UK Parliament / Open data

Landfill Tax (No. 2)

We have had a good, if short, debate on this important matter. Let me deal with some of the points that have been raised.

The whole point of landfill tax is to reduce landfill, and it has been successful in that regard. We have seen the amount of waste in landfill drop by 70% since 2000 and average household recycling rates have risen from 18% to 44%. Landfill tax is not the only cause of those beneficial changes, obviously, but it is one cause.

The hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) is right to identify aspects of fraud that will not be eradicated by the measure, but that does not mean that the measure is not beneficial; it deals with a large part of fraud. Wider enforcement is also important, and I am assured that HMRC is on top of that. He and I are to meet in a couple of days, and I look forward to discussing in more detail particular issues that arise in his constituency and elsewhere.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

597 c289 

Session

2015-16

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber
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