Speeches by Reed.

“We are working with organisations in the sector. It is a sector-led process that we are pursuing now. The final fee structures will be available later this year, which are likely to be lower than the fees that were published earlier this year. The Department is engaging with the whole sector and listening to its concer…”

“It needs to be as robust as we can get agreement behind. From memory, the amount of plastic entering the oceans by 2050 will be four or five times what it was in 2016. That is shocking when you think of the images that we have all seen of sea animals being strangled in the water because of plastic that has ended up the…”

“It was disappointing that no agreement was reached on the treaty at the conference in Busan, South Korea, towards the end of last year, although there was a statement on polymers signed by over 100 countries, and the UK was party to that. We have continued to engage with partners since Busan, looking towards Geneva in …”

“We can write back to you. It is very good that it is up and running, and is moving forward. We have already been working through elements of it. We have the bottle deposit return scheme, and the legislation is already in place for that. That comes into force in 2027. Extended producer responsibility is under way now, a…”

“Yes. First of all, I am really pleased to hear that the Committee is looking at the circular economy. It is a new agenda for UK Government, and something that I am very keen that we should push and promote. It will be very beneficial for the environment, because it will enable us to reduce waste, and that is going to b…”

“Rising levels of crime in rural areas should concern all of us. The Government are putting together the first ever cross-Government rural crime strategy. DEFRA is working with the Home Office and the MOJ to look at how we can make sure that those issues are properly addressed and being tackled. That will include an inc…”

“I know, incidentally, that the NFU president made those points to Maroš Šefčovič at Downing Street yesterday, so he is in no uncertainty about the importance of this and the strength of feeling.”

“We are pushing that very hard. I gave a commitment to the NFU president on precisely that just yesterday.”

“I am very optimistic. I recognise, first of all, what you have said about this and the previous Government. That is a very important agenda. It is very important for my ambitions to make the farming sector more profitable and that farms can get higher yields from the crops that they are growing. The way that we have ma…”

“It is due to be published after the summer recess, is it not?”

“I will give you a response, but my colleague here, who has some professional expertise in that sector, might have something to add to it. We are looking at food labelling as part of the food strategy. That is a piece of work that we are carrying out with stakeholders from right across the food and drink sector without …”

“Those are all very sensible things to look for in it. I have not seen it, so I cannot answer those questions, but any sensible strategy has an implementation plan attached to it so that we know what needs to change in law and when it will change. Those companies that are being required to carry out this testing need to…”

“I completely agree.”

“This is interesting, because it is a cross-departmental agenda. DEFRA has a role in it, as do the Home Office and DSIT. The Departments are working together on a strategy that will be published later this year, so we will see more of the detail when it comes out. It is probably best that I do not anticipate what might …”

“We remain committed to all of that. Of course, there are still four years of the Parliament to run, so we will find the appropriate time in the parliamentary and legislative schedule to make sure that those can happen. They remain commitments. We have the schedule only for the current session, not for future sessions, …”

“Local authorities have many statutory duties, including the ones that you are describing. For some years now, they have been saying that funding has become so inadequate that they may not be able to carry out those statutory duties, not only on animal welfare but on issues such as child welfare and support for the elde…”

“Those are good points. Enforcement is carried out by a range of partners, agencies and organisations, and DEFRA maintains very close contact with them to ensure that it is happening in the way that it should. The Home Office has oversight of the police, who have a role in this, as does the Ministry of Justice. NGOs suc…”

“—but it will do that within the rules. The rules are very clear. The regulations are very clear. My intention is that Thames will follow the regulations and the rules as they apply to everyone else.”

“No, not that aspect of it. It is for it to look at who it wants to bring in as a potential investor to resolve some of the financial challenges of its own making that it is dealing with at the moment—”

“It is a private company. It is for it to—”