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The Scottish Government is working with Zero Waste Scotland to update their latest capacity analysis and expect to publish the results in 2026.

This work will inform the development of Scotland's residual waste plan to 2045.

The Scottish Government continues to maintain a neutral position on Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, which is a matter for the Scottish Parliament to decide upon.

In that context, the Scottish Government has been following closely the evidence provided by stakeholders during the earlier stages of the Parliamentary process. Consideration of potential implications for NHS Scotland, including workforce-related issues, is dependent on the outcome of Parliamentary scrutiny and the final form of the legislation.

Any further consideration of workforce impacts would therefore take place after the Stage 3 vote, should the Bill be passed, and would need to take account of the final form of the legislation, as well as engagement with relevant professional bodies, staff representatives and other stakeholders.

SEPA collect waste returns from waste sites in Scotland and those returns indicate where waste inputs originate.

Although uncommon, waste can travel from across the UK to Scotland for incineration. SEPA data shows small amounts of waste incinerated in Scotland from England, with the majority of that waste made up of wood waste.

The Scottish Government is working in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) to undertake an update of their recent capacity analysis, and is being covered as part of ZWS's activities covered under its annual block grant as a non-departmental public body.

The details of any spend on this work would be a matter for Zero Waste Scotland.

Reporters appointed from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) will be able to select from a range of procedures, from consideration of written submissions through to a full Public Local Inquiry. In line with other casework where similar procedural choices are available, reporters will apply the approach that is most proportionate, effective and efficient in gathering the information required to reach a decision or to make a recommendation to Scottish Ministers.

DPEA is currently updating its Code of Practice for the examination of applications made under the Electricity Act. This will provide guidance for both reporters and participants on the new processes. Stakeholders will be consulted on the draft Code of Practice prior to its adoption.

The sea lice levels referred to in the Code of Good Practice are suggested criteria at which producers should consider treatment to prevent build up of gravid female sea lice They are not a regulatory standard and have no bearing in the regulation of sea lice for fish health purposes.

The Scottish Government’s approach to sea lice management is set out in the document entitled The Sea Lice Regulation in Scotland’ This includes the level of sea lice per fish at which the Fish Health Inspectorate will intervene or take enforcement action. It represents a robust regulatory approach to sea lice management.

Industry actions in response to the regulatory regime delivered the lowest sea lice numbers on record in 2024. These were similarly low in early 2025, rising later in the year within expected levels of seasonal variability.

A risk-based regulatory framework is implemented by SEPA for the purpose of managing the risk that sea lice from fish farms pose to wild salmonids. Separate thresholds for sea lice management may be applied on a temporal or locational basis to specific farms through licence conditions.

The Heat Networks Delivery Plan (HNDP), published in March 2022, and the first Review Report, published March 2024, outlines how the Scottish Government will contribute to increasing the use of heat networks in Scotland and meeting the statutory targets. The reporting period for the subsequent HNDP Review Reports is every 2 years from the date on which the last review report was laid in parliament.

On 18 November 2025. I announced to Parliament that the future Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill would include provisions relating to heat networks including:

• a regulation-making power to require qualifying buildings in a heat network zone to connect to a heat network or decarbonise their heating system;
• a regulation-making power for heat network installation and maintenance licences; and
• changes to the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 to streamline its regulatory regime.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43538 on 12 February 2026. 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.

No additional direct funding has been provided to local councils for the implementation of the National Litter and Fly tipping Strategy. However, we have funded Keep Scotland Beautiful to deliver targeted interventions working with councils and communities, and SEPA has developed the partnership enforcement model with councils.

The Scottish Government is making available record funding of £15.7 billion for Local Government in 2026-27. The vast majority of funding allocated to councils is provided by means of a block grant. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including meeting the requirements set out in the 2018 Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (CoPLAR).

Fly tipping is a criminal offence in Scotland under Section 33(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 with maximum penalties on summary conviction of a fine of up to £40,000, or a custodial sentence not exceeding six months or both and on conviction on indictment, a fine or term of imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.