BPF Meets Ministers at Conservative Party Conference 2021

The BPF attended the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester this week to understand further the Government’s agenda on Levelling Up and Build Back Better and to meet key Ministers.

Ministerial meetings

The BPF talked to Lee Rowley MP, the new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at BEIS with responsibility for the plastics industry, Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DEFRA, who wrote the foreword to the BPF’s Recycling Roadmap, Jo Churchill MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DEFRA, who further to the recent reshuffle has responsibility for waste and The Rt Hon George Eustice MP, Secretary of State for the Environment. 

The BPF have invited Lee Rowley MP, to speak at our 30th November Parliamentary Reception and the Minister made it clear he would be delighted to attend the event if he is free. The Minister also added he would welcome a separate introductory meeting with the BPF given he is new to his role.

Rebecca Pow MP was very interested to hear how well the Recycling Roadmap has been received by industry and stakeholders alike and said how pleased she was to have been able to write the foreword for the important report. 

Jo Churchill MP, despite entering her new role only days before, appeared well briefed on the key issues around waste. The BPF highlighted the Recycling Roadmap as a key roadmap to 2030 for better waste management of plastics in particular and she was looking to receive a copy.

Levelling Up

The new Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove set out, for the first time, the Government’s objectives for Boris Johnson’s signature policy goal. He said, “We want to strengthen local leadership to drive real change. We will raise living standards especially where they are lower. We will improve public services especially where they are weaker. And we will give people the resources necessary to enhance the pride they feel in the place they live”.  Given the breadth of these aims, this is clearly a whole Government project which although Michael Gove will curate, other Cabinet Ministers will want to have their say on as well.  

Build Back Better

The BPF attended a Build Back Better fringe event which Lee Rowley MP, the new Minister with responsibility for manufacturing (including plastics) industry spoke at.  The Minister made it clear that he understands industry’s desire for clarity and consistency in order to innovate and grow and that it is his view that the job of Government is to provide the secure framework for consistency to enable businesses to make decisions on investment. On investment into the UK, he said that the UK has a great track record to be proud of in securing inward investment, but there is more that can be done to build on this. He added that private sector investment must be backed up by government support. Finally, on the subject of devolution, the Minister made clear this is part of Build Back Better, but it needs to be bespoke for different parts of the country. 

Recycling – Jo Churchill MP

The BPF attended a fringe event on recycling at which the new DEFRA Minister Jo Churchill spoke at. The Minister made it clear that this is an exciting time in the whole of waste and resources agenda, a chance to lead, inspire and innovate. She said that the Environment Bill stands on the cusp of agreement, lays the foundation for green recovery and waste plays an important part in this. Speaking at the same event, Professor Michael Shaver, Professor of Polymer Science at Manchester University, focused on plastic in his contribution and name checked the good work of the BPF. He said that the Plastic Packing Tax could have done much more as the artifice of putting the same ambition on each piece of plastic is where the legislation falls. He added that at the moment the UK is exporting plastic waste and importing recycled plastic – but we have the opportunity to change this and retain resources and re-manufacture. 

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