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27 Nov 2006 : Column 310Wcontinued
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what take-up there has been of crop protection management plans within entry level stewardship. [101452]
Barry Gardiner: As at 20 November 2006, there were 10,158 Entry Level Environmental Stewardship agreements with crop protection management plans as part of the scheme.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what high tide level was recorded on each occasion on which the Thames Barrier has been closed. [102732]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 23 November 2006]: The Thames Barrier and Associated Tidal Defences criteria to operate are based on two factors:
the forecast tide level at Southend, and
the river flow over Teddington Weir in west London.
If the combination of these would cause the overtopping of the walls and embankments in the centre of London then the defences are operated.
A list of the high tides at Southend on each occasion when the Thames Barrier has been closed has been placed in the Library of the House.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the Thames Estuary 2100 project; and if he will make a statement. [103221]
Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency's Thames Estuary 2100 project is developing a tidal flood risk management plan for London and the Thames Estuary for the next 100 years, to include consideration of the likely impact of climate change, sea level rise and increased sea surge.
The project is investigating a balance of measures such as the timing and design of future flood defences, resilience of new and existing developments and flood warning systems and emergency response. The Agency has completed the first phase of studies to inform further refinement and costing of options and is expecting to go to public consultation on these options in late spring 2007. A draft final plan is expected in 2008 which will then undergo further consultation before final submission to DEFRA.
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what obligation an owner of an unviable motor vehicle, who wants to dispose of it, is under to take it to an authorised disposal facility. [101372]
Mr. Bradshaw: An owner of an unviable motor vehicle wishing to discard it is required by the End of Life Vehicles Regulations 2003 to take it to an authorised treatment facility, or to an agent who will do this on their behalf.
The End of Life Vehicle Regulations 2003 transpose part of the End of Life Vehicles Directive and require sites that keep or treat end-of-life vehicles to meet minimum standards to avoid pollution to the environment or harm to human health. Such authorised treatment facilities must be in possession of a waste management licence and are regulated in England and Wales by the Environment Agency.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many members of the Veterinary Products Committee also sit on the Medical and Scientific Panel. [102503]
Mr. Bradshaw: Two members of the Veterinary Products Committee are also members of the Medical and Scientific Panel.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government will act to stop the export of waste electrical and electronic equipment that leaves the UK under the guise of being reusable when it has not been tested to see whether items are safe and fit for purpose. [102632]
Mr. Bradshaw: Tackling the illegal shipment of waste electrical and electronic equipment is one of many priorities in ensuring environmentally sound management of waste around the globe.
Controls on the transfrontier shipments of waste apply to electrical and electronic equipment where they are classified as waste. It rests, in the first place, with the producer or the holder of a piece of equipment to decide whether it is being discarded or not. It is Government policy that no waste, including electrical and electronic waste, should be exported from the UK for disposal.
The Environment Agency (EA) has issued advice on the controls which apply to the import and export of waste electrical and electronic equipment. This is available from the EAs website:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/tfs_01_1341027.pdf.
The UK takes the issue of illegal shipments of waste very seriously. In September 2005, the Government wrote to all waste disposal and collection authorities in England and Wales to confirm the controls that apply to exports of waste electrical and electronic equipment and reminding them to assure themselves that their waste is managed in accordance with national, EU and international obligations.
The EA is continuing with its work to detect and prevent the illegal export of waste through targeted inspection based on intelligence received on illegal activity.
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, (b) the Greater London Authority and (c) the Olympic Delivery Authority on whether London waste authorities should be in general conformity with the Mayor's Municipal Waste Management Strategy when undertaking their litter functions under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and if he will make a statement. [100772]
Mr. Bradshaw: Some discussion has taken place between relevant officials in this Department and the Greater London Authority. No discussions have taken place with the Department for Culture Media and Sport and the Olympic Delivery Authority regarding whether London waste authorities should be in general conformity with the Mayor's Municipal Waste Management Strategy when undertaking their litter functions under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what definition he uses of waste authorities (a) having regard to and (b) being in general conformity with the Mayors Municipal Waste Strategy when delivering their functions under part II of the Environment Protection Act 1990 in the context of The Greater London Authority: The Governments Final Proposals for Additional Powers and Responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly; and if he will make a statement. [100773]
Mr. Bradshaw: On 13 July this year, the Government announced the outcome of their review of the powers and responsibilities of the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority. As part of this, the Government announced a change in the requirement for waste authorities to have regard to the Mayors Municipal Waste Management Strategy in delivering their waste service to
acting in general conformity with
the Mayors strategy. This will be defined further in guidance, which will follow in due course.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statutory powers the London Waste and Recycling Forum is expected to have to deal with (a) waste management, (b) the introduction of new waste management technology, (c) the co-ordination of the transportation of waste and use of the river and canal network, (d) climate change, (e) the setting up of a hydrogen fuel
network, (f) finding cost efficiencies, (g) delivering the landfill directive, (h) reducing the export of waste to landfills in regions surrounding London and (i) the London street scene. [100844]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 20 November 2006]: The London-wide Waste and Recycling Forum will bring stakeholders together to deliver improved performance on waste minimisation and recycling, promote collaborative action and link waste with other London priorities around climate change, transport and employment. The Government do not propose that the forum should have statutory powers.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statutory powers the Mayor will have under proposals set out in July by the Greater London Authority to deliver the litter aspects of the Mayors waste strategy. [100845]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 20 November 2006]: The Mayor will have no statutory powers under the proposals set out in July by the Greater London Authority to deliver the litter aspects of his waste strategy.
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential to introduce a regional element to the Waste Infrastructure Development Programme for English regions outside London. [100998]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 22 November 2006]: The Waste Infrastructure Development Programme (WIDP) is a national programme which will work with local authorities and the regions to accelerate the building of new waste diversion infrastructure.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to dispose of Londons residual waste to landfill sites outside London. [101204]
Mr. Bradshaw: Waste planning for London is the responsibility of the Mayor, whose Spatial Strategy envisages London becoming 85 per cent. self-sufficient with regards to waste management by 2020. The Government propose to strengthen the Mayors waste planning powers to assist him in providing the necessary additional waste management capacity in London.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of Londons waste was disposed of at Newton Longville landfill site in the last 12 months; and how much he estimates will be disposed of at Newton Longville landfill site in each of the next 10 years. [101209]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Environment Agency holds records of waste arising from London disposed of at the Newton Longville landfill site. Their data, based on operator waste returns, show that 11,668.78 tonnes of Londons waste were disposed at the site from April 2005 to March 2006; 15,169.62 tonnes were disposed from April 2006 to September 2006.
The Environment Agency does not hold, or have access to, data on future disposal rates and waste origins for this site. This is a commercial matter between the landfill operator, the waste recycling group, and any London boroughs that have contracts with the operator. The Mayor of Londons Waste Planning Office deals with the matter of waste planning for the London boroughs.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with Gloucestershire County Council on its proposals to concentrate its handling of composting and waste food disposal at Javelin Park, Haresfield, Stroud constituency. [101412]
Mr. Bradshaw: No such discussions have taken place. The Government believe that local authorities are best placed to make local waste management decisions.
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the household waste recycling rates were in of each English region in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what the rates were in each year since 1996-97. [101115]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 21 November 2006]: The information requested is set out in the following tables.
Household recycling rates in 1996-97 to 2000-01 | |||||
Percentage | |||||
Region | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 |
Household recycling rates in 2001-02 to 2005-06 | |||||
Percentage | |||||
Region | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | ( 1) 2005-06 |
(1) Figures for 2005-06 are estimates and subject to change. |
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