A Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland - Report to Parliament on Consultation Responses

Background

The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 (the Act) requires Scottish Ministers to prepare a Circular Economy Strategy. The Circular Economy and Waste Route Map included a commitment to publish the first strategy in 2026; section 3(2) of the Act requires that the strategy must be published and laid before the Scottish Parliament by the end of the period of 2 years beginning with the day that section 3(1) came into force, that is by 1 August 2027.

Section 2 of the Act requires that:

In preparing the circular economy strategy, the Scottish Ministers must publish a draft strategy and consult—

(a) such persons as they consider may have an interest in the strategy, including public sector, private sector, charitable and international organisations,

(b) such other persons as they consider appropriate, and

(c) the general public.

Section 3(3) of the Act requires that Scottish Ministers:

As soon as practicable after complying with subsection 3(1) (publication and laying of strategy), the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) publish a report setting out—

(i) the consultation process undertaken in order to comply with section 2, and

(ii) the ways in which, in preparing the circular economy strategy, the Scottish Ministers have taken account of views expressed in the course of that process, and

(b) lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament.

This report meets the requirements of section 3(3) of the Act.