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6 May 2004 : Column 1655W—continued
Crop Spraying
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the progress is of her Department's consultation on proposed crop spray buffer zones. [170010]
Alun Michael: The consultation on whether no-spray buffer zones should be introduced between agricultural spray operations and residential areas had a substantial response. I have seen initial papers from officials but all the evidence needs to be considered and the implications of any decision need to be thoroughly thought through. Our priority is to ensure that the right decision is made. It would be counter-productive to rush into making a decision and announce a conclusion as soon as there is something to say.
Disposable Nappies
Mr. Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has commissioned on the potential impact on household waste volumes of introducing charges based upon the volume or weight of domestic waste produced by each household, with particular reference to disposable nappy volumes; and if she will make a statement. [168778]
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Mr. Morley: The Government have no plans for the introduction of a national tax, or charge, on household waste. The Strategy Unit Report, "Waste not, Want not", recommended that local authorities who wish to take forward household incentive schemes to help reduce waste amounts and increase recycling, should be allowed to do so. In response to this recommendation work has been carried out to examine the impact of household incentive schemes. This work has looked in particular at the practicalities of operating any such schemes and how potential disadvantages might be overcome.
"Waste Not Want Not" also recommended that the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) should take forward work supporting re-usable nappy schemes. The aim of this work, now under way, is to achieve an average diversion of 225 kg/year per participating household by 2006. The scheme seeks to reach 550,000 households, equivalent to 24 per cent. of households with children aged 0–3 years. This would reduce arisings by a total of 200,000 tonnes over three years.
Mr. Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what waste reduction targets have been set for the UK by European directives and regulations; what penalties could be incurred for failure to meet those targets; and what assessment has been made of the contribution of a reduction in the numbers of disposable nappies being sent to landfill to achieving those targets. [168790]
Mr. Morley: There are no European directives or regulations which set UK waste reduction targets.
The UK targets under the Landfill Directive are to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill to 75 per cent. of 1995 levels by 2010, 50 per cent. by 2013 and 35 per cent. by 2020 (using the four-year derogation period). Failure to reach these targets could result in the UK being fined up to £500,000 per day.
In its report "Waste not, Want not", the Strategy Unit estimated that in 2000–01 nappies comprised around 2 per cent. of household waste, equivalent to 350,000 tonnes.
The report recommended that the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) should take forward work supporting re-usable nappy schemes to aim to reach 550,000 households with the aim of reducing arisings by a total of 200,000 tonnes over three years. This work is currently under way and will help in reducing the amount of waste the UK produces.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has received a copy of the recent report from the Women's Environmental Network on the environmental and economic cost to the national health service of the use in and promotion through NHS facilities of disposable nappies; and if she will make a statement. [168920]
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Mr. Morley: The Department has received a copy of the Women's Environmental Network report.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to develop co-ordinated strategies with officials from the Department of Health and the national health service for the reduction in the number of disposable nappies going to landfill; and if she will make a statement. [168935]
Mr. Morley: In its report, "Waste not, Want not", the Strategy Unit estimated that in 2000–01, nappies comprised around 2 per cent. of household waste, equivalent to 350,000 tonnes.
The report recommended that the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) take forward work supporting re-usable nappy schemes to aim to reach 550,000 households with the aim of reducing arisings by a total of 200,000 tonnes over three years. This work is currently under way.
As well as supporting new re-usable nappy businesses, the WRAP programme will also undertake work with health trusts, hospitals and professionals on re-usable nappies. It is a matter for the individual maternity units and trusts, in consultation with women and their families using the services, to decide on the practicalities of adopting real nappy schemes.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when officials of her Department last met representatives of the Nappy Alliance to discuss disposable nappies; what action suggestions arose from that meeting; and what progress has been made in implementing them. [168944]
Mr. Morley: Officials from the Department has not met representatives of the Nappy Alliance to discuss disposable nappies.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money was spent on grants to aid energy efficiency in (a) Lancashire, (b) Chorley and (c) the North West in each of the last three years. [161243]
Mr. Morley: Defra currently provides grant funding for energy efficiency through four main routes. These organisations or programmes undertake work at a national or UK level often demand led and with no specific levels of funding attributed to particular regions.
The Carbon Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency and low carbon innovation for business and public sector.
The Energy Saving Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency in the domestic sector.
The Community Energy programme—capital and development funding to refurbish existing and install new community heating schemes.
The Warm Front programme—to provide energy efficiency measures to the vulnerable.
The funding made available by my Department to support and promote efficiency measures in each of the last three years is of the scale set out as follows:
6 May 2004 : Column 1658W
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 256 |
| 2002–03 | 225 |
| 2003–04 | (1)243 |
(1) Budget
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason she has not met the commitment given in paragraph 3.49 of the Energy White Paper of February 2003 to publish an implementation plan on energy efficiency within one year. [165277]
Mr. Morley: The principal reason for the delay in publication of the Energy Efficiency Implementation Plan was to allow it to be published alongside the First Annual Report of the Energy White Paper.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies she has undertaken on the numbers of new jobs which implementing in full the energy efficiency targets contained within the Energy White Paper would provide by 2020. [165278]
Mr. Morley: No specific studies have been undertaken by the Department on the numbers of new jobs that might be created through the implementation of the energy efficiency goals set out in the Energy White Paper. However, in order for the White Paper goals to be met, a significant expansion of energy efficiency industry capacity would be required.
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Wirral, South have benefited from the Warm Front and Home Energy Efficiency schemes. [170272]
Mr. Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 1,600 households in Wirral, South received assistance from the scheme.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department is undertaking to reduce the level of domestic energy consumption in the United Kingdom. [169771]
Mr. Morley: 'Energy Efficiency: The Government's Plan for Action' published on 26 April 2004, sets out how the Government aims to cut carbon emissions by an 12 million tonnes through energy efficiency measures across all sectors by 2010.
In UK households, we have announced a new aim to deliver annual savings of 4.2 million tonnes of carbon by 2010. Measures to achieve this include:
The Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC)—we intend the activity levels for EEC over the period 2005–08 to be roughly double those under the current EEC, and the EEC to continue to 2011, possibly with changes in the way in which it is delivered. We anticipate that the EEC will continue at the same higher level to 2011, subject to its continuing cost effectiveness in relation to other carbon abatement options and value for money for end consumers;
Updating the Building Regulations in 2005, thus raising standards of all new and refurbished buildings, not just households. Provisions for higher boiler standards will come into force in April 2005. Energy surveys and certification of all buildings, will be among the measures introduced to implement the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive;
A major new training scheme for heating installers, is to precede the revision of the boiler provisions in the Building Regulations in 2005;
In the social sector, social landlords will continue to carry out improvements to the heating and insulation of their housing through the Decent Homes programme. The Warm Front grant programme will continue to tackle fuel poverty by installing heating and other energy efficiency measures;
Fiscal incentives already reduce the cost of professionally installed insulation. Budget 2004 announced additional economic incentives for energy efficiency, including tax relief for landlords installing insulation, and a reduced rate of VAT on ground-source heat pumps;
Negotiating rising standards for energy using appliances via EU-wide agreements and policy instruments. Also, improving product standards, with negotiations underway on the Eco-design of Energy Using Products Directive;
Grants to support community heating (the Community Energy Programme) and small-scale renewable generation (Clear Skies and the major photovoltaic demonstration programme);
The Energy Saving Trust's information and advice programmes for households and local authorities;
There will also be enhanced emphasis on communicating the links between climate change and energy efficiency and a stronger emphasis on communicating the reality of climate change, raising public awareness of the links between climate change and energy.
Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Wigan have benefited from the home energy efficiency scheme, Warm Front. [169366]
Mr. Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 2,400 households in Wigan received assistance from the Scheme.
Mr. Hendrick: : To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Preston have benefited from the home energy efficiency scheme, Warm Front. [169684]
Mr. Morley: Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 4,000 households in Preston received assistance from the scheme.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Heywood and Middleton have benefited from the home energy efficiency scheme, Warm Front. [168436]
Mr. Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 2,400 households in Heywood and Middleton received assistance from the scheme.
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Warrington South have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency and Warm Front Schemes. [168705]
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Mr. Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 1,600 households in Warrington South received assistance from the Scheme.
James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Stalybridge and Hyde have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency and Warm Front Schemes. [168768]
Mr. Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 2,000 households in Stalybridge and Hyde received assistance from the Scheme.
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