit Return Scheme may be "unviable" if an exemption to the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 is n…
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government has worked closely with Circularity Scotland at each stage of implementing DRS, including following the UK Government’s last minute intervention which has caused a delay to the scheme. Throughout the process, CSL has been a trusted par…
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of any impact that the delay to the launch date of the Deposit Return Scheme, from August 2023 to March 2024, has had on local authority (a) budgets, (b) public procurement contracts and (c) waste management services.
Answer · Lorna Slater: A set of impact assessments including an Equalities Impact Assessment, Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment, Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment and Island Communities Impact Assessment were published alongside the original DRS Regulations in 2020. These hav…
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role the payback of loans from the Scottish National Investment Bank to Circularity Scotland will play in its feasibility assessment of the Deposit Return Scheme, in light of the launch date being delayed from August 2023 to March 2024.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Scottish Government is aware of the investment to Circularity Scotland by the Scottish National Investment Bank. The Bank makes commercial investments and operates its investment processes independently of Scottish Government.
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial impact assessments have been undertaken in relation to any potential for termination of the Deposit Return Scheme at (a) 10, (b) six and (c) three months before the planned launch date of 1 March 2024.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government is committed to the benefits of our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The financial assumptions contained within the related Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) showed the projected cost of compliance with Scotland’s DRS regula…
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of any termination of the Deposit Return Scheme on local authority (a) budgets, (b) public procurement contracts and (c) waste management services.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government is committed to the benefits of our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). However, following the UK Government's decision not to provide a full exclusion to the Internal Market Act I have announced in Parliament that we will be pushing the laun…
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many businesses have now registered with the Deposit Return Scheme, which is due to launch in March 2024.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Over 670 producers responsible for more than 2 billion drinks containers, representing 95% of products sold in Scotland have registered with Circularity Scotland. This covers producers from global brands to small craft breweries and distilleries. Following t…
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what metrics it plans to use to review the (a) impact in general, (b) financial impact on (i) businesses, (ii) consumers and (iii) the wider economy and (c) environmental impact of the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer · Lorna Slater: A set of impact assessments including an Equalities Impact Assessment, Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment, Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment and Island Communities Impact Assessment were published alongside the original DRS Regulations in 2020. The finan…
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16757 by Lorna Slater on 2 May 2023, whether the monitoring and analysis work will be carried out across all local authority areas equally, or by sampling a limited number.
Answer · Lorna Slater: There are several components to the DRS evaluation. This includes the consumer survey which is based on a three phase nationally representative sample where efforts will be made to ensure urban and rural/island areas are sufficiently accounted for within the …
23 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether producers who sell less than 5,000 articles in a year of all products and have already registered as a producer within the Deposit Return Scheme will be released from their producer agreement, and, if so, whether this will be automatic or by application.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Producers who will sell less than 5000 articles in a year of all product lines are eligible to be a listed producer. Listed producers must still be registered with SEPA, but these low-volume drinks will not attract a deposit. SEPA and Circularity Scotland ar…
18 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to commission a report on how to encourage responsible private investment into the restoration and expansion of Scotland's rainforest in order to support the Rainforest Restoration Fund model proposed by environmental NGOs, similar to the report that it published recent…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Rainforest expansion and restoration is a key Scottish Government priority. Scottish Forestry manages the Woodland Carbon Code which offers opportunities to expand and restore Scotland’s rainforests in line the Scottish Government’s Interim Principles for Res…
17 May 2023 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that opportunities for continuing professional development are regularly available to healthcare professionals.
10 May 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what "concrete action" it anticipates taking on the proposals outlined in relation to "Michelle’s Law", which were discussed in the debate on the Michelle's Law Campaign on 6 September 2018.
2 May 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to a recent report suggesting that current forestry grant funding rules are supporting projects that are harmful to peatlands, and which, as a result, generate more CO2 than they sequester.
26 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what process informed its previous decision to launch the Deposit Return Scheme on 16 August 2023, including any input that it sought from industry regarding its readiness for that date.
24 Apr 2023 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent report by Friends of the Earth Scotland, which suggests that additional investment is required in public transport if the Scottish Government is to meet its target of reducing car kilometres by 20% by 2030.
30 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statement in the Climate Change Committee publication, Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland: 2022 Report to Parliament, that “Scotland’s targets for peatland restoration are not ambitious enough and are not being met”.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We are currently reviewing the proposals put forward in the Climate Change Committee’s Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland: 2022 Report to Parliament and will publish our response in due course.
30 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to meet the (a) gaps in contractor availability and (b) skill shortages, which are reportedly limiting progress towards peatland restoration goals.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government continues to work with our delivery partners across Peatland ACTION to tackle the many barriers to upscaling peatland restoration in this relatively young sector. Recent progress to address contractor availability and skills shortages…
30 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what process informed its decision to adopt a target of 20,000 hectares per year of peatland restoration, and for what reasons it did not act on the Climate Change Committee’s target recommendation of 45,000 hectares per year by 2022.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We arrived at our current target of restoring 20,000 hectares per year of peatland based on evidence from the Scottish Government’s second report on proposals and policies (RPP2) in 2013 which highlighted that it would be technically feasible for Scotland to …
30 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what basis the stakeholders interviewed as part of the gateway review into the Deposit Return Scheme were selected, and for what reason the Scottish Hospitality Group was not included.
Answer · Lorna Slater: Gateway Review teams normally speak with 12-15 interviewees including relevant commercial and external stakeholders (e.g. prime contractors and consultants). For the latest review, reviewers spoke to 45 people which included CSL, a range of producers, retaile…
30 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the plans to resolve safety issues at Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government is not directly responsible for the site, or its regulation. However, the risk to human health outwith the site remains low and signage is in place to warn members of the public to keep off the site. The Scottish Government intends to…
30 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in preventing leachate from reaching water courses near Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government is not directly responsible for the site, or its regulation. The Scottish Government met with SEPA and the Council in January 2023 to discuss future options for the site. At this meeting it was noted that, given new information aroun…