Sturgeon vows to press on with ‘sensible’ deposit return scheme

Nicola Sturgeon has vowed to press ahead with the Scottish Government’s “sensible” deposit return scheme – despite opposition pleas for her to listen to businesses and pause it.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said firms who have voiced concern about the scheme are being “ignored”, while Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton insisted its introduction in August could be a “moment of real jeopardy”.

The opposition leaders challenged Ms Sturgeon on the issue during a session of First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament which was interrupted by environmental protesters.

Mr Ross, who had been speaking at the time the activists staged their protest, was heard to swear as business in Holyrood’s chamber was suspended – and he later apologised for his “industrial language”.

He asked Ms Sturgeon about the number of businesses that have failed to sign up to take part in deposit return, before urging the First Minister to halt the initiative.

He said: “Even at this late stage, will you finally, just once, listen to Scottish businesses and pause this scheme?

“Businesses are giving this Government a very clear message, loud and clear. Their deposit return scheme is a complete disaster.”

Companies must sign up to the scheme if they want to continue selling their products in Scotland after it comes into force – with 664 having done so by the end of February deadline.

Ms Sturgeon told MSPs that while it was originally estimated as many as 4,500 companies may be required to register, factors such as group registrations could reduce that to “below 2,000”.

Firms producing more than 90% of the drinks on the market are now registered, the First Minister added, saying this is the “most relevant statistic”.

She insisted: “We will continue to progress the scheme, it is for the benefit of our environment and we will do that responsibly because that is what people across Scotland have a right to expect.”

The First Minister went on to accuse the Tories of “sheer opportunism” with their calls for the scheme to be halted.

Recalling that the Covid pandemic had already seen the scheme’s introduction pushed back, she said the Conservatives were “amongst the first to criticise” that delay, as she accused Mr Ross and his party of “knee-jerk opposition”.

She urged MSPs to “not lose the central point here”, as she highlighted the environmental reasons behind the scheme’s introduction.

Ms Sturgeon said deposit return will “reduce littering by a third, increase recycling rates of single-use drinks containers towards 90%, reduce CO2 emissions by four million tonnes over 25 years – that’s the equivalent to taking 83,000 cars off the road”.

She told Mr Ross: “This is about the environment, it used to be the case that the Conservatives pretended to care about the environment but it seems those days are long gone.”

Mr Cole-Hamilton also sounded a warning about the scheme and called for it to be paused.

He told Ms Sturgeon, who is stepping down as first minister: “This is a moment of real jeopardy. It can’t wait for the next first minister because irreversible business decisions are being made right now.

“Nicola Sturgeon calls it opportunism. I call it scrutiny backed up by an avalanche of industrial concerns.”

But Ms Sturgeon declared: “This Government and I, for as long as I am First Minister, will continue to work to introduce sensible schemes that protect the interests of business but also protect our environment.

“We are in no way unprecedented in introducing a deposit return scheme, similar schemes are already operational in many countries and territories around the world.

“We will continue to be responsible, liaising, engaging with business but taking steps that are about protecting our environment and making sure the cost of dealing with waste, which has to be met, is dealt with fairly, that is what this is all about.”