In an extra twist to David Cameron’s cabinet reshuffle, Lord Taylor of Holbeach has left his post as waste minister at Defra, having been reassigned to the Home Office. The announcement came as a surprise as it was initially thought that Lord Taylor would retain the waste remit under the new Defra Secretary, Owen Paterson.
The department currently is without a waste minister, as the portfolios for Defra’s two new ministers, Lord de Mauley and David Heath, have yet to be confirmed.
David Heath, MP for Somerton and Frome and former Deputy Leader of the House, was appointed Minister of State for Defra on 4 September. The Defra site stresses his ties to the dairy industry thanks to his rural constituency. He has previously acted as a spokesperson for agriculture, fisheries and food and for word and pensions.
And in a late switch, following Lord Taylor’s promotion, Lord de Mauley, was moved from being government whip in the Lords to become Defra’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on Thursday. The Defra site stresses de Mauley’s ties to agriculture, noting his ‘family has a farming background’. Eton-educated de Mauley was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Territorial Army until 2003.
Details of both men’s portfolios are due ‘shortly’, according to Defra.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.