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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the annual cost to the economy of battery fires in waste centres.

The department is aware from ongoing discussions with industry that the reported costs of battery fires in waste centres are significant, and this is a major concern. Defra is currently considering options for reforms of the batteries regulations that would help to address this issue, and as part of this we will include our own assessment of the cost to the economy of battery fires in waste centres. Defra will continue to work with industry on this matter.