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Metals Recycling Industry

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr. Chope. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr. Whitehead), who introduced the debate. His commitment to the environment and to waste issues is well known. Indeed, he made such a comprehensive contribution at the beginning of the debate that it is difficult to know what to add to it. Certainly, the way in which this country, the European Union and, indeed, the whole planet deal with waste will be fundamental to the lives of future generations, their access to materials and the quality of life that they enjoy, because so much about dealing with waste affects the climate and climate change. It is encouraging that, as far as waste is concerned, the economic and environmental drivers are now coming together. It is not only good environmental practice to deal properly with waste but good economics. It is good for the profitability of individual companies and, indeed, the work force as a whole. The principles of reducing, reusing and recycling apply to metals as well as to other commodities. Reducing the use of materials or using them more smartly is as important as the increase in the prices of metals and other commodities such as timber and chemicals. Because everybody wants to make good use of materials, there is, in fact, less waste. Reuse is important as well. I spoke to a local haulage contractor who told me that most of the people who maintain his vehicles are eastern Europeans. They have come over with really good skills, but, in a way, their skills are slightly different from ours: instead of taking a component out of a vehicle and simply replacing it with a new one, they attempt to mend or repair the component and put it back. Perhaps we have lost that skill because we have been relatively affluent and have been able to take components off the shelf instead of reusing old ones. The word ““mend”” has gone out of fashion, but it may have to be revisited in the future.