Hansard

I thank Maurice Golden for the opportunity to again discuss the draft Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Amendment Regulations 2025. DRS forms part of the Scottish Government’s response to the global climate emergency and brings environmental and economic benefits. I think that the member recognises the importance of that, as do 57 other countries that have a deposit return scheme.

The amendments that are proposed follow intervention from the former UK Government with respect to Scotland’s DRS. That was originally contrary to the wishes of this Parliament.

Some of the criticisms and concerns that the member has levelled could equally be placed at the door of the UK Government’s DRS. That was the policy of his own party. The scheme has now been introduced by the current Labour Government.

However, it is important to hear his questions about the examination of the details of the scheme, which will come from the establishment of the approval that is in the regulations in the order. That will be the responsibility of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.

In relation to the point by Fergus Ewing, I refer him to the Official Report. He made an accusation that I said something about the company that I do not think is accurate. I said:

“UK DMO Ltd is a private company made up of member organisations from across industry.”

I am sure that it will be paying attention to the debate and will have heard what he said. I think that it is, therefore, unfair to accuse me of something that I did not say.

People have concerns about lack of certainty and say that there are too many unknowns, and Conservative members are saying that they cannot support the amendments because of that, I assume, but that is a fundamental misunderstanding of how the scheme should work. DRS is, and always has been, industry-led. Therefore, the scheme administration is responsible for its operational design and delivery. That has long been the preference of industry and Douglas Lumsden’s own party at UK level, and it is what the regulations achieve.

Once the DRS scheme administrator is formally designated, it is responsible for implementing DRS on behalf of industry. The scheme administrator must provide the details that the member seeks in its operational plan by March 2026, and it has written to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee to set out how it will do so.

Some of the other issues mentioned are those that the committee will examine. The changes that are being considered today largely impact on how DRS will interact with other schemes across the UK, not on the fundamental design of the scheme, which was subject to extensive consultation and scrutiny by the Parliament. Indeed, I recall doing so when I was deputy convener of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.

We have worked closely with industry on those changes, as well as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland. Regulations also require the scheme administrator to consult on its operational decisions. Once again, it has written to the committee to underline its commitment to do so.

Changes were implemented in 2023, and I am sure that the cabinet secretary will be available to answer any other questions that might not be addressed at this time. Those were necessary changes to the legislative framework for DRS in Scotland, in line with the feedback that we have received from industry, to ensure that the schemes in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland can launch jointly on 1 October 2027.

I urge the chamber to approve the SSI.