Chamber and committees

We intend to publish the first phase of this work, the Blue Economy Vision for Scotland, today. This vision sets out the Scottish Government’s long-term ambition for Scotland’s blue economy to 2045, promoting an approach that is consistent with Scotland’s National Performance Framework and our international obligations. It demonstrates how much we value our marine environment and its significance which is captured in the six outcomes that we want to achieve.

The six blue economy outcomes have been identified to respond to major challenges of our time, such as the climate and nature crises, just transition to zero, a blue recovery from Covid-19 and EU withdrawal. The outcomes also recognise our ambition for Scotland to be a global leader in providing healthy, quality and sustainably harvested food. They frame a direction of travel and provide focal points for our long term blue economy aspirations with the overall aim that by 2045, Scotland’s shared stewardship of our marine environment supports ecosystem health, improved livelihoods, economic prosperity, social inclusion and wellbeing.

A blue economy approach will also help us to realise our ambitions for a wellbeing economy in Scotland where the country’s successes are defined and measured beyond economic growth and Gross Domestic Product, and we emphasise the importance of addressing inequality. Human wellbeing is multi-dimensional and nature plays an important part in ensuring a high quality of life for our people. The vision demonstrates the importance of the marine environment and its significance in contributing to Scotland’s economy, well-being climate and biodiversity priorities.

Across the world, there are an increasing number of countries looking to introduce a blue economy approach to better balance their economic, societal and environmental challenges and opportunities in marine environments. This vision puts Scotland at the heart of this international movement to support global ocean governance.

The publication of the Blue Economy Vision for Scotland is consistent with our Programme for Government commitment to develop a Blue Economy Strategy and subsequent delivery plan to support a green recovery and just transition, with sustainable growth of the blue economy underpinned by environmental protection.

The document will be available to view on the Scottish Government website from today:

• The Blue Economy Vision for Scotland: http://www.gov.scot/ISBN/978-1-80435-258-8

The next step is to develop the programmes and policies to deliver these outcomes through a Blue Economy Action Plan.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Framework) Order 2022 will be laid in Parliament on 31 March 2022. This Order will bring the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2022, which was published on the Scottish Government’s website today, into effect from 26 May 2022.

Following a public consultation, the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2022 sets out the strategic priorities and objectives for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) going forward. The Framework is structured around protecting communities in terms of prevention and response; innovation and modernisation; the impact of climate change; partnership working and the governance and performance arrangements for the Service.

It is now for the SFRS to set out in its next Strategic Plan how it will deliver the priorities identified in the Framework.

The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 provides local authorities with a discretionary power to set up workplace parking licensing (WPL) schemes. Section 71 of the 2019 Act defines what constitutes a workplace parking place. Customer parking at retail outlets (except parking for business customers) is not included in the definition of workplace parking and therefore those places could not be included in any local authorities’ WPL scheme.

It will be for local authorities to decide whether they wish to implement WPL locally and to shape proposals to suit local circumstances. Parking places provided for employees and business customers are included in the definition of workplace parking set out in the 2019 Act. Accordingly, employers will be liable for workplace parking for staff within the context of proposals set out by local authorities.

As set out in Annex F to the amended Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), published on 15 December 2021, we consider that there is a degree of uncertainty attached to the figures proposed by Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) for the number of scheme articles and return points under DRS. For that reason our final and best estimate remains that set out on p19 of the amended BRIA.

Nevertheless, as Annex F shows, even if we were to adopt these two figures there would continue to be a strong economic case for DRS.

We have seen no evidence for higher numbers of RVMs than the roughly 3,000 assumed in the Full Business Case Addendum and I understand that CSL is continuing to work from this figure. That is therefore the figure modelled in the updated Final BRIA that was published in December last year.

The economic model underlying the analysis in the amended Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for Scotland's Deposit Return Scheme was developed in line with best practice by Zero Waste Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. The key inputs to the model are set out at table 2 of the amended Final BRIA.

The position taken by Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) in respect of container and return point numbers, as I understand it, is set out at Annex F of the amended Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) published in December 2021.

CSL’s position in respect of number of reverse vending machines is that they expect roughly 3,000 of these as set out in the Full Business Case for DRS.

CSL had no sight of the content of the amended BRIA in advance of publication.

The economic modelling in the amended Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme does not account for any VAT being levied on deposits. That is in line with best practice as set out in HM Treasury’s Green Book ( https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938046/The_Green_Book_2020.pdf ) because VAT is considered to be a transfer payment that does not affect the output or consumption of resources.

The Scottish Government has committed to provide at least £465 million of funding over this parliamentary session to support fuel poor households. This figure was set with the aim to provide - at a minimum – a funding level for those in fuel poverty and least able to pay which at least maintains previous levels, with the flexibility to be responsive to the needs of those in fuel poverty so we can mitigate any detrimental impacts of the heat transition on fuel poverty and ensure no-one is left behind.

Our long-standing fuel poverty programmes have already supported over 150,000 households in or at risk of fuel poverty. In 2021-22, we allocated a considerably increased level of funding (£50m) for our Warmer Homes Scotland fuel poverty programme and in 2022-23 will further increase this to £55m. In 2022-23 we will also increase the level of funding individual fuel poor households could benefit from through the £64m local authority-led Area Based Schemes.

The Scottish Government’s investment has also helped to secure Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding and we would hope to continue to do so. ECO is a UK Government scheme that delivers energy efficiency measures to fuel poor households and is funded by energy suppliers through a levy on energy bills.

Scotland has benefitted from approximately £691 million since the scheme began in 2013. If Scotland maintains its current share of ECO delivery (9%), then we would expect to benefit from a further £360 million over the lifetime of the new ECO4 scheme (from April 2022 to March 2026).

As independent Chair of the review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy in Scotland, Dr Colin Church has determined the scope, process and timelines of the Review.

In December 2020, Dr Church set out in a Call for Evidence his intention to commission a further piece of work, since he believes an assessment of the options to decarbonise the existing residual waste treatment infrastructure in Scotland may take longer than the intended timescale for the review.

This further work will not impact on the delivery date of the Review Report or Scottish Government’s ability to respond to the Report. Dr Church has stated his aim is to submit the report by Easter 2022 and we will publish it as soon as possible after this.

As Table 2 of the amended final Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) makes clear, the economic modelling in the BRIA assumes that there will be 3,021 reverse vending machines (RVMs) in operation.

Annex F of the amended final BRIA shows that the economic case for DRS remains strong if higher numbers of containers and return points, suggested by industry, are adopted. As we have seen no evidence for higher numbers of RVMs than 3,021, this is also the figure modelled in Annex F.