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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6O-04651

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the justice secretary has had with the Lord Advocate regarding the costs of defending unsuccessful legal cases in the Supreme Court.

Question reference: S6W-36668

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the operation of temporary traffic regulation orders.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the system of Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTROs) remains effective and responsive to the needs of local communities and road users. A review of the TRO process was undertaken by Transport Scotland in 2021. While there are no immediate plans to undertake a formal review of the entire TTRO system, we continue to engage with local authorities and stakeholders to monitor its effectiveness.

Question reference: S6W-36666

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the operation of traffic regulation orders.

The Scottish Government reviewed the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process in 2021, working with key stakeholders. The review concluded that, while the process is generally effective, improvements could be made, particularly in relation to Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) and Redetermination Orders.

In response, legislative changes were introduced to streamline ETROs and clarify the use of Redetermination Orders. Transport Scotland is also considering further work, including the digitisation of TROs, to support greater accessibility and efficiency.

There are no current plans for a further formal review, but we continue to monitor feedback from local authorities and stakeholders to assess whether additional changes are needed.

Question reference: S6W-36667

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the system of temporary traffic regulation orders.

Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTROs) formed part of the general TRO process review that was carried out in 2021. This review indicated that local authorities were content with the TTRO process already in place.

However, Transport Scotland continues to monitor the feedback from local authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that the system remains responsive and meets the needs of communities and road users.

Question reference: S6W-36665

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the system of traffic regulation orders.

The Scottish Government reviewed the effectiveness of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process in 2021, engaging with key stakeholders including all local authorities. The review found that, overall, local authorities were satisfied with the system but highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in relation to Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) and Redetermination Orders.

As a result of this assessment, legislative changes were introduced to streamline ETROs, enabling implementation with 7 days’ notice and a 6-month consultation period. Guidance was also issued to clarify that Redetermination Orders may not be required where a TRO sufficiently regulates access.

In addition, Transport Scotland is considering further work to support the digitisation of TROs, with a view to improving accessibility and administrative efficiency.

Question reference: S6O-04582

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the implementation of its Green Industrial Strategy, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the introduction of extended producer responsibility.

Question reference: S6W-36506

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the extended producer responsibility scheme, how it will support brewers in Scotland who are unable to invest in different packaging materials and could face closure as a result.

Extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR) fees are intended to incentivise producers to use less packaging and ensure packaging they do use is environmentally sustainable. It also ensures that producers take full responsibility for the environmental impacts of the packaging they place on the market, transferring these costs away from taxpayers.

Producers with an annual turnover less than £2m and 50 tonnes of packaging supplied are exempt from pEPR payments, but are required to report packaging data. This exempts approximately 70% of the UK's smaller producers from paying scheme fees.

Packaging within the scope of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (cans and PET plastic) is exempt from packaging EPR. The use of reusable/refillable packaging such as beer kegs or reusable bottles is also encouraged under pEPR, as producers are only required to report and pay disposal cost fees for household packaging the first time it is placed on the market, and can then offset these fees when they recycle this packaging at the end of its life, thereby avoiding the vast majority of pEPR fees.

Question reference: S6W-36509

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Defra Extended Producer Responsibility Impact Assessment, what its position is on whether the cost of implementing extended producer responsibility for brewers and producers should be passed onto consumers.

Extended producer responsibility for packaging ensures that producers take full responsibility for the environmental impacts of the packaging they place on the market. Existing costs for the management of packaging waste are transferred from taxpayers to producers.

The Scottish Government has considered the impact on businesses through the publication of a Full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA)

Question reference: S6W-36511

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the implementation of the extended producer responsibility scheme in Scotland.

Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging is a four nations policy. The Scottish Government has worked closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the other UK nations to jointly develop and implement the extended producer responsibility for packaging scheme.

Once established Scottish Ministers and Government senior officials will hold seats on governance boards which will make up the governance for PackUK (the scheme administrator). This includes a Four Nation Ministerial Steering Board and an Executive Committee.

Question reference: S6W-36498

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will take to ensure transparency in how extended producer responsibility scheme funding is allocated to local authorities.

PackUK is the scheme administrator for extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR), operating on behalf of the four nations. PackUK is responsible for calculating and distributing local authority payments.

The requirements that PackUK must consider when assessing funding to local authorities are set out in the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024.

In November 2024 indicative payments were shared with local authorities, along with guidance to help local authorities understand how payments have been calculated and allocated. PackUK has also engaged with local authorities through online forums and gathering stakeholder feedback to ensure accuracy of payments. Scottish Local Authorities have been indicatively allocated a total of £160m in 2025-26, out of a total of £1.4bn in pEPR funding across the UK.

Scottish Government officials have continued to work closely with COSLA throughout the development and implementation of pEPR.