Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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-11747

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 15 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08833 by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2022, whether it will publish the gateway review in full, and whether it is the case that the review has not yet been published because it is reportedly highly critical of the Deposit Return Scheme and the progress made.

The latest Gateway Review into our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) was carried out in May 2022. In line with standard practice for this type of review, the Scottish Government put in place an action plan to address recommendations. We have working with the Scheme Administrator, Circularity Scotland, and industry to address recommendations and launch the UK’s first DRS, as planned, on 16 August 2023.

The action plan, and progress against recommendations, has now been assessed by the review team. We will look to publish the recommendations of the review, and our response in due course.

Question reference: S6W-12140

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when a decision will be made on the A9 Dualling Killiecrankie to Glen Garry scheme, following the public local inquiry that was held to consider objections received.

Following careful consideration of the Reporter’s findings, conclusions and recommendations, I have determined that the Orders for the A9 Dualling Killiecrankie to Glen Garry scheme should be made. A decision letter in relation to the Orders is being issued today to all those who made representations to the draft Orders. I want to thank everyone who did so and give an assurance that those representations have been carefully considered.

This significant decision now clears the way for publication of the Made Orders for this scheme. Subject to there being no challenge to Made Orders, we will then be in a position to complete the statutory process for the scheme and acquire land required to build it.

This significant milestone for our ambitious programme to dual the A9 between Perth and Inverness means that 92% of the programme now has Ministerial decisions to make Orders and complete the statutory process.

Road users on the A9 are already benefitting from the dualled stretches between Kincraig and Dalraddy and Luncarty and Pass of Birnam, which opened in September 2017 and August 2021, respectively. Procurement for award of the construction contract for the section between Tomatin and Moy, which will be subject to our normal tender evaluation and business case approval processes, is underway. I expect to be able to update Parliament shortly on the progress of this section.

When completed the A9 Dualling programme will bring many benefits to local communities, businesses, visitors and road users living, travelling and working along the corridor including reduced journey times, improved journey time reliability, improved road safety and opportunities for active travel.

Question reference: S6F-01315

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 September 2022

To ask the First Minister, in light of the loss of life as a result of road traffic incidents on the A9 over the summer, on sections of the road that have not been dualled, what plans the Scottish Government has to publish a timetable setting out when the dualling of the A9, and A96, will be delivered.

Question reference: S6W-08833

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08057 by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022, by what date the gateway review will (a) conclude and (b) be published.

Question reference: S6W-08057

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in respect of the proposed Deposit Return Scheme, whether it has any plans to carry out another Gateway Review to consider the current economic uncertainty that is facing businesses.

Question reference: S6W-08011

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07097 by Lorna Slater on 23 March 2022, and in light of the reported announcement by the UK Government and Northern Ireland Assembly not to include glass in their proposed Deposit Return Schemes, what its position is on whether a consistent approach should be taken across the UK, whether it has had any engagement with industry on this matter and, if this is not the case, whether it will consider doing so.

We remain committed to the inclusion of glass in our ambitious Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in view of the significant environmental benefits. Although the ambition of other nations’ schemes is a matter for their governments, we welcome the Welsh Government’s decision to follow our example and include glass in their scheme. We will work with all the other UK administrations to ensure interoperability of our schemes where this can be done without losing the ambition of our own.

Question reference: S6W-08012

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07097 by Lorna Slater on 23 March 2022 and in light of the reported announcement by the UK Government and Northern Ireland Assembly not to include glass in their proposed Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), what consideration it has given to any potential impact of including glass in its DRS on compliance with the UK Internal Market Act 2020 in the event that it results in higher costs (a) associated with three labelling regimes and (b) for businesses under the scheme in Scotland, including if any have to cease doing business in Scotland as a result.

Question reference: S6W-08010

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the proposed Deposit Return Scheme, what discussions it has had with Circularity Scotland on whether the company is planning to raise the producer fee in respect of glass from the level previously indicated.

Question reference: S6W-08303

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a requirement for local authorities to conduct a statutory consultation in relation to adopting further discretionary powers and conditions under its short-term let licensing scheme.

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 requires licensing authorities to consult with such persons as they consider appropriate in preparing and reviewing their temporary exemptions policy statement. This is a discretionary power to exempt premises from the requirement to have a short-term let licence for a specific period.

The Licensing Order also provides licensing authorities with powers to include additional licence conditions. We expect licensing authorities to include additional conditions on the licence documentation provided to the host or operator; and to publish their additional conditions on their website, together with the criteria and circumstances they will use to determine when these apply.

While there is no requirement to consult on additional licence conditions, licensing authorities may choose to do so as they consider appropriate. It is our understanding that a number of licensing authorities are planning to consult, or have already undertaken consultation, about their policies for short-term let licensing.

Question reference: S6W-07115

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 4 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the recent YouGov Polling, commissioned by British Glass, that reportedly highlights the will of consumers to keep glass recycling kerbside, rather than in a Deposit Return Scheme, and, in particular, what its response is to the reported findings that 90% of adults already recycle most of the time, and that 66% of adults have either never heard of the Deposit Return Scheme or do not know much about it.

We do not believe an enhanced kerbside scheme could deliver the level or rate of improvement that we will see through Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Packaging recycling rates have stalled, including for glass, and the current producer responsibility system is not driving improvement.

In terms of public awareness, now that the implementation date of 16 August 2023 has been confirmed by the Scottish Parliament, we will work closely with Circularity Scotland Ltd to ensure that there is widespread understanding of DRS before the scheme is implemented.