Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to introduce a food recycling system across (a) the UK, (b) England and (c) in each local authority.

Waste and recycling policy is a devolved matter. Following support in response to initial public consultation, the Environment Bill will require all local authorities in England to arrange for the separate collection of food waste from households, at least once a week, so that this material can be collected for recycling. Businesses and organisations in England will also be required to arrange for the separate collection of food waste for recycling. We will be launching a further consultation on recycling consistency this spring. In this consultation, we will be seeking further views on implementing separate food waste collections, including transition timelines for local authorities and businesses, and statutory guidance for waste collectors.

The Government will ensure that local authorities are resourced to meet net costs arising from new statutory duties. This will include the additional costs associated with the requirement to separately collect food waste.