12. To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what programmes his Department has developed aimed at promoting recycling by young people. (137597)

The Waste and Resources Action Programme runs school visits and events which encourage children to think about how waste is managed. Over 6,800 schools have registered under the Eco-Schools programme, and waste is often taught as part of wider sustainable development issues under the national curriculum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the Local Government Association’s proposal on permitting local authorities to provide incentives for residents who assist in raising recycling performance. (137591)

We have sympathy with local councils’ request for more freedom to use incentives to encourage recycling. Where such schemes exist in other countries, recycling has increased and overall waste fallen, leading to a double environmental and cost benefit to householders.