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Our delivery partner, Zero Waste Scotland, ran a pilot for Absorbent Hygiene Product collection in 2012-13 that provided funding to four Councils. Since then there has been no funding specifically for Absorbent Hygiene Product collection, although we are working to implement the ban on general biodegradable material going to landfill which includes Absorbent Hygiene Products.

On 28 June 2018, the Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee launched a call for evidence as part of their post-legislative scrutiny of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010. The Committee's call for evidence closes on ‎ 5 October and can be found at the following link:

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/109013.aspx

The Scottish Government will engage with the Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee as post-legislative scrutiny of the 2010 Act is undertaken.

While the use of powers contained within the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 is an operational matter for local authorities, the Scottish Government collects data on the use of dog control notices by local authorities under the 2010 Act. 

A table has been lodged with SPIce detailing information on the use of the 2010 Act since it came into force in February 2011. This has reference BIB 59967.

Since April 2013 Zero Waste Scotland has made £766,800 available to Community Resources Network Scotland to cover core activities such as the running of regional forums, themed events, policy consultations, representation and research. Further funding, of £283,500 has also been supplied for specific projects over the same period, such as the early development of the Revolve initiative and the establishment of the Reuse Consortium.

Zero Waste Scotland has received 284 Stage 1 applications. 111 have been approved to Stage 2 Application stage, 26 are still being assessed or clarified and 147 have been rejected. In addition, 69 Stage 2 ‘Full Applications’ have been received. 18 have been approved/contracted, 21 are being assessed or clarified and 30 have been rejected.

Zero Waste Scotland promotes the Circular Economy Investment Fund through a range of channels. These include:

• marketing initiatives targeting specific opportunities in partnership with industry associations and membership groups;
• a team of sector managers who work with SMEs and intermediaries to raise awareness of the Fund;
• and signposting with public and private sector partners such as Business Gateway, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, venture funds and Angel networks/syndicates.

This activity has resulted in 284 stage 1 applications to date.

The metrics that are monitored to measure the impact of the Circular Economy Investment Fund (CEIF) include:

• Greenhouse gas reduction;
• low-carbon investment levered into Scotland by Private and institutional investors;
• and employment in low-carbon sector in Scotland

Zero Waste Scotland has a robust monitoring procedure for all projects funded by the CEIF. For each grant awarded, quarterly monitoring returns are required for three years following implementation, and these will be supported by site visits or other impact assessment where required. This monitoring procedure allows the capture of metrics beyond the targets listed here, including qualitative benefits, which can be bespoke to the specific nature of the project.

Zero Waste Scotland’s Circular Economy Operations within its Resource Efficient Circular Economy Programme 2014-20, which includes the Circular Economy Investment Fund and supporting activities, has targets for the following:

• Annual identified carbon savings (tCO2 eq) by 2018 = 25,922t
• Cumulative lifetime identified carbon savings by 2018 = 775,440t
• Low-carbon investment levered into Scotland by Private and institutional investors, target of £11.6m.
• Employment in low-carbon sector in Scotland, target of 343 jobs

The spending profile for the Circular Economy Investment Fund (CEIF) is in line with the agreed Zero Waste Scotland budget for 2018-2019. The spend profile for the CEIF is forecast to be £4.58 this year.

The Scottish Food Waste Reduction Target aims to reduce food waste by 33% by 2025. We are working on an action plan which will provide greater detail on measures to be taken in Scotland which we expect to publish by the end of the year. This will include further information on the contribution we expect from the different measures being pursued.