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Waste
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the collection of data on waste within the EC during his presidency of the Council of Ministers.
Mr. Maclean : Work is already in hand to improve the collection of data on waste within the EC, and we will ensure the work continues under our presidency.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he monitors the reliability of information provided by persons acting as holders of non ferrous waste requiring disposal, when making declarations for waste covered by article 17 of EC directive 84/631/EEC.
Mr. Maclean : Monitoring and enforcement of the procedure in article 17 for consignments of hazardous waste containing non-ferrous metals for recycling is a matter for the waste disposal authorities.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to ensure that producers of recycleable waste, or their agents, provide waste regulation authorities with information relating to the quantity of waste requiring disposal by reclamation.
Mr. Maclean : Section 49 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires waste collection authorities to prepare a recycling plan. In doing so each council has a duty to investigate what recycling arrangements are appropriate for dealing with household and commercial waste arising in its area and it must include information as to the kinds and quantities of waste that it expects to deal
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with in that way. The draft plans must be submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend for approval ; he has asked for them all to be with him by 1 August. Once a council has determined the content of the plan it is under a duty to sent a copy, and any subsequent modification of it, to the waste regulation authority for the area.Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will extend the powers of waste regulation authorities giving them rights (a) to require information about the composition of waste and the processes which produce it and (b) to verify the information.
Mr. Maclean : Powers already exist in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Control of Pollution Act 1974 for these purposes insofar as they are necessary for environmental protection. Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act requires all holders of waste to ensure that, on the transfer of the waste, a description of it is also transferred. Such a description must be sufficient to enable subsequent holders to manage the waste safely and legally, and will contain information about the processes producing the waste where such information is necessary to that end. Under the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991, made under section 34, waste regulation authorities have powers to require waste holders to produce copies of such descriptions.
The onus to ensure that descriptions are correct and adequate rests on the parties to transfers of waste ; authorities are not charged with the verification of waste descriptions. Waste disposal authorities are responsible for the supervision of activities at licensed waste disposal sites under section 9 of the Control of Pollution Act. Authorities may set licence conditions requiring the keeping of records and have powers under section 91 of that Act to enter, inspect and take samples of any waste at licensed sites.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will amend current regulations governing the importation and transportation of waste to ensure that regulatory authorities receiving the waste are fully aware of the companies and countries from which the waste is being transferred ;
(2) what action he will take to ensure that adequate information about the harmful and hazardous nature of waste material is made available to regulatory authorities ;
(3) if he will introduce a legal requirement for regulatory authorities to receive pre-notification of the precise time of departure and arrival of waste imported for recycling and disposal.
Mr. Maclean : Negotiations are in progress on an EC regulation, to replace the current regulations, on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the Community. The current draft of this proposal would require information on the source, composition and the producer of the waste proposed for shipment to be notified to the competent authorities. These authorities would also receive advance notification of the date of shipment of waste for recycling and disposal.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation controlling the imports of toxic and hazardous wastes along the lines of the United States Waste Export and Import Prohibition Act (HR G2580).
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Mr. Maclean : No. This Bill, which is not a United States Government measure, would prevent all transfrontier movements of waste, except pre- sorted textile rags, glass and paper wastes for recovery. The United Kingdom is looking to the draft EC waste shipments regulation to improve existing controls on movements of waste. This will include appropriate controls on wastes destined for recovery, implementing a recent decision by the OECD on this subject, which will also be implemented by the United States of America.
World Climate
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to press for international targets, timetables and penalties to ensure that the world climate is protected from made-made environmental pollution ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The climate change convention adopted on 9 May sets as its objective the stabilisation of greenhouse gases concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate. As a first step towards this objective, the convention also sets targets and timetables for greenhouse gas emissions which all developed countries will aim to achieve.
Council House Sales
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to enable the receipts from the sales of council houses to be applied into the new building programmes for housing to rent ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Local authorities must set aside part of their capital receipts as provision for repaying debt. This remains a sensible and prudent requirement. It also enables a greater amount of new credit approvals to be issued to those local authorities where housing needs are greatest or where the resources will be put to best use. The provision of new social housing is now mainly the responsibility of housing associations.
Fire Safety
Mr. Roger Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend the building regulations to impose a requirement in respect of sealed double glazing units that one pane is capable of opening sufficiently to permit persons to escape in circumstances where no other secondary means of escape from fire exist.
Mr. Baldry : There are no plans to amend the building regulations along the lines suggested.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Shore : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, in order of magnitude, the central funding grant per adult towards the cost of local services paid out to each of the London boroughs in 1991-92 ; and what is proposed for 1992-93.
Mr. Redwood : The table shows the total external support, expressed in pounds per adult, received by each London borough in 1991-92 and 1992- 93. The boroughs are listed in ascending order by the amount of support
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recieved in 1991-92. Total external support consists of revenue support grant, redistributed non-domestic rates and, for some authorities, area protection grant and ILEA grant, following the abolition of the Inner London education authority.
Local authority |1991-92 |1992-93
|(£/adult) |(£/adult)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
City of London |11,466 |12,528
Tower Hamlets |1,862 |2,138
Hackney |1,755 |2,080
Lambeth |1,557 |1,628
Southwark |1,427 |1,607
Islington |1,392 |1,687
Westminster |1,385 |1,638
Newham |1,308 |1,612
Hammersmith and Fulham |1,261 |1,465
Lewisham |1,260 |1,466
Camden |1,238 |1,413
Greenwich |1,227 |1,433
Wandsworth |1,192 |1,424
Haringey |1,133 |1,316
Brent |1,128 |1,435
Kensington and Chelsea |1,000 |1,251
Waltham Forest |998 |1,231
Ealing |975 |1,200
Barking and Dagenham |846 |1,055
Hounslow |799 |1,063
Enfield |754 |1,002
Croydon |739 |972
Redbridge |702 |944
Harrow |695 |913
Hillingdon |686 |869
Kingston upon Thames |673 |880
Barnet |670 |951
Merton |654 |881
Bexley |635 |848
Sutton |634 |832
Havering |583 |804
Bromley |543 |755
Richmond upon Thames |529 |752
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will show for each local authority for the financial years 1990-91 and 1991-92 (a) their standard spending assessment relating to capital charges, (b) their actual expenditure relating to this item and (c) the difference between (a) and (b) , showing totals for each column for England as a whole ;
(2) if he will show for each local authority for the financial years 1990- 91 and 1991-92 (a) their standard spending assessment relating to the other services block, (b) their actual expenditure relating to this item and (c) the difference between (a) and (b) , showing totals for each column for England as a whole.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 13 May 1992] : The table shows the England totals for the information requested. The figures for individual local authorities have been placed in the Library.
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Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in chronological order those areas that have already received a recommendation from the Local Government Boundary Commission that they should be reorganised to a unitary authority together with the date of each recommendation.
Mr. Robin Squire : Only in its review of the Isle of Wight did the Local Government Boundary Commission state that it would have proposed a unitary authority, had it been in its power to do so. Their final report was received by the Secretary of State on 10 October 1986.
Public Expenditure
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, at the lowest level of sub-heading used, the expenditure categories employed in itemising public expenditure attributable to the Department of the Environment.
Mr. Howard : Details of my Department's expenditure plans are set out in the Department's 1992 annual report, Cm 1908, and the 1992-93 supply estimates for class VIII environment, Cm 273. Copies of both documents are available in the Library of the House.
Earth Summit
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the specific objectives of Her Majesty's Government at the Earth summit in relation to each item in the proposed "Agenda 21" action plan.
Mr. Maclean : The 40 or so chapters of the Agenda 21 action plan all contain numerous proposals for action by Governments, international bodies, non-governmental organisations, business, local authorities and individual citizens. It is not feasible to set out the United Kingdom's objectives on every specific item. The Government are working with the other participants in the Earth summit to ensure that agenda 21 is given a high level of political commitment in Rio. It will then need to be adapted to the circumstances of individual countries and regions and to evolve over time.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government will press for the inclusion of (a) the polluter pays principle, (b) and extension of environmental impact assessment and (c) encouragement properly to evaluate environmental costs in the market place, to be included in the Earth summit declaration on the environment and development, the earth charter ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The latest draft of the Rio declaration, which has sometimes been referred to as the earth charter, is the product of long and detailed negotiations. It contains satisfactory language, much of it proposed by the United Kingdom, on environmental impact assessment and on internalising environmental costs, taking into account the polluter pays principle. The United Kingdom will strive to ensure that these references are retained in the final text.
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Opencast Coal
Mr. Mike O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his answer of 19 May, Official Report, column 74, on minerals planning guidance note 3, whether the terms of reference of the recent review have included the principles of planning guidance as well as their practical operation ;
(2) pursuant to his answer of 19 May, Official Report, column 74, if he will list the organisations consulted during the consultation exercise on minerals planning guidance note 3 ; how many responses have been received ; if he will provide a breakdown of the responses ; and if he will publish a copy of any questionnaire distributed as part of the exercise ;
(3) pursuant to his answer of 19 May, Official Report, column 74, when his consultation exercise on minerals planning guidance note 3 was begun ; when it is scheduled to finish ; whether it was part of the normal review process or was initiated as a special review ; when an announcement of the results will be made ; and whether he plans any further reviews in 1992 ;
(4) pursuant to his answer of 19 May, Official Report, column 74, on minerals planning guidance note 3, how local authorities were consulted ; and if he will publish copies of the letters or questionnaires sent to local authorities.
Mr. Baldry : It is normal practice to monitor the effectiveness of mineral planning guidance notes. As part of the monitoring of MPG3 the Department wrote to representatives of the local authorities, the industry and environmental organisations on 19 December 1991 seeking their views on how well the guidelines were operating and whether they had created any problems. I am placing copies of the letter, which sought views on all the principal aspects of the guidance in MPG3, together with a list of the organisations consulted, in the Library of the House. Comments were requested by 20 March 1992, but responses have continued to come in since that date and will all be considered. Separate consultations were carried out by the Welsh Office.
To date, 55 responses have been received from outside bodies : 30 from local authority associations and individual local authorities ; 10 from representatives of the industry ; nine from environmental groups ; and six from local residents' action groups. The responses are currently being evaluated and in the light of the results of that evaluation, I shall consider whether there is a need for revision of MPG3. I shall announce my decision as soon as possible.
Mr. Mike O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration is being given to reversing the rule at public inquiries that local communities cannot in their objections to opencast mining challenge the commercial need for opencast coal.
Mr. Baldry : There is no such rule. Inspectors must take into account all representations which are material to the planning decision including any arguments advanced by the applicant in support of the proposals and any counter arguments advanced by objectors. However, the potential profitability or otherwise of any proposed development is not usually material to land use planning decisions.
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EC Legislation
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he intends to bring forward during the United Kingdom presidency of the Council of Ministers in respect of varying standards of implementation of EC environmental legislation by member states ; what proposals he intends to bring forward on subsidiarity as it relates to environmental legislation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : During the presidency we intend to bring the question of proper implementation and enforcement of EC environmental legislation to the attention of the Environment Council, with a view to initiating regular reviews of those issues by Environment Ministers.
We shall continue to press the European Commission to bring forward proposals to set up a Community inspectorate to audit the performance of enforcement agencies within the member states. We will be hosting the first meeting of a new "network" of member state enforcement agencies with a view to setting this up on a permanent basis. The principle of subsidiarity is already written into the environment chapter of the EC treaty. The treaty on European union agreed at Maastricht will, when it comes into effect, extend the principle to other areas of Community policy.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those sites of special scientific interest in the United Kingdom which contain significant areas of woodland, indicating for each whether the woodland consists mainly of native wildwoods ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Climate Change
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals on (a) global warming and climate change and (b) the United Nations conference on environment and development will be put forward by the United Kingdom at the meeting of the European Agriculture Council on 24 and 25 May.
Mr. Maclean : Proposals for discussion at meetings of the Council of Ministers are primarily a matter for the presidency. My right hon. and learned Friend and I played a full part in discussion of the topics in question at the Environment Council on 26 May.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals on climate change were (a) discussed and (b) decided at the EC Environmental Council on 26 May.
Mr. Maclean : The Council endorsed conclusions on climate change tabled by the presidency which recognised the climate change convention as a significant first step in tackling this global problem and urged all countries to sign the convention during UNCED and thereafter to ratify it as soon as possible. The Council also received a report from the European Commission on proposals it intended to make on specific measures to limit CO emissions.
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City Challenge
Mr. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons Tameside MBC was not allowed to make a city challenge presentation.
Mr. Robin Squire : Tameside is not one of the 57 urban priority authorities and was not therefore invited to submit a bid. We have considered the possibility of including Tameside's bid in the city challenge competition, but came to the view that our policy should remain unchanged. Tameside MBC was formally notified of this decision on 18 May.
Debt Payment
Sir Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what distribution has taken place within his Department and the purchasing organisations for which he has responsibility of the Department of Employment's publication "Making the Cash Flow--A Guide to the Payment of Commercial Debt for Buyers and Small Business Suppliers".
Mr. Howard : "Making the Cash Flow" was prepared as guidance for the private sector and there was therefore no formal distribution to other Government Departments. Guidelines on purchasing by Government Departments already exist and are distributed by Her Majesty's Treasury.
The Department of Employment has been undertaking a survey of prompt payment record of Government Departments during the financial year 1991-92. The results of this exercise will be published in the near future by the Department of Trade and Industry, which now has responsibility for small firms issues, including late payment. After studying these results the Department will consider what further measures, if any, may be necessary to encourage prompt payment by the public sector.
Sir Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what policy guidelines are currently in place within his Department and the purchasing organisations for which he has responsibility in respect of the prompt payment of commercial debt, particularly as it relates to small business suppliers.
Mr. Howard : It is the policy of my Department to ensure that payments, including those to small business suppliers, are made promptly within the period stipulated in the appropriate contract or where there is no contractual provision or other understanding, within 30 days of receipt of goods/services or the presentation of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment, whichever is the later. To help encourage prompt payment of bills by Government contractors to their sub-contractors all Government contracts are to contain a clause requiring the supplier of contractor to pay its
sub-contractors promptly. In the absence of normal practice to the contrary for that type of contract or other special circumstances, the commitment should be to pay the subcontractor within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment as defined by the contract.
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Conservation Areas (Shops)
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for enabling local planning authorities to issue statutory guidelines for shop fronts and advertisements in conservation areas ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : We have no plans to introduce statutory guide lines. Paragraphs 53 to 71 of my Department's circular 8/87 give general policy guidance to planning authorities about control of development, including outdoor advertisements, in conservation areas. The Government intend to issue later this year a consultative draft of a new planning policy guidance note about listed buildings and conservation areas.
Recycling
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress by local authorities in encouraging private citizens to separate all recyclable materials from household waste prior to collection.
Mr. MacLean : It is the Government's aim that 25 per cent. of household waste should be recycled by the end of this century. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires all waste collection authorities to preparewaste recycling plans. I am expecting the draft plansto be submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend by1 August. These plans will provide the first comprehensive national survey of recycling activity. To assist local authorities in planning for recycling we have made available a programme of supplementary credit approvals worth £60 million over four years to stimulate investment in recycling projects and from 1 April this year it is now mandatory that waste disposal authorities should pay recycling credits to collection authorities that recycle waste.
Pesticides
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evaluations have been made of the risks in use of the pesticides (a) pentachlorophenol, (b) pentachlorophenyl laurate and (c) sodium pentachlorophenoxide by (i) his Department, (ii) consultants to his Department or (iii) agencies which report to his Department.
Mr. Maclean : The Department of the Environment has commissioned two reviews of pentachlorophenol, its salts and esters :
"Timber Preservation Chemicals : Volumes 1a and 1b"--Consultants in Environmental Sciences Ltd. Published October 1988, placed in the Library, November 1988.
"Environmental Hazard Assessment : Pentachorophenol"--S. J. Hobbs, (Building Research Establishment) P. D. Howe, S. Dobson (Institute of Terrestrial Ecology). To be published in Autumn 1992
The Department also contributes to the work of the International Programme on Chemical Safety, which in 1987 produced an Environmental health criteria document on pentachlorophenol :
"Pentachlorophenol : Environmental Health Criteria 71"--World Health Organisation 1987. ISBN 92 4 154271 3.
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Green Citizens Charter
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response his Department has had to the brochure, "Green Rights and Responsibilities : a Citizen's Guide to the Environment", published by his Department earlier this year ; and how many copies of the green citizens charter have been published, and at what cost to date.
Mr. Maclean : This booklet has received a positive response from members of the public, local authorities, companies and voluntary groups. One million copies have been published at a total cost of £119,000. My Department has held initial discussions of the document with the local authority associations and I look forward to developing those discussions further.
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Local Government Boundary Commission
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of his guidelines for the Local Government Boundary Commission on London and metropolitan counties, contained in his Department's circulars 33/78 and 20/86.
Mr. Robin Squire : Copies of the circulars have been placed in the Library today.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the draft proposals published by the Local Government Boundary Commission regarding the boundaries of London boroughs for which final reports have yet to be issued, showing the dates of publication of first and further draft proposals and the dates by which comments were to be received.
Mr. Robin Squire : The information is set out in the table. It includes those reviews where the final report has been submitted recently.
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Timetable of Local Government Boundary Commission Reviews
Name of Review |Date of draft |Date by |Date of |Date by |Date of |Date of |Date of
|proposals |which |further draft |which |additional |additional |publication of
|recommenda- |proposals |comments |further draft |further draft |final report
|tions were to |were to be |proposals |proposals
|be received |received
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barking and Dagenham-boundaries with |02.11.89 |27.11.89 |27.03.91 |29.05.91 |06.11.91 |18.12.91 |-
Redbridge, Newham and Havering
Brent<1>-boundaries with Barnet, Camden, |31.07.91 |23.10.91 |- |- |- |- |20.05.92
Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham,
Harrow, Kensington and Chelsea and
Westminster
Bromley-boundary with Lewisham |21.08.91 |16.10.91 |- |- |- |- |27.05.92
Camden-boundaries with Barnet and |04.01.91 |01.03.91 |10.01.92 |06.03.92 |- |- |-
Westminster
Ealing/Hammersmith and Fulham/ |09.03.92 |11.05.92 |- |- |- |- |-
boundary with Richmond Upon
Thames)
Enfield-boundaries with Barnet, |17.09.90 |26.11.90 |06.03.92 |01.05.92 |- |- |-
Hertsmere, Welwyn, Hatfield,
Broxbourne and Epping Forest
Greenwich-boundary with Bromley |21.08.91 |16.10.91 |- |- |- |- |27.05.92
Hackney-boundaries with Haringey and |09.07.91 |10.09.91 |24.02.92 |21.04.92 |- |- |-
Islington
Haringey-boundaries with Barnet, Camden |11.03.91 |17.05.91 |09.03.92 |05.05.92 |- |- |-
and Enfield
Havering-boundaries with Redbridge, |17.10.88 |12.12.88 |21.06.91 |23.08.91 |- |- |-
Brentwood, Thurrock and Barking and
Dagenham
Heathrow-Hillingdon, Hounslow and |29.05.90 |01.11.90 |17.01.92 |16.04.92 |- |- |-
Spelthorne
Hillingdon-boundaries with Ealing, |05.03.90 |30.04.90 |24.02.92 |21.04.92 |- |- |-
Hounslow, South Bucks and Three
Rivers
Hounslow-boundaries with Richmond and |10.02.92 |06.04.92 |- |- |- |- |-
Spelthorne
Kensington and Chelsea-boundary with |05.03.92 |29.05.92 |- |- |- |- |-
Hammersmith and Fulham
Kingston Upon Thames-boundaries with |26.11.91 |18.02.92 |- |- |- |- |-
Merton, Richmond, Sutton,
Wandsworth, Elmbridge, Epsom and
Ewell and Mole Valley
Lewisham-boundaries with Greenwich and |06.12.91 |14.02.92 |- |- |- |- |-
Tower Hamlets
Merton-boundary with Croydon |10.02.92 |06.04.92 |- |- |- |- |-
Newham-boundaries with Redbridge, |29.01.90 |26.03.90 |30.04.91 |25.06.91 |- |- |-
Waltham Forest, Hackney and Tower
Hamlets
Redbridge-boundaries with Waltham |31.05.89 |26.07.89 |14.12.90 |15.02.91 |- |- |12.05.92
Forest and Epping Forest
Richmond Upon Thames-boundary with |26.11.91 |21.01.92 |- |- |- |- |11.05.92
Wandsworth
Sutton-boundaries with Croydon, Epsom |27.01.92 |16.03.92 |- |- |- |-
and Ewell and Reigate and Banstead
Wandsworth-boundaries with Merton, |10.01.92 |09.03.92 |- |- |- |- |-
Lambeth, Hammersmith and Fulham,
Kensington and Chelsea and including
Merton's boundary with Lambeth
Westminster-boundaries with Kensington |27.02.92 |23.04.92 |- |- |- |- |-
and Chelsea and Lambeth
<1> The Commission will submit a separate report on the electoral consequences of their final report in due course
#9383
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the findings of the Local Government Boundary Commission in its report No. 627, "The Boundaries of Greater London and the London Boroughs" ; and if he will set up a wide-ranging review of the pattern of London boroughs.
Mr. Robin Squire : The report is a useful document based on the thorough work the Local Government Boundary Commission has done in its London boundary reviews. We have no plans for radical change to the pattern of local government in London.
Community Charge
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people were registered for the community charge in each parliamentary constituency in Greater London for each year that the community charge register has been in operation.
Mr. Robin Squire : The information requested is not available.
Water Meters
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to accelerate the findings of the water meter trial areas.
Mr. Maclean : Two reports have so far been published and a final report will be produced in about 12 months' time, when all the trials have been completed. As I am keen that the substantial body of data collected about water metering should be fully analysed and made available promptly not only to the water industry but also to the regulatory bodies, I have proposed to the water industry that the Director General of Water Services should take the lead from the Government side in analysing the results of the trials and the implications for charging methods. In consultation with DOE and NRA, he will also co-ordinate, and where necessary commission, any further studies that are needed.
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to speed up the introduction of water meters.
Mr. Maclean : The Director General of Water Services has warned water companies that they must make metering a more attractive option for individual customers. He has also asked them to draw up strategies for the general introduction of water metering where the overall benefit to customers outweighs the costs of installation. We shall be issuing a consultation paper before the summer recess which will consider a range of possible water conservation measures, including the potential role of metering.
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has reached any conclusions on the ability of water metering to avoid the issuing of drought orders.
Mr. Maclean : Information from the national water metering trial areas indicates a substantial reduction in the volume of water supplied particularly during periods of
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peak demand. However, any programme for the introduction of meters to existing properties will require careful planning and will take some years to complete. In the meantime, drought orders may be required in areas where there is a shortage of rainfall.Council Elections
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to allow for local council elections in the metropolitan districts in 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : The Government have no plans to change the arrangements for elections to metropolitan district councils.
Paper Products
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered the environmental impact of (a) paper and (b) tissue products manufactured using (i) recycled feedstock and (ii) new fibre ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The European Council of Ministers adopted a regulation in March establishing a Community eco-labelling scheme which is due to come into operation towards the end of the year. The aim of the scheme is to identify products which do the least harm to the environment.
In preparing for the introduction of the scheme Denmark is leading a study to develop criteria for the award of eco-labels to paper products including fine papers and tissues. This study, to which the United Kingdom is contributing, is examining all the environ-mental impacts of paper manufacture.
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