The Department suggests the delay in implementation of extended producer responsibility scheme is in part to allow councils more time to prepare and adjust services. However, we remain concerned that councils cannot use the additional time to prepare until they receive a timeline for implementation and confirmation of funding.25 For 15 Qq 9 & 22 16 Qq 27, 29 17 Q 23 18 C&AG’s Report, para 2.20 19 C&AG’s Report, paras 20, 22 and figure 8 20 Q 9 21 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.3 and 2.6 22 Correspondence from Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, 21 September 2023; C&AG’s Report, para 1.3 23 GRWR0032 24 Q 13 25 Qq 10, 11 12 Government’s programme of waste reforms example, if this lack of clarity on the funding implications is only resolved near the start date for the new EPR scheme, this could mean that many local authorities start the process of procuring new lorries and bins around the same time. This could put pressure on supply chains and mean it takes longer than Defra expects for all local authorities to collect waste as required. In written evidence, the Districts Councils’ Network and Local Government Association highlighted how continued uncertainty around the requirements of the programme is actively hampering councils from investing and improving their services, delaying procurement, and undermining local authorities’ efforts to increase recycling rates.26