Chamber and committees

All of it?

The logic of what you are saying is that, if you have 10 out of 10 confidence in this, you feel that that degree of certainty and clarity is there. We have witnesses who say that that is not the case. I am asking why you think there is this discrepancy in the degree of confidence in the financial memorandum. That is a serious concern for the committee, because it is our job to scrutinise that. I ask you again: why do you think there is that discrepancy?

Do you accept that, because that detail is not there, our job is pretty well impossible?

Yes.

Has there been an increase in the number of people who are using the centres?

You have all been extremely helpful in telling us where you think the costs might have been underestimated and about some of the difficulties that we have to consider regarding the financial memorandum. Do you think that there could be more clarity about where responsibility for the costs will fall between national Government, local government and SEPA? Is there sufficient clarity on who will be responsible for which costs?

On public education and information, what have you found to be the most successful channel to ensure that people adhere to the right processes? Is it putting leaflets through doors or telling people that their bin is contaminated and they have to sort it out? What has been the most effective way of communicating?

That is very helpful.

That might be something that the committee can pursue.

I go back to behavioural change, which is critical to the whole debate. Do we need to do more to encourage the use of recycling centres, including by ensuring that they are open at the times that they say they will be open? There are certainly staffing issues in my local authority. Two or three recycling centres are going to be closed at certain times during the week, and the hours are going to be cut. Do we need to do more to encourage people to use recycling centres?

I presume that there is scope for cost reductions if there is greater use of recycling centres.