Environment Bill

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Committee stage
Monday 5th July 2021 Lords Chamber

In summary, I would like to reiterate our commitment to a deposit return scheme for drink containers as soon as possible—in a way which improves our resource efficiency, tackles litter and brings businesses with us—and to reiterate our ability to bring forward more schemes in the future as well. I hope that noble Lords are reassured. We have tried to find a sensible balance in driving ambition and pace, while recognising that businesses need a sensible lead-in time. I therefore respectfully ask the noble Baroness to withdraw her amendment.

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Baroness Pitkeathley) (Lab)]

My Lords, I have received requests to speak after the Minister, from the noble Lords, Lord Berkeley and Lord Marlesford.

[Lord Berkeley (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, I am grateful to be allowed to intervene—briefly, I was withdrawn from speaking in this group—and I would like to support what the noble Viscount, Lord Trenchard, has said about the concerns of small breweries. I was to some extent heartened by the Minister’s response that there is provision for making special arrangements in the regulations, but I would just like to ask him whether he recalls, five or 10 years ago, the rather serious activities of the major brewers in kicking out and treating badly many small pub landlords, which ended up with a lot of fuss. In the end, a Pubs Code Adjudicator was appointed to try to protect the independent landlords and, to some extent, the beers that they supplied. We have to remember that the big brewers are not charities. It is really important for the growth of the industry and the variety that the new brewers provide that there is a real, solid protection for the small brewers when it comes to the deposit return schemes. I hope that the Minister can confirm that.

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Clauses 57 to 60 agreed.

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Baroness Pitkeathley) (Lab)]

We now come to the group beginning with Amendment 148A. Anyone wishing to press this or anything else in this group to a Division must make that clear in debate.

Clause 61: Transfrontier shipments of waste

Amendment 148A

Moved by

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Clause 62 agreed.

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Baroness Pitkeathley) (Lab)]

We now come to the group beginning with Amendment 149. Anyone wishing to press this or anything else in the group to a Division must make that clear in debate.

Amendment 149

Moved by