Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to help prevent waste leakage offshore following the inclusion of Energy from Waste in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme; and whether his Department plans to take steps to help support local authorities with the financial implications of this decision.

The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Authority consulted on expanding the UK ETS to the waste sector in 2024, including asking for views on managing the risk of increased diversion of waste to export abroad. The interim Authority Response published in July 2025 stated that policy positions are being developed to ensure that waste export is not used to avoid ETS costs and details will be set out in due course.

The Government recognises the challenges that the expansion of the scheme will place on local authorities and will confirm proposals to help them manage the impacts of the scheme in due course.