Chamber and committees

The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 include bold actions to ensure that valuable resources, including plastics, are put to productive economic use. Specifically, from 1 January 2014 onwards: all waste producers in Scotland will be required to separate plastic for recycling; all local authorities will have a duty to offer plastic recycling service to households; and rigid plastics will be banned from incineration.

Zero Waste Scotland is able to offer technical assistance and communications support to local authorities and others working to increase collections of plastics.

In addition, Zero Waste Scotland is working to develop a viable market for recycled plastics in Scotland through a number of grant and loan schemes aimed at developing plastics recycling and reprocessing infrastructure, and working with manufacturers to increase the use of recycled plastics in products and packaging.

I recently met with the Dogs Trust and confirmed that the Scottish Government would be consulting on the issue of compulsory microchipping soon. The issues related to enforcement, financial support and database operation may be covered in the consultation.

Condition 4 of the Port of Grangemouth consent does not allow commencement of operation of the plant until Scottish Ministers have approved a biomass sustainability plan. The company are also required by condition 12 of the consent to keep written records throughout the lifetime of the development recording the quantities, nature and sources of fuel including details of certification. This will ensure that only certified biomass fuel feedstock’s are used and to ensure that the plant operates according to sound sustainable principles and policies.

If the Grangemouth plant were to be operated using fuel of a kind which breached the terms of the conditions of consent action could be taken to seek interdict from the courts to prohibit the continued use of that kind of fuel. Also in terms of section 36(6) of the Electricity Act 1989 any person who without reasonable excuse operates the generating station other than in accordance with the consent granted by the Scottish Ministers would be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

The Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) are two of the most widely recognised independent schemes for certifying sustainable forest management. Both operate internationally.

The Scottish Government recently announced its vision of a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034, defined as having fewer than five per cent of the population choosing to smoke, to reap a range of health, social and economic benefits. The Scottish Government is taking strong and decisive action, such as standardised packaging, increased education and introducing smoke free hospital grounds.

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games provides an opportunity to support the vision of a tobacco-free Scotland. Ahead of the public sale of tickets later in the summer, the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee is exploring how the Games can act as an exemplar for tobacco control at major sporting events.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15459 on 19 June 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The most likely cause of adverse environmental effects would be unsustainable forest management practices in the source country. However, the Scottish Government is addressing this risk by requiring that all forest derived fuels to be used in operating the development shall be certified by accepted sustainability certification systems.

Sustainability issues were an important issue when determining this application.

We have imposed conditions 4, 11 and 12 in the consent to protect from direct or indirect impacts of large quantities of wood fuel being sourced from abroad.

Scottish Ministers shall have control of discharging condition 4 for the biomass sustainability plan. Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the consultation with statutory experts, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Planning Authority, will ensure the condition meets requirements.

Scottish Ministers have applied three conditions to the consent, conditions 4, 11 and 12, to ensure that biomass feedstocks are from sustainable and responsible sources.

Condition 4 requires that a sustainability plan is approved by Scottish Ministers and shall be designed in consultation with statutory consultees. The development must be operated in accordance with this plan.

Condition 11 requires all forest derived fuels to be certified by accepted sustainability certification systems.

Condition 12 requires written records to be held, recording the quantities, nature and sources of the fuel including details of certification and method of transport to site. These records are to be available for inspection by Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.

The Scottish Government recognises that staying in learning post-school is the best way for all young people to develop the skills and knowledge that they need to compete in the world of work wherever possible. Through opportunities for all, every 16-19 year old in Scotland who is not currently in employment, education or training will be offered a place in learning or training should they want it.

It is our ambition that, with the right support, young people with learning disabilities who want to work, are able to find work in mainstream employment, suitable to their skills. Supported employment, where disabled people learn on the job, with support from colleagues and a job coach can play an important role in this. Local authorities across Scotland offer supported employment services to all disabled people, including those with learning disabilities and additional support needs.

This government is currently providing funding to the Scottish consortium for learning disability to develop project search, an employability transition programme aiming to support young people with learning disabilities into sustainable employment. It is currently being developed in nine sites across eight local authority areas in Scotland with more sites coming on board this year.

We believe that supported business has a valuable role to play and that they should increasingly be used as a stepping stone towards mainstream employment. The findings of an independent review of Scotland’s supported businesses, commissioned by Scottish Government, will help to strengthen the long term viability of these businesses and make them become more attractive to young people with learning disabilities.

Our new national learning disability strategy, The Keys to Life, will be launched on 13 June 2013. It will encourage that by 2018 the learning disability implementation group works with local authorities, NHS boards and third sector organisations to develop a range of supported employment opportunities and that those organisations should lead by example by employing more people with learning disabilities.