Written questions by Robertson.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 23653 on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, how much funding her Department has provided for the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in the 2024-25 financial year; and what the (a) terms of reference and (b) estimated delivery dates are for the commission to WRAP to provide guidance on best practice.

As a charity organisation WRAP’s annual report and accounts detailing Defra grant funding is available from the Charity Commission on Gov.UK. WRAP is working with and engaging Local Authorities to help bring together good practice by Spring.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of insect-based novel foods on the farming industry.

The Food Standards’ Authority’s (FSA) role, as set out in law, is to safeguard public health and protect the interests of consumers in relation to food. In Great Britain, edible insects are considered novel foods and so food businesses that wish to sell them need to submit an application for a safety assessment by the FSA and Food Standards Scotland, before they can be placed on the market. The FSA is in regular contact with companies submitting applications for the use of edible insects in or as food.

Food and Rural Affairs, what additional non-statutory guidance his Department is working on with the Waste and Resources Action Programme.

The Government is expected to produce Statutory and Non-Statutory Guidance to support the primary legislation in place under the Environment Act. WRAP was requested to help pull together good practice information to support Defra deliver its set of Non-Statutory Guidance to support primary legislation in place including engagement with Local Authorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has issued guidance on the quantity of residual bin bags used for household waste collections.

No. We recently issued guidance on ensuring good waste collection services from households on gov.uk, which includes guidance on residual waste collection services.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has conducted surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. No surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside have been conducted. However, levels of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside was assessed as part of the 2021 consultation on the approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England. 3095 respondents answered the question “do you agree or disagree with the proposed approach to beaver reintroductions?”. 69% selected agree, while 31% selected disagree.

Food and Rural Affairs, what research, analysis and intelligence WRAP provides his Department to inform policy.

The Department works with WRAP on a wide range of areas to support policy development including on reducing packaging; simplifying recycling, supporting local authorities and reducing waste on plastics, textiles and food & drink.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has held discussions with WRAP on the frequency of household residual bin collections by local waste collection authorities.

Through Simpler Recycling, all householders will receive a comprehensive and consistent set of waste and recycling services. This will enable householders to recycle as much waste as possible and to frequently dispose of bad-smelling food waste, which will be collected from all households at least weekly. As is currently the case, waste collection authorities should continue to decide collection frequency and methodology for collecting the residual (non-recyclable waste) and dry recyclable waste streams and do so in a way that meets local needs and provides value for money for the taxpayer. The Secretary of State has not held any discussions with WRAP on the frequency of household residual bin collections by local waste collection authorities. Defra recognises that as recycling services are expanded and improved, local authorities may want to review residual waste services to ensure they are providing best value for money in line with local need. The government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard, as they do now.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 3 January 2025 to Question 20290 on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, whether his Department has undertaken an (a) equality impact and (b) environmental principles assessment in relation to the Simpler Recycling policy.

Yes.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has commissioned modelling on the reduction in residual waste collection frequency as a consequence of the Simpler Recycling programme.

For too long, households in England have been presented with a muddled and confusing patchwork of approaches to bin collections. This Government inherited legislation that could have required households to have up to 7 bins, placing an unnecessary burden on people and businesses. We are simplifying the rules to make recycling easier for people in England, while stimulating growth and maximising environmental benefits. Through Simpler Recycling, all householders will receive a comprehensive and consistent set of waste and recycling services. This will enable householders to recycle as much waste as possible and to frequently dispose of bad-smelling food waste, which will be collected from all households at least weekly. Defra recognises that as recycling services are expanded and improved, local authorities may want to review residual waste services to ensure they are providing best value for money in line with local need. The Government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard, as they do now. Building on existing and new legal duties, Defra has published guidance to ensure that local authorities consider certain factors when they review services, to ensure that reasonable standards are maintained.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2024 to Question 19918 on Waste: Codes of Practice, what representations he has received, on outsourced private enforcement firms issuing fines in breach of non-statutory enforcement guidance.

Current littering enforcement guidance for local authorities is clear that where external contractors are used, private firms should not be able to receive greater revenue or profits just from increasing the volume of penalties and that local authorities remain responsible for the whole enforcement process, whether they contract out part of it or not. The previous administration consulted on whether to place this guidance on a statutory footing. 35 responses were received, some of which discussed the use of private enforcement firms.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) internal policy reviews, (b) independent reviews, (c) external reviews, (d) taskforces, (e) public consultations, (f) investigations and (g) other reviews their Department launched between 5 July 2024 and 5 January 2025; what the titles were of those reviews; and how many of those reviews have been (i) completed and (ii) published.

This Government has outlined its ambitions through the Plan for Change, which sets out an ambitious set of milestones - across the missions - for this Parliament. As the House would expect, the Government continually reviews its work to ensure that it is delivering the best outcomes for the people of the United Kingdom, and that its policies continue to represent the best value for the taxpayer. Public reviews will be available on Gov.uk as they are published.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 14343 on Litter, if he will publish each response to the consultation on statutory litter enforcement guidance that closed in April 2024.

At this stage, the Government has not yet made an assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any decisions or updates will be communicated in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2024 to Question 19922 on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, whether the Government has issued guidance on the issuing of fixed penalty notices for householders who leave items by the curtilage of their property to be given away and re-used.

We are considering whether further guidance is necessary with regards to fly-tipping enforcement. Any announcements on this will be made in the usual way.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of (a) 20 December 2024 to Question 19918 and (b) 3 January 2025 to Question 19918 on Waste: Codes of Practice, for what reason his Department has not issued the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse's enforcement guidance as statutory guidance.

At this stage, the Government has not yet made an assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any decisions or updates will be communicated in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2024 to Question 19922, on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, if he will take steps to ensure households are not fined for leaving items by the curtilage of their property to be given away and re-used.

We are considering whether further guidance is necessary with regards to fly-tipping enforcement. Any announcements on this will be made in the usual way.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the introduction of meat-free Mondays in public sector canteens.

Defra welcomes innovations that increase customer choice around food served in public sector settings. Defra is responsible for the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF) which apply to Government Departments and Agencies, Hospitals the military and prisons. These include rules for varying the types of food included on menus to ensure the nutritional needs of customers are met. However, we do not believe it is helpful to impose blanket menu restrictions on caterers: local canteen managers are better placed to decide what to serve, and when, based on local demand.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 18950 on Planning Permission: Air Pollution, if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) equality impact and (b) environmental principles assessments made in relation to the new interim guidance on the consideration of the Environment Act PM2.5 targets in planning decision.

The interim guidance on the consideration of the Environment Act PM2.5 targets in planning decisions aims to provide developers and planning authorities with clarity while Defra develops substantive technical guidance. As it is interim guidance, environmental principles assessments and full equality impact assessments were not required at this stage.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2024 to Question 19918 on Waste: Codes of Practice, if he will publish the responses to the consultation on making the Code of Practice statutory.

At this stage, the Government has not yet made an assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any decisions or updates will be communicated in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department issues guidance to local authorities on the size of (a) household rubbish and (b) recycling bins.

No, Defra has not issued guidance on the size of household rubbish and recycling bins. Local authorities are best placed to determine the effective delivery of local services. Through Simpler Recycling, Government is providing the framework in which they do this and ensure that there is consistency in what is collected. The Government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard, as they do now. Building on existing and new legal duties, Defra recently published non-statutory guidance on ensuring good waste collection services for households, which includes certain factors local authorities should consider when they review services, to ensure that reasonable standards are maintained. We are also working with sector specialists WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to provide additional (non-statutory) guidance on best practice.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department holds data produced by WRAP on the number of containers required for waste and recycling collections by each waste collection authority.

No, Defra does not hold this data. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) collect local authority-reported data on dry recyclable and organic waste stream collection models, which is publicly available on WRAP’s local authority data portal.