Chamber and committees

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributed to the waste sector in the Climate Change Plan (CCP) include emissions arising from landfill sites, waste water treatment, composting and other waste treatments, including incineration of sewage sludges and clinical wastes (without energy recovery). This is consistent with the international reporting requirements determined by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC).

The biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) landfill ban, which comes into effect in December 2025, will direct BMW to alternative treatment options, including anaerobic digestion (AD), mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) and Energy from Waste (EfW) plants or future Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facilities.

The resulting reduction in biodegradable waste sent to landfill will lead to a decline in GHG emissions, principally methane, from landfill sites; these changes are currently accounted for in the CCP waste sector emissions estimates.

Diversion of BMW from landfill will lead to a rise in GHG emissions from other treatment options, including AD, MBT and EfW plants. Changes in emissions arising from waste treatments without energy recovery (e.g. AD, MBT) are attributed to the waste sector, whilst waste treatment options with energy recovery are attributed to the energy supply sector (e.g. EfW). Overall, there is a net decline in GHG emissions when diverting waste from landfill to other treatment options, principally as a result of the conversion of potential methane release (a highly potent greenhouse gas) to carbon dioxide, which has a lower global warming potential. For example, Zero Waste Scotland estimates that on a per tonne of waste basis the carbon impacts of EfW are on average 27% lower than landfilling waste ( The climate change impacts of burning municipal waste in Scotland ) .

Information on the number of offences recorded by Police Scotland of coursing (a. hunting with dogs) and poaching (b. poaching and game laws, including deer-related offences), from 2016-17 to 2020-21, is provided in the table below.

Table 1. Offences of poaching and coursing, by requested local authority, 2016-17 to 2020-21

The funding package to deal with the Omicron crisis has been targeted at those businesses most severely impacted by the cancellations due to public health advice and re-introduction of restrictions on some businesses. For this tranche of funding this has meant support for the hostel sector, and hotels with bars and restaurants.

We recognise that the self-catering sector, alongside many other businesses across Scotland has also been adversely affected by COVID-19 and we strongly sympathise with them in light of the challenges this has presented. Limited funding available has necessitated our focus on targeting those most impacted by restrictions. We will continue to monitor the impacts of COVID on businesses and to engage in dialogue with the UK Government on the case for support.

NatureScot’s budget allocation for 2022-23 is £49.561 million. This year’s budget settlement represents the best possible outcome against the backdrop of significant pressures on public finances and the level of resources required to deliver statutory functions and agreed Ministerial environmental priorities across 2022-23. The Scottish Government are in dialogue with NatureScot on the specific priorities to be reflected in their forthcoming 2022-23 Operational Plan and next 5 year Corporate Plan. Both these documents are expected to be published in the first quarter of 2022.

Parties involved in planning cases are expected to meet their own costs. The Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of the Scottish Government will meet the costs of the reporter and administrative staff; advertisement of the case and the cost of the inquiry venue if necessary; and the general administrative costs of the case. DPEA deal with a wide range of casework and reporters and administrative staff normally deal with a number of different case types at the same time. The cost of an individual case can vary depending on a number of factors including the complexity of the case and whether an inquiry is necessary. DPEA do not record the cost of dealing with wind farm appeals or Section 36 wind farm applications.

Modelling by Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) projects that 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities will incur a net financial benefit from the implementation of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Local authorities are also expected to benefit from a reduction in the impact of litter, and from efficiencies to collection services following the implementation of DRS.

ZWS has no current plans to update its modelling. However, it is engaging with individual local authorities, in particular the three currently projected not to make savings, to assess the impacts of DRS on them and look at options for service improvements.

The COVID-19 statistical report which is published weekly includes a section for COVID-19 vaccinations by Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority group, including first, second, and third/booster doses for frontline social care workers. This cohort is made up of registered Scottish Social Services Council staff and does not include those without professional registration.

This data can be found at. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/show-all-releases?id=20580.

Since the start of the pandemic, businesses in Scotland have benefitted from more than £4.4 billion in support. This includes COVID-19 non-domestic rates reliefs which have saved businesses around £1.6 billion in reduced rates bills since 1 April 2020.

The Scottish Budget maintains a generous non-domestic regime in Scotland for 2022-23 and supports a package of reliefs worth an estimated £802 million. This includes for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors continuing relief at 50% for the first three months of 2022-23, capped at £27,500 per ratepayer. This responds to a key ask from the business community to avoid a cliff edge return to full rates liability for those businesses on 31 March 2022. The property uses eligible for this relief in 2022-23 will be unchanged from 2021-22. Properties used wholly or mainly for news publishing will continue to be eligible for this relief.

The list of organisations interviewed as part of the Gateway Review can be found in Annex C of the report. This report can be accessed here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/deposit-return-scheme-gateway-review-report-june-2021/documents/ .

Organisations listed on p13 of the amended Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment ( https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802018875 ) but not in the Gateway Review met separately with the Scottish Government to supplement the findings of the review.

The Core Scottish Government has 18 owned buildings. Solar panels are installed at 4 buildings; Victoria Quay Edinburgh, Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) Edinburgh, St Andrews House Edinburgh and Cameron House Oban. 22% of owned buildings have solar panels.

It has not been possible to install solar panels on all owned buildings due to the availability of useable roof space, roof orientation and shading, roof structure and other technical constraints.