MoreThanWaste.com - Bill on excess packaging laid before Parliament (25/10/2007)

"It is clear from the huge support I have had for my campaign against excess packaging that excessive and wasteful packaging is a real bugbear for a lot of people"

Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrat MP for Dunbartonshire

London, UK: Liberal Democrat, Jo Swinson presented a Bill to Parliament on Tuesday setting out measures she considers necessary to cut excess packaging.

Ms Swinson was elected MP for East Dunbartonshire in May 2005, and at 27 is the youngest member at Westminster.

The Packaging (Reduction) Bill laid measures before Parliament, under the Ten Minute Rule, that are aimed at tackling excess packaging, including steps to empower consumers and assist the work of Trading Standards officers.

Ms Swinson says that families now spend an average of £470 a year on packaging, and she considers that it does not make environmental sense to over-package products, nor economic sense to charge consumers for packaging they don't need.

In her Packaging (Reduction) Bill, which was supported by a number of other MPs, Jo Swinson called for:

The establishment of a national body to promote and enforce packaging reduction;
Consumers to be given powers to leave packaging in supermarkets for recycling;
Improvements to packaging regulations to assist the work of Trading Standards officers;
Binding targets for packaging reduction in place of existing voluntary targets.

Ten Minute Rule

Under the Ten Minute Rule Members of Parliament literally have only a brief time to present the bill and an opposing view can also be briefly made.

Sometimes Ten Minute Rule bills do become law if there is general parliamentary consent, though the process is sometimes used as a way of making a point or emphasising the need for a change in legislation.

However Jo Swinson's previous Early Day Motion (no.814) on excess packaging received cross-party support from 179 MPs which is a substantial number for an EDM.

The bill received its first reading, was ordered to be read a second time today and to be printed.

Commenting on the Packaging (Reduction) Bill, Ms Swinson said:

"It is clear from the huge support I have had for my campaign against excess packaging that excessive and wasteful packaging is a real bugbear for a lot of people.

"Despite increases in recycling, the problem is getting worse, with domestic waste having risen by a fifth since 1997. The Government's attempts to tackle the packaging problem have been too timid and too slow.

"The Government needs to sit up and take notice that the packaging problem will continue to get worse unless they take strong, effective action."


	Bill on excess packaging laid before Parliament (25/10/2007) "It is clear from the huge support I have had for my campaign against excess packaging that excessive and wasteful packaging is a real bugbear for a lot of people" Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrat MP for Dunbartonshire London, UK: Liberal Democrat, Jo Swinson presented a Bill to Parliament on Tuesday setting out measures she considers necessary to cut excess packaging. Ms Swinson was elected MP for East Dunbartonshire in May 2005, and at 27 is the youngest member at Westminster. The Packaging (Reduction) Bill laid measures before Parliament, under the Ten Minute Rule, that are aimed at tackling excess packaging, including steps to empower consumers and assist the work of Trading Standards officers. Ms Swinson says that families now spend an average of £470 a year on packaging, and she considers that it does not make environmental sense to over-package products, nor economic sense to charge consumers for packaging they don't need. In her Packaging (Reduction) Bill, which was supported by a number of other MPs, Jo Swinson called for: The establishment of a national body to promote and enforce packaging reduction; Consumers to be given powers to leave packaging in supermarkets for recycling; Improvements to packaging regulations to assist the work of Trading Standards officers; Binding targets for packaging reduction in place of existing voluntary targets. Ten Minute Rule Under the Ten Minute Rule Members of Parliament literally have only a brief time to present the bill and an opposing view can also be briefly made. Sometimes Ten Minute Rule bills do become law if there is general parliamentary consent, though the process is sometimes used as a way of making a point or emphasising the need for a change in legislation. However Jo Swinson's previous Early Day Motion (no.814) on excess packaging received cross-party support from 179 MPs which is a substantial number for an EDM. The bill received its first reading, was ordered to be read a second time today and to be printed. Commenting on the Packaging (Reduction) Bill, Ms Swinson said: "It is clear from the huge support I have had for my campaign against excess packaging that excessive and wasteful packaging is a real bugbear for a lot of people. "Despite increases in recycling, the problem is getting worse, with domestic waste having risen by a fifth since 1997. The Government's attempts to tackle the packaging problem have been too timid and too slow. "The Government needs to sit up and take notice that the packaging problem will continue to get worse unless they take strong, effective action."