13th Report, 2005 (Session 2)

Stage 1 Report on the Environmental Levy on Plastic Bags (Scotland) Bill

CONTENTS

Volume 1 - Report

REMIT AND MEMBERSHIP

REPORT
Introduction
Evidence taken by the Committee
Part 1 – Summary of Evidence

Expected impact of the Bill

Introduction
Impacts – Environmental issues
Impacts – Consumers
Impacts – Business

a) Retailers and other businesses providing plastic bags
b) Businesses involved in manufacturing, importing and distributing bags

Impacts – Administration and enforcement of the levy by local authorities

Alternative approaches
Subordinate legislation
Policy Memorandum
Financial Memorandum

Part 2 - Conclusion

ANNEXE A: REPORTS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES
Report from the Subordinate Legislation Committee

ANNEXE B: EXTRACTS FROM THE MINUTES
28 June (20th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))
28 September (24th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))
5 October (25th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))
26 October (26th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))
2 November (27th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))
9 November (28th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))
16 November (29th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))
23 November (30th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))
30 November (31st Meeting, Session 2 (2005))

VOLUME 2 – EVIDENCE is published separately on the Committee’s web‑page and contains the following material:

ANNEXE C: ORAL EVIDENCE AND ASSOCIATED WRITTEN EVIDENCE

28 September (24th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))

Written Evidence

Friends of the Earth Scotland
SSPCA
Marine Conservation Society
Waste and Resources Action Programme
SEPA
Community Recycling Network for Scotland
Waste Aware Scotland

Oral Evidence

Duncan McLaren, Chief Executive, Friends of the Earth Scotland
Superintendent Mike Flynn, SSPCA
Andrea Crump, Litter Projects Co-ordinator, Marine Conservation Society
Ray Georgeson MBE, Director of Policy and Evaluation, Waste and Resources Action Programme
Allan Dryer, Senior Policy Officer, Life Cycle Assessment, SEPA
Iain Gulland, Network Director, Community Recycling Network for Scotland
Nicki Souter, Campaign Manager, Waste Aware Scotland

Supplementary Written Evidence

Waste and Resources Action Programme

5 October (25th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))

Written Evidence

B&Q plc
LIDL UK
Co-operative Group Ltd
Scottish Retail Consortium
Federation of Small Businesses
Association of Charity Shops
Scottish Consumer Council
Aberdeen City Council
Highland Council
Renfrewshire Council

Oral Evidence

Alan Forrest, Regional Manager, B&Q plc
Sarah Tew, Trading Law Manager, LIDL UK
Becky Toal, Environment Programme Manager, the Co-operative Group Ltd
Nigel Smith, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, British Retail Consortium
Niall Stuart, Press and Parliamentary Officer, Federation of Small Businesses
Lekha Klouda, Executive Secretary, Association of Charity Shops
Donna Heaney, Policy Manager, Scottish Consumer Council
Kathleen Fraser, Health Protection Policy Team Manager, Aberdeen City Council
Dr Colin Clark, Head of Waste Management, Highland Council
Gilbert Wilson, Head of Consumer Services, Renfrewshire Council

26 October (26th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))

Written Evidence

Carrier Bag Consortium
Mackinnon and Hay Ltd
British Polythene Industries plc
Simpac Ltd
Smith Anderson Packaging Ltd
Symphony Plastic Technologies plc
BioBags (Scotland) Ltd

Oral Evidence

Barry Turner, Chairman, Carrier Bag Consortium
Jim Pringle, Sales Manager, Mackinnon and Hay Ltd
John Langlands, Chief Executive, British Polythene Industries plc
Neil Young, Managing Director, Simpac Ltd
Michael Longstaffe, Managing Director, Smith Anderson Packaging Ltd
Michael Stephen, Legislative Affairs Adviser to the Board, Symphony Plastic Technologies plc
Karen Mackenzie, Director, BioBags (Scotland) Ltd

Supplementary Written Evidence

Simpac Ltd (1)
Simpac Ltd (2)
Simpac Ltd (3)
Simpac Ltd (4)
Simpac Ltd (5)
BioBags (Scotland) Ltd (1)
BioBags (Scotland) Ltd (2)
British Polythene Industries plc
Symphony Plastic Technologies plc

2 November (27th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))

Written Evidence

Office of the Revenue Commissioners
Musgrave Group
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Oral Evidence

John Medley, Assistant Principal Officer, Collector-General's Division, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Government of Ireland
John Curran, Group Environmental Executive, Musgrave Group, Cork
Sean O'Suilleabhain, Waste Prevention and Recovery Section, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Government of Ireland

9 November (28th Meeting, Session 2 (2005))

Written Evidence

Memorandum from the Scottish Executive
Supplementary evidence from the Scottish Executive
Regulatory Impact Assessment prepared by the Scottish Executive
Letter from Mike Pringle MSP on equalities issues

Oral Evidence

Ross Finnie MSP, Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Mike Pringle MSP, member in charge of the Bill
David Cullum, Non-Executive Bills Unit

Supplementary Written Evidence

Mike Pringle MSP

ANNEXE D: OTHER WRITTEN EVIDENCE

Adams, Jenny and David
Anderson, Donna
Argyll and Bute Council
Asda Stores Ltd
Baggit Ltd (1)
Baggit Ltd (2)
Baggit Ltd (3)
Baggit Ltd (4)
Baglady Productions (Shirley Lewis)
Bauer, Michael
Bell, Carol Anne
Binnie, Gillian
Birthdays
British Plastics Federation
Britton Group
Brown, Russell MP
Calcluth and Sangster Ltd
Campbell, Tracey
Chartered Institute of Waste Management
Chase Plastics Ltd
Clarke, Thomas
Clinton Cards plc
Cobbett, Luke
COSLA
Cromwell Polythene Ltd
Denney, Ewen
East of Scotland Contracts
Englander, Camilla
Erwin, Stephen
Europackaging plc
Fahey, Patricia
Finney, Charles Russell
FoodService Packaging Association
Forth Estuary Forum on behalf of the Local Coastal Partnerships Scotland (1)
Forth Estuary Forum on behalf of the Local Coastal Partnerships Scotland (2)
Frank Thomson (Crieff) Ltd
George E Morris and Co Packaging
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce
Glasgow Packaging and Print Ltd (Eileen McIndoe, Office Manager)
Glasgow Packaging and Print Ltd (Gordon J Mair, Director)
Glasgow Packaging and Print Ltd (Jim Campbell)
Glasgow Packaging and Print Ltd (Richard Keenan, Director)
Glasgow Packaging and Print Ltd (William Kinnaird)
Godhaven, Merrick
Greeting Card Group Ltd
Greggs plc
Gundry, Sarah
Hamilton, Dorothy
Hamilton, Frank D
Harradine, Richard
Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment
Jackson, Anthony
Keep Scotland Beautiful
KIMO
Laird, Richard
Little, Gail
Macintyre, Ian
Mackays Stores
MacnaMara, Eachan
Marshall Wilson Packaging Ltd
Mason, Justine
Mathiesons
Matthews, Kingsley
Maybole and District Business Association
McCubbin-Binnie, Elizabeth
McGinn, Gordon
McKechnie, James
McLellan, Stuart
Millar, Catherine
Millar, Sandra
Miller, Roseanne
Morris, Eric
Murdoch, J
Mutrie, Mary
National Federation of Retail Newsagents in Scotland
National Federation of Royal Mail and BT Pensioners (Ayrshire Branch)
Noble, Stewart
Packaging and Industrial Films Association
Packaging Federation
Paper Packaging Co-ordination Group
Proforma 1
Proforma 2
Ramblers’ Association
Robert Mackie and Co (Knitwear) Ltd
Scottish Chambers of Commerce
Scottish Environmental Services Association
Scottish Federation of Meat Traders’ Associations
Scottish Grocers’ Federation
Scottish Natural Heritage
Semple, Ailie
Simpac
Sinclair, Lynsey
Sloss, Mary
Speirs, Sandra
UK Bag Manufacturers’ Association
UK Compostable Packaging Group
University College Dublin
Valpak
Walkers Shortbread Ltd
Warters, M K
William Smith Shoes
Williamson, Suzanne

Remit and membership

Remit:

To consider and report on matters relating to rural development, environment and natural heritage, agriculture and fisheries and such other matters as fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Environment and Rural Development.

Membership:

Sarah Boyack (Convener)
Ted Brocklebank
Rob Gibson
Richard Lochhead
Maureen Macmillan
Mr Alasdair Morrison
Nora Radcliffe
Mr Mark Ruskell (Deputy Convener)
Elaine Smith

Committee Clerking Team:

Clerk to the Committee
Mark Brough

Senior Assistant Clerk
Katherine Wright

Assistant Clerk
Christine Lambourne