§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress by local authorities in encouraging private citizens to separate all recyclable materials from household waste prior to collection.
§ Mr. MacLeanIt is the Government's aim that 25 per cent. of household waste should be recycled by the end of this century. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires all waste collection authorities to prepare waste recycling plans. I am expecting the draft plans to be submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend by 1 August. These plans will provide the first comprehensive national survey of recycling activity. To assist local authorities in planning for recycling we have made available a programme of supplementary credit approvals worth £60 million over four years to stimulate investment in recycling projects and from 1 April this year it is now mandatory that waste disposal authorities should pay recycling credits to collection authorities that recycle waste.