No, we did not, because the matter was not within the purview of our report or, indeed, our Committee. However, my view as an MP who resisted an incinerator in her area is that although energy from waste is an important option that could be investigated and considered, in general,...

No, we did not, because the matter was not within the purview of our report or, indeed, our Committee. However, my view as an MP who resisted an incinerator in her area is that although energy from waste is an important option that could be investigated and considered, in general,...

I, too, congratulate my hon. Friend on her report. On the point that she raises, may I make it clear that the Government's large investment programme—£2 billion for private finance initiative credits for investment in waste infrastructure—is now designed in such a way that the conflict to which she refers,...

I, too, congratulate my hon. Friend on her report. On the point that she raises, may I make it clear that the Government's large investment programme—£2 billion for private finance initiative credits for investment in waste infrastructure—is now designed in such a way that the conflict to which she refers,...

Do not all local authorities share the same problems and have to solve them in rather similar ways? The hon. Lady says that refuse collection is not really a party political matter, and no solution is owned by any one political party. None the less, this is often a matter...

Do not all local authorities share the same problems and have to solve them in rather similar ways? The hon. Lady says that refuse collection is not really a party political matter, and no solution is owned by any one political party. None the less, this is often a matter...

That is indeed the case. We compiled our report in the run-up to the local elections, and many assertions were made in the press at about that time that nemesis would arrive for certain parties—different parties in different places—in May, when the electorate would take revenge on them. The interesting...

That is indeed the case. We compiled our report in the run-up to the local elections, and many assertions were made in the press at about that time that nemesis would arrive for certain parties—different parties in different places—in May, when the electorate would take revenge on them. The interesting...

I, too, congratulate the hon. Lady and her Committee on a very good report. It focuses entirely on refuse collection, which is the right thing to do, but there is the immediate interaction with disposal. The issue is being driven by the landfill tax. Did the Committee at any stage...

I, too, congratulate the hon. Lady and her Committee on a very good report. It focuses entirely on refuse collection, which is the right thing to do, but there is the immediate interaction with disposal. The issue is being driven by the landfill tax. Did the Committee at any stage...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on the quality of the report. She talks about the various borough initiatives. Does she agree that there is one large untapped area in which savings can be made? Some 8 million disposable nappies are disposed of every day in this country; that is 1...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on the quality of the report. She talks about the various borough initiatives. Does she agree that there is one large untapped area in which savings can be made? Some 8 million disposable nappies are disposed of every day in this country; that is 1...

I sense a press release coming. My hon. Friend paints quite a disgusting word picture of piles of disposable nappies. We did not go into this issue in great detail, but disposable nappies are one of the smellier waste items. In a moment, I shall discuss AWC—alternate weekly collection—or fortnightly...

I sense a press release coming. My hon. Friend paints quite a disgusting word picture of piles of disposable nappies. We did not go into this issue in great detail, but disposable nappies are one of the smellier waste items. In a moment, I shall discuss AWC—alternate weekly collection—or fortnightly...

I assume that we have a low representation of Back-Bench Members, with the exception of my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor), because it is Thursday afternoon and there is only a one-line Whip today. It might also reflect the fact that there has already been enormous...

I assume that we have a low representation of Back-Bench Members, with the exception of my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor), because it is Thursday afternoon and there is only a one-line Whip today. It might also reflect the fact that there has already been enormous...

Excellent. Perhaps I had better get on to the key points that I intend to make. I shall pass over most of the statistics that I had planned to give—many are in the report anyway—except to reiterate that Britain's recycling rates are relatively poor compared with those of many other...

Excellent. Perhaps I had better get on to the key points that I intend to make. I shall pass over most of the statistics that I had planned to give—many are in the report anyway—except to reiterate that Britain's recycling rates are relatively poor compared with those of many other...

I, too, congratulate the hon. Lady and her colleagues on the Committee on the report. Clearly, they had some fairly tight terms of reference to do with refuse collection, but did they consider whether there was any role for local authorities in reuse schemes, as well as recycling schemes, to...

I, too, congratulate the hon. Lady and her colleagues on the Committee on the report. Clearly, they had some fairly tight terms of reference to do with refuse collection, but did they consider whether there was any role for local authorities in reuse schemes, as well as recycling schemes, to...

We mentioned reuse in the report, but did not consider it in depth. We said that local authorities need to be thinking about what they can do to promote all three aspects—waste reduction, reuse and recycling—but we did not look into reuse in detail. Turning to the part of the...

We mentioned reuse in the report, but did not consider it in depth. We said that local authorities need to be thinking about what they can do to promote all three aspects—waste reduction, reuse and recycling—but we did not look into reuse in detail. Turning to the part of the...

Westminster hall debate on a motion for the adjournment on refuse collection (Inc ref to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee fifth report of session 2006-07, on Refuse Collection, HC 536, and the Government response thereto, HC 1095.) Motion made, and Question proposed, That the sitting be now adjourned.—[Mr. David.]

Westminster hall debate on a motion for the adjournment on refuse collection (Inc ref to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee fifth report of session 2006-07, on Refuse Collection, HC 536, and the Government response thereto, HC 1095.) Motion made, and Question proposed, That the sitting be now adjourned.—[Mr....

Has the Minister heard what Steve Creed of WRAP said when he announced the end of the funding support programme? He said:"““Unfortunately, due to cuts in our funding, we have taken the decision to withdraw the funding scheme””" for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Has the Minister heard what Steve Creed of WRAP said when he announced the end of the funding support programme? He said:"““Unfortunately, due to cuts in our funding, we have taken the decision to withdraw the funding scheme””" for small and medium-sized enterprises.

I have some sympathy with that point. We need to look further at the issue of garden waste. I am a keen gardener—I have given up my lawns because they are too much—and many homes produce huge amounts of waste from lawns, shrubs and so on. We should look further...

I have some sympathy with that point. We need to look further at the issue of garden waste. I am a keen gardener—I have given up my lawns because they are too much—and many homes produce huge amounts of waste from lawns, shrubs and so on. We should look further...

The Minister referred to anaerobic digestion on the continent. I am sure that it exists on the continent, but has the Department made a study of how prevalent it is and how much waste is moved via that method?

The Minister referred to anaerobic digestion on the continent. I am sure that it exists on the continent, but has the Department made a study of how prevalent it is and how much waste is moved via that method?

We are conscious of the important work that has been done by a variety of delivery bodies, including WRAP, with small businesses over the years, but we are re-orienting that spending. We will ensure that support is given in different ways across Government, and it is important to small businesses,...

We are conscious of the important work that has been done by a variety of delivery bodies, including WRAP, with small businesses over the years, but we are re-orienting that spending. We will ensure that support is given in different ways across Government, and it is important to small businesses,...

The FOI request to her Department was for the responses to the consultation on bin taxes. The responses included one from the Environment Agency, which said:"““We are concerned that the proposals may give rise to an increase in fly-tipping of household waste.””" Hertfordshire Waste Partnership said:"““Municipal waste does not recognise...

The FOI request to her Department was for the responses to the consultation on bin taxes. The responses included one from the Environment Agency, which said:"““We are concerned that the proposals may give rise to an increase in fly-tipping of household waste.””" Hertfordshire Waste Partnership said:"““Municipal waste does not recognise...

If the Department has made a study of it, I have not got the information. I will write to the hon. Gentleman. I was not thinking so much about anaerobic digestion, but more about conventional incineration and, of course, combined heat and power, which is a very positive technology that...

If the Department has made a study of it, I have not got the information. I will write to the hon. Gentleman. I was not thinking so much about anaerobic digestion, but more about conventional incineration and, of course, combined heat and power, which is a very positive technology that...

We need to be very clear about this. First, there has not been a consultation on AWC, which has been subject to an FOI. Secondly, there has been a consultation—obviously—on incentive schemes. It is correct to say that on that consultation, concerns were raised. The Government never failed to acknowledge...

We need to be very clear about this. First, there has not been a consultation on AWC, which has been subject to an FOI. Secondly, there has been a consultation—obviously—on incentive schemes. It is correct to say that on that consultation, concerns were raised. The Government never failed to acknowledge...