Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

HGV Driver Shortages: Waste Collections

Monday 19 July 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Greg Clark asked about recent discussions on the impact of HGV driver shortages on local authority waste collections.
  • The Minister responded that the Government is working with the waste sector to understand staffing issues and has taken actions like increasing vocational test capacity and funding apprenticeships.
  • Greg Clark inquired about action taken since a meeting with the Minister regarding Urbaser's poor performance.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Greg Clark Con
Local Government Environment
Context

There is a shortage of HGV drivers, which has impacted the staffing levels for waste-collection vehicles. Local authorities are facing challenges due to this issue.

Question

What recent discussions has he had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect on local authority waste collections of HGV driver shortages?

Answer from Luke Hall

We are working across Government and with the waste sector to better understand the issues facing waste-collection vehicle staffing levels. We have already taken action on HGV driver shortages, including by ramping up vocational test capacity and funding apprenticeships.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific impact on local authority waste collections was not addressed with details or commitments.

How: We Are Working Across Government, Working With The Industry

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Q2 Greg Clark Con
Environment
Context

Urbaser, a company contracted for waste management, is under scrutiny due to poor service delivery in the constituencies of Greg Clark. A previous meeting was held between the Minister and Greg Clark.

Question

The Minister has met with me to discuss Urbaser's poor performance. Will he update my constituents on what action he has taken since our meeting so that we can see a rapid improvement to their service?

Answer from Luke Hall

Following our meeting, I have written to Urbaser to ask how it intends to address the concerns that he has relayed. I urge it to use every tool at its disposal to meet its contractual commitments and look forward to working with him to monitor this situation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific timeline or concrete actions were provided for rapid improvement of services.

How: It Is Something That We Take Extremely Seriously, I Urge It To Use Every Tool At Its Disposal

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