§ 21. Sir John Hallasked the Secretary of State for Industry what action he is taking to reduce the imports of waste paper.
§ Mr. CryerNo action is being taken to restrain imports, which, net of exports, amount to about 2½ per cent. only of the paper and board industry's current usage of waste paper. The Waste Management Advisory Council and the paper and 714 board sector working party are considering what more can be done to increase waste paper recycling in the United Kingdom.
§ Sir J. HallIs it not a fact that, during a period when our imports of waste paper more than quadrupled, mills were refusing collections of waste paper which had been organised by various voluntary organisations because it was said that they had no capacity for it? Is it not a further fact that we ought to be self-sufficient in waste paper, particularly in view of the flood which emanates constantly from Whitehall.
§ Mr. CryerAs I said originally, the Waste Management Advisory Council is looking at the whole question of waste paper collection and utilisation, and, of course, it is eminently desirable that we increase the utilisation of waste resources. We have in hand the development of a national scheme to do this, but I draw the hon. Gentleman's attention to the fact that last year we gave £23 million in a sectoral scheme to assist the paper industry, and hopefully that scheme, through Government intervention, which I am sure he endorses, will give greater stability to the industry. I am interested in learning whether the hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends are as ready to repudiate this sort of Government intervention as they say in their various speeches.