Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01820 on
‎ 16 August 2021. 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

In designing Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), we were mindful of the potential for future growth in the proportion of single-use drinks containers sold online. To ensure that our DRS is successful and fair, it is important that online retailers charge the deposit and provide a service to allow it to be redeemed and the container returned.

The draft Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out that the Scottish Government will legislate to require the installation of zero emissions heating systems in existing buildings, subject to the Scottish Parliament having devolved competence to do so.

The draft Strategy proposes that such legislation would begin to take effect from 2025, with the intention that all building owners are regulated to meet the requirement for zero emissions heating by 2045.

The exact phasing and operation of the proposed regulations is still to be determined, but as set out in the draft Strategy, and where within competence , could include requiring certain buildings to install zero emissions heating systems earlier than 2045. This may include those buildings using high emissions fuels (which are more prevalent in off-gas grid areas), or those buildings which reach a natural trigger point (such as the replacement of an existing fossil fuel heating system).

The Scottish Government plans to consult on detailed proposals on this issue in 2022.

Rapid rehousing transition plans (RRTPs) are developed and owned by each local authority in Scotland, working with their partners. The Scottish Government asks each local authority to complete an activities and spend template each year, requesting information about the implementation of RRTPs. The areas covered in the template include the development of Housing First, prevention activity, the use of temporary accommodation, the availability of settled accommodation and yearly spend.

The Scottish Government carries out a review of these templates, including any additional information provided from updated RRTPs, and feedback is provided to each local authority. The Scottish Government is currently reviewing local authority submissions for 2020/21 and feedback to the local authorities will be issued during August 2021. A report on the implementation of RRTPs will be submitted to the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group (HPSG) later this year.

This process provides assurance to the Scottish Government about the development and implementation of RRTPs across Scotland and supports our continued partnership in tackling homelessness. While local authorities and their partners are best placed to develop and implement plans based on local circumstances, the areas covered in the activities and spend template allow the Scottish Government to review how plans support national homelessness policy objectives.

The Code of Conduct for Property Factors sets out minimum standards of practice and encourages transparency, while ensuring that homeowners know what to expect from their property factors. A revised Code of Conduct for Property Factors was approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament in March 2021. This brought the Code of Conduct up to date, clarified and strengthened it, ensuring that all registered property factors operate consistently and to the appropriate standards, while also giving homeowners confidence in what their factor is offering them. The responses from homeowners to the public consultation for a revised Code of Conduct for Property Factors did not suggest that excessive or unjustified management fees was an area of concern. The consultation opened on 6 October 2017 and closed on 15 January 2018. You can find details of the consultation, an analysis of responses and view submitted responses at:

https://consult.gov.scot/housing-regeneration-and-welfare/code-of-conduct-for-registered-property-factors/

A property factor must provide each homeowner with a comprehensible written statement of services that sets out, in a simple, structured way, the terms and service delivery standards of the arrangement in place between them and the homeowner. This includes a requirement to set out the management fee charged by the property factor and the property factor’s policy for reviewing and increasing or decreasing this management fee. The revised Code will come into force on 16 August 2021.

While the Scottish Government has no plans to make changes that affect the remit of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) at present, it is our intention to review the existing legislation to identify areas for consideration to strengthen and support the improved operation of the regulatory regime for property factors. We hope to undertake this work in the latter half of this operational year with the intention of including any proposed changes in a suitable legislative vehicle thereafter.

The information requested is contained in the following table:

Across Scotland in 2019 households once again recycled more than they sent to landfilI, and the whole-life carbon impact of Scotland’s household waste reached its lowest level since official recording began. There is however still work to be done to reduce waste further and increase recycling.

31 of 32 Scottish local authorities are now signed up to the Scottish Household Recycling Charter. Last year’s Programme for Government committed to evaluate the Charter with COSLA, and review its Code of Practice to ensure it reflects current best practice and makes it easier for households to recycle the right things.

This will ensure the Code of Practice will evolve in line with best practice and developments across the waste and recycling sector, including the introduction of our ambitious Deposit Return Scheme, and other Extended Producer Responsibility schemes.

Scottish Government are currently working with COSLA and SOLACE to complete the review of the Code Of Practice. A consultation on proposed changes is planned for the autumn.

To support local authorities to align recycling services with the charter, we have launched a new £70 million fund to improve recycling infrastructure, one of the largest single investments in recycling in Scotland. We have also committed to developing a new route map to achieve our ambitious 2025 waste and recycling targets.

It is not possible to know how many factors have been operating without registration each year.

Where the Scottish Ministers are made aware of a property factor operating without registration we will take action where there is evidence to support the allegation.

Operating as a factor without registration is a criminal offence and as such the investigation of such matters is for Police Scotland. Where concerns have been raised with the Scottish Government and we believe these require investigation by the Police, we will provide information of these concerns to the Police and cooperate with their investigations. We would encourage any property owner who considers that their factor is operating without registration to report the matter to Police Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not hold the requested information. The member may wish to redirect their question to Police Scotland who may have data on specific types of scams and rogue traders.

Keep Scotland Beautiful has delivered a range of initiatives on the Scottish Government's behalf and has been allocated the following funding since 2016 to enable it to do so:

2016-17 £11,147,463

2017-18 £11,152,455

2018-19 £11,131,472

2019-20 £8,642,939

2020-21 £10,054,598

To date £1,555,145 has been awarded to KSB for initiatives to be delivered in this financial year