The Single Use Carrier Bags Charge (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021: equality impact assessment

Footnotes

1. SUCB (Scotland) Regulations 2014

2. Carrier Bag Charge ‘One Year On’ 

3. Single-use plastic carrier bags charge: data in England for 2017 to 2018’

4. The Sale and Use of Carrier Bags in Wales

5. Total number of responses = 306. A total of 229 responses were from individuals (88% agreed with the proposal to increase the charge) and a total of 77 responses were from organisations (64% agreed with the proposal to increase the charge).

6. Single use carrier bags: extending and increasing the charge - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

7. UN Sustainable Development Goals

8. Directive (EU) 2015/720 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 amending Directive 94/62/EC as regards reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags.

9. EU Circular Economy package

10. A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy

11. 11 Single-use plastic carrier bags charge data for England - data.gov.uk

12. RSPB Scotland Consultation Response: Safeguarding Scotland’s Resources

13. Scottish Household Study 2016

14. Scotland's Litter Problem

15. Plastic bag tax - to be increased and extended say reports 

16. Marine Conservation Society (2020): Beachwatch dataset 

17. Scottish Household Survey 2016

18. Circular Economy Consultation Analysis

19. The questions were: (i) Do you agree with the proposal to increase the minimum charge on single-use carrier bags from 5p to 10p? (306 respondents (77 organisations and 229 individuals); and (ii) Do you agree that the initial 5p minimum charge on single-use carrier bags has had a positive impact on the environment? (305 respondents (80 organisations and 225 individuals)

20. The question was: Taking into account the accompanying Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA), are there any additional likely impacts the proposals contained in this consultation may have on particular groups of people, with reference to the ‘protected characteristics’ listed above? (230 respondents - 75 organisations and 155 individuals)

21. Post-implementation Review of the SUBC Charge in Wales - 2016

22. Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme

23. Scotland’s consultation on introducing market restrictions on single use plastic items

24. UK-wide reform of packaging EPR

25. UK-wide plastics tax

26. Refer to Definitions of Protected Characteristics document for information on the characteristics

27. In respect of this protected characteristic, a body subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty (which includes Scottish Government) only needs to comply with the first need of the duty (to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010) and only in relation to work.  This is because the parts of the Act covering services and public functions, premises, education etc. do not apply to that protected characteristic.  Equality impact assessment within the Scottish Government does not require assessment against the protected characteristic of Marriage and Civil Partnership unless the policy or practice relates to work, for example HR policies and practices.

28. See EQIA – Setting the Scene for further information on the legislation.