Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1487 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-08524

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the earliest year is for which it is technically possible to separate incineration plant emissions data from wider energy sector emissions data.

Official Statistics on Scottish greenhouse gas emissions are published annually ( Scottish Greenhouse Gas statistics: 1990-2019 ) and are used to monitor progress to Scotland’s statutory emissions reduction targets. These statistics are based on a disaggregation of the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory, which is overseen by the UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and compiled in line with international scientific guidance.

At the time of writing, the UK Inventory does not allow for the isolation of data for emissions from waste incineration plants as opposed to other energy sector emissions. Decisions around the UK Inventory are a matter for BEIS and are informed by the UK National Inventory Steering Committee, which includes representation from Scottish Government officials.

Question reference: S6F-01111

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 May 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is supporting households, communities and businesses to take part in the Big Plastic Count.

Question reference: S6W-08341

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the findings of the Zero Waste Scotland project on "Creating a Vision for Circular Ports in Scotland", as referred to in the Contract Notice that was published on 2 November 2021, will be made available.

Question reference: S6W-08346

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the next annual update of the Material Flow Accounts published by Zero Waste Scotland in May 2021 will be published.

Question reference: S6W-08343

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05492 by Lorna Slater on 20 January 2022, what the remaining parts of the Zero Waste Scotland research to analyse the steel market in Scotland are, and when those reports will be available.

Zero Waste Scotland advises us that the steel research project will include four reports. These are:

An update to the published carbon assessment comparing the impacts of exporting steel with recycling steel using an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) located in Scotland;

A market analysis to estimate the size of the scrap steel market in Scotland;

An economic analysis that examines the business case for an EAF in Scotland; and

An assessment of the role of Scottish steel in the energy transition.

The intention is to publish the series of reports at the same time, however Zero Waste Scotland does not yet have a confirmed date for publication.

Question reference: S6W-08232

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to increase the recycling rate for absorbent hygiene products.

In line with the waste hierarchy, the Scottish Government’s focus is on measures to promote reusable alternatives. For example, in 2019, Zero Waste Scotland launched its “Trial Period” behaviour change campaign to raise awareness of the benefits and encourage uptake of reusable alternatives to menstrual products. Further information on the campaign can be found here: Trial Period | Zero Waste Scotland .

As part of Scotland’s Baby Boxes initiative, a voucher is included in all boxes to encourage new parents to try reusable nappies. The voucher can be used for a free reusable nappy and a pack of liners.

In terms of recycling absorbent hygiene products, the Scottish Government’s £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund is open. The Fund aims to accelerate progress towards 2025 waste and recycling targets by strengthening and improving local authority recycling infrastructure resulting in improvements to the quality and quantity of material collected. This fund provides scope for local authorities to improve collection of problematic materials, including absorbent hygiene products.

Question reference: S6W-08230

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of any reports procured by Zero Waste Scotland since 2011 that are not published on the Zero Waste Scotland website.

The information in this response has been provided by Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS).

The reports listed in the following table are currently being assessed to determine if further quality assurance/peer review is required to ensure data remains valid and useful. This assessment includes liaising with any relevant partner organisations

REPORT TITLE	DATE OF COMPLETION
RES Advice & Support Service and Energy Efficiency Business Support Service impact evaluations	2018-19; 2019-20 & 2020-21
Scoping Study for a household waste tagging and weighing trial	March 2019
Embodied Carbon of Natural Stone in Scotland: A Methodology	December 2020
Creating a circular economy for tyres: development and appraisal of policy options	Q1 2021
St. Sophia's Circular Refurbishment – as a case study	February 2021
Report on project to raise awareness about the links between circular economy and planning delivered by PAS in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland	July 2021
Resource Efficient Housing for 2020: The Seven years on Evaluation from The Resource Efficient House 2013	Initially April 2020 – new summary document currently in development
Characterising Fish processing by-products	Initially April 2020, currently being revised alongside new summary document

The following reports are currently published on partner websites and Zero Waste Scotland is looking to link to/directly publish on relevant pages on www.zerowastescotland.org.uk

The Circular Economy in Glasgow	November 2021 – while not published on the Zero Waste Scotland website is available on OECD website.
Circular Bioeconomy Opportunities Valorising Agricultural Wastes and Co-Products	April 2022 – while not on Zero Waste Scotland website available on SEFARI webpages

Question reference: S6W-08231

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has (a) undertaken and (b) considered to utilise vermiculture processes to convert organic waste to a sustainable circular alternative to chemical fertiliser.

We have not funded research on vermiculture in the current Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Strategic Research Programme (2022-7), nor in its previous programme, (2015-22).

In the previous programme however Scottish Government did fund research on green manure and municipal waste compost as part of a programme to monitor soil and plant nutrients, sustainable soil, and water management, as well as in research projects on alternative approaches to sustainable land management.

The Scottish Government’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS) is available to help support farmers, crofters and land-managers realise their potential through quality, innovative, and largely free advice, and we would encourage businesses to get in touch.

The Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture was published on 2 March 2022. The vision outlines our aim to transform how we support farming and food production in Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

We see opportunities to include more nitrogen-fixing crops in our pasture and arable rotations to reduce our requirements for nitrogen fertilisers and we will be considering how to encourage wider use of nitrogen-fixing crops as we continue to develop the National Test Programme. We would urge all farmers to take up the Programme’s support for soil sampling and analysis under the first phase of Track 1, ‘Preparing for Sustainable Farming,’ which aims to help farmers and crofters to prepare their farms to meet the conditions of future agriculture policy and support and is open to all. Further information on PSF is available on the Scottish Government website , including comprehensive guidance for those seeking to get involved.

Question reference: S6W-08345

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economics of electric arc furnaces in Scotland.

As noted in the reply to question S6W-08344, we commissioned independent research into the steel sector in Scotland: this included consideration of the scope for electric arc furnaces in Scotland. We would encourage any company interested in developing an electric arc furnace to seek advice and support from their local Enterprise Agency. These are large-scale ambitions that need large-scale solutions and will require significant private sector investment.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-08344

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economics of processing Scotland’s scrap steel domestically.