Chamber and committees

Once appointed, the scheme administrator will work closely with stakeholders, including local government, to ensure that those questions are taken account of. It is worth saying that more than 50 countries around the world have similar schemes.

We all recognise the important contribution that such schemes can make to tackling problems such as littering and our carbon footprint in Scotland. I hope that all members will work together to ensure that the scheme is progressed, and I am sure that local authorities will be part of that.

As the member is well aware, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on live litigation—[Interruption.] I do not know why people find it unusual that ministers cannot comment on live litigation. However—[Interruption.]

However, I confirm to the member that we will deal with the question of the accounts as a contingent liability in line with our public finance rules and commitments.

I am happy to get back to the member on that detailed point, but it is significant that we are prioritising action to tackle food waste and, in particular, waste that is going to landfill. We are making progress on that.

As I have said, I am happy to write to the member about the specific point that he is making, but it is worth saying that in the past decade, we have halved the amount of waste going to landfill, so we are making progress on the wider issue. I freely acknowledge the member’s point, though, for the reasons that I have given with regard to the challenge in meeting this year’s target.

The member makes an important point. Twenty-seven per cent of food waste is created by businesses, and 2021 data from the Waste and Resources Action Programme—WRAP—on the UK suggests that hospitality outlets could save up to £10,000 per year per outlet by reducing such waste. If any innovative solutions of the type that the member has mentioned are particularly efficient in that regard, I am very happy to look at them.

First, by “next week”, I mean next week. Secondly, on Stephen Kerr’s point about Petroineos, I think that he would be the very first person in the chamber to complain, not without some justification, if the Scottish Government had not been speaking to Petroineos and other companies that are involved directly in the matter. As he says, the report is a Scottish Government report, but it is entirely legitimate for us to speak to the companies that are involved.

Michelle Thomson has been diligent in raising the matter, which affects many of her constituents. The project willow conclusions and recommendations will be made available via a public information document, which we hope will be published next week. We are working closely with the UK Government and other partners to finalise the details of that. I look forward to members from across the chamber engaging constructively with the project willow outputs when they become available.

As Sarah Boyack has said, there has been investment by both Governments. On 18 February, the First Minister announced to the Parliament that the Scottish Government would lodge a stage 3 amendment to the budget bill for

“£25 million to establish a Grangemouth just transition fund”,—[Official Report, 18 February 2025; c 32.]

which will expedite near-term propositions in the here and now.

The Prime Minister announced that, as part of a major intervention, the National Wealth Fund will provide £200 million of investment for new, future opportunities for Grangemouth. We understand that the funds from the National Wealth Fund will consider only investable propositions and that moneys will be provided on a co-investment basis. Timescales will be determined by those factors.

I hope that Sarah Boyack accepts that both Governments take seriously the task of finding solutions for the future and for the here and now.

I am disappointed that, based on the latest estimates, we look unlikely to meet our target to reduce food waste by 33 per cent by 2025. The reasons behind that are complex, and they partly reflect changed consumer behaviour since the pandemic. Scotland is not alone in facing that challenge; higher food waste levels have been observed across the United Kingdom.

However, I am taking action to reset the Government’s approach. The circular economy and waste route map sets out how we will deliver more targeted action to support households and businesses.

Ministers and officials engage with the Ineos businesses at Grangemouth regularly, recognising their role as important employers of highly skilled people within Grangemouth. The news that Ineos Olefins & Polymers UK is considering redundancies as a result of the closure of the refinery is concerning, and we stand ready to support workers who are impacted by that decision. I appeal to the business to explore all possible opportunities for redeployment of any workers who are at risk of redundancy, and I commit to exploring, with the business, all routes to mitigate any further loss of industrial activity or employment across the industrial cluster.