Seòmar agus comataidhean

Scotland’s seabird populations are an important part of our natural heritage and their protection is a high priority for the Scottish Government.

We recognise that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has had a substantial impact on wild birds and comes at a time when seabird populations in Scotland and globally are facing increasing challenges from a range of anthropogenic and natural pressures. The Scottish Government is working with the Scottish Avian Influenza Task Force to monitor and respond to HPAI on wild birds. This includes development of the HPAI in wild birds response plan which sets out the approach that the Scottish Government and its agencies will take to respond to an outbreak of HPAI in wild birds in Scotland.

However, further action is required to build resilience in our seabird populations. Through the UK Bycatch Mitigation Initiative we will take action to reduce and where possible eliminate bycatch of sensitive marine species, including seabirds, in UK fisheries. Research is being undertaken into the impacts of seabird bycatch in Scottish longlines and we are working with the sector on implementing mitigation and continue to gather data through onboard observers.

The developing Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy will play an important role in identifying further actions to help optimise the conservation prospects of seabirds in Scotland from existing and emerging threats, including disease threats, such as avian influenza. We aim to consult on the strategy in due course.

As stipulated under the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020, Circularity Scotland (CSL) is a private non-profit organisation and is not subject to the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. As such, no contractual obligations can be imposed.

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Regulations state that any return point operator must retain scheme packaging for collection by, or on behalf of, a producer or a scheme administrator.

The Scottish Government has a number of retail operations such as staff canteens that sell drinks containers and therefore, like other organisations, is working with Circularity Scotland Limited (CSL) to prepare for the launch of Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in August.

Circularity Scotland are a private non-profit organisation and therefore decisions regarding their contracts are for them – this is entirely appropriate for a scheme that has industry responsibility at its heart. The Scottish Government does not hold information on whether Circularity Scotland has consulted with the Competitions and Markets Authority on this matter.

Section 8(5) of The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 sets out that SEPA must publish and maintain a list of registered producers in such manner as it considers appropriate. The Regulations do not specify a date or deadline by which that publication must be made publicly available. SEPA remains committed to make this available on their website before the scheme goes live in August 2023.

As set out in Section 8 of The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 , SEPA will publish a register of all producers who are registered ahead of the scheme launching.

Zero Waste Scotland are currently working with businesses from the initial round of applications and an announcement on the outcome will be made in due course.

In 2018, the Scottish Government undertook a public consultation to explore options for establishing a deposit return scheme in Scotland, to which 16 recycling and waste management organisations submitted representations. An analysis of these consultation responses is available on the Scottish Government website here . The Scottish Government receives and responds to ongoing correspondence from stakeholders regarding DRS and is happy to consider any request for further information, in line with its obligations under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

As set out in Section 14 and Section 15 of The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020, submitted applications with regards to the appointment of scheme administrators are reviewed and decisions made by Scottish Ministers. The Regulations do not provide for public funding or financial support for appointed scheme administrators. This is entirely appropriate for a scheme that has industry responsibility at its heart. As such, subsidy control matters are not relevant in the appointment of a scheme administrator.