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Refuse Collection

We have considered that carefully. I depart very much from the argument that the hon. Lady made earlier about the enormous costs that she wants to heap on to the collection system that were all about disposal—costs to cover anaerobic digesters, incinerators and so on. The actual cost to the local authority of administering such schemes will obviously be analysed during piloting. However, we have looked at schemes operating elsewhere and believe that up to £18 per household will be saved by the local authority from not having to send so much waste to landfill. These schemes are not dreamt up to give local authorities something new to do, but are based on proper consideration of what is done in countries where recycling rates have increased dramatically as a consequence of charge and reward schemes. We make no apology for the fact that the pilots are included in legislation currently in the House of Lords.