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: S6W-18002

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish details of its consideration of how to include biogenic carbon in future research publications.

In 2021, Scottish Government published the Strategy for Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research, which has formed the basis for the Strategic Research Programme 2022-2027 and includes consideration of biogenic carbon. Scottish Government has not undertaken specific consideration of how to include biogenic carbon in future research publications and has no plans to publish on the matter, given its consideration within the Strategic Research Programme.

Question reference: S6W-18000

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16903 by Lorna Slater on 5 May 2023, for which of the schemes listed the minister has (a) visited the location and (b) met with the relevant chief executive.

Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme has been based on successful schemes across Europe. The Minister has been thoroughly briefed by Zero Waste Scotland on relevant research findings throughout the policy’s development.

Research was undertaken by Zero Waste Scotland, who designed the scheme, and met with a range of international scheme administrators and operators, including those from Norway, Estonia, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, Iceland, Denmark and Finland.

This research and briefing has meant that the minister has been fully appraised of the main characteristics of schemes across Europe and has not therefore personally travelled to the countries listed or personally met the chief executives from these schemes.

Question reference: S6W-17989

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors, and communicates to stakeholders, public support for the critical minerals sector and related projects, and what steps it has taken to draw attention to the role of critical minerals in achieving Scotland’s net zero goals and a just transition.

Critical minerals are becoming increasingly important for emerging technologies. However, the Scottish Government is not aware of any existing research on public support for critical minerals for communication to stakeholders.

I would encourage all business sectors in Scotland that rely on critical minerals to ensure that supply chains are resilient to current and future impacts of climate change, and that critical minerals are obtained from sustainable sources.

Where new development proposals come forward, our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) supports the sustainable management of resources, whilst minimising the impacts of the extraction of minerals on communities and the environment.

Question reference: S6W-17919

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16932 by Lorna Slater on 2 May 2023, what measurable impact those efforts have had in increasing textiles reuse.

Question reference: S6W-17918

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17316 by Lorna Slater on 5 May 2023, whether it will provide a list of the sites referred to along with the stage of construction and/or operational progress achieved for each.

Question reference: S6W-17917

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16926 by Lorna Slater on 5 May 2023, whether waste packaging collected and recycled through the Deposit Return Scheme will be able to be identified in Scotland's waste statistics.

Question reference: S6O-02309

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the third sector.

Question reference: S6W-17796

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) funding and (b) staff resource it has allocated to the Real Nappy Campaign in Scotland in each year since 2007.

This information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government is not currently directly involved in the Real Nappy Campaign or any other similar campaign in Scotland. It promotes the use of reusable nappies through Scotland’s Baby Box and its Parentclub website ( www.parentclub.scot) , as well as the Ready Steady Baby resource ( www.nhsinform.scot/ready-steady-baby/early-parenthood/caring-for-your-new-baby/nappies/ )

Zero Waste Scotland supported the Real Nappy Campaign in printed and digital form and at events until 2013-14,

Question reference: S6W-17795

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) funding and (b) staff resource it has allocated to the Compost at Home campaign since 2007.

Question reference: S6W-17525

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what updates it has received from Circularity Scotland regarding whether a standardised invoicing system or multiple invoice systems are being developed for the Deposit Return Scheme.

Circularity Scotland is developing and constructing its administration system that will support the effective operation of the scheme when it launches on 1 March 2024. As Circularity Scotland is a private company, operational matters are a matter for them and it would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to intervene in such commercial arrangements. We continue to work closely with all relevant partners and with businesses to help support a successful launch of the scheme.