Chamber and committees

The Gateway Review into the Deposit Return Scheme began on 14 June 2021. We will provide an update to Parliament on the go-live date following summer recess.

We are currently planning for an extensive marketing campaign to take place throughout this year to reinforce how people can effectively reduce the risk of fire in their homes and highlighting the changes coming into force in February 2022.

We are continuing to work with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, as well as local authorities, to ensure people have the support and advice they need to meet the new requirements. Our regularly updated online Q and A has been providing advice for householders since 2018 and SFRS have signposted and highlighted the changes though various social media channels.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00341 on 17th June 2021, which states details concerning contractual arrangements for UK MoD projects are a matter for the UK Government and BAE Systems.

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 .

A Human Rights Bill will be introduced to the Scottish Parliament during this Parliamentary session taking forward the recommendations of The National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership’s report.

The Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 made it an offence to charge or receive any premium or require the making of any loan in addition to rent and a refundable deposit of no more than two months’ rent as a condition of the grant, renewal or continuance of a tenancy. This was further amended in 2011 to place beyond any doubt that such fees were illegal premiums. This position is reiterated in the statutory Letting Agent Code of Practice which came into force on 31 January 2018.

Prospective tenants who think they have been charged an illegal premium can refuse to pay, where tenants think they have paid an illegal premium they can raise an action to recover any fee paid through the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber), there is no charge for this, or report the matter to Police Scotland.

In addition, where the person charging a fee is a letting agent, tenants can make an application to the Tribunal in relation to a breach of the Code of Practice. Where an agent is found to have breached the Code of Practice the Tribunal can issue a Letting Agent Enforcement Order that could include provision for the return of any prohibited fee.

Letting agents are required to be registered and to comply with the Letting Agents Code of Practice, which sets out the standards on how they manage their business and provide their services. This includes complying with relevant legislation and to have in place a complaints procedure. Concerns about a letting agent can be raised with the Letting Agent Registration team at the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government co-chaired the National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership and wrote to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee on 11 March 2021 to outline its response to the Task Force recommendations.

The letter The Scottish Government wrote to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee can be found here: Cab_Sec_SSOP_Convener_EHRiC_Taskforce_Report_11_March_2021.pdf (parliament.scot) .

A Human Rights Bill will be introduced to Parliament during this Parliamentary session taking forward the recommendations of The National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership’s report. The right to a healthy environment for everyone will be included as part of the proposed Bill.

Marine Scotland monitors fishing activity and sandeel abundance off our east coast, including the Turbot Bank nature conservation marine protected area (MPA). The last research survey in December 2020 found high numbers of sandeels within this MPA. Marine Scotland scientists collaborate in sandeel assessments conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). ICES reports annual sandeel landings at the level of ICES statistical rectangles, as for most commercial fish stocks. The ICES rectangles containing the Turbot Bank nature conservation MPA also include other sandeel grounds and so no landings are available for just the MPA. Since 2014, fishing has taken place in the ICES rectangles containing the MPA in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021. Nevertheless, based on vessel monitoring, there was no evidence of fishing in the MPA until this year when fishing appeared to extend to the eastern edge of this area.

Explanatory note:

Each ICES statistical rectangle is '30 min latitude by 1 degree longitude' in size which is approximately 30 nautical miles by 30 nautical miles

Due to their importance in North Sea food webs, sandeel abundance should be maintained high enough to provide food for predators. The initial assessment of Good Environmental Status for seabirds found evidence of the impacts of sandeel fishing in the 1990s when a fishery took place close to the Scottish east coast. It is for that reason that the Scottish Government has supported measures to protect sandeels in areas important to foraging seabirds including the Northeast UK closed area, which was established in 2000 and excludes sandeel fishing out from our east coast to 1°W. This closed area encompasses much of the foraging range of local sandeel reliant seabirds during their breeding season. The Scottish Government also undertakes research into seabird-sandeel interactions in order to better understand how we can help seabird populations reach a favourable condition.

The Scottish Government has worked in partnership with COSLA and Zero Waste Scotland to develop arrangements for the fund. More information on the aims, scope and distribution of the fund is available at:

https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/local-authorities/recycling-improvement-fund

Local authorities are urged to apply to the fund, to help drive new innovations and improvements to recycling in their area and across the country.