Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-31773

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how producers will be able to register products in the deposit return scheme (DRS) that have no barcodes.

The Deposit and Return Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2020 require registered producers to submit relevant information to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to support identification of scheme articles; this could include, but is not limited to, any unique codes or marks such as a barcode. SEPA is currently working with industry to design a registration process that will ensure all relevant information is captured.

Question reference: S5W-31771

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what enforcement measures will be applied to ensure that producers that do not currently use barcodes for drinks containers adopt them for use in the deposit return scheme (DRS).

Identification and adoption of appropriate measures to identify scheme articles as part of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), which could include use of a barcode, will be a decision for the businesses with responsibility for implementation of the scheme, including any scheme administrator(s). Accordingly, the DRS Regulations do not mandate that scheme articles carry a barcode nor do they create any powers to enforce use of a barcode.

Question reference: S5W-31644

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 17 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding extending the period after which taxi vehicles are required to be replaced, in light of the reported increased financial impact of COVID-19 on taxi operators.

The Scottish Government would expect independent licensing authorities to take a pragmatic and sensitive approach to licence holders during the challenges of Covid-19. It is however a matter entirely for licensing authorities to decide whether to set vehicle age limit restrictions on taxis operating within their local area and if so, what those age limits should be. Where a licensing authority does consider it appropriate to adjust their policies in this area, the Scottish Government would be supportive of any such steps where that is justified through local circumstances.

Question reference: S5O-04611

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the impact of COVID-19 on the attainment gap.

Question reference: S5W-31527

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Administrator will be required to support better accessibility of collection points in economically deprived areas.

As set out in the application form for a prospective scheme administrator(s) of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) (p15), published on 22 June 2020, to be approved an applicant must demonstrate how they will meet the collection targets set out in the DRS Regulations. This could include establishing, or supporting the establishment of, additional return points where necessary.

The application form is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/deposit-return-scheme-
scheme-administration-form-and-template/ .

Question reference: S5W-31528

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what extra weighting it will grant to Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Administrator applicants that commit to measures that aim to ensure fairness between SMEs and larger businesses across the retail and production sectors.

As set out in the application form for a prospective scheme administrator(s) of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (p14), published on 22 June 2020, we would expect an applicant to demonstrate how they intend to take into account the needs of all market participants, both large and small.

The application form is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/deposit-return-scheme-
scheme-administration-form-and-template/ .

Question reference: S5W-31523

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31163 by Roseanna Cunningham on 24 August 2020, whether decisions regarding deposit claim mechanisms, including digital solutions, will be a matter for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Administrator.

The response to question S5W-31163 made clear that we have no current plans to put in place a solution for returning containers via a smartphone or app as part of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme. It would, however, be open to any scheme administrator(s) and/or return-point operators to consider the use of a digital solution (for example allowing consumers to choose to have their deposits reimbursed through an app) to support consumers in returning containers via a return point.

Question reference: S5W-31525

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Administrator will be permitted to deliver identified environmental, economic and social benefits that fall outwith the scope of DRS regulations.

The application form for a prospective scheme administrator(s) of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme, published on 22 June 2020, provides an opportunity for an applicant to demonstrate how they will deliver wider benefits through the operation of the scheme, although the decision whether to approve or refuse an application will be based on the criteria set out in the DRS Regulations.

The application form is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/deposit-return-scheme-
scheme-administration-form-and-template/ .

Question reference: S5W-31524

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what extra weighting it will grant to Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Administrator applicants that demonstrate an ability to deliver identified environmental, economic and social benefits that go beyond regulations.

To be approved by Scottish Ministers, any prospective scheme administrator(s) for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme must demonstrate how they intend to comply with member producers’ obligations on their behalf and that they are likely to subsist for at least five years.

While we anticipate that any prospective scheme administrator(s) will wish to take the opportunity to demonstrate how they will deliver wider benefits through the operation of the scheme, the decision whether to approve or refuse an application will be based on the criteria set out in the DRS Regulations.

Question reference: S5W-31532

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of waste that could have been recycled or recovered by some other means has been recovered via an incinerator in each year since 2007.

It is not possible to determine the percentage of waste that could have been recycled, or recovered by other means, that has been recovered via incineration each year since 2007 as compositional data for mixed residual waste from household and commercial sources is not collected on an annual basis.

Under the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012, materials collected for recycling, including plastics, cannot be incinerated; however, mixed residual waste from households and commercial sources may contain recyclable materials.