§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to encourage industry to reduce the amount of packaging used for products.
§ Mr. ForthThe promotion of waste minimisation in general is a key focus of my Department's environmental programme. The need to minimise packaging and, where essential packaging is concerned, to use materials which lend themselves to recycling, is being promoted through my Department's participation in relevant seminars and conferences and through meetings with representatives from the packaging industry.
In March, my Department was co-organiser with the Institute of Metals of an international conference which discussed all aspects of the design of products so as to avoid harm to the environment, including the minimisation of packaging. An example of a product designed with reduced packaging in mind is included in the booklet "Design for the Environment", which my Department has produced with assistance from the Design Council.