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Treasury

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultation he is undertaking on the introduction of a charge for plastic bags given out in shops; and if he will make a statement. (Further information on 07.11.2002 Daily Part 392 c848W and Bound Volume 392 c707W) - Taxes are a matter...

Asked by

Jeremy Corbyn (Labour)

Answering body

Treasury

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 November 2002

Reference

392 c584W;392 c596W; 79638

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Statement on what the outcome was of the Environment Council on 17th October; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. - Including figures.

Asked by

Michael Connarty (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

17 October 2002

For answer on

7 November 2002

Answered on

7 November 2002

Mr. Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what was the outcome of the Environment Council on 17 October; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [76395] Margaret Beckett: I represented the UK at Environment Council on 17 October, accompanied by Mr. Ross Finnie, the Scottish Executive Minister for Environment and Rural Development. This was the first Environment Council of the Danish Presidency. It was also the first to be held under the Council's new rules of procedure, which provide that final debates and votes on legislative proposals subject to co-decision with the European Parliament are held in public. The Council reached political agreement on 3 proposals and made progress on a range of other important issues. The Council reached political agreement on a Common Position on the revision of the EC Directive on packaging and packaging waste, which was along the lines of the general approach adopted at June Council. I strongly supported this proposal, which sets targets for recovery and recycling that the UK will find challenging, but achievable. These include a minimum 60 per cent. recovery target and recycling targets between 55-70 per cent., with a 2008 deadline for implementation. The only opposition was from Belgium and the Netherlands, who would have preferred even more demanding targets. Political agreement was reached on the ``Seveso II'' Directive, which I also supported. This modifies the existing Directive on the prevention and control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances. It introduces new controls on hazardous sites across the EU. Obligations will be placed on industrial operators to put into effect Safety Management Systems and detailed risk assessments, as well as to provide information to the public. Political agreement was also reached on a Regulation to complete implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in relation to transboundary movements of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) from the Community. Along with the Commission, I argued that the Regulation should be as closely consistent with the Protocol as possible. After lengthy negotiations we secured significant improvements to the text, namely that the form of identification of GMOs in mixed bulk shipments should be consistent with other EC legislation, including existing legislation on the release of GMOs and the forthcoming proposed Regulation on traceability and labelling. Furthermore, express consent from the importer will be required for the first international transboundary movement of GM material. On the basis of the improved text I was able to support the political agreement. There was a short discussion on the proposed Regulation on traceability and labelling of GMOs in products. This focussed on links with a proposal to cover GMOs in food and feed, which had been discussed at Agriculture Council earlier in the same week. There is still some way to go before Member States can reach political agreement, and Council requested that the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) continue to work on this dossier. There was an orientation debate concerning the proposed directive on emissions trading, with a view to being in a position to seek political agreement at the December Council. I strongly supported the scheme but pressed for flexibility during the first period, in order to allow it to interact more easily with national schemes, such as the UK's successful existing regime, and allow inclusion of other sectors and gases. Council adopted conclusions on the implementation of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. This included follow-up to environment-related commitments from the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development. It called for a strengthening of the Cardiff process of integrating environmental considerations into EU business, and adopted a set of environment-related indicators which it recommended for inclusion in the Commission's report to the Spring European Council. The Conclusions include reference to the need, also accepted by the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on the 15 October, to take account of EU commitments made at the WTO meeting in Doha and at Johannesburg in considering the future of the Common Agriculture Policy and Common Fisheries Policy. Council Conclusions on climate change were adopted, without discussion, defining the EU's negotiating position for the 8 Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change in New Delhi. The Conclusions call for all Annex 1 developed countries which accepted the comprehensive and balanced Kyoto agreement reached in Bonn and Marrakech last year to ratify the Kyoto Protocol as soon as possible so as to achieve its entry into force in the near future. Developed countries which do not intend to ratify are urged to meet their responsibilities under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and to return their emissions to 1990 levels. The Conclusions also recall the ultimate objective of the Convention--to achieve stabilisation of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere at a safe level and call upon all states to engage in a dialogue with a view to initiating at the 8 Conference of the Parties a process for further action under the Convention and the Protocol. We were able to support the negotiating mandate for the EC for the 12 Conference of the Parties to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and were pleased to see it agreed without amendment. There was unanimous support for the UK's proposal to list the Basking Shark in Appendix II, and unanimous agreement to oppose the Japanese proposal to downlist two species of whales (Minke and Bryde's whales), which would effectively reopen trade in the species. The Council took note of progress on the proposed Environmental Liability Directive. The Presidency indicated that political agreement would not be possible at the December Council, as the European Parliament's first reading is not expected until spring 2003. The Presidency updated Council on the proposed Regulation on the monitoring of forests (Forest Focus) which aims to establish a Community scheme to assess forest ecosystem conditions. The Presidency also updated Council on two inter-related proposals, a Regulation and a Council Decision, to implement the Rotterdam Convention on a Prior Informed Consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade. On the Regulation, a compromise package has been approved in Coreper and has been forwarded to the European Parliament. Under any other business, the Commission presented a report on mercury from the Chlor-Alkali industry, which followed a request from the Council in June 2001 to clarify the legal situation. The Greek delegation presented the outcome of the Euro-Med conference that took place in Athens on 10 July 2002. The German delegation made a statement on the financing of the European Committee for Standardisation Environmental Helpdesk. The French delegation started an exchange of views on possible European action in the field of flood prevention. In relation to this the Commission informed Council that a Communication on an integrated strategy on prevention, preparation and response to natural and technological risks is under preparation. Austria and Ireland made a joint statement on nuclear power in the context of sustainable development. Finally, the Danish delegation presented the results of a meeting of EU nature and forest Directors, which took place in Vigso, Denmark on 2-4 October 2002.

Date

7 November 2002

Reference

76395; 392 c560-2W;392 c572-4W

House

House of Commons

Treasury

(Pursuant to reply on 07.11.2002 in Daily Part 392 c584W and Bound Volume 392 c596W) To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultation he is undertaking on the introduction of a charge for plastic bags given out in shops; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by

Jeremy Corbyn (Labour)

Answering body

Treasury

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 November 2002

Reference

79638; 392 c848W;392 c707W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will introduce legislation to compel the use of biodegradable materials for packaging of goods.

Asked by

David Kidney (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 November 2002

Reference

392 c571W;392 c583W; 70260

House

House of Commons

Olive Oil (Marketing Standards) (Amendment) Regulations 2002

SI 2002/2761 (Negative instrument). Coming into force 30 November 2002

Department

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Statutory instruments

Date

7 November 2002

Reference

SI 2002/2761

House

House of Commons; House of Lords

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his position towards Directive 2002/67/EC (OJ L191, vol 45, 19th July 2002) on the labelling of foodstuffs containing (a) quinine and (b) caffeine; how many products on sale in the UK will be affected; and...

Asked by

John Hayes (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

4 November 2002

Reference

77248; 392 c115W;392 c119W

House

House of Commons

DEGRADABLE PLASTIC BAGS

That this House recognises the environmental advantages of degradable plastics namely that they can be composted, they will degrade when exposed to a normal environment and they are environmentally friendly in their production; and calls upon the Government to recognise a distinction on environmental grounds between conventional plastics and degradable...

Primary sponsor

James Clappison (Conservative)

Type

Early day motions

Date

28 October 2002

Reference

1822

House

House of Commons

Whitty, Lord

What measures they are taking to encourage the use of degradable plastic products, particularly in packaging materials. [HL 6029].

Asked by

Lord Rea (Labour)

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

28 October 2002

Reference

640 c7WA; HL 6029

House

House of Lords

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what notification she has received from (a) Nirex, (b) the Environment Agency and (c) the Health and Safety Executive/Nuclear Installations Inspectorate in respect of concerns over fissile materials limits in intermediate level wastes being conditioned for packaging. -...

Asked by

Llew Smith (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

28 October 2002

Reference

75458; 391 c580W;391 c576W

House

House of Commons

Treasury

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has carried out of the levy on plastic bags introduced in Ireland.

Asked by

Lynne Jones (Labour)

Answering body

Treasury

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

22 October 2002

Reference

75596; 391 c212W;391 c213W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answers to the honourable Member of Gordon of 30th April, Official Report, column 665, what conclusions she has reached on the assessment of the effect of a plastic shopping bag levy on litter and waste...

Asked by

Tom Levitt (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

15 October 2002

Reference

390 c580W;390 c581W; 73975

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her estimate is of the changes in packaging quantities on (a) food and (b) non-food goods on retail sale over the past five years; what proportion of this is recyclable; and if she will make a statement;...

Asked by

Jeremy Corbyn (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

15 October 2002

Reference

390 c561-2W;390 c563W; 71113;70941

House

House of Commons

PLASTIC SHOPPING BAG TAX

That this House notes the success in Ireland of the 10 pence charge for plastic shopping bags payable by the user, which has led to significant reductions in the numbers dispensed to consumers since the charge was introduced; and, considering the environmental harm caused by plastic bag litter, in particular...

Primary sponsor

Mark Lazarowicz (Labour; Co-operative Party)

Type

Early day motions

Date

24 September 2002

Reference

1730; 1730A1

House

House of Commons

Bovines and Bovine Products (Trade) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2002

SI 2002/2357 (Negative instrument). Coming into force 7 October 2002.

Department

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Statutory instruments

Date

16 September 2002

Reference

SI 2002/2357

House

House of Commons; House of Lords

Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2002

SI 2002/2364 (Negative instrument). Coming into force 30 November 2002.

Department

Department of Health

Type

Statutory instruments

Date

16 September 2002

Reference

SI 2002/2364

House

House of Commons; House of Lords

Notification of New Substances (Amendment) Regulations 2002

SI 2002/2176 (Negative instrument). Coming into force 17 September 2002

Department

Department for Work and Pensions

Type

Statutory instruments

Date

27 August 2002

Reference

SI 2002/2176

House

House of Commons; House of Lords

Packaging Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Material by Rail Regulations 2002

SI 2002/2099 (Negative instrument). Coming into force 2 September 2002.

Department

Department for Transport

Type

Statutory instruments

Date

12 August 2002

Reference

SI 2002/2099

House

House of Commons; House of Lords

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the impact of the packaging waste regulations on the packaging industry

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the impact of the packaging waste regulations on the packaging industry.

Lead member

Jonathan Shaw

Answering member

Alun Michael

Department

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Adjournment debates

Date

24 July 2002

Reference

389 c247-67WH

House

House of Commons

Packaging and packaging waste: revised recovery and recycling targets. European Union Select Committee thirty-third report with proceedings, evidence and appendices.

Type

Select Committee reports; House of Lords papers; Parliamentary committees

Committee

European Union Committee

Notes

Received 02.08.02

Date

23 July 2002

Reference

HL 166 2001/02

House

House of Lords

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the increase in domestic recycling required in order to achieve new packaging and packing waste recycling and recovery targets under discussion in the EU; and what discussions she has had with...

Asked by

Jonathan Sayeed (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

12 June 2002

For answer on

8 July 2002

Answered on

8 July 2002

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the increase in domestic recycling required in order to achieve new packaging and packing waste recycling and recovery targets under discussion in the EU; and what discussions she has had with local authorities in relation to increasing domestic and curbside collection of packaging waste to meet recovery and recycling targets by 2006. [62363] Mr. Meacher: The Department worked with the task force of the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) in the production of a report, published in November 2001, which looked at packaging material flows from raw material manufacturer to seller, and at packaging waste flows from point of discard to ultimate disposal or recovery. This report, which is publicly available, also looked at the likely level of packaging waste arising in the household stream and which would increasingly have to be recovered if likely higher targets are to be met. New packaging waste recovery targets have not yet been finalised but for the purposes of the estimates in the task force report an overall recycling target of 60 per cent. is assumed to have to be met in 2006. The tonnage needed to meet such a target would be in the region of 5.7 million tonnes and the task force report concludes that as much as 65 per cent. of the additional tonnage required may need to be recovered from the household waste stream. A first meeting to discuss future packaging waste recovery from the household waste stream was held last year between officials in my Department, the ACP task force and local authorities. Further meetings are planned.

Date

8 July 2002

Reference

62363; 388 c682-3W;388 c685W

House

House of Commons

Librarians' tools

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House

Session

Year

Department

Member

Primary member

Answering member

Legislative stage

Legislation

Subject

Publisher