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US Vessels

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) of 29 January 2004, Official Report, column 494W, on US vessels, what discussions took place with (a) the US authorities and (b) the US Marine Administration before the departure of the vessels; what requests were made; what replies to these requests were received; and if she will make a statement. [153328]

Mr. Morley: The Environment Agency had a number of discussions with the US Marine Administration (MARAD) and the US Environmental Protection Agency prior to the departure of the vessels regarding the export of the vessels to the UK.

The Agency encouraged contact between MARAD and Hartlepool borough council in late September regarding the matter of planning permission for the Graythorp facility. At about the same time, the Agency spoke to the United States' Environmental Protection Agency about this matter. In October and prior to the departure of the vessels the Environment Agency, on several occasions in telephone calls and emails, advised MARAD to keep the vessels in the US until they were satisfied that all necessary arrangements were in place. No formal response was received.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency had discussions with both MARAD and the US Coastguard regarding the safety of the vessels, their planned route and their towing arrangements.
 
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Village/Community Halls

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what work she has commissioned into (a) the value to communities of village and community halls and (b) the repair and renovation needs of village and community halls. [159675]

Alun Michael: I have discussed this issue with ACRE, The Village Halls Forum and other stakeholders, and Defra is about to commission research on the repair and renovation needs of village halls and on the value of the activities that take place in village halls to the communities they serve.

Warm Front Scheme

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what instructions her Department issued to Warm Front scheme managers on the publication on their websites of monthly statistical data relating to works carried out under the scheme. [154679]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 27 February 2004]: Both Warm Front Scheme Managers have been asked to provide details on their websites of the number of measures installed in each quarter. That information is now available for the current financial year from 1 April to 31 December 2003.

Annual data from the start of the scheme in June 2000 will be available on their websites shortly.

Waste

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to alert producers of hazardous waste to their obligations under the Landfill Directive. [156410]

Mr. Morley: The Department has taken the following actions:

conducted six rounds of public consultation on aspects of the Landfill Directive, three of which dealt specifically (although not exclusively) with hazardous waste issues;

set up the Hazardous Waste Forum and the Landfill Directive Implementation Group—whose membership includes representatives of hazardous waste producers such as the -CBI and the Chemical Industries Association;

published the Hazardous Waste Forum action plan on the reduction and environmentally sound management of hazardous waste;

assisted in the issue of guidance material by the Environment Agency, including technical guidance on assessing and classifying hazardous waste;

organised seminars and took part in those organised by others (e.g. the Environmental Services Association and the Chemical Industries Association);

arranged bilateral meetings with a wide range of industry and other interests;

commissioned research and other projects (either direct or though the Hazardous Waste Forum or the Environment Agency).

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what limitations on (a) volume and (b) duration apply to on-site storage by producers of hazardous materials before such materials are classified as waste. [156431]

 
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Mr. Morley: The definition of waste in force in the United Kingdom is the definition in Article 1(a) of the Waste Framework Directive (as amended). It provides that waste means, ". . . any substance or object . . . which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard."

It rests in the first place with the producer of a substance to decide whether it is being discarded as waste. The Environment Agency is designated as a competent authority for the purposes of the Directive and is responsible for the application of its controls to substances discarded as waste.

Whether or not substances, such as hazardous materials, are discarded as waste is a matter which must be determined on the facts of the case and the interpretation of the law is a matter for the Courts. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued several judgments on the interpretation of the definition of waste and the meaning of "discard". ECJ judgments are binding on member states and their "competent authorities".

There are no specific limits on (a) volume and (b) duration of storage of hazardous materials to determine whether they have been discarded as waste. However, the long term storage of materials with little intention or certainty of future use, or that no use for the material other than disposal can be envisaged, may be an indication that the material has been discarded as waste.

Where hazardous materials have been discarded as waste, the Government have provided an exemption for the temporary storage of hazardous waste at the place of production in paragraph 41 of Schedule 3 of the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. This allows for the temporary storage at the place of production, pending collection, for a period not exceeding 12 months of:

80 cubic metres of waste in a secure container; or

50 cubic metres of waste in a secure place; or

23,000 litres of liquid waste in a secure container.

Mr. Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce measures to compensate households who suffer noise and smells from landfill sites. [157260]

Mr. Morley: There are no plans to introduce a compensation scheme. Measures are already in place to control noise and smells from landfill sites.

The EU Waste Framework Directive requires member states to put in place necessary measures to ensure that controlled waste is recovered or disposed of without harm to human health and the environment. This is done in the UK by means of a Waste Management licence which is issued and regulated by the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency has a range of enforcement tools which it can use to ensure licence conditions are met.

Also, in order to obtain such a licence for a landfill site, planning permission would be needed which should address the issue of likely nuisance to local residents.
 
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Westminster Hall

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to have senior Ministers reply to debates in Westminster Hall. [159619]

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend , the Leader of the House on 8 March, Official Report, column 1234W.

CABINET OFFICE

Asbestos

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. [159371]

Mr. Alexander: All of the buildings occupied by, and which are the direct responsibility of the Cabinet Office, the Government Car and Despatch Agency and the Central Office of Information have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos. The respective landlords for buildings occupied but not controlled by the Cabinet Office, are responsible for the control of any asbestos present.

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