Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-17895

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many NHS dentists require patients to pay a deposit before registering with them.

Question reference: S6W-17872

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the delay to the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme, how much time will be available to test implementation arrangements ahead of the new launch date, and whether this has been communicated to (a) Circularity Scotland, (b) industry and (c) Zero Waste Scotland.

The Scottish Government and delivery partners such as Circularity Scotland, and Zero Waste Scotland have regularly engaged with businesses on the Deposit Return Scheme.

The new launch date of 1 st of March 2024 provides an additional six and a half months preparation time for businesses and the scheme administrator. This includes time for end to end testing.

Working with partners we have refreshed the system-wide governance for the implementation stage of the programme. This now includes a Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group which will meet for the first time during May 2023 and sectoral groups representing producers, retailers, hospitality and the public sector, most of which have already had their first meeting.

Question reference: S6W-17571

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 28 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 23 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have indicated to Circularity Scotland that they have not joined the Deposit Return Scheme due to the UK Government's position on the scheme.

Circularity Scotland has not provided the Scottish Government with specific data on reasons why businesses have not joined the Deposit Return Scheme.

The Scottish Government and delivery partners such as Circularity Scotland, SEPA and Zero Waste Scotland continue to regularly engage directly with businesses on matters which are within our control to ensure all involved are ready for successful launch on 1st of March 2024.

Organisations from across the UK frustrated by the UK Government’s position have written an open letter urging the Prime Minister to grant an exemption to the Internal Markets Act. Many more have privately expressed their concern that the lack of an Internal Market Act exemption is creating uncertainty and confusion for all the businesses that have worked so hard to prepare for the scheme.

Question reference: S6W-17569

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 28 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the statement by the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity on 20 April 2023, how many of the 200 new green jobs are located in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Motherwell.

Circularity Scotland is developing and constructing the logistical network that will support the effective operation of the scheme when it launches on 1 March 2024. It has secured a number of sites across Scotland to deliver the scheme and Circularity Scotland’s website provides details of approximately how many jobs will be located at both the Aberdeen and Motherwell sites.

Circularity Scotland website information:

Figures	Location	Article
140 jobs	Motherwell	6 March 2023 available at: 140 jobs created in multi-million pound Deposit Return Scheme project in Motherwell \| Circularity Scotland Ltd
60 jobs	Aberdeen	6 February 2023 available at: 60 jobs created in £7.7m Deposit Return Scheme in Aberdeen \| Circularity Scotland Ltd

Question reference: S6W-17567

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement by the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity on 20 April 2023, whether it will publish a breakdown of the £300 million of investment into the Deposit Return Scheme.

Hundreds of millions of pounds of investment to prepare for the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme across a range of businesses and the value of this is now at risk unless an Internal Market Act exclusion is put in place urgently to enable the final preparations for a launch on 1 March 2024.

The exact figures on investment are held by industry themselves but various published estimates suggest that retailers will invest up to £200m, and producers have invested around £100m for the scheme. Alongside this contractors to Circularity Scotland, such as Biffa, will have invested significant funds with some estimating this at around £80m.

Question reference: S6W-17684

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what specific date it provided a consideration, associated evidence and an assessment of the direct and indirect economic impacts to the UK Government regarding the proposed exclusion from the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 for the Deposit Return Scheme.

I refer the member to Scottish Government’s publication on 28 February 2023 of the timeline and process for securing an Internal Market Act exclusion for the Deposit Return Scheme: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/correspondence/2023/02/internal-market-act-correspondence/documents/timeline-and-process-for-securing-an-internal-market-act-exclusion-for-drs/timeline-and-process-for-securing-an-internal-market-act-exclusion-for-drs/govscot%3Adocument/DRS%2BTimeline%2Band%2BProcess.pdf

Question reference: S6W-17682

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the letter that it indicated that it would send to the UK Government to provide an update on the Deposit Return Scheme, as referenced by the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity in her statement to the Parliament on 20 April 2023.

Question reference: S6W-17683

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what specific date it set out the scope and rationale to the UK Government regarding the proposed exclusion from the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 for the Deposit Return Scheme.

I refer the member to Scottish Government’s publication on 28 February 2023 of the timeline and process for securing an Internal Market Act exclusion for the Deposit Return Scheme: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/correspondence/2023/02/internal-market-act-correspondence/documents/timeline-and-process-for-securing-an-internal-market-act-exclusion-for-drs/timeline-and-process-for-securing-an-internal-market-act-exclusion-for-drs/govscot%3Adocument/DRS%2BTimeline%2Band%2BProcess.pdf

Question reference: S6W-17785

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when a Scottish Minister will next meet with the UK Minister for Nuclear and Networks, and what will be discussed.

There are currently no meetings scheduled between Scottish Ministers and the UK Minister for Nuclear and Networks. However, Ms Martin MSP, Minister for Energy, did meet with the UK Minister for Nuclear and Networks on 27 April 2023 to discuss the UK Government's Energy Bill and the track process for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects. We anticipate there will be further engagement on the Energy Bill, for which the UK Minister for Nuclear and Networks is lead. The Bill will enable regulation across a raft of energy policy areas critical for net zero, and we are seeking amendments to ensure the Bill fully meets the needs and interests of Scottish consumers and industry.

Question reference: S6O-02272

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported concerns of Edinburgh City Council that it could still be two years away from having the powers to implement a Transient Visitor Levy.

Chamber and committees