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As set out in the Duty of Care: Code of Practice for Managing Controlled Waste, every organisation and individual has a duty to ensure that, when they dispose of waste, they do so using a registered waste carrier. SEPA provides a public register of waste carriers on its website. SEPA and Revenue Scotland are members of the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, a multi-agency taskforce that works in partnership to tackle serious and organised crime in the UK waste industry.

Our new digital waste tracking system, which is being introduced in all four nations, will replace existing paper-based and inconsistent systems for tracking waste with a streamlined digital service, reducing opportunities for waste crime and underpinning our transition to a circular economy.

The Scottish Government laid The Digital Waste Tracking (Scotland) Regulations 2026 before the Scottish Parliament on 12 January. These Regulations introduce the first phase of the new digital waste tracking system.

Powers introduced by the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024, when fully implemented, will strengthen the legislative foundation for tackling and deterring fly tipping. For example, new powers to be inserted into the Environment Act 1995 by section 19 will allow local authorities to search and seize vehicles suspected of being used in relation to specified waste crimes.

The 2023 National Litter and Fly tipping Strategy sets out a six-year framework to take action on littering and fly tipping, with a focus on behaviour change, infrastructure and services, and enforcement.

The 2023 National Litter and Fly tipping Strategy, is a six-year programme focused on behaviour change, infrastructure and services and enforcement. The Strategy is delivered in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful(KSB)and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), working with other stakeholders, including local councils. Full details of activities undertaken to date are set out in the annual update and action plans: National litter and flytipping strategy: year 2 update and year 3 action plan 2025-2026 - gov.scot and National litter and flytipping strategy: update and year 2 action plan - gov.scot.

The Scottish Government has not conducted any specific research into mental health impacts on residents living near areas that are affected by habitual fly tipping. Keep Scotland Beautiful publish an annual Scottish Litter Survey which help us understand public perceptions of litter and fly tipping in Scotland and indicates that littering and fly tipping negatively impact the quality of life of people living in Scotland.

The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 strengthens the legislative framework for tackling flytipping. The current position on the relevant Sections of the Act are set out below:

• Section 11 (fixed penalty notices for flytipping): this provision enabling Scottish Ministers to increase the flytipping fixed penalty amount in section 33A(9) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 up to £1,000 (and also provide for different amounts in different cases or descriptions of cases) by way of order is in force, but no secondary legislation has been made in exercise of that power. The amendment was supported during Stage 2 to provide flexibility for the future, particularly following the increase of the flytipping fixed penalty amount to £500 under existing powers from 1 January 2024. No commitment was made to increase the fixed penalty amount further within a specific timeframe.
• Sections 12 (removal of unlawfully deposited waste) amends Section 59 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and sets out the current process on the face of legislation and amends the appeals process. the same approach applies, regulation making powers have been commenced to enable the necessary supporting regulations to be developed in advance of full commencement of the substantive provisions.
• Section 13 (information on flytipping offences) is in force. The provision creates a power for Scottish Ministers to require information from relevant authorities in order to better understand the national picture on flytipping and to progress towards effective and accurate national reporting. Beyond the power itself being commenced, there are currently no further statutory requirements or published commitments setting out when or how that power will be exercised. Work to improve flytipping data is ongoing through delivery of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.
• Section 14 (householder’s duty of care) amends the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to make breach of the existing householder duty of care an offence and to provide for enforcement by way of fixed penalty notice. While the core offence and fixed penalty amount are set out on the face of the Act, the section also includes regulation-making powers, for example to modify the fixed penalty amount or to specify additional categories of authorised enforcement officers. At present, section 14 has been commenced for the purpose of making regulations only and the amended offence and fixed penalty regime are therefore not yet fully in force.
• Section 19 (powers to search and seize vehicles): the powers to make various regulations necessary for the effective operation of the new provisions inserted into the Environment Act 1995 by section 19 are in force, with the intention to bring the provision fully into force once the regulations are made.

The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 provides a range of powers to tackle fly tipping in Scotland. These include a number of additional powers which were added to the legislation during the Parliamentary process, which will be implemented in due course.

The Scottish Government has invested over £70 million in Wave Energy Scotland (WES) since its inception in 2014 demonstrating a clear commitment to developing wave energy technologies in Scotland. However, as the sector moves into the next phase, the main levers for enabling the commercialisation of these emerging, pre-commercial technologies lie with the UK Government.

Officials are working closely with WES, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and other partners to sustain operations in 2026-27 while future alternative sources of funding are identified. This will give WES the opportunity to explore longer term funding solutions, while also enabling ongoing project work to continue.

The Scottish Government recognises the important contribution that the Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) makes in delivering services to people who use substances. The Scottish Government has provided funding to the Scottish Drugs Forum for a number of projects since 2021 from both the Alcohol and Drugs Policy Budget and through Blood Borne Viruses policy.

Total funding for SDF from the Alcohol and Drugs Policy budget is available in the National Mission Annual Reports published online at: National mission on drugs - Alcohol and drugs - gov.scot .

Total funding breakdowns for 2025-26 Alcohol and Drugs Policy will be provided in the 2025-26 National Mission Annual report following year-end reporting processes.

For ease of reference, a funding breakdown by year is provided in the following tables, with further detail on projects funded each year being provided in answer to the question S6W-43681 on 26 February 2026:

Alcohol and Drugs Policy Funding (2021-22 – 2024-25)

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43703 on 20 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

Over the past five years, the Scottish Government has funded SDF to support delivery of the National Mission to reduce drug deaths and improve lives. The National Drugs Mission Plan (2022–2026) sets out the approach being taken, including investment to strengthen the workforce, improve data and surveillance, embed lived and living experience, prevent the development of problem drug use, and reduce harm for people who use drugs.

SDF has been funded to deliver projects that contribute directly to these outcomes, including harm reduction initiatives, lived and living experience engagement, improvements in workforce capability, and national data and surveillance support.

As a grant-funded organisation, SDF is required to report regularly on progress against agreed objectives. The Scottish Government is satisfied with the progress made, with objectives adjusted over time to respond to emerging priorities.

It is not possible to attribute a specific number of prevented deaths to individual projects. However, the Scottish Government considers that reductions in drug deaths depend on the collective impact of system-wide interventions. Harm reduction work (including naloxone distribution), strengthening of the MAT Standards, improved non-fatal overdose responses, expanded lived experience engagement, and workforce development have all been essential to Scotland’s ability to prevent fatalities.

Scotland’s capacity to prevent drug deaths would be significantly weakened had this work not been undertaken.