A parliamentary vote will be held on the future of Lorna Slater after the Scottish Conservatives tabled a motion of no confidence in the circular economy minister.
Shadow net zero secretary Liam Kerr penned the motion in light of the Green MSP’s “shambolic” handling of the Deposit Return Scheme, which has left businesses hundreds of millions of pounds out of pocket, and the company set up to implement it, Circularity Scotland, on the brink of collapse.
Because all of Liam Kerr’s Scottish Conservative colleagues have signed the motion, it has passed the threshold of 25 signatories required to trigger a vote under the Scottish Parliament’s standing orders.
It is expected that the vote of no confidence will be held either this week or before parliament breaks for recess next week.
Scottish Conservative shadow secretary for net zero, energy and transport Liam Kerr MSP said: “We feel we have no option but to bring this motion forward, because Lorna Slater has demonstrated that she is out of her depth as a minister.
“I don’t say this lightly, but I struggle to think of a minister who has struggled so much in their brief in the seven years I’ve been in the Scottish Parliament.
“Her handling of the Deposit Return Scheme has been shambolic from day one, with her refusal to engage with business or heed their warnings that her plans were unworkable.
“She knew for years that an exemption from the UK Internal Market Act was required, yet only applied for it at the 11th hour.
“Then, when the UK Government sought to work with her to help create a viable scheme, she resorted to anger, division and blame, rather than the constructive, collaborative approach that could have yielded a working scheme.
“Even then, the scheme administrator that the minister set up, Circularity Scotland, insisted DRS was very much viable with glass excluded, yet she chose a further postponement, without apparently taking legal advice and, it seems, consigning CS, and its workforce, to financial collapse.
“Businesses have forked out hundreds of millions of pounds on a scheme that’s now entirely up in the air – for which they deserve compensation.
“Then there’s Lorna Slater’s inability to answer simple questions in the chamber to ensure parliament is fully informed about a scheme that we all want to see successfully implemented.
“Given that and so many other errors of judgement, such as her high-handed decision to take a private boat to Rum – rather than use the substandard CalMac ferry service betrayed islanders are lumbered with thanks to her government – her position is untenable.
“The First Minister has stated that he does not agree and has full confidence in Lorna Slater. But I call on all MSPs of all parties to get behind this motion.”
Notes
Liam Kerr’s motion of no confidence can be seen here: S6M-09607 | Scottish Parliament Website