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16 Dec 2002 : Column 596W—continued
Ordnance Survey Mapping
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the accuracy is of Ordnance Survey Mapping. [86563]
Mr. McNulty: Statistical information about the accuracy of Ordnance Survey mapping is published on the Ordnance Survey web site at http://www.ordnancesurvev.co.uk/productpages/landline/positional-background.htm.
Projects (Sedgefield)
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which projects in the Sedgefield constituency have benefited from the landfill tax credit scheme. [86607]
John Healey: I understand environmental bodies within the Sedgefield constituency have invested in around 15 ongoing or completed environmental projects as a result of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.
Recycling (Christmas)
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has of the number of (a) christmas cards and (b) christmas trees that were recycled in each year since 1990; what support she provides to local authorities with regard to the recycling of Christmas cards; and if she will make a statement. [86414]
Mr. Meacher [holding answer 12 December 2002]: Defra does not hold information on the recycling of Christmas cards and trees centrally, but I am aware of a scheme to collect and recycle used Christmas cards run in January 2002 by the Woodland Trust. This resulted in 34 million Christmas cards being recycled, in addition to those that were recycled by local authorities as part of their normal collection and recycling of waste paper. Further information is available from the Woodland Trust Website: http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk.
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Some local authorities do report the number of Christmas trees they recycle to the environmental charity EnCams. The number of trees reported to be recycled in each year since 1997 are:
| Year | Christmas trees recycled (English local authorities) |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 114,427 |
| 2998 | 171,488 |
| 1999 | 413,560 |
| 2000 | 728,927 |
| 2001 | 894,720 |
| 2002 | 1,194,670 |
There is no special provision made to local authorities for the recycling of Christmas cards and trees. However, the Spending Review 2000 included an annual increase in revenue support for Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPCS), which includes waste management services. By 2003–04 this support will have risen by 1.1 billion over the 2000–01 provision.
The 2002 Spending Review has also announced that EPCS spending will increase by a further #671 million by 2005–06. Consistent with the general local authority financial framework, it is for individual local authorities to decide the proportion of their budget that should be directed to waste management work.
In addition to general support to local authority revenue expenditure, Spending Review 2000 provided a #140 million Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fundand 220 million of Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) resources, for waste projects, in Spending Review 2002, the PFI provision was increased to #355 million over the next three years. In addition, the New Opportunities Fund will distribute #38.75 million to expand community sector waste reuse, recycling and composting in England.
Waste Framework Directive
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what forms of agricultural waste will be subject to the Waste Framework Directive. [87127]
Mr. Meacher: Section 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 excludes from our national waste management controls, Xwaste from premises used for agriculture within the meaning of the Agriculture Act 1947". This, exclusion is in contravention of the Waste Framework Directive and we are preparing Regulations which will have the effect of repealing it. As a result, the Waste Framework Directive will apply to all types of agricultural waste other than those excluded from the Directive's scope by Article 2. In practice, this means that all forms of agricultural waste will be subject to control under the Waste Framework Directive other than animal carcasses which are subject to controlunder the Animal Waste Directive. The Waste Framework Directive provides that Xwaste" is X. . . any substance or object . . . which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard."
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Waste Management
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are for new landfill sites for the disposal of household waste in England. [85326]
Mr. Meacher: Waste Strategy 2000 recognises that landfill will still have a role to play in any sustainable waste management system, but that it will be a much smaller role.
Local authorities should take into account the landfill diversion targets required by the Landfill Directive, to reduce the landfilling of biodegradable waste to landfill across the United Kingdom by around two-thirds in line with the timetable set out in the directive (ie by 2016, should the UK decide not to take advantage of the final four year derogation) and the recycling and recovery targets set out in WS2000.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the proportion of household waste (a) buried in landfill sites, (b) incinerated and (c) recycled in each local authority in England. [85327]
Mr. Meacher: Local authorities are required to provide estimates of the proportion of household waste recycled (including composting) recovered (including incineration) and landfilled under the Best Value regime. The latest results for 2000–01 are published on the ODPM website www.bvpi.gov.uk and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Estimates for 2001–02 will be available shortly.
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