Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
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 tackle the environmental damage caused by fast fashion.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In line with the Resources and Waste Strategy for England (2018), this Government is committed to taking forward the best mix of policy measures to reduce the environmental impacts of clothing.
We are working with WRAP and industry stakeholders through a voluntary agreement - the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan - to reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints of clothing by 2020. Discussions are now underway on a new phase for the agreement for the future.
We are also exploring options for extended producer responsibility for textiles and other priority waste streams. In addition, we are seeking powers in the Environment Bill that will enable us to introduce ecodesign and consumer information requirements, subject to consultation, to support durable, repairable, and recyclable textiles.
Our plans will be developed as part of a new Waste Prevention Programme which we plan to consult on later this year.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has plans to implement a licensing system to protect people in the UK working in fast fashion garment factories from modern slavery; what discussions she has had with retailers on working practices in garment factories; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government is committed to tackling labour exploitation and protecting workers’ rights and we have taken a number of steps to deal with the issues in the textiles sector.
We have widened the remit of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority through the Immigration Act 2016, giving it new powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 to investigate serious labour market offences, including in the textiles sector.
In November 2018, we launched 'The Apparel and General Merchandise Public and Private Protocol', a partnership between labour enforcement bodies and industry partners, including, the GLAA, the British Retail Consortium, UK Fashion and the Textile Association. The protocol commits its signatories to work together to eradicate slavery and exploitation in textile supply chains.
We recently ran a public consultation on the establishment of a new Single Enforcement Body for employment rights, which included questions on extending licensing to other high-risk sectors. We will publish a response to this consultation in due course.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
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 encourage fashion brands to process unsold stock in an environmentally sustainable way.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Destroying usable stock is not condoned by the Government.
In the new Resources and Waste Strategy we have committed to review and consult on measures such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and product standards for five new waste streams by the end of 2025, two of which we plan to complete by 2022, as well as to explore options for ecolabelling. Textiles is one of the five priority areas identified for this.
In addition, Defra is supporting the voluntary Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP). Signatories, representing nearly 60% of clothes sold in the UK market by volume, are working to minimise waste and reduce the environmental impacts of their products. A number of signatories work with charity partners or donate their unsold stock for reuse.
For the future, as well as exploring the next phase of the SCAP post-2020, we will consider whether any other measures are needed to address this challenge.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
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 (a) tackle the practice of the destruction of unsold stock by fashion brands and (b) encourage fashion brands to donate or repurpose that stock.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Destroying usable stock is not condoned by the Government.
In the new Resources and Waste Strategy we have committed to review and consult on measures such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and product standards for five new waste streams by the end of 2025, two of which we plan to complete by 2022, as well as to explore options for ecolabelling. Textiles is one of the five priority areas identified for this.
In addition, Defra is supporting the voluntary Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP). Signatories, representing nearly 60% of clothes sold in the UK market by volume, are working to minimise waste and reduce the environmental impacts of their products. A number of signatories work with charity partners or donate their unsold stock for reuse.
For the future, as well as exploring the next phase of the SCAP post-2020, we will consider whether any other measures are needed to address this challenge.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to prevent the destruction of unsold stock by fashion brands.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Destroying usable stock is not condoned by the Government.
In the new Resources and Waste Strategy we have committed to review and consult on measures such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and product standards for five new waste streams by the end of 2025, two of which we plan to complete by 2022, as well as to explore options for ecolabelling. Textiles is one of the five priority areas identified for this.
In addition, Defra is supporting the voluntary Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP). Signatories, representing nearly 60% of clothes sold in the UK market by volume, are working to minimise waste and reduce the environmental impacts of their products. A number of signatories work with charity partners or donate their unsold stock for reuse.
For the future, as well as exploring the next phase of the SCAP post-2020, we will consider whether any other measures are needed to address this challenge.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the contribution to Bradford's economy made by the (a) digital sector, (b) animation industry, (c) fashion and textiles industry and (d) games industry.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
While there are little economic statistics available on individual cities such as Bradford broken down by detailed industries there are estimates of employment from the ONS Business Registers and Employment Survey (BRES). This survey reports that in 2013 there were around 6,200 jobs in Bradford the digital sector (which incorporates ICT and Media) and 1,400 in the manufacture of textiles, clothing and footwear. Employment figures for animation and the computer games industry in Bradford are not available.
Bradford has a rich textiles history, particularly for the production of fine wool fabric. The textiles sector is still important to Bradford today with companies engaged in a wide range of activities – from spinning and weaving to the production of high performance and high value added goods. I am pleased Government has been able, through the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) programme, to support the creation and safeguarding of jobs in textile businesses through the national Textiles Growth Programme. 11 Bradford-based businesses have been assisted to date, with investment in capital projects, skills training and research and development. The Textiles Growth Programme was granted a further tranche of RGF funding earlier this year – bringing total Government investment to £32.3m – giving more Bradford companies the opportunity to secure support for innovation and growth.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to support skills development in textile manufacturing.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Support is available to textile companies through a number of national initiatives such as the Business Growth Service, and through the Growth Hubs which are now being established across England by Local Enterprise Partnerships.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has invested in the Textiles Growth Programme through £12.8 million from round 4 of Regional Growth Fund (RGF). The programme, which is available for textile manufacturing companies across England (excluding London) will enable the UK to take advantage of a rapidly emerging trend for the re-shoring textile manufacturing and help grow the home and overseas markets in clothing with the Made in Britain mark. The Textiles Growth Programme, through the recent RGF Round 6, was awarded an additional £19.5 million on February 12th to provide continued support to manufacturing companies within the sector until end of March 2017. This brings the total RGF funds awarded to the Textile Growth Programme in support to the textile industry to £32.3 million.
On Government support for skills, there is already a wide range of textile, fashion and design provision available at levels 2 and 3 (including access courses) in further education colleges. There are currently apprenticeship frameworks, both intermediate level 2 and advanced level 3, in Fashion and Textiles. There were 170 starts in 2013/14.
In line with apprenticeship Trailblazer reforms we have given the fashion industry approval to develop an apprenticeship standard for a fashion studio assistant, and the level 3 apprenticeship standard is currently in development. The British Fashion Council is fully engaged in this work, and is considering a bid for support to develop higher level apprenticeships, possibly to degree level.
BIS awarded Huddersfield & District Textile Training Centre (Textile Centre of Excellence) £2.28 million under the Round 1 Employer Ownership Pilot (EOP) to improve education of the industry including a programme of school engagement; encouraging employers to take on school leavers and graduates and develop a new pre-apprenticeship programme plus new apprenticeship model at level 2 and level 3. The project recorded a range of successful outcomes, and the Centre of Excellence will continue to provide its services to the sector now EOP project funding has ended.
In Q4 last year, two Textile projects were approved through the Local Response Fund Scheme with a total value of over £253,000.
Manchester College was awarded nearly £180,000 to develop the Textiles Task Force. It will work with the Alliance Project to address immediate skills shortages reported across the textiles sector and to support workforce development and employee progression.
NWTexnet was also awarded over £75,000 for “Dynamic Portfolio Management”. This will enable the integration of new product development with a strategy for re-shoring manufacturing capacity. It will significantly rationalise the approach to product development and manufacturing in the sector while helping to up-skill staff so that the workforce is in place to take advantage of these re-shoring opportunities.
As part of the Sector Mentoring Fund, Manchester Economic Solutions Ltd was awarded the sum of £77,500 in January 2014 to deliver Mentor Tex – Textile industry mentoring programme in key areas such as Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire. The scheme has attracted interest from a wide range of textiles businesses, with 35 mentees identified of which 23 have completed full profiles, 10 mentors identified with 7 completing full profiles.
With regard to support for innovation, Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency and the prime channel through which the Government stimulates and supports business-led technology innovation. Companies in the sector can apply to its responsive support programmes such as Smart and Innovation Vouchers.
The Centre of Excellence in Huddersfield and the University of Leeds have already invested £6M and £4.2M, respectively, in textile infrastructure development and innovation. They have become a focus for skills training and technical and design innovation in the UK.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to support innovation in textile manufacturing.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Support is available to textile companies through a number of national initiatives such as the Business Growth Service, and through the Growth Hubs which are now being established across England by Local Enterprise Partnerships.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has invested in the Textiles Growth Programme through £12.8 million from round 4 of Regional Growth Fund (RGF). The programme, which is available for textile manufacturing companies across England (excluding London) will enable the UK to take advantage of a rapidly emerging trend for the re-shoring textile manufacturing and help grow the home and overseas markets in clothing with the Made in Britain mark. The Textiles Growth Programme, through the recent RGF Round 6, was awarded an additional £19.5 million on February 12th to provide continued support to manufacturing companies within the sector until end of March 2017. This brings the total RGF funds awarded to the Textile Growth Programme in support to the textile industry to £32.3 million.
On Government support for skills, there is already a wide range of textile, fashion and design provision available at levels 2 and 3 (including access courses) in further education colleges. There are currently apprenticeship frameworks, both intermediate level 2 and advanced level 3, in Fashion and Textiles. There were 170 starts in 2013/14.
In line with apprenticeship Trailblazer reforms we have given the fashion industry approval to develop an apprenticeship standard for a fashion studio assistant, and the level 3 apprenticeship standard is currently in development. The British Fashion Council is fully engaged in this work, and is considering a bid for support to develop higher level apprenticeships, possibly to degree level.
BIS awarded Huddersfield & District Textile Training Centre (Textile Centre of Excellence) £2.28 million under the Round 1 Employer Ownership Pilot (EOP) to improve education of the industry including a programme of school engagement; encouraging employers to take on school leavers and graduates and develop a new pre-apprenticeship programme plus new apprenticeship model at level 2 and level 3. The project recorded a range of successful outcomes, and the Centre of Excellence will continue to provide its services to the sector now EOP project funding has ended.
In Q4 last year, two Textile projects were approved through the Local Response Fund Scheme with a total value of over £253,000.
Manchester College was awarded nearly £180,000 to develop the Textiles Task Force. It will work with the Alliance Project to address immediate skills shortages reported across the textiles sector and to support workforce development and employee progression.
NWTexnet was also awarded over £75,000 for “Dynamic Portfolio Management”. This will enable the integration of new product development with a strategy for re-shoring manufacturing capacity. It will significantly rationalise the approach to product development and manufacturing in the sector while helping to up-skill staff so that the workforce is in place to take advantage of these re-shoring opportunities.
As part of the Sector Mentoring Fund, Manchester Economic Solutions Ltd was awarded the sum of £77,500 in January 2014 to deliver Mentor Tex – Textile industry mentoring programme in key areas such as Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire. The scheme has attracted interest from a wide range of textiles businesses, with 35 mentees identified of which 23 have completed full profiles, 10 mentors identified with 7 completing full profiles.
With regard to support for innovation, Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency and the prime channel through which the Government stimulates and supports business-led technology innovation. Companies in the sector can apply to its responsive support programmes such as Smart and Innovation Vouchers.
The Centre of Excellence in Huddersfield and the University of Leeds have already invested £6M and £4.2M, respectively, in textile infrastructure development and innovation. They have become a focus for skills training and technical and design innovation in the UK.