§ Mrs. Irene AdamsTo ask the the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what his Department is doing to encourage the use of recyclable materials by industry.
§ Mr. LeighEncouraging the greater use of recyclable and recycled materials by industry is an important element of the Government's programme to bring about higher recycling levels in the United Kingdom. A range of measures is being taken to this end, including the development of new industry standards to encourage the use of recyclable and recycled materials; providing financial assistance for the development and dissemination of recycled technology; and for the identification of new end-uses for recycled materials. My Department also favours using recycled products, wherever they are available of adequate quality and representing value for money. Major purchasers can by their behaviour encourage the development and stabilisation of markets for recycled products. We are also asking industry to come forward with its own proposals for using more secondary materials.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all the bodies concerned with recycling which he has met in the last year and the dates of those meetings.
§ Mr. LeighDuring the past year, Ministers have met with numerous bodies involved in recycling. Most recently, my right hon. Friend met members of the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment on 7 May, and on 20 May my hon. Friend the Minister for Corporate Affairs met some 30 organisations involved in the recovery and recycling of packaging materials.