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While we do not hold data centrally on circular economy approaches in public procurement activity, procurement legislation has required public bodies to consider and act on opportunities to improve environmental impact of procurement activity since 2016 and we are aware of a number of instances where reuse and remanufacture form part of what is measured as part of contract management.

For example, the Scottish Government National framework for the supply of desktop and laptop computers requires that all devices meet the Green Electronics Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool accreditation standards which are designed to reduce the environmental impact of devices across their lifecycle:

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Framework suppliers are required to manage and reduce waste in accordance with the waste hierarchy including minimising the use and environmental impact of packaging. Between July 2019 and July 2020 our national framework for supplier of desktop and laptop computers, have recycled 3,500 devices, refurbished 1,270 devices and recycled around 22 tonnes of packaging.

Sustainable procurement tools and guidance are updated on an ongoing basis in response to policy developments and emerging good practice and so it is not possible to identify all the changes that have been made since 2016. The guidance and tools are available online: .

Funding for community initiatives mainly comes through support from Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS). This includes five Zero Waste Town projects between 2014 and 2020, each receiving £300,000 to pilot place-based approaches to furthering circular economy initiatives at a local level. Zero Waste Dunbar’s re-use pilot, which saw them diverting good quality items directly from recycling centres to a local store, proved so successful they now operate from recycling centres throughout East Lothian and have large re-use superstores in Dunbar, Musselburgh and Edinburgh.

ZWS’s Circular Economy Business support service has worked with over 200 companies, including a number of community organisations, to help them explore more circular ways of doing business. Further details and case study examples can be found here:

The Circular Economy Investment Fund has provided grants to over 50 companies, including a number of community organisations. A list of the companies and projects funded is available on the Zero Waste Scotland website:

Finally, the Revolve network currently has 137 certified sites from 61 organisations across Scotland, many of which are community based. A wide range of support is available to the Revolve network through Zero Waste Scotland, including training & advice on standards, operational improvements, visual merchandising & customer service, branding & campaign materials. Further details can be found here:

Other funding includes the Climate Challenge Fund which has provided a wide range of support to community initiatives linked to the circular economy. Details of projects are available here:

Through regular dialogue and engagement at UK level, Scottish Ministers worked to ensure the UK position taken forward to EU negotiations properly reflected Scottish priorities, including in relation to the delivery of a more circular economy.

The Scottish Government supports those regulatory changes introduced by the EU to protect our finite natural resources and improve the way we manage products at end of life. We will shortly consult on the introduction of a market restriction on problematic single-use items as part of our efforts to implement the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, while our ongoing efforts to reform the UK packaging producer responsibility system are a key response to the EU Circular Economy Package.

On 3 September, I met with Virginijus Sinkevicius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, to discuss a number of matters including the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and forthcoming legislative agenda.

We do not underestimate the significant impact this pandemic has had on Scotland’s tourism sector, both outbound and inbound.

We are engaging with the sector in order to better understand the challenges faced by the outbound travel industry, and will continue to do so in order to help support those businesses.

Throughout these unprecedented conditions we have listened closely to businesses and acted quickly to provide appropriate support. The total package now exceeds £2.3 billion, more than £40.5m of which has been awarded to businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors through targeted funds. We are committed to doing everything in our power to support the tourism sector and will continue to listen to its needs as the situation progresses.

The report of the Tourism Recovery Taskforce, due to be published imminently, will provide a series of recommendations for both the Scottish and UK Governments to consider to support the industry.

The Scottish Government has worked closely with businesses, including those in our night-time economy, to understand their issues and provide appropriate assistance and guidance on reopening. As part of this, Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing met with Glasgow’s Night-time Economy Commission on 18 June to discuss their ongoing concerns and proposed support measures.

Our total package of support now totals over £2.3 billion. This includes almost £900 million of non-domestic rates relief, a £1.3 billion business grants scheme and a £145 million package of targeted support for SMEs and the self-employed. However, we recognise that some sectors have struggled to access support, or are still not permitted to open, and we have therefore launched two new funds to offer that support where it is needed.

Eligible nightclub operators can apply for a share of a £15 million Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund, which is being administered by Creative Scotland, applications for which opened on 17 September. Businesses in the events industry have also been able to apply to VisitScotland for grants from a £6m fund where they could demonstrate events in Scotland are their primary source of income and they have not received any other Government Covid funding.

We continue to do everything in our power to support the tourism and hospitality industry, however without significant borrowing powers at our disposal this action will always be limited, and so we will also continue to press the UK Government to address ongoing impacts.

Previous analyses of the composition of household municipal waste were undertaken in 2009 and 2014-15. Zero Waste Scotland had planned to undertake a further analysis in 2020 but this has been delayed due to COVID-19. Fieldwork for this analysis is now expected to begin in Spring 2021, and publication of the full results is expected in 2022.

The Scottish Government will consider the level and geographic scope of thresholds within its review.

The Scottish Government will consider these mechanisms within its review.

The funding for the purposes set out in my answer to question S5W-31438 is mostly being distributed through open funds which have been recently, are currently, or will soon be, open for applications.

£2.5 million from the £97 million was added to our £10 million Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund. On 5th August, Creative Scotland announced how the first £7.5 million of this Fund would be allocated to performing arts venues in Scotland already in receipt of its Regular Funding. The full list of awards is available on Creative Scotland’s website.

Funding was provided to 20 institutions in twelve of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. The largest awards were for £750,000, received by Aberdeen Performing Arts in Aberdeen, Eden Court Theatre and Cinema in Highland, and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company in Edinburgh. The smallest award was £75,400 to Platform (Glasgow East Arts Company) in Glasgow. The average award was just under £373,000. Decisions on the remaining £5 million in the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund are due to be made by 24th September.

The £6 million Events Industry Support Fund which is part of the £10 million support for event organisers and their supply chains, closed to applications on 14th September. VisitScotland is currently assessing applications. Details on further funding support for the events sector will be available shortly.

The Grassroots Music Venue Stabilisation Fund was announced on 10th July. The deadline for applications was the 3rd September and the assessment panel was due to meet on 18th September to consider the applications. Applicants will be notified of decisions on the 22nd September.

Funding for Historic Environment Scotland including the £5.9 million to secure committed grants to heritage organisations, and the National Trust for Scotland will deliver benefits across Scotland. It is not possible to provide specific allocations for each local authority area.

The £270,000 awarded to the New Lanark Trust to help secure the future of the New Lanark World Heritage Site is targeted funding within the South Lanarkshire Council local authority area.

The Scottish Government will consider issues relating to all travellers within its review.