Member

I appreciate that the benefits are predicted to outweigh the costs in the long term, and we are all eager to see the perpetrators of waste crime expelled from the market with the severest penalties imposed. This will see justice served and reduce unfair competition for law-abiding businesses, but we must help businesses prepare for the transition to this new system and build trust. I am grateful to the Minister for her comments on EPR, but I agree with my noble friend Lady McIntosh and the noble Baroness, Lady Sheehan, that a bit more clarification on how this will work in practice would be welcome. We welcome these regulations, but we need assurances that they will not result in damaging costs for law-abiding businesses and that there are no opportunities for criminals to undermine the new system. I look forward to the Minister’s response.