C&C Group objections to Deposit Return Scheme: EIR release

Information requested

1. The date when the Scottish Government received the letter from C&C Group (as reported in the media on 31 May 2023) that outlined the group’s objections to the Deposit Return Scheme.
2. The name of the person and/or job title who first released the content of the letter to any media outlet or otherwise put it into public domain and what elements of the letter were given to the media/put in the public domain.
3. Whether the Scottish Government had permission from C&C Group to release the letter into the public domain.
4. All correspondence between C&C Group and the Scottish Government regarding this letter. Please limit this correspondence to between 29 May 2023 and the present date.

Response

Question 1: 

The Scottish Government received a copy of the letter referred to in your request from C&C Group on the 29 May 2023.

Question 2:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested as we have not shared the letter or its content with any media outlets or otherwise put this in the public domain. Therefore, this is a formal notice under Regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs confirming that the Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The letter from C&C Group dated 29 May 2023 was sent to the First Minister and copied to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity alongside Edward Moutain MSP, Fiona Hyslop MSP, Jackie Dunbar MSP, Liam Kerr MSP, Monica Lennon MSP, Ash Regan MSP, Mark Ruskell MSP, Sarah Boyack MSP, Bob Doris MSP and Brian Whittle MSP. The Scottish Government then received a media query from an external source which included a copy of the letter asking for comment of which we provided the following response:

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said:

“We have been in detailed conversations with producers, retailers and the hospitality sector since the UK Government’s 11th hour decision last Friday. This letter shows the recklessness of the UK Government's refusal to allow Scotland to include glass in our deposit return scheme.

Including plastic, metal and glass is best for the environment and maximises the economic benefits, too. Being forced by the UK Government to remove glass from our scheme risks significant knock-on effects for businesses, not least for those like Tennent’s that are largely can-based.”

There is still time for the UK Government to reverse its last-minute decision and enable Scotland to go ahead with the scheme that our parliament voted for – including glass.”

Question 3:

The Scottish Government did not share, nor release, the letter from C&C Group and handles correspondence in line with the privacy notice outlined on the Scottish Government website which can be found here.

Question 4:

I have included copies of the information you have requested in Annex B.

On reviewing materials within the scope of your request, an exception has been applied in line with the EIRs. The exception applied can be found in Annex A.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

202300360130 - Annex A

File type

1 page PDF

File size

62.6 kB

202300360130 - Annex B

File type

3 page PDF

File size

160.5 kB