What incentives it proposes to introduce to encourage recycling by individuals and local authorities and what is the proposed financial exp…

The National Waste Strategy: Scotland, which we adopted in 1999, outlines the ways in which we intend to change the way waste is dealt with in Scotland. A basic principle of the strategy is that local solutions will be developed to deal with the problem of local waste. Eleven groups called Waste Strategy Areas have been set up to investigate the best practicable environmental option for dealing with waste in each area. Each group includes local authorities, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, waste industry representatives, local enterprise companies and other interested parties. The findings of these groups will be presented in Area Waste Plans.The Executive is committed to a more sustainable future for waste management in Scotland and, as Sarah Boyack explained in answer to question S1W-10588, has made available considerable resources for the implementation of Area Waste Plans by local authorities, including a Strategic Waste Fund of £3 million this year and £50.4 million over the three years 2001-02 to 2003-04. I expect that recycling will play a major role in the solutions identified in these plans.Sarah Boyack also announced in question S1W-10588 that we are contributing £2.1 million to the Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) over three years. WRAP will have a business focus and will concentrate initially on market facilitation, promoting investment in recycling, research and information management and the provision of guidance, advice and technical support. In addition, the Executive will continue to fund the Recycled Markets Development (ReMaDe) Scotland programme which takes a hands-on, local approach to identifying and developing markets for recycled materials.By tackling the barriers to recycling through WRAP and ReMaDe we aim to lay a sound foundation upon which we can improve Scotland's poor recycling record.