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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-15052

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to develop the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG).

The Initial Plan Framework for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas decarbonisation (INTOG) was published on 22 February 2022 and set the parameters used by Crown Estate Scotland to shape their leasing process.

Following the closure of the INTOG lease application window on 18 November 2022, the Marine Scotland Directorate is undertaking assessments to understand the potential impact from proposed INTOG projects on the marine environment and other marine sectors which will inform the development the draft Sectoral Marine Plan for INTOG. Public consultation on the draft plan is targeted for later in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-15222

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any material recycled through the Deposit Return Scheme will be attributed to the overall recycling performance of the local authority area in which it was captured.

The implementation of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will boost household recycling rates across Scotland. The Official Statistics for household waste which report against the national household waste recycling targets will include DRS materials once it is implemented. We are aware that the current guidance to Local Authorities on calculating recycling rates may need to be reviewed as it pre-dates the DRS.

Question reference: S6W-14661

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 28 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what process local authorities will be required to follow to redeem deposits from containers entering the kerbside collection system rather than returned through the deposit return scheme.

The DRS Regulations require that from 2025 at least 90% of scheme articles are to be collected through the scheme, therefore the amount of bottles and cans collected by local authorities is likely to be very low.

Local authorities will have flexibility to decide how to redeem deposits from containers entering the kerbside collection and should contact the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland, for advice and guidance.

Question reference: S6T-01200

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the Deposit Return Scheme will launch.

Question reference: S6W-15051

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has begun any legislative consent process to consider whether the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill could be extended to Scotland, and, if it is the case that it has not, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Scottish Government supports the intention behind this Bill, and the improvements in animal welfare it hopes to achieve. Scottish Ministers would have liked to have given their full support to these measures as part of the now fallen UK Animals Abroad Bill. Sadly this opportunity has now been lost and due to last minute handling by the UK Government, Scottish Ministers have not been given sufficient time to consider the provisions put forward in the Low Welfare Animal Activities Abroad Bill.

Question reference: S6O-01933

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-14662

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage the sale of clothes free from fossil fuel-derived fibres, and what information it has regarding the quantity of such clothing that has been sold in each of the last five years.

Retail has an essential role to play if we are to deliver on our ambitious targets to reach net zero by 2045, which is why the Retail Strategy’s Delivery Plan contains a commitment to develop a Just Transition Plan for retail that includes an action to promote the steps that retailers and their supply chain operatives can take to reduce carbon consumption and environmental impacts.

The specific information requested on the quantity of such clothing that has been sold in each of the last five years is not held by the Scottish Government .

Question reference: S6W-14358

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 8 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether materials captured through the proposed Deposit Return Scheme will be retained for use in Scotland once having been recycled, and, if this is not the case, how such recycled material will be used.

The Deposit Return Scheme is an industry-led scheme, delivered by industry, led by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd. Decisions use of materials retained following recycling will be for Circularity Scotland Ltd and industry to take forward.

The Scottish Government is, however, keen to see investment in Scotland and we are therefore making one of the biggest investments in a generation to modernise recycling and support the circular economy. We have launched the £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund which will deliver modernised services for residents, and a step change in Scotland’s recycling performance at both national and local levels.

So far over £44m has now been awarded to 17 local authorities to increase the quantity and quality of recycling across Scotland and this investment has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by over 39,000 tonnes each year – the equivalent of taking over 21,000 cars off the road.

Question reference: S6W-14324

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13582 by Lorna Slater on 18 January 2023, whether it will provide details of any preceding assessment of material switching.

Question reference: S6W-14359

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what capacity to construct reverse vending machines it has identified in Scotland.

The Deposit Return Scheme is an industry-led scheme, delivered by industry, led by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd. The Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations were laid in 2020 and businesses have now had three years to prepare for the launch of the scheme.

There are many companies providing these services in Scotland, and an assessment is not considered to be necessary or appropriate for Government to carry out.