Part of Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 22 May 2024.
Gillian Martin
Scottish National Party
I thank Ms Haughey for pointing that out. She is right—the figure is 62.3 per cent—but there is an awful lot more that we can do. Progress has been made on household recycling, which is why the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill and draft circular economy and waste route map set out further measures to improve and modernise local recycling. That includes working in collaboration with local authorities and households to design new statutory standards for recycling, to create a more consistent and easy-to-use service across Scotland. The bill will help us to achieve our ambitions for a circular economy and drive up reuse and recycling rates. I am willing to work with any member across the chamber on how we can make that more robust.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
