Lorna Slater defends DRS company making £57m a year on unreturned containers

Tory MSP Brian Whittle asked what the Scottish government what its response is to reports that Circularity Scotland expects to make £57 million a year by the public failing to return containers, and that this is part of the company's business model.
Lorna Slater's said: 'Any unredeemed deposits, from Scotland'd deposit return scheme, will be be reinvested into keeping the costs of running the scheme as low as possible.'
Mr Whittle said cash from this could make up between 32% and 43% of the company’s revenue, as he called on the Scottish Government to pause the “badly designed, potentially disastrous mess”.
The company set up to run Scotland’s deposit return scheme (DRS) will keep any funds raised when shoppers fail to return empty cans and drinks bottles.
Circular economy minister Lorna Slater was challenged over claims that shoppers failing to bring their empty containers back for recycling could net Circularity Scotland some £57 million a year.
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[@Alannelson1000]

I think every one, apart from the minister, can see that this scheme is going to fall flat on its face, it will however, be the fault of the English Tories.

[@aldojano5347]

Can anyone in the SNP front bench speak freely without notes? She is clearly demonstrating her own lack of knowledge on the subject matter?

[@margaretwyatt6689]

No all brainless

[@charlestaylor9424]

Sturgeon expects her to be word perfect.

[@frankcouper9377]

There's something hugely unlikeable about the Canadian Clydesdale.

[@jamesmoyes5685]

Get her oot

[@jamesfindlay7186]

SLATER GIVES EVERY ANSWER EXCEPT TO THE QUESTION ASKED

[@vincescotian8083]

Still got that 'Dry Skin' issue with the keyboard.....

[@jamesfindlay7186]

@@vincescotian8083 BEING A PIANIST MY FINGERS ARE AS SUPPLE AS OLGA KORBUTS LEGS

[@scotmacc]

Another money-grubbing SNP/Green gravy train.

[@margaretwyatt6689]

Just like he boss

[@porlockporlock8179]

She always appears to be intellectually challenged.

[@northnsouth6813]

Can you imagine the outcry from the SNP if this was introduced by Westminster?

[@martindornan1667]

The Westminster Tories are reported to be introducing a deposit return scheme for England in 2025. Unlike the vast majority of the 46 countries including Scotland the English deposit return scheme will not collect glass containers.

[@vtechead1]

With most of the money going abroad. Biffs is owned by Energy Capital Partners in the US. Money will not be staying in Scotland. Not for profit ? Aye right.

[@margaretwyatt6689]

It will be for her profits

[@williamcoulter5462]

She reads from a pre prepared script and does not answer the questions because it is not in her script, more taxing of the Scottish working classes and on the old and infirm who cannot afford to return their containers.

[@graememackay1152]

How on earth can you force people to bring back bottles etc. Is someone with no car going to spend £3 or £4 on bus fares to return bottles to make their £3 or £4 back? Or when fuel is expensive as it is, is it worthwhile returning bottles if you do have a car?

[@willmarshall9375]

And she is the green party, oh the irony.

[@porlockporlock8179]

You echo my thoughts exactly.

[@martindornan1667]

AG barr had a bottle return scheme in Scotland for years the deposit was 30 pence per bottle it only ended in 2015. It's quite simple you take the empty bottles back when you do your next shopping and collect the 20 pence per bottle back.

[@ericboxer3053]

No it's huge hassle

[@user-ey6rz3fv5y]

The greens are going to make small businesses out of business

[@margaretwyatt6689]

That is their aim they do not like Companies don't want anyone to work to put into the economy Just get rid of the lot of them

[@mkeith152]

This system is a monopoly if you don't sign up for it you can't sell your products in Scotland and the company can charge anything they like

[@GRS1903]

Poorer will get poorer,,

[@theolderigetthewrongbitget4746]

These people are not there to help the poor.

[@sic5846]

She said it herself, the big companies she listed were helping design it to work for them........ no mention of the thousands of small businesses.

[@margaretwyatt6689]

Not do anything for the Scottish economy

[@andrewdalziel4006]

Lorna Slater is a perfect example of someone promoted way beyond her abilities. Her and her mate Harvey should never be anywhere near power.

[@margaretwyatt6689]

We all know that hopefully won't be for me uch longer only in it for there selves

[@iaindw1]

Lorna Slater is a robot

[@aldojano5347]

Why are the 3 candidates talking about the scheme not being ready but Slater is charging in regardless? Screaming out for the suppliers to fund the litter collection ie. Reducing jobs in the cleaning sector in Scotland….

[@janecooke9151]

Not for profit but yet expecting to profit by £57 million per year on non returned items. So where is this £57 million going?

[@scottishno5]

The owners of the company most likely, there's no incentive to put that money back into public coffers

[@janecooke9151]

@@scottishno5 personally I think it will find its way back into the coffers, just another stealth tax to given away as “FREEBEE’s” 😡

[@margaretwyatt6689]

In their and her pockets

[@BillyBobDingo1971]

Boot.

[@Wrtp.]

🐄😜

[@paultweedley2026]

Why do we have a Canadian green telling us we need to pay more for our bottled goods in Scotland than our English cousins? During hard cost of living times this is atrocious 🤬💩

[@robertpaisley8643]

She isn't living in the real world this will fail ..feel sorry for others who will struggle with this disaster!!!!!

[@nigelhughes2947]

We have a not for profit in Wales , a monopoly for water and sewage in all of Wales , to date the worst polluter in the UK on pristine beaches . The consumer will find yet again they will be funding Circularity .

[@jamesmoyes5685]

The traffic warden talks

[@robertdoyle687]

Please pack your rucksack and continue your GAP year somewhere else 🤗

[@mc-ec3bu]

She is not very good is she? but as good as the snp ever get's.

[@simonjones2240]

Why is it that 40 years ago we had a perfectly functional deposit system on bottles, and yet it's beyond the capabilities of a national government today?

[@johnmclean1046]

Reinvested? So that means any money made ( but not for profit ) will be plowed back into this private company BUT just imagine the top fat cat says “ oh look in ?????????? ( a different country ) the top fat cat in that country gets 50% more than me, so they need to reinvest the money to keep up to date. No profits dished out but simply reinvested. Simples.

[@GBR4ME]

defends DRS company making £57m a year on unreturned containers? REALLY? Well, let's have a look at HER personal and immediate family accounting, then.

[@robertwillis4061]

Time to call it to a halt.

[@lapua2432]

Definitely being set up to fail. Answers on a post card who will pay for it. Absolutely disgraceful retort with no information, just tell us that it's another form of taxation under another guise. Ministers should ask to see an impact assessment though this automaton would just answer in one of her five prewritten statements.

[@DanielDare100]

Slater = Brains of a rocking horse

[@porlockporlock8179]

And a face like a horse. She is running in the 2.30 at Ayr, tomorrow.

[@DanielDare100]

@@porlockporlock8179 😄😄😄

[@graemehamilton1922]

Same as her boat race!

[@stewartross1233]

The money should go to charity! £57m , non-profit organisation? How does that work? So it takes say £2m a year to run the scheme, where does the other £55m go!

[@patricktracey7424]

she would be better and the scheme more efficient getting kids to return ginger bottles and containers getting cash for doing so.

[@kenmatthews1797]

Clown Clown Clown Clown

[@charlestaylor9424]

Who are the shareholders?

[@simonjones2240]

Why does it look like even she doesn't believe the crap script she is following?

[@devo4272]

Can we send her back to Canada please?

[@robertwillis4061]

Is she linked to the company in any way?

[@robertdownie879]

This is not about recycling this is all about making money for biffa dose she have shares in this company. That is a question that should be asked .

[@charleslouden6600]

Its just another tax.

[@kenmatthews1797]

Is this Donald Trumps sister

[@hallneville1376]

perhaps a parrot would be better placed and better qualified to answer these questions