Deposit return scheme for Scotland: accompanying statement

Overview of Scrutiny Undertaken By The Scottish Parliament's Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

24. The ECCLR Committee undertook an extensive programme of evidence-gathering and scrutiny of the Regulations during the pre-laying period.

25. The Committee issued a call for written evidence on 17 September 2019 with a deadline for response of 15 October 2019. The call for evidence invited views on ten areas and provided an opportunity for respondents to highlight additional issues. 69 written submissions were received.

26. The Committee supplemented those submissions with a series of oral evidence sessions involving:

• Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform
• Scottish Government officials
• Bodies representing retailers
• Packaging manufacturers
• Drinks producers
• Waste management organisations
• Non-Governmental Organisations and the third sector
• Wholesale organisations
• Local authorities

27. The Committee published a report detailing this evidence and their conclusions on 10 December 2019. The report highlighted the broad support which exists for the principle of introducing a DRS in the context of the need to transition to a circular economy and respond to the global climate emergency. At the same time, it recommended a number of areas where the Regulations should be revisited and these points are addressed as part of this analysis. Finally, the Committee requested further information on a number of aspects of the scheme and its anticipated impacts. Those requests are being addressed separately and so are not covered by this report.

28. During the pre-laying period, the Regulations were also the subject of scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament's Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, with no substantive issues being raised.