- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry on (a) the natural environment, (b) biodiversity and (c) agriculture.
Answer
We know single use items made from PET and similar thermoplastics have a damaging effect on our natural environment and biodiversity from litter to harming wildlife. The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition, rather than to target specific material types or to displace one single use material with another. This is in line with the waste hierarchy, which prioritises reduction and reuse over all other interventions. That is why we have banned single use plastic items such as cutlery and straws and are introducing a deposit return scheme to reduce the number of single use drinks containers being littered.
Our commitment to the circular economy is clear from the passing of the Circular Economy Act last year and our publication of the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map last year.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, specifically in relation to its net zero obligations, whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition, rather than to target specific material types or to displace one single use material with another. This is in line with the waste hierarchy, which prioritises reduction and reuse over all other interventions.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry on (a) public and (b) children’s health.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not researched the impact of PET on public and children’s health. The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition. This is in line with the waste hierarchy, which prioritises reduction and reuse over all other interventions.
As a Regulated product, food contact materials need to be authorised before they can be used and placed on the market.
Regulation 178/2002 aims to protect human health and consumer’s interest in relation to food. It applies to all stages of production, processing and distribution of food and feed with some exceptions. Food businesses must comply with food and feed safety law.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry on the (a) inshore, (b) coastal and (c) offshore deepwater marine environment.
Answer
We know the majority of marine litter is plastic and we know that it has a negative impact on the health of our environment and biodiversity. That is why the Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials. This is in line with the waste hierarchy, which prioritises reduction and reuse over all other interventions.
To help tackle the most problematic types of marine litter the Scottish Government published an updated Marine Litter Strategy in 2022 with an action plan, this will drive forward our work from 2022 to 2027 and co-ordinates the efforts of our stakeholders and partners.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) plans it has and (b) funding is available to support (i) academic and (ii) industry research into the effects of using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition, rather than to target specific material types or to displace one single use material with another. This is in line with the waste hierarchy, which prioritises reduction and reuse over all other interventions.
Our commitment to the circular economy is clear from the passing of the Circular Economy Act last year and our publication of the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map last year.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support an increase in (a) training and (b) employment in the offshore wind supply chain for seafarers in north east Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government is investing up to £500 million over five years to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland. This investment will support market certainty, and help create a highly productive, competitive offshore wind economy that supports thousands of new jobs, including in north east Scotland.
The Scottish Government has also invested millions of pounds via the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray, including the development and rollout of a digital energy skills passport (£3.7m), investment in a skills hub within the ETZ Skills Campus (£4.5m), support for the National Energy Skills Accelerator (NESA) (£1m), and funding for Net Zero Bottlenecks in Moray (£210k).
We have also convened a ‘Team Scotland’ short-life working group (SLWG) to develop an offshore wind skills action plan at pace which will identify and address gaps in training provision. The SLWG is jointly chaired by the Director of Offshore Wind in the Scottish Government and the CEO of Scottish Renewables, ensuring collaboration between the public sector and industry.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33222 by Gillian Martin on 24 January 2025, what the future funding arrangements are for the Energy Skills Passport, and how many applications the Energy Skills Transition Hub has received to date from offshore oil and gas workers.
Answer
The initial, industry-led, phase of the development of the Energy Skills Passport has been supported by £3.7 million of Scottish Government Just Transition funding over financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24. This funding has helped to lay the groundwork for a successful Passport, including both cross-sectoral working and the development of a digital solution, leading to the pilot version of the passport launched in January 2025.
We are now looking forward to seeing the Passport develop further, providing more options and pathways for workers to transition between sectors. Success going forward will require the Passport to be fully supported from a range of bodies, including UK Government. The Scottish Government will also remain closely involved as a supportive project partner.
The Energy Transition Skills Hub is supported by £4.5 million in Just Transition Fund capital support. The construction phase of the project is expected to conclude later in 2025.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it expects to publish its Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32265 on 6 January 2025. 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
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment has been made of the uptake of the Fair Work Framework among employers in Scotland’s (a) offshore oil and gas, (b) offshore wind and (c) maritime industry.
Answer
In the absence of powers over employment legislation, through our flagship Fair Work First approach, the Scottish Government is applying Fair Work First criteria to public sector grants, other funding, and contracts where relevant and proportionate to do so, driving up minimum standards in fair work practices across the labour market. It is for individual funders and buyers to monitor delivery of Fair Work First criteria through their funding and contracting arrangements.
No specific assessment has been undertaken of the uptake of the Fair Work Framework in Scotland’s (a) offshore oil and gas, (b) offshore wind, and (c) maritime industries.
The Scottish Government has committed to undertake an evaluation of Fair Work First in 2025-26, working with the Fair Work Convention and engaging key stakeholders, including the STUC, to understand how effectively this policy is being delivered and what more can be done to strengthen the approach.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Energy Skills Passport launched with the UK Government on 22 January 2025, whether it will make participation in the passport a statutory requirement for developers in the ScotWind process.
Answer
The Energy Skills Passport is an industry-led initiative supported by RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK, with Scottish Government funding also contributing to its development. The initial version, launched in January 2025, is designed to support individual oil and gas workers by helping them identify transferable skills and training needs to transition into key offshore wind roles. The Passport is focused on workforce mobility between sectors and we will continue to engage with industry and other stakeholders, including trade unions, on its potential roles across Scotland's energy sectors.