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The Scottish Government’s Serious & Organised Crime Taskforce (SOCTF) has identified environmental crime and in particular Serious Organised Criminal Gangs (SOCG) activity in waste crime as a priority area and supports the broad network of Scottish and UK regulators in working collaboratively to act against waste criminals.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is also a partner in the Joint Unit for Waste Crime set up by the UK Government in 2020, which aspires to reduce the impact of SOCG activity across the UK, on the environment and the economy, by targeting the criminal groups and activities posing the greatest risk, including those operating cross border.

We are working with other UK governments and regulators to implement a UK-wide mandatory digital waste tracking service. Implementation of this service will help SEPA to track regulatory compliance and tackle illegal waste exports and fly-tipping.

Alongside this, the Scottish Government is also currently developing a new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, which will help to tackle and minimise the instances of flytipping in Scotland. Our consultation proposals set out a range of proposed measures, including strengthening enforcement to deter flytipping behaviour.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

We have already implemented some measures, such as tightening waste exemptions, and are undertaking work to consider further measures similar to those mentioned in the UK Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023.

In addition, where the necessary powers to tackle opportunities for waste crime are reserved, we are working with UK Government to ensure the interests of Scotland are fully considered. This includes in the development of a ban on exporting plastic waste to non-OECD countries.

The Scottish Government has not carried out an assessment of the impact of NHS staff pay awards on the independent hospice sector, however, Scottish Government Ministers are meeting with representatives from the sector in March 2023 to discuss pressures that hospices are facing.

That information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government does not hold estimated yearly costs of waste crime.

The 2025 target date for completion of the full programme represented an ambitious challenge. It was reliant on the timely and positive outcome of a range of factors such as completing public and stakeholder consultation; statutory approval processes; sufficiency of market capacity; supply chain availability and availability of funding, all of which have been significantly impacted by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. As I confirmed to Parliament on 8 February 2023, this has made the 2025 date unachievable.

Transport Scotland is urgently considering a range of different options to provide Ministers advice on the most efficient way in which to dual the remaining sections. Work to determine the most suitable procurement options for these sections is a complex exercise which looks at a number of factors including how the project can be delivered most efficiently by the industry, whilst minimising disruption to road users and helping to support economic recovery post-COVID. This work is expected to conclude in Autumn 2023 and I will provide an update on a new timescale for completion to the Scottish Parliament at that time.

We are currently considering next steps to recognise those affected by historical adoption practices.

In the meantime, we have commissioned a scoping study of the support services available in Scotland for people affected by historical adoption practices. This will help us understand where services need to be improved or enhanced to better meet the needs and expectations of those affected by historical adoption. The research started in January and will take approximately 8 months.

Last year the Scottish Government committed funding of around £145,000 to provide specialist support and counselling, and we have now agreed a proposal to establish a peer support group to be delivered through the charity, Health In Mind. The planning and implementation of this support service has begun and is informed by people affected by historical adoption.

Time charter crew are employed by the vessel owner and therefore the onus is on them to ensure Compliance with the Fair Work action plan. CalMac Ferries Limited would only be responsible if the charter is on a bareboat basis or the vessel is owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd. Consequently, both companies do insist that all crew are paid the real Living Wage on time charters, and if this is not provided by their employers they would supplement to ensure they equal the Living wage.

Circularity Scotland submitted an application to Scottish Ministers for approval to become a scheme administrator. Drinks producers, wholesalers and retailers across Scotland collaborated to create Circularity Scotland and support its application to become a scheme administrator. The Scottish Government did not engage in discussions with producers or retailers with regards to Circularity Scotland’s application. While Circularity Scotland is the only approved scheme administrator, it does not have exclusive rights in relation to the collection of scheme articles. There is no limit on the number of scheme administrators that can operate within the scheme.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have confirmed that for the period 2018-19 to 2021-22:- there have been 8 charges reported. Of these charges, 2 were convictions and 2 marked no further action. 1 charge was marked for a Direct Measure (Warning) and 3 marked for No Action.