Speaking following today's topical questions in the Scottish Parliament, Highlands and Islands MSP and Scottish Conservative Shadow Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise Jamie Halcro Johnston has demanded to Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater MSP that businesses are compensated after a 'shambles' of a DRS rollout that that leaves businesses 'at risk'.
Mr Halcro Johnston said: “Lorna Slater once again refused to answer any questions on her shambolic deposit scheme.
“The Green minister preferred to pass the buck and ramp up the constitutional grievance rhetoric, rather than give businesses and the public the answers they are crying out for.
“We know that businesses invested up to £300 million in good faith for this scheme, but that money is now at risk. It is at risk because the minister didn’t do the work necessary and refused to engage with businesses.
“Apparently it was only Lorna Slater who failed see that the rollout of the scheme had become a shambles.
“This performance was what we’ve come to expect from Lorna Slater. It was full of pre-scripted answers as well as completely ducking any responsibility over her role in the repeated delays, and any response to why she is point blank refusing to compensate Scottish businesses.
“Given all her mistakes, why should she still be the person to lead the scheme, when confidence among businesses in her abilities has hit rock bottom?”
