Deposit return Scheme
(Costs of Delay)
3. (Central Scotland)
(Con)
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated from its
budget to cover any additional costs resulting from the delay to
the Deposit return scheme.
(S6O-02174)
The Minister for Local
Government Empowerment and Planning ()
Scotland’s Deposit return scheme is an
industry-led scheme, in line with the principles of producer
responsibility. The investments that have been made by businesses
to date will be important for the success of the scheme when it
launches on 1 March 2024. Accordingly, the Scottish Government
has not allocated additional funding to cover industry costs due
to a delay.
A wide range of businesses have welcomed the delay of Scotland’s
DRS, and the Scottish Government, the Scottish Environmental
Protection Agency and Circularity Scotland are working intensely
so that we are ready for the launch in March next year. However,
that will only be achievable if the United Kingdom Government
urgently issues an exclusion for the scheme from the United
Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, giving businesses the certainty
that they deserve and need.
That is a concerning answer from the minister. The Federation of
Independent Retailers has called on the Scottish National Party
to compensate retailers who have already signed contracts for
reverse vending machines due to the recently announced delay.
What is the Government doing to support those who have entered
into expensive contracts for RVMs who now might not need to
provide RVMs as a result of the changes to the detail of the
scheme?
will be aware that the
contracts to which she referred are a matter for the contract
between Circularity Scotland and the producers. Members can be
assured that only the largest producers are making those
contributions. Retailers are now able to register, and smaller
retailers in particular are able to apply for an exemption.
However, many retailers are keen to be part of the scheme because
it will attract footfall to their stores.
If is concerned about
further delay, I ask her to urge her colleagues at Westminster to
ensure that the exclusion that we need to get the scheme up and
running is in place as quickly as possible.
Maurice Golden (North East
Scotland) (Con)
A multinational company with a dubious environmental record is
the sole logistics partner for the Deposit return scheme,
which should cause concern about the potential to distort
competition in the waste management sector. The final business
regulatory impact assessment—released in late 2021—does not look
at that, but we expect a new assessment to be released when the
regulations are amended. Will the new assessment examine the
logistics contract? If not, will the minister ask the Competition
and Markets Authority to do so?
It would be best if the minister who is responsible for the
scheme contacted about that matter; I will
ensure that she is aware of the member’s question.
