Lorna Slater's circular economy plans 'lack financial credibility and transparency'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Holyrood’s finance committee has warned Lorna Slater’s Circular Economy Bill lacks basic financial credibility in a stinging rebuke.

In a report ahead of next month’s Scottish Budget, MSPs said the Scottish Government legislation doesn’t contain accurate costs - failing to comply with parly rules around financial transparency.

It adds Circular Economy Minister Slater's estimates of income from fine payments for littering and fly tipping in the Bill are "unsatisfactory".The circular economy plans are aimed at improving Scotland’s recycling and reuse rates, with potential measures including a single-use coffee cup charge and a ban on the disposal of unsold goods.But the Scottish Government has been repeatedly criticised for vagueness over the cost of the proposals.

Ministers say this is just a “framework bill” and more details would come in subsequent secondary legislation.SNP finance committee convener Kenneth Gibson hit out: "Scrutiny of this Bill reinforces our concern that affordability does not appear to be a key factor in Scottish Government decision-making."The Minister, Lorna Slater MSP, has committed to consult on the cost of secondary legislation, but that should not replace an assessment of affordability at the point of a Bill’s introduction."Our committee is not convinced that this Bill’s financial memorandum meets the requirements set out in Parliament’s Standing Orders to provide best estimates of costs."Scottish Labour finance spokesman Michael Marra said: “This damning report further reveals how the SNP have made such an unholy mess of managing taxpayer’s money. “Parliament can have no confidence in the SNP ‘pick a figure out of thin air’ approach to budgeting.”It’s estimated that merely bringing all