Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-41154

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its estimate is of the economic costs of dealing with the health impacts of plastic pollution in Scotland.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) have advised there is currently no universal agreement on the health impacts or thresholds to measure safety levels of plastics in the environment. Consequently, there is currently no defined economic cost.

As outlined in response to the answer to question S6W-41153 on 27 October 2025, we continue to closely monitor the developments and advice from WHO on emerging evidence in relation to plastic pollution.

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.

Question reference: S6W-40741

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out an assessment of whether there is a link between the prevalence of illicit trade, recent restrictions on products such as single use vapes and the level resources available to Trading Standards in Scotland and, if so, what the outcomes were.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the complex relationship between illicit trade and the introduction of regulatory measures such as the ban on single use vapes. While comprehensive data on the scale of illicit activity remains limited, this issue was considered during the development of the Partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) and the public consultation process.

In recognition of the challenges that may arise from such restrictions, the Scottish Government has worked closely with the UK Government and devolved administrations to ensure alignment on regulatory approaches across the UK.

Trading Standards play a critical role in tackling illicit trade and ensuring compliance with new regulations. The Scottish Government has provided an additional £300k to local authorities to support implementation of the ban on single use vapes, including costs associated with storage and appropriate disposal of seized vapes. We have also provided powers to enable Trading Standards officers to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £800 to those in breach of the regulations.

The Scottish Government work closely with the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS), who manage the Enhanced Tobacco Sales Enforcement Programme (ETSEP), which is a key component in the Scottish Government’s Tobacco and Vaping Framework. The SG have provided £46k in 2025-26 to support a national coordinator post and specific enforcement projects, which vary year on year.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that Trading Standards are adequately resourced and supported to respond effectively to the challenges posed by illicit markets. Ongoing engagement with enforcement bodies and local authorities will inform future assessments and policy development in this area.

Question reference: S6W-40757

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to people facing difficulties in meeting the cost of pet cremations, and what assessment it has made of the cost of these services.

Question reference: S6W-40739

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the 2025 biennial workforce survey by the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS), which highlights a shortage of staff and resources.

Question reference: S6W-40740

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of potential delays to the Scottish Budget announcement, whether it will confirm that the additional £3 million for Police Scotland to deal with retail crime will be renewed in 2026-27.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling retail crime was reaffirmed in our Programme for Government, which makes clear our strong support for Police Scotland’s robust approach in addressing this issue.

The Scottish Government has commenced work on developing a multi-year Scottish Spending Review, which will deliver on its priorities in a fiscally sustainable way. The Government’s core priorities will sit at the heart of the spending review process, and guide how and where we will allocate funding.

Decisions on the future of the funding for retail crime, will be taken in the context of developing the 2026-27 budget and the Scottish Spending Review.

Question reference: S6O-05011

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the current state of readiness is for the upcoming ban on biodegradable municipal waste to landfill.

Question reference: S6W-40385

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 23 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its international development strategy, what its position is on discussing with the UK Government (a) legislating to compel private creditors to participate in debt restructuring on equal terms with other lenders and (b) supporting the establishment of a UN debt workout mechanism.

The Scottish Government recognises the huge pressure that escalating debt levels are putting on countries in the Global South, particularly when compounded with the climate crisis and with the recent cuts to aid budgets. We agree that there must be a fair, effective and long-term resolution to the global debt crisis, so that resources can be freed up for investment in health, education and climate action.

To date, there have been no discussions with the UK Government in relation to the specific proposals in the question. The First Minister recently met with Humza Yousaf MSP, SCIAF and Christian Aid, to discuss their Cancel Debt, Choose Hope campaign, including proposals put forward by debt campaigners for UK legislation to enhance private sector participation in sovereign debt restructurings and for the establishment of a UN sovereign debt framework.

Question reference: S6W-40386

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 23 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its international development strategy and reported evidence suggesting that over 60% of African nations spend more on external debt repayments than on healthcare or education, what steps it is taking to support international efforts to address the global debt crisis,

The Scottish Government recognises the huge pressure that escalating debt levels are putting on countries in the Global South, particularly when compounded with the climate crisis and with the recent cuts to aid budgets. We agree that there must be a fair, effective and long-term resolution to the global debt crisis, so that resources can be freed up for investment in health, education and climate action.

The Scottish Government provides its international development and climate justice funding as direct grants, not loans – allowing for sustainable development without adding financial strain. We have consistently advocated for other countries to follow our example and we will continue to champion the need for grant-based finance, including at COP30 in Brazil.

Question reference: S6O-04974

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has allocated from its Budget 2025-26 to support local authorities to improve waste management services, in line with its plan for a transition to a circular economy.

Question reference: S6W-40366

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37772 by Gillian Martin on 3 June 2025, how it will track (a) how local authorities spend extended producer responsibility funds dispensed to them and (b) any subsequent improvement to waste services arising from such spend.

As set out in the answer to question S6W-37772, payments made under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging are not part of the Scottish Government’s budget and are made directly by PackUK (the scheme administrator) with the purpose - to pay for the cost of managing an efficient and effective household packaging waste service – set out in UK-wide packaging EPR legislation.

Packaging EPR funding is subject to local authorities’ own budget setting process and local decision-making on its use. The Scottish Government therefore has no plans to directly track how local authorities spend packaging EPR funds. However, there are mechanisms established within packaging EPR regulations requiring PackUK to assess the effectiveness of each local authority’s waste management service in relation to household packaging waste.

The Scottish Government will also continue to track and monitor local authority recycling outcomes. Local authorities are guided by both local and national waste management performance policies, recycling obligations, and reporting frameworks, which support the effective oversight and improvement of waste services. In order to monitor waste service performance, SEPA publish annual statistics on household waste data generated and managed by or on behalf of local authorities in Scotland.

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