Mary Creagh appointed minister responsible for circular economy

Mary Creagh has been appointed as Minister of Nature in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with responsibility for circular economy.

Creagh was elected as the MP for Coventry East in July after previously serving as the MP for Wakefield from 2005 until 2019 when she lost her re-election bid to Conservative Candidate Imran Ahmad-Khan.

Creagh served as Shadow Environment Secretary between 2010 and 2013 when Ed Miliband, the current Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, was Labour leader.

She also chaired the Environmental Audit Committee between 2016 and 2019.

Creagh was confirmed as Minister for Nature as the Environment Secretary Steve Reed finalised his ministerial team. 

Welcoming Creagh to the post, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management’s (CIWM) Director of Innovation and Technical Services, Lee Marshall, said: “CIWM would like to congratulate Mary Creagh on her appointment as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature) and welcome her to her new role.

We look forward to working with her to move the policy agenda forward and presenting our policy recommendations for discussion.

“Through her work as Chair of the Environment Audit Committee and in her shadow Defra role, the Minister has had previous involvement in the sector, and we are pleased that someone with prior experience has been appointed to this important portfolio.

“We look forward to working with her to move the policy agenda forward and presenting our policy recommendations for discussion.”

Speaking after his appointment, Steve Reed announced that moving Britain to a zero waste economy was one of his five core priorities alongside cleaning up rivers, lakes and seas, boosting food security, ensuring nature recovery, and protecting communities from flooding.

Reed previously said Labour would target a zero waste economy by 2050; however, this target was not included in the party’s manifesto. Instead, Labour said it was committed to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy.

In 2011, the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government published plans for a zero waste economy; however, Reed said that since then little progress has been made.

According to the Guardian, Reed said he had seen analysis that shows transitioning to a zero waste economy would add a “£70 billion boost to the economy”.