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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-08412

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much was distributed through the Recycling Improvement Fund in the financial year 2021-22.

To date, over £20.3 million has been awarded to 13 local authorities to increase the quantity and quality of recycling in Scotland, marking the beginning of one of the biggest investments in recycling in Scotland in a generation.

Of these awards, £5,267,640 million was allocated in the 2021-22 financial year, with the remainder being phased over subsequent years of the fund, based on the local projects’ spend profiles.

This investment is funding a range of improvements, including more frequent recycling collections, the extension of food and garden waste collections, and boosting Scotland’s capacity to recycle problematic materials, such as plastic films.

This initial investment has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 21,400 tonnes each year - the equivalent of taking 11,400 cars off the road. Further updates regarding new awards will be made in due course.

Question reference: S6W-08455

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken in the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Bill to prevent the third-party sale of fireworks to non-licence-holders.

The potential for unintended consequences, including a possible increase in illicit firework sales, has been carefully considered throughout development of the Bill.

In terms of how measures within the Bill have been developed to mitigate against illicit sales, the licensing system does not only cover the purchase of fireworks but also their possession and use; and the Bill introduces a new offence to be in possession of a firework or use a firework in Scotland without a valid licence.

In addition, it will be an offence for a firework licence holder to supply fireworks to an unlicensed person.

A person who commits this offence is liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (or both).

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: S6W-08436

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S5W-34970 by Roseanna Cunningham on 4 February 2021, whether it can provide a breakdown of any funding awards it has made since that answer to circular economy textiles projects.

Further to the response provided to S5W-34970, since February 2021 Zero Waste Scotland has awarded tailored consultancy support to two SMEs through the Circular Economy Business Support Service in order to help develop circular textiles propositions. Each support service provided to these organisations had a value of approximately £10,000.

As set out in the 2021-22 Programme for Government, we plan to introduce a new £2 million Textile Innovation Fund in the first half of 2022 to support businesses working in this sector to address issues associated with textile waste and throwaway culture.

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-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-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-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-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-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.