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6 Oct 2003 : Column 1181W—continued

Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many businesses are taking part in the Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme through (a) the Carbon Trust, (b) her Department and (c) the Inland Revenue. [128032]

Mr. Morley: The Department has joint policy lead for the energy efficiency Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme with Inland Revenue and Treasury. In August 2002 the Carbon Trust took over the administration and promotion of this scheme.

On 5 August 2003 a Treasury Order came into effect revising the qualifying technologies eligible for the energy efficiency EGA. As of 1 September 2003 the number of companies with qualifying products (manufacturers and distributors) stands at 289, while individual products numbered 5255.

Environment Agency

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of the results of the Environment Agency's May 2003 survey of public opinion. [129340]

Margaret Beckett: I am happy to place a copy of the results of the Environment Agency survey in the Library.

Food Expenditure

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on food by her Department and by each of the agencies for which it is responsible in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; what proportion of that food by value was produced; what guidance she has issued to encourage the procurement of home-produced food; and if she will make a statement. [129372]

Margaret Beckett: Expenditure on food in Defra is generally limited to official hospitality provided by Defra and canteen subsidies. Records of spend on food provided at some external conferences and like events are not kept centrally and so will not be included.

6 Oct 2003 : Column 1182W

In 2001–02 Defra recorded expenditure of £139,984 on hospitality and £395,277 on canteen subsidies. The figures for 2002–03 were £202,029 and £409,179 respectively.

Information made available by canteen service providers indicates that on average 67 per cent. of the food they procured was produced in the UK. Therefore, the monetary value of UK produced food supplied to Defra as official hospitality and indirectly through subsidies is estimated to be £357,509 in 2002–02 and £408,287 in 2002–03.

Defra has published a "Guidance and action Sheet for buyers and their internal customers" that includes guidance on local sourcing and in particular how to remove obstacles to tendering faced by local and UK suppliers. It can be seen on our website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/index.htm. Defra has also produced a model food procurement action plan with guidance for completion that includes an objective concerned with opening up opportunities for local providers to compete for business. The guidance takes account of the Government's policy of achieving value for money in public procurement, and its commitment under the EC rules to ensure that public procurement is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory. We are also taking a number of other steps to integrate sustainable development into the public procurement of food and catering services. We have had bilateral meetings at Ministerial and senior management level (including with representatives of local government) and have published a number of case studies. A national conference on 26 November will raise awareness still further and that will be followed by regional workshops next year. Within Defra we are discussing with our catering service providers the scope they have for purchasing local and UK produce.

Fruit and Vegetable Imports

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the purpose is of the import duties charged by the EU for the import of fruit and vegetables, with particular reference to (a) peas, (b) pineapples, (c) honeydew melons, (d) apricots, (e) strawberries, (f) raspberries and (g) sugar; what criteria were used for setting the level of import duty in each case; and if she will make a statement. [131040]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 18 September 2003]: The purpose of import duties on fruit and vegetables is to prevent or counteract adverse effects on the market in the Community which may result from imports of these products. The duty rates applied are those set out in the Common Customs Tariff and are reviewed from time to time as a consequence of international negotiations. Variations in the amount of duty paid reflect seasonal factors and the declared or standard value of the produce.

GM Crops

Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often her Department's Ministers have met (a) Doug Parr of Greenpeace, (b) Patrick Holden of the Soil Association and (c) scientists working on GM crops in the last 12 months. [128698]

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Margaret Beckett: Defra Ministers have met either Douglas Parr of Greenpeace, Patrick Holden of the Soil Association or scientists working on GM crops a total of six times in the last 12 months as follows:

Date	Minister	Who met
18 September 2002	Michael Meacher	Patrick Holden—Soil Association
24 September 2002	Michael Meacher	Greenpeace Scientists
17 December 2002	Margaret Beckett	Scientists
03 March 2003	Michael Meacher	Patrick Holden—Soil Association
10 June 2003	Margaret Beckett	Scientists
01 July 2003	Margaret Beckett	Scientists

Landfill Sites

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many landfill sites in each Environment Agency region are licensed to accept hazardous waste; how many sites in each such region will be licensed to accept hazardous waste after July 2004; and if she will make a statement. [129352]

Margaret Beckett: Information from the Environment Agency's conditioning plan exercise carried out in July 2002, covering England and Wales, indicated the following:

Region	Hazardous(post 2002)	Hazardous(post 2004)
Anglian	47	9
Midlands	42	4
North East	39	11
North West	27	8
South West	16	1
Southern	13	1
Thames	19	0
Wales	15	3
Total	218	37

Given that July 2004 is still some time away, the actual number may well change before then. Also, there will be scope to landfill treated hazardous waste in separate cells in landfills classified as non-hazardous.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what amount of hazardous waste was sent to landfill in each year since 1996. [129353]

Margaret Beckett: The amount of special waste sent to landfill (as notified to the Environment Agency on special waste consignment notes) for the calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001 is as follows:

	Tonnes
1999	2,092,490
2000	2,054,084
2001	2,332,000

Information in respect of earlier years is not held centrally. Data for 2002 are not yet available.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the amount of hazardous waste that will be sent to landfill in (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006. [129354]

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Margaret Beckett: In 2001, 2,332,000 tonnes of hazardous waste were disposed to landfill in England and Wales. Projections for future years are affected by a range of factors, including the likely increase in costs of treatment and disposal as a result of requirements in the Landfill Directive, and the impact of these changes in costs on producers efforts to minimise waste. Changes to the hazardous waste list are likely to increase the amount of hazardous waste to be consigned. These and other factors are currently being investigated in support of work on possible scenarios for the hazardous waste forum, which is due to report in the autumn.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the likely change in costs of sending hazardous waste to landfill after implementation of the ban on co-disposal in July 2004. [129355]

Margaret Beckett: A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Landfill Directive in England and Wales was published with the Second Consultation Paper on Implementation of Council Directive (1999/31/EC) on the Landfill of Waste. This is available on the Defra website (www.defra.gov.uk). The RIA points out that increasing disposal costs will provide greater impetus to minimise, recycle and re-use waste and hence move the management of waste up the waste hierarchy. This outcome is a major objective of the Government's environmental policy and is supported by business, non-Government organisations and Select Committees of this House.

The RIA indicates that at the extreme, waste producers will face an additional cost in the range of £97 million to £696 million. Part of this increased cost relates to landfilling hazardous waste; this fell into the range of £15 million to £87 million.

The RIA recognises that many of the potential benefits cannot be quantified but believes that a number will be of local significance where they result in a reduced impact of existing landfills. These benefits relate principally to reducing health and environmental risks and by promoting more sustainable options as set out above. The RIA also draws attention to benefits from investment in treatment technologies and rising landfill standards that could result in new opportunities for business.

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