Thérèse Coffey – MP for Suffolk Coastal – officially took on the government’s waste management brief last month (August 2016).

Dr Coffey was appointed to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) by the new Prime Minister Theresa May in July following the promotion of Rory Stewart to International Development.

However, it was not confirmed at the time whether she would inherit the former parliamentary undersecretary of state’s responsibilities for steering waste and recycling policy.

Dr Coffey’s ministerial duties as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Opportunities include: biodiversity, the marine environment, and international wildlife trafficking; rural life opportunities; floods, water and waterways; air quality; and waste management

Dr Coffey was previously the deputy leader of the House of Commons serving under Chris Grayling and served on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee until she was appointed parliamentary private secretary to Michael Fallon, minister for business and energy. Mr Fallon had responsibility for the WEEE directive which is now overseen by Defra.