Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to the question S5W-26007 on 6 November 2019. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) is recognised in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 as one the basket of greenhouse gases. The Scottish Government is taking action to reduce emissions of SF6 through co-ordinated efforts with the EU. EU Regulations require the phase down of Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (including SF6) by 79% by 2030, which will encourage the uptake of climate friendly alternatives. The EU Regulations also prohibit the intentional release of SF6, require leak checks and leak detection equipment, record keeping, and training criteria for technicians handling SF6. SEPA has powers to issue civil penalties for any breach of the EU regulations.

The UK and Scottish Government’s preference is to remain part of the EU arrangements after EU Exit, for co-ordinated action with the EU. In the event of a no-deal EU Exit where Scotland is no longer able to remain part of the EU F-Gas regime, the Scottish Parliament has agreed to the UK-wide SI 2019/583 that replicates the EU approach.

The revised Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer were published on 22 January 2019. Referral Guideline packs were issued to GP practices, Accident and Emergency (A&E) and Minor Injury Units (MIU) from February 2019, with supporting resources for GPs produced included an app, infographic and quick reference guide.

Specifically to support dissemination and use of the guidelines education events have taken place across and officials are in discussion with NHS National Education Scotland to develop further online learning resources to ensure that the guidelines are being utilised consistently.

The £42 million Detect Cancer Early Programme demonstrates the Scottish Governments commitment to early detection. The ‘Survivors’ campaign was on air last month which aims to reduce fear of cancer, which we know remains a key barrier to people presenting early and encourage those with any unusual or persistent changes to their body to visit their GP practice. The campaign predominantly drives people online to navigate an interactive tool that highlighted less common signs and symptoms, including those of blood cancer.

As set out in the draft Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Regulations, published on 10 September 2019, where a hospitality retailer exclusively sells drinks for consumption on site, the cost to that hospitality retailer of materials used to collect and store scheme packaging may be met through a handling fee charged to producers or a scheme administrator acting on their behalf.

Where a hospitality retailer also sells drinks for take-away, they will be required to operate a return point (or apply for an exemption). In that case the cost of collecting and storing scheme packaging may be met through a handling fee on the same basis as for any other return point.

Zero Waste Scotland is working to encourage the development of domestic reprocessing infrastructure in Scotland, including the potential for expansion of existing capacity to attract inward investment and through initiatives such as the £18 million Circular Economy Investment Fund.

Glass bottles remain in high demand from drinks manufacturers, in particular in high-growth sectors such as gin and whisky. We are committed to working with industry to maximise the economic opportunities associated with the high-quality feedstock of recycled glass which the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will bring.

There is currently limited evidence from other schemes to suggest a widespread switch away from single-use glass to other materials as a result of a DRS. In other countries where glass market share has fallen, it is recognised that other trends, such as a reduction in the use of refillable glass bottles, have been a factor.

There is a duty in the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 for local authorities to provide a collection for glass and 30 out of 32 Councils have signed the Scottish Household Recycling Charter and the supporting Code of Practice. The Code of Practice is being reviewed to ensure that it aligns with the new Deposit Return System (DRS) and the model for future local authority glass collections will be considered as part of that process.

The introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will significantly increase the quantity and quality of glass recyclate, a significant proportion of which is projected to be clear glass. Our expectation is that glass containers not captured through DRS will continue to be collected by local authorities through local recycling services.

‘A Fairer Scotland for Older People – A Framework for Action’ was developed with the Older People’s Strategic Action Forum. It recognised that malnutrition is a risk to healthy ageing and included a commitment to working with both Health and Social Care Partnerships and wider stakeholders to develop action around identifying and managing malnutrition in the older population in the community. Discussions are underway to inform the scoping of this work and the priorities going forward. We will provide further detail as part of the April 2020 Annual Report.

As indicated in the response to S5W-25762, the analysis in the Business Regulatory Impact Assessment suggests that the deposit will not have a significant impact on consumer choice in terms of type or size of format. The decision to pursue a scheme design which maximises consumer convenience and targets a high capture rate should help to mitigate any impact. The deposit amount does not increase the price of the product, as the deposit will be returned in full. It should also be noted that there is a wide range of business and consumer behaviours that dictate product choice.