Breaking: Deposit Return Scheme cannot go ahead ‘as currently planned’
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The Scottish Government’s hugely controversial Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) “cannot go ahead as currently planned,” according to the Green minister Lorna Slater who is responsible for the policy.
It is a massive blow for the SNP-Greens coalition as one of its centrepiece policies is now effectively to be redrawn from the bottom up after sparking huge criticism from businesses and politicians alike.
Ms Slater made the admission in response to a topical question from Conservative MSP Liam Kerr asking if the “Scottish Government whether it plans to commence its Deposit Return Scheme on 1 March 2024?”
She told him: “It is clear that Scotland's deposit returns scheme in the scope and form passed by this parliament cannot go ahead as currently planned.
“Over the last 10 days and right now we are urgently establishing to what extent there is a way forward for a modified scheme, its scope, terms and timescales.”
Criticism
The DRS has been beset by criticism almost from the first with the government and Ms Slater in particular singled out for scorn for rebuffing warnings from industry and forging ahead with plans many said would damage Scotland’s vital drinks trade.
The scheme fell foul of the UK government who granted exemptions to the Internal Market Act but stipulated that it would not allow glass to be included.
UK ministers subsequently rejected First Minister Humza Yousaf's call for them to rethink the decision to exclude glass, warning Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a letter that the scheme would be in "grave danger" without glass included.
Last week, the UK government approved a partial exemption to the Internal Market Act for the deposit scheme, but stipulated glass could not be part of it.
Alternative scheme
Speaking today in the Scottish Parliament Ms Slater confirmed: “Due to the eleventh hour, intervention by the UK government to change the parameters of Scotland’s deposit return scheme, both to remove glass from the scheme and to add significant uncertainty around essential parts of the scheme, for example, the 20 pence deposit and the costs to producers and fees for retailers, it is clear that Scotland's deposit returns scheme in the scope and form passed by this parliament cannot go ahead as currently planned.
“Over the last 10 days and right now we are urgently establishing to what extent there is a way forward for a modified scheme, its scope, terms and timescales that crucially depend on whether the UK government can provide timely, stable and reliable assurances on basic operational matters, such as trading standards, the 20 per cent deposit and producer fees.
“It also depends on to what extent there is industry support for an alternative scheme. I'm writing to the UK government today, to ask for an urgent discussion about these conditions. I will update Parliament at the earliest opportunity, with the outcome of these actions and what that means for Scotland's deposit return scheme.”
