Scottish Labour has today called for Minister for Green Skills,
Circular Economy and Biodiversity to resign as chaos mounts
around the Deposit Return Scheme.
The Scottish Government’s flagship recycling scheme has come
under fire on a number of unresolved issues, including the
potential damage to small businesses, cross-border difficulties,
and its effect on existing recycling facilities.
Last week during a Parliamentary debate Labour called for a delay
in the scheme for small producers - but this was voted down by
Green SNPs MSPs. Days later announced it was now being
“actively considered”.
The most recent blow to the scheme came when Scottish Secretary
confirmed that the UK Government has “not been asked for an
exemption for this under the rules of the UK Internal Market Act
2020 by the Scottish Government”, despite writing to MSPs on 9 February
claiming , “the formal process for excluding the deposit return
scheme regulations from the Internal Market Act is well
underway”.
With hours to go before the deadline for businesses to register
for the scheme, was unable to confirm what
would happen to businesses that fail to sign up by midnight but
seek to opt-in at a later stage.
Commenting, Scottish Labour Net Zero spokesperson said:
“We desperately need action to boost recycling rates in Scotland
and to get our ambitions on net zero back on track, but this
farce has delivered nothing but chaos and confusion and has put
Scottish small businesses at risk.
"Across the world successful Deposit Return Schemes have been
implemented, yet this SNP-Green government have stubbornly
ignored warning after warning about their scheme and now it is in
jeopardy.
“Lorna Slater has completely lost the confidence of Scotland's
small businesses and has now lost control of this scheme after
failing to do the basics to make it work.
“If we are going to stand a chance of fixing this mess, she must
stand aside.
“If this incompetent Government can’t even get a Deposit Return
Scheme right, what chance to do they have to deliver our wider
net zero targets.”
ENDS
Notes
On 9 February claimed “The formal process
for excluding the deposit return scheme regulations from the
Internal Market Act is well underway.”
https://www.gov.scot/publications/deposit-return-scheme-letter-to-msps-9-february-2023/
On 22 February the UK government stated: “We have not been asked
for an exemption for this under the rules of the UK Internal
Market Act 2020 by the Scottish Government—no request for an
exemption has come.”
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-02-22/debates/E9F4FB52-6A12-4963-95F0-546103A897AA/Scotland%E2%80%99SEconomy?highlight=uk%20internal%20market%20act%20exemption#contribution-318CB5BA-ED2D-442B-9288-98658D6ED196
