Chamber and committees

This information is published annually in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Reports (available at: https://sustainablescotlandnetwork.org/reports/the-scottish-government and are provided below:

• 2016 - 2017: 127 tonnes;
• 2017 - 2018: 352 tonnes;
• 2018 - 2019: 366 tonnes;
• 2019 - 2020: 217 tonnes;
• 2020 - 2021: 70 tonnes;
• 2021 - 2022: 70 tonnes; and
• 2022 - 2023: 131 tonnes.

In my letter of 18 January 2024 to the Convener of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport committee (see at this link Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity (parliament.scot) ), I confirmed that Scottish Government officials regularly meet with the Office for the Internal Market (OIM) to discuss a range of issues related to its functions, including horizon scanning of potential legislation across the UK. These discussions are open dialogues where either party can raise any issue for discussion. They can involve high level intelligence sharing, as well as more detailed discussions of specific policy areas.

To date, there has not been a specific discussion on the proposed provisions of the Scottish Circular Economy Bill as part of this engagement. Wider circular economy issues such as deposit return schemes and single-use plastics policies across UK nations have been discussed.

In the updated Climate Change Plan, we undertook to embed circular economy principles into our wider green recovery, prioritising areas with the biggest opportunities: construction; agriculture/food and drink; energy and renewables; procurement; skills and education; and plastics.

Last year we consulted on our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, which sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for Scotland's energy system to 2045 and a route map of ambitions and actions that, coupled with detailed sectoral plans and the forthcoming Climate Change Plan, will guide decision-making and policy support over the course of this decade.

We also published discussion papers on land use and agriculture Just transition in land use and agriculture: a discussion paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) , the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster Just Transition: Grangemouth (www.gov.scot) and the built environment and construction sector Delivering a Just Transition for the Built Environment and Construction Sector Delivering a Just Transition for the Built Environment and Construction Sector (www.gov.scot)

We are also consulting on a Circular Economy and Waste Route Map which sets out the clear actions we need to take to deliver sustainable use of our resources and progress a circular economy in Scotland by 2030 Circular economy and waste route map to 2030: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). This includes a package of measures to embed circular practices in the construction sector.

The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) may be able to provide some of this information. ZWS can be contacted via email at: [email protected] .

The report on Household food and drink waste in Scotland 2014 was published by Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS). ZWS does not have current plans to update the estimate set out in this report.

The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. I refer the Member to Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) who may be able to provide this information. ZWS can be contacted via email at: [email protected] .

Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) supported this project which was led by Developing Young Workforce (DYW) Dundee & Angus, in partnership with the Food and Drink Federation Scotland and the Food & Drink Team at Abertay University.Despite schools being provided with resources and financial incentives to take part, there was low uptake, resulting in the project not being taken forward.

For further details of the guidance that ZWS issued to schools, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24284 on 10 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers 

There was Scottish Government marketing spend in the below years. Figures are provided, along with links to the full published reports, for the Member’s ease.

• 2018 – 2019: £303,516.65 - https://www.gov.scot/publications/marketing-spend-2018-2019/ ;
• 2019 – 2020: £86,102.44 - https://www.gov.scot/publications/marketing-spend-2019-2020/
• 2021 – 2022 - £171,653.75 - https://www.gov.scot/publications/marketing-spend-2021-to-2022/

Based on available information up until 2022, the total marketing spend from 2016 was £561,272.84.

In addition, the total spent on food waste communications activities by the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Division from 2016 to present was £175,766.93.

Finally, the Scottish Government funds Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) to deliver the Food Waste reduction programme. ZWS has confirmed the total spent on communications for food waste reduction activities since September 2017 was £897,000. For a breakdown of this spend, ZWS can be contacted by email at: [email protected].

This detail is not available at sector-level. There was no remuneration for Food Waste champions. Between 2019 and 2022 (inclusive), 245 workshops were held with 2,952 attendees in total. This engagement would have contributed to recent food waste levels as outlined in the 2021 Scottish Food Waste Estimate, available at: https://cdn.zerowastescotland.org.uk/managed-downloads/mf-cdtg7vnr-1696942041d . This shows, per capita, food waste between 2018 and 2021 in the food and drink manufacturing and other sectors roughly stayed the same.

Scottish Government has provided FareShare with the following funding to support food redistribution:

• 2022 - 2023: £463,000 ; and
• 2023 – 2024: £315,000.

Scottish Government also indirectly funds Zero Waste Scotland which supports a range of food waste redistribution projects.