Chamber and committees

I did not ask that. I just wonder what the total business liability is. Surely, there is a total figure for the previous delays. I am not asking for specific business liabilities but for the total figure, because that would clearly be a mechanism that you would use in deciding whether to delay the scheme at any point.

How much does CSL require monthly from producers or banks to survive?

Of course. That is why I asked for the total amounts. Others might think that the Scottish Government has a duty of care.

This will be an easy question. It is my final question, convener. How much is budgeted for the deposit return scheme via Zero Waste Scotland?

Thank you.

How much was required after the third delay for CSL to make it to March? Are you aware of that figure?

I am asking whether you are aware, because I have a figure and I would like to cross-check it.

So you do not know.

Wow!

Thanks, convener.

I am interested in governance of the scheme. As a result of freedom of information responses, we know that, on 3 March 2021, CSL sent an application to the Scottish Government. The then cabinet secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, replied on 21 March 2021 with a series of concerns, one of which was that CSL was still establishing a company, no chair or board had been appointed and there had been no due diligence on producer registration. There is a host of issues there.

At that point, the Scottish Government required an agreement by 1 October 2021 with regard to CSL continuing with the scheme, and there was a go-live date of 1 July 2022. Perhaps the committee might look at whether that date was realistic but, clearly, if it was a fully industry-led scheme there would have been no application process to the Scottish Government and no engagement in the detail that is described. Between that letter and 24 March, as part of that application process, CSL said:

“CSL will not buy new vehicles or build new sheds.”

Clearly, we have seen that that has not been the case. Did the minister sign off on that?

I just want to know whether the minister signed off on that. In the application, it says that

“CSL will not buy new vehicles or build new sheds”,

but we have seen new sheds and new vehicles.