Chamber and committees

I am not asking the Government to interfere, but to make an assessment. Clearly, the deposit return scheme has now been delayed four times: that is no wonder, if the Scottish Government is not aware of how it can deliver the scheme.

I have a relatively easy question. To the nearest £10 million, what is the total business liability resulting from the delay to the scheme?

Do you know?

Okay. The application also says that counting centres will be co-located with existing sorting or recycling sites. On 25 May 2023, I asked for a list of those sites, and the minister said that the Scottish Government does not hold that information. How does the Scottish Government expect to deliver a deposit return scheme without understanding some basic tenets to make it successful? Are you really saying that the Scottish Government does not know which sites have been constructed or are operational?

I just want to know the total business liability. That is all.

So no businesses will need to pay a penny.

Earlier, Alastair Evans mentioned meeting net zero. Could you outline what that looks like for Creative Scotland, what costs have been configured to date and perhaps elucidate a bit more on your plans?

I would like to explore two separate questions. First, in your submission, you mention as an example of a place-based partnership the development of the Angus cultural strategy. Just this week, however, the degree to which Creative Scotland is funding Scotland’s cities over smaller, rural areas was revealed when it was highlighted that Creative Scotland was spending £50.85 per resident on projects in Edinburgh while spending only £4.09 per resident in Angus. Does Creative Scotland recognise that as a major issue? How would you propose to adopt a place-based approach to culture when funding is so skewed away from rural areas such as Angus?

So do I.

That is really helpful. This place is a polarised world where every policy decision is viewed through a binary optic, which is deeply disappointing and it is getting worse, unfortunately. Within that context, your comments are useful.

Professor Gethins, you might have an interesting perspective.