Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to ensure that funding derived from Extended Producer Responsibility fees will be ringfenced to support local authorities to improve their recycling provision.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have instructed PackUK to exercise its existing powers within the pEPR regulations to ensure local authorities in England only receive pEPR funds that are spent on household packaging, waste management, and recycling. When local authority payments are confirmed in July, PackUK will write directly to all English local authority chief executives setting this out. If a local authority does not spend the funds as specified, PackUK will use its regulatory powers to deduct funds accordingly for the following year’s payment.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
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 is taking to take to ensure that local authorities use funding from the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme to improve recycling provision.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have instructed PackUK to exercise its existing powers within the pEPR regulations to ensure local authorities in England only receive pEPR funds that are spent on household packaging, waste management, and recycling. When local authority payments are confirmed in July, PackUK will write directly to all English local authority chief executives setting this out. If a local authority does not spend the funds as specified, PackUK will use its regulatory powers to deduct funds accordingly for the following year’s payment.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing the set-up costs for the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England is industry-led, funded by producers and delivered by producers and retailers collectively through the Deposit Management Organisation. Most international schemes follow this model.
The appointment of UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd (UK DMO) was made by the UK Government in May 2025 as the operator of the Deposit Return Scheme in England.
DRS costs are the responsibility of UK DMO.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support mental health services in journalism.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials regularly meet stakeholders to discuss a range of issues which affect media organisations and journalists. Officials in my department would be pleased to meet with Media Strong.
The Government is not currently taking specific steps to support mental health services in journalism. However, we are taking steps to strengthen our national, regional and local press, which includes action aimed at supporting journalists.
I also chair the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, together with the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls. It brings together representatives from government, journalism, policing, prosecution services and civil society to make sure that journalists in the UK are able to operate free from threats and violence. Its National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists sets out how the safety of journalists in the UK can be protected.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if will meet with Media Strong.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials regularly meet stakeholders to discuss a range of issues which affect media organisations and journalists. Officials in my department would be pleased to meet with Media Strong.
The Government is not currently taking specific steps to support mental health services in journalism. However, we are taking steps to strengthen our national, regional and local press, which includes action aimed at supporting journalists.
I also chair the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, together with the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls. It brings together representatives from government, journalism, policing, prosecution services and civil society to make sure that journalists in the UK are able to operate free from threats and violence. Its National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists sets out how the safety of journalists in the UK can be protected.