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Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributed to the waste sector in the Climate Change Plan (CCP) include emissions arising from landfill sites, waste water treatment, composting and other waste treatments, including incineration of sewage sludges and clinical wastes (without energy recovery). This is consistent with the international reporting requirements determined by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC).

The biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) landfill ban, which comes into effect in December 2025, will direct BMW to alternative treatment options, including anaerobic digestion (AD), mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) and Energy from Waste (EfW) plants or future Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facilities.

The resulting reduction in biodegradable waste sent to landfill will lead to a decline in GHG emissions, principally methane, from landfill sites; these changes are currently accounted for in the CCP waste sector emissions estimates.

Diversion of BMW from landfill will lead to a rise in GHG emissions from other treatment options, including AD, MBT and EfW plants. Changes in emissions arising from waste treatments without energy recovery (e.g. AD, MBT) are attributed to the waste sector, whilst waste treatment options with energy recovery are attributed to the energy supply sector (e.g. EfW). Overall, there is a net decline in GHG emissions when diverting waste from landfill to other treatment options, principally as a result of the conversion of potential methane release (a highly potent greenhouse gas) to carbon dioxide, which has a lower global warming potential. For example, Zero Waste Scotland estimates that on a per tonne of waste basis the carbon impacts of EfW are on average 27% lower than landfilling waste ( The climate change impacts of burning municipal waste in Scotland ) .

Under the Climate Change Plan, emissions from the disposal of waste via incineration without energy recovery are reported in the waste sector. This mainly comprises Commercial and Industrial Wastes, principally sewage sludges and clinical wastes.

Emissions from incineration with energy recovery are reported in the Energy Supply Sector, consistent with domestic and international reporting requirements determined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Before the licensing legislation, or any other Government legislation, is laid at the Scottish Parliament, government lawyers carry out robust analysis to ensure that it is competent. For the licensing legislation, that means ensuring that the SSI is made within the parameters and powers of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

The licensing SSI also makes modifications to the 1982 Act itself, in order to give effect to the licensing scheme. This too was carefully considered in terms of whether the changes proposed were legally competent.

The tourist services – short-term rental initiative consulted on by the European Commission between September and October 2021 is still at an early stage and further details have not been confirmed. The consultation notes that the general proposal is for regulation, which would be in line with the approach we have set out in our legislation.

The licensing scheme will introduce a system to ensure basic safety standards are being adhered to across short-term let accommodation in Scotland, the definition of which includes bed and breakfast businesses, as well as guest houses.

We have met with interested parties throughout development of the scheme, including meetings with the Scottish Guest House and B&B Alliance and Fergus Ewing MSP and one of his constituents, a local B&B owner. The Scottish Bed & Breakfast Association were also part of the Scottish Government’s short-term lets stakeholder working group until they resigned on 4 August 2021.

Many short-term let hosts and operators will already be following the mandatory safety conditions as a matter of compliance with existing law or best practice. We do not consider them to be onerous. We do not anticipate the scheme will have a detrimental impact on responsible operators. Instead we consider the scheme could boost overall demand for short-term lets by providing consumers with increased confidence in the functioning of the short-term lets market in Scotland, which will help to clamp down on dodgy operators, unsafe accommodation and poor practice.

Scotland’s ability to have sufficient accommodation options to host international events is accounted for, with licensing authorities having wide discretion in granting temporary exemptions or temporary licences within the powers of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and the Licensing Order. We will update and publish guidance on granting temporary exemptions and temporary licences, involving our stakeholder working group.

We have already committed to working with local authorities to undertake a review of short-term let activity in hotspot areas in summer 2023, to ensure the wider sector is still healthy and unintended consequences have been avoided, and to identify whether any further measures are required to control numbers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05400 on 24 January 2022. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05420 on 24 January 2022. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05400 on 24 January 2022. 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

As you know, the NHS in Scotland is under unprecedented pressure, particularly as a result of this latest Covid wave, and a number of services have been stood down in order to support urgent and emergency demand.

The latest data shows Boards are reporting a 65% increase in coronavirus absence compared to the previous week and significantly faster rate of increase in Covid hospitalisations this year compared to last January. This is a reminder of the challenges our NHS continues to face, having a high impact on waiting times for those people waiting to receive scheduled treatment.

Those waiting for treatment should be signposted to help on how they can manage their condition, and are encourage to seek support if they feel their mental health is being impacted.

The NHS Recovery Plan, which is backed by over £1 billion of additional investment, sets out how the Scottish Government will increase NHS capacity by at least 10% as quickly as possible in order to address backlogs and meet the ongoing healthcare needs for people across the country, including gynaecology patients.

Women’s Health is key priority for this government, which is why we published an ambitious Women’s Health Plan in August 2021. The Women’s Health Plan underpins actions to improve women’s health inequalities by raising awareness around women’s health, improving access to health care for women across their life course and reducing inequalities in health outcomes for girls and women, both for sex-specific conditions and in women’s general health.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05400 on 24 January 2022. 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

Face coverings are recommended in schools for adults and children aged 12 and over. Mitigations to reduce risks in schools and Early Learning Childcare settings including face covering measures, are kept under regular review by the Scottish Government’s Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues. This approach is grounded in evidence and draws on the expert advice of the advisory sub-group. The group last met on 11 January and further details can be found here .

The Scottish Government recommends that face coverings are made of cloth or other textiles and should be two, and preferably three, layers thick in line with WHO recommendations and fit snugly around the mouth, nose and chin while allowing you to breathe easily. A face covering can be a covering of any type, except a face shield, that covers the mouth and nose. There is no requirement for face coverings to meet specific levels of filtration efficiency and breathability.

More information on face covering guidance can be found here and further information on guidance for schools can be found here .