Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to work with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) local authorities to (i) reduce and (ii) remove charges for food waste services.

Food waste collections policy is determined by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a duty on waste collection authorities to arrange for the collection of household waste in their areas. There is currently no requirement for waste collection authorities to separately collect food waste. In accordance with section 45(3) of the Environmental Protection Act, waste collection authorities should not charge for the collection of household waste, unless it is allowed in regulations. Whereas waste collection authorities can charge to collect garden waste under the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, they cannot charge to collect food waste. Where local authorities co-collect food and garden waste, they should be making sure that they are only charging to collect the garden waste. Local Authorities are independent bodies and are accountable to their electorate rather than to Ministers or government departments. Constituents should contact the Local Government Ombudsman if they believe their local authority is in breach of their statutory duties. We have recently taken steps to strengthen these powers. Measures introduced by the Environment Act 2021 will require all waste collection authorities in England to collect food waste separately at least weekly for free.