Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) increase the amount of plastic that is recycled, and (b) improve the UK’s recycling infrastructure.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy for England, published in December last year, sets out how we will reduce plastic pollution and preserve material resources by minimising waste, increasing recycling rates, promoting resource efficiency and moving towards a more circular economy. We have consulted on reforms to household and business recycling collections which are intended to improve the quantity and quality of materials collected for recycling, including plastic, and on proposals to make producers pay the full net cost for dealing with the packaging they put on the market at end-of-life, and on the potential introduction of a deposit return scheme. Her Majesty’s Treasury have also consulted on a world-leading tax on plastic packaging which does not contain at least 30% recycled material. These reforms should help reduce waste and increase the amount of packaging recycled.
Defra also supports the UK Plastics Pact, a unique collaboration launched by Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) that will create a circular economy for plastics. WRAP estimates these members are responsible for over 80% of the plastic packaging on products sold through UK supermarkets, and approximately 50% of the total plastic packaging placed on the UK market.
The Government is also acting to help ensure the right infrastructure is in place to deliver high quality secondary materials for recycling. It is investing around £3 billion of grant funding in waste infrastructure projects. These grants support infrastructure including material recovery, mechanical biological treatment and anaerobic digestion facilities, as well as implementation and expanding kerbside recycling services. It also recently announced £4.7 million of grant funding for recycling infrastructure projects that will help to recycle difficult plastic packaging and textile materials. Further grant opportunities around recycling will follow in due course.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to support (a) the removal of plastic waste and (b) increase plastic recycling internationally.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Department for International Development is supporting developing countries address problems around marine litter and has committed £39 million over the last year to tackle the problem of plastic pollution. We are supporting governments to consider what practical steps they can take to reduce the pollution of our oceans, such as restricting the use of plastic bags. We are starting to work with businesses and NGOs in Africa and Asia to trial new approaches to increase plastic recycling rates, thereby helping the environment while creating new jobs. This includes our work in Bangladesh where we will work with industry to increase the quality and volume of local plastic recycled and the percentage of locally recycled plastic used, particularly in garment manufacturing.
Through UK Aid Match, we are supporting the Tearfund plastics appeal (up to £3m) to set up recycling hubs across Pakistan. We are also investing in research to find ways in which manufacturing processes can help reduce plastic pollution.
In addition, the UK provides considerable funding to multilateral organisations who are working with countries to tackle this problem, including some major investments in waste management services.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what projects his Department supports in Bangladesh that remove plastic waste from (a) rivers and (b) the sea.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Department for International Development is committed to helping developing countries tackle the problem of marine plastic pollution. We developed the Tackling Waste and Plastic Pollution programme as part of wider UK Government efforts to address this. The programme provides up to £13 million, plus technical assistance and practical support to a number of Commonwealth countries to improve waste management, and to reduce marine plastic pollution. Bangladesh is one of the beneficiary countries. A pilot project is now being developed in Dhaka to understand what works to reduce and manage plastic waste in low income city contexts, including reducing the impact on rivers and oceans.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many private organisations have been found in breach of General Data Protection Regulations by the Information Commissioner's Office since May 2018.
Answered by Margot James
The Government takes the protection of personal data and the right to privacy extremely seriously.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the independent regulator for data protection in the UK and is responsible for regulating compliance with data protection legislation. The Information Commissioner has the power to serve fines on a data controller as a result of a data breach. Details of enforcement action, including fines, are published on the ICO website at www.ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish (a) a list of the public bodies and agencies who have been found in breach of the General Data Protection Regulations since they came into force in May 2018 and (b) details of any fines that may have been imposed by the Information Commissioner's Office as a result of any breaches.
Answered by Margot James
The Government takes the protection of personal data and the right to privacy extremely seriously.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the independent regulator for data protection in the UK and is responsible for regulating compliance with data protection legislation. The Information Commissioner has the power to serve fines on a data controller as a result of a data breach. Details of enforcement action, including fines, are published on the ICO website at www.ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if the Government will extend the temporary size limit for permitted development rights for domestic extensions beyond the planned end date of 30 May 2019.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 13 March 2018, HCWS1408, we will make permanent the time-limited right to build larger single storey rear extensions to dwellinghouses, and will introduce a proportionate fee.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve the process of applying for enforcement of debt payment and (b) support people having difficulties in recovering payments owed to them by debtors.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The civil courts in England and Wales already offer several different enforcement methods that a creditor may use to recover money or property owed on a court order or judgment. These are individually designed to address the differing financial circumstances of the debtor and collectively they aim to make it as difficult as possible for debtors to avoid their responsibilities.
As part of its Reform Programme, HM Courts and Tribunal Service will be reforming how court judgments and orders are enforced, which will include making the application process available online. The online enforcement service will provide improved guidance and information and will streamline the process making it simple and straight-forward for people to enforce an unpaid debt, providing users with regular and relevant updates about the progress of their case.
More widely, the Ministry of Justice is currently reviewing the implementation of the 2014 enforcement agent reforms introduced by the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. The overarching aim of the reforms was to ensure that debts could be collected effectively whilst offering protection against enforcement agents who used aggressive methods. We have recently concluded a Call for Evidence on the 2014 reforms, and will set out our response by the summer recess.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the potential costs to the public purse of holding elections for the European Parliament this year, in the event that the UK remains in the EU after 22 May 2019.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government has made it clear that the UK intends to leave the EU with a deal and not take part in the European Parliamentary Elections (EPE) in May.
The Cabinet Office has published a detailed report on the cost of the last European Parliamentary election which cost £108.7M. The publication and the accompanying data can be found at the following link (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/costs-of-the-2014-european-parliamentary-elections).
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an estimate of the potential costs of the UK's contributions to the EU budget in the event that the UK remains in the EU for a period of two years.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Government will bring forward proposals for a third meaningful vote as soon as possible and, if it is passed, an extension to 22 May will provide the time to pass the necessary legislation. If Parliament does not agree a deal this week, the EU has agreed to extend Article 50 until 12 April.
If Article 50 were to be extended for two years, as an EU Member State we would continue to have rights and obligations until exit.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to ensure an alignment of the (a) design and (b) implementation of deposit return schemes in England and Scotland.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government has confirmed that it will introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England, subject to consultation. The specific model, scope and scale of any scheme is being considered as part of this consultation, which is also being undertaken with the Welsh government and the Northern Ireland administration.
As waste and recycling policy is a devolved matter, the devolved administrations can decide policy separately. The Government is therefore unable to specify how a DRS in Scotland should be implemented, nor at this point are we considering specifically a pilot scheme. However, ministers and officials have met to discuss progress and recognise the benefits of a coherent system across the UK. DRS in England could form part of a coherent system across the UK and we will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations on this policy area.
The role of a Deposit Management Organisation in managing the operation of a DRS, including being responsible for the maintenance of Reverse Vending Machines, is currently being considered as part of our consultation. We will consider alternative approaches as part of our analysis of the consultation responses.