Chamber and committees

Subject to Parliamentary approval, NPF4 will be adopted by Ministers in early 2023. Regulations and guidance on local development plans will be introduced to support delivery and the Planning, Infrastructure and Place Advisory Group will be established to oversee and advise on the delivery of the spatial strategy, national developments and national planning policy.

Information on legislation to enable amendments to be made to NPF4, and to set the process for making amendments, will be published in due course.

The Scottish Government believes that the best way to reduce drug-related crime and drug-related death is to get people into appropriate treatment and support services at every point of the criminal justice system.

The majority of single possession of drug cases reported in Scotland are dealt with by way of an alternative to prosecution that do not result in a criminal conviction and may include a fine, a warning, or where appropriate, a diversion from prosecution.

The Scottish Government only holds information on an annual basis from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2021. Information for 2021-22 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2021-22 Statistical Bulletin which is due to be published in 2023.

In spring 2021, Zero Waste Scotland ran a campaign, Batteries Are Better Recycled, encouraging the public to recycle batteries, and how to do it correctly.

The campaign was delivered through local and national media, videos and digital, alongside proactive engagement with local authorities across Scotland. Since the campaign, ZWS continue to share key campaign messages and assets through their channels.

I would also note that the Environmental Services Association relaunched its national ‘Take Charge’ campaign in October 2022, with the aim of urging everyone to recycle batteries and electronic devices responsibly.

Five local authorities (Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh, East Lothian, East Ayrshire & Falkirk) currently provide kerbside household collection of portable batteries.

All 32 local authorities accept portable and lead-acid batteries (car batteries) through their Household Waste and Recycling Centres. In addition, many also have portable battery collection points in libraries and/or leisure centres.

Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including how much money has been spent by Historic Environment Scotland on the repair of Properties in Care, are best answered by Historic Environment Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not collect information on ill-health retirement of officers due to mental health reasons. Staffing issues are a matter for the Chief Constable under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.

The Scottish Government welcomes the support provided by Police Scotland to its workforce through initiatives such as the "Your Wellbeing Matters" programme which covers psychological, physical, social and financial wellbeing.

The Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board was supported by an independent Analytical Unit which monitored the impact and outcomes of the enterprise and skills system through a Performance Framework. Details of the Board’s Performance Framework can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/enterprise-and-skills-strategic-board-january-2020/ . The final evaluation undertaken for the Board was measuring the return to post-school education and skills, which was published on 2 December 2022.

Proposed impacts of individual projects are captured at both assessment stage and subsequent monitoring stages of each project.

The Recycling Improvement Fund has funded the following projects under these headings:

(a) increased frequency of recycling collections

The gas and electric used for the swimming pool at Victoria Quay is not sub-metered. The figures in the following table are estimates based on assumed operating times.

The costs reflect that the heating was turned off to the pool in April 2020 and has remained off since . Pumps have remained operational to maintain water quality, and the structural integrity of the pool . The operating times for the ventilation to the pool space have been reduced, this is reflected in the reduced electrical load.

The costs in 2019-20 are lower as a result of the pool being closed for refurbishment between June and August 2019.

We listened closely to small retailers in designing Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Under the DRS Regulations, return-point operators including small retailers will be able to claim a reasonable handling fee from the DRS scheme administrator for each container returned. This fee must cover costs including the rental value of space used to collect or store scheme packaging and will ensure small retailers are not out of pocket for operating a return point.

Retailers will also be able to refuse returns where the quantity of material is disproportionately greater than the volume of containers they would usually sell as part of a single transaction.

We are confident that these protections will ensure that small retailers can successfully operate a return point.

The DRS Regulations also allow a retailer to apply to the Scottish Ministers for an exemption from the obligation to operate a return point should they meet certain criteria. On 3 November 2022 updated guidance was released which makes this process clearer, easier and quicker for retailers wishing to apply.