So could this finally be the end for DRS?
Shambolic scheme on the brink as UK rejects Humza ‘ultimatum’
SCOTLAND’S beleaguered Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is heading for the scrapheap after UK ministers said they will refuse to bow to demands made by the SNP.
Humza Yousaf issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the weekend in a bid to rescue the controversial policy, which would see Scots shoppers pay a 20p deposit on every bottle and can to boost recycling rates.
UK ministers have agreed to exempt the scheme from Internal Market laws as long as glass is excluded in order to match similar plans due to be introduced in the rest of Britain.
But Nationalist ministers claim removing glass bottles may make their scheme unviable, prompting the First Minister to write to Mr Sunak on Saturday to demand a U-turn.
Mr Yousaf has given the Prime Minister until today to respond in what he described as being ‘effectively’ an ultimatum. But yesterday the Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, rejected the suggestion that Mr Sunak should back down.
Asked if the Prime Minister should overturn the block, Mr Jack said: ‘No. We’ve given an exclusion, there are four conditions in that exclusion which allow the schemes to work across the UK.’
He told the BBC: ‘You have to protect internal markets and not have disruption to the drinks industry.
‘French wine producers have told us they wouldn’t be
‘This is just more desperate spin’
relabelling just for Scotland for glass. It was too small a market so they would sell their wine elsewhere.’
Mr Yousaf’s letter claims the UK Government was putting the recycling plan in ‘grave danger’ and added: ‘The removal of glass threatens the viability of Scotland’s DRS. Removing glass will also have a significant impact on business.’
But Mr Jack said the UK position was backed by businesses, including brewery giant Tennent’s.
He added: ‘I haven’t had a single letter from a business supporting the scheme whereas I have had over 1,000 letters of concern.
‘And it’s those concerns we’ve taken into account as we believe the deposit charge should be reciprocated across the UK.’
Tory MSP Maurice Golden accused the First Minister of ‘desperate spin’ after Tennent’s’ parent company had to clarify its stance on DRS in the wake of a leaked letter used by the SNP leader to attack Westminster.
Quoting a section of the letter, Mr Yousaf wrote on Twitter: ‘Tory demands for glass to be removed not only undermine devolution but put Scottish businesses like Tennent’s at a competitive disadvantage.’ But the firm has now stated they back Westminster plans for a deposit scheme with uniform rules and standards throughout the UK.
The owner of the brewer said: ‘Regrettably, specific passages from this letter were leaked to the media misrepresenting C&C Tennent’s position on DRS.
‘C&C Group supports a UK wide scheme introduced at the same time across the four UK nations.’
Following the correction, Mr Golden said: ‘Tennent’s letter to the Scottish Secretary makes it clear SNP and Green ministers are misrepresenting businesses’ positions on the Deposit Return Scheme.
‘This is just more desperate spin from the Scottish government in an effort to shift the blame for their shambolic mishandling of the scheme.
Mr Yousaf said: ‘It’s clear Alister Jack and his colleagues are only focused on disrupting the scheme rather than working collaboratively to find an approach that works for Scottish business.’