Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Accepted
Department monitors strategy progress and implements evaluation programme for data gaps.
Recommendation
The Department told us that it produces information monitoring progress on the resources and waste strategy annually53 It told us that it has an evaluation programme in place to develop new measures and the supporting data as well as research to fill in gaps in its data.54 51 Committee of Public Accounts, Government actions to combat waste crime, Eighteenth Report of Session 2022–23, HC 33, 19 October 2022 52 Qq 67–68 53 Q 71; Correspondence from Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, 21 September 2023 54 Q 71 Government’s programme of waste reforms 17
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to the recommendation and outlines its plan to enhance waste data collection and monitoring by making the waste tracking service mandatory by April 2025. It will also develop a Data Strategy and publish new statistics by July 2024.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2025 6.2 In 2024, the waste tracking service will be publicly available to users on a voluntary basis – this is expected to happen in phases with specific groups of users being invited to use the service over time. Green list waste exports are the first phase to have successfully transitioned to private beta at the end of 2023. 6.3 From April 2025, legislation will come into force across the UK, subject to approval across all four legislatures. The requirements of the regulations will be mandatory from this point and service charges will also be payable. This will provide the foundations for capturing information on waste generated and treated, including waste recycling. The Government response of the consultation outcome is published on Gov.UK. 6.4 The department is currently developing a Data Strategy, identifying and filling gaps around the required regular ongoing data to run policy and monitor progress within the Resources & Waste Strategy and Environmental Improvement Programme. This includes progress against targets in residual waste and municipal recycling rates and, if necessary, introducing legislation for new data reporting requirements. 6.5 The department’s key performance metrics are publicly reported and updated at least annually where possible. These form the core part of the 'Monitoring Progress' reports and track strategic priorities in the Resources & Waste Strategy. 6.6 The department is increasing the number of regular published statistics and from this year it will be up to at least 11 publications which is an ambitious target. Later in 2024, the department intends to address key data gaps by publishing new statistics on: • Residual waste by material type, to assess progress against the residual waste target, planned for May 2024. • Municipal recycling, using a new definition of Municipal Waste, probably July 2024. • Drivers of consumption-based carbon emissions, probably June 2024. 6.7 The department is also collecting new survey data as part of the Resources & Waste Strategy Evaluation Programme, which will give us valuable new insights as policies are implemented.