To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent to which the recycling industry can contribute towards meeting Courtauld II recycling targets in local authority areas; and if he will make a statement.

Phase II of the Courtauld Commitment includes a new target for a 10 per cent. reduction in the carbon impact of grocery packaging: an estimated 1.1 million tonne CO2 equivalent emissions reduction through reducing the weight, increasing the recycling rates and increasing the recycled content of grocery packaging.

This new target is a key contribution to our aim of optimising packaging reductions, wider eco-design and increasing recycling, as set out in the Packaging Strategy. It will encourage companies to take up recycled contents in their packaging-another objective of the Packaging Strategy.

Separate from the Courtauld Commitment, DEFRA and the devolved Administrations have recently published a consultation document proposing higher producer responsibility targets for packaging, covering 2011-20. The consultation seeks views on the extent to which the recycling industry (among others) can help achieve local recycling targets. The consultation can be found at

www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/packaging-regs/index.htm