Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Greenprint and a green recovery.

Our focus must be on providing jobs for those displaced by the pandemic, taking on vital work such as home insulation, making zero-emission vehicles and redesigning and improving our towns and cities. We need to bring forward the most ambitious green recovery plan in the world, while ensuring a digital future that is safer, fairer and more inclusive.

In July, the Government announced a £3 billion “green investment package”. Despite some welcome measures, this does not rise to the scale of the emergency.

We must use this moment of societal upheaval to change mindsets and transition to greener forms of living, especially greener forms of travel. My concern is that the pace of change is too slow to ensure we do not see a return to previous travel habits. As you may know, the Government recently consulted on ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans by 2035, or potentially earlier if feasible. However, it says it has no plans to introduce a scrappage scheme for petrol and diesel cars.

I was pleased that back in 2006, the then Government introduced a zero carbon homes policy, which was due to come in to force in 2016, but was subsequently scrapped in 2015. I fear the current proposals on planning reforms will see communities side-lined in decisions and denied vital funding for building community infrastructure. There needs to be a focus on building the high-quality, genuinely affordable, environmentally sustainable housing that this country desperately needs.

Keep Britain Tidy highlights an “epidemic” of litter since lockdown was eased. Analysis suggests that spending on open spaces in England has fallen by more than £295 million in real terms since 2010 and expenditure on services, including waste collection and clear-up in parks, has decreased by more than 15%.

On food waste, last year the Government said it would consult on mandatory food waste reporting for larger businesses, however, no consultation has been launched so far. I believe we need to minimise food waste and work with local councils to do so. I also share your concerns about the huge environmental impact of throwaway fashion trends. In the UK, we buy more clothes per person than in any other country in Europe, with an estimated 350,000 tonnes of used clothing going to landfill in the UK every year.

Thank you once again for contacting me about these important issues.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP