This week at the Scottish Parliament: SNP leading the way tackling single-use plastics

by the SNP
Posted on
5 years ago
3 min read

SNP MSP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE PLASTIC PACKAGING

Gillian Martin MSP has launched a campaign to reduce plastic packaging in shops – taking the fight directly to the country’s major supermarkets.

The Aberdeenshire East MSP has now written to Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco – with Waitrose having already introduced a trial period to cut down throwaway packaging.

This SNP Government is leading the way in tackling single-use plastics – announcing earlier this year the introduction of a deposit return scheme for bottles and cans, a ban on plastic cotton buds and the phase out of non-recyclable plastics by 2030.

Gillian Martin said: “People often don’t have a choice but to buy supermarket produce that’s wrapped in unnecessary throwaway plastic. Across the globe plastics are choking up our seas and damaging our environment – we’re facing a climate emergency and it’s time for our biggest supermarkets to take serious action.”

 

LABOUR SAY ACTION TO SAVE SCOTTISH JOBS IS “BONKERS”

Richard Leonard has been asked to apologise to workers at the Fort William aluminium smelter, after Labour said that saving their jobs was “bonkers”.

The Scottish Government stepped in to support the sale of the aluminium smelter in 2016, saving the plant and protecting 150 jobs.

Despite the huge boost to the Highland economy, Labour peer and former UK minister Margaret Hodge made the jaw dropping comment and questioned whether saving the jobs made “any sense”.

The SNP makes no apologies for saving vital jobs, unlocking the potential of the Highlands, and giving confidence to employers that Scotland is a great place to do business.

It’s comments like these that explain exactly why people across Scotland have given up on the Labour Party, and why they’re polling in single figures.

 

UK GOVERNMENT MUST URGENTLY COMMIT TO CLIMATE CHANGE RECOMMENDATIONS

The SNP has called on Westminster to quit stalling and commit to playing its part on tackling climate change.

The Scottish Government immediately backed Committee on Climate Change recommendations to target net-zero emissions, however, the UK Government has yet to respond to the CCC’s advice.

The CCC warns that achieving this in Scotland is “contingent on the UK adopting a net-zero GHG target for 2050, given the importance of reserved UK policy levers alongside devolved action.”

Scotland continues to out-perform the UK in its low carbon transition and its Climate Change Bill, described as “exemplary” by UN experts, proposes the most ambitious statutory targets of any country in the world.

 

TORIES SILENT ON BIGGEST THREAT TO ECONOMY

The Scottish Tories failed to mention the “single biggest, overriding threat” to Scotland’s economy, ahead of a Holyrood debate.

On Tuesday, the party used their opposition business to debate the economy – but their motion for debate did not once mention Brexit.

The independent Scottish Fiscal Commission last week reduced its growth forecasts for 2019 and 2020 as a direct result of continuing Brexit uncertainty – with a No Deal worse than their current projections.

SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “The Tories have an absolute brass neck – calling a debate on the economy without once mentioning the single biggest, overriding threat to jobs and living standards. The biggest boost we can give the economy is to take the threat of a harmful Tory Brexit off the table.”

 

SNP MSP MARKS CHILD SAFETY WEEK

Clare Adamson MSP led a debate marking Child Safety Week – an annual campaign run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust to raise awareness of the risks of child accidents and how they can be prevented.

This year the charity is raising awareness that accidents are the main cause of childhood death in Scotland, responsible for two out of five child deaths.

Ms Adamson said: “I worry that there is an air of complacency when it comes to safety. People can use their common sense, but we frequently hear parents or carers saying they were unaware of the risks after tragedy has struck. Child Safety Week urges a pre-emptive approach.”