MPs demand answers over BREW and WRAP budget cuts

In a slightly cryptic comment on the expected WRAP and BREW programme budget cuts, Mrs Ruddock suggested businesses may not need further help to reduce their waste.

Meanwhile, WRAP – the Waste and Resources Action Programme – has confirmed today that its budget pressures will have an impact on its national “Recycle Now” campaign.

Debate

In a Westminster Hall debate on waste and recycling, MPs from all sides of the House demanded to know how the cuts of more than 25% would affect organisations including WRAP, which announced job losses this week (see letsrecycle.com story).

Mrs Ruddock declined to reveal the final outcomes of discussions held yesterday regarding Defra's finance, stating that “decisions have not yet been taken”.

However, the minister did say: “I would say that, just because particular work is done at a particular time does not mean that that particular work should continue. These programmes have been about innovation, about encouraging businesses to adopt new practices and about bringing businesses together. Therefore, much of that work has set a pattern and it is more than reasonable that business itself begins to engage in that pattern.”

“Incompetence”

The debate yesterday saw Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs reacting to the “alarming” budget cuts for organisations like WRAP and the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) programme. MPs were skeptical that the Defra budget troubles had all stemmed from flooding and animal diseases.

Tory MP Gregory Barker said: “We learned this week that the waste and recycling sectors will bear the brunt of much of that Defra incompetence. For instance, the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste partnership has already been mentioned. It seems likely that its spending will be cut by more than half, despite the fact that it has been responsible for more than 2 million tonnes of landfill diversion, 1.8 million tonnes of CO₂ reduction and cost savings of £40 million last year.”

The MP for Bexhill and Battle added: “That is not the work of a Department that is in charge of its agenda and forging ahead. It is the work of a Department in retreat and in disarray.”

Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood asked the minister: “Where has the sharp downturn in funding come from? It was not flagged up in last year's waste strategy, which mentioned continuing support for the BREW programme, and it was not flagged up in the Defra annual report.”

BREW

Mr Horwood claimed that BREW funding overall could be cut in half. BREW was set up to use Landfill Tax revenues to help businesses cut down on their Landfill Tax liabilities by reducing their waste generation.

Having spoken to one of the BREW-funded organisations, NISP – the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme – the Cheltenham MP reported: “It has expressed the fear that overall funding for the BREW programme, from which it gets its funding, could drop precipitately from £125 million per annum to as little as £60 million.”

Labour back-bencher Dr Ian Gibson, who secured yesterday's debate on waste and recycling, was among MPs who made the point that with rising Landfill Tax rates and an increasing need for commerce and industry to reduce their waste, Defra appeared to be giving up on businesses.

“When it comes to industrial recycling, we must ensure that the government keep making progress,” said the MP for Norwich North, and referring to businesses, he added: “They will need more support, more help and more money.”

Recycle Now

WRAP, which has had Defra income of around £70 million a year, said today it is still awaiting confirmation on its final budget, but conceded that its “Recycle Now” campaign will be affected.

Commenting on the possibility that the celebrity-endorsed Recycle Now campaign will be pulled from television screens, the Banbury organisation said: “The Recycle Now budget will be affected by the overall budget reductions although specifics as to what this means for the campaign are still being finalised. We will be in a position to confirm these plans shortly.”

Despite the impact on the Recycle Now campaign, WRAP's head of press and PR, Amanda Barry Hirst, said the national week-long campaign “Recycle Week” will be going ahead this year as announced.

She stated: “Recycle Week 08 is most definitely taking place and local authorities have been informed of the confirmed dates: 2nd – 6th June. Ptarmigan PR, who handle the main Recycle Now PR campaign will be handling the PR for Recycle Week. As usual, more information for how Local Authorities can use this excellent opportunity to encourage consumers to recycle more things, more often, will be released shortly via our recyclenowpartners.org.uk website.”