§ Mr. MillsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the cost of licences needed to dispose of waste as a result of EC directives; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsAs the then Minister for the Environment and Countryside explained on 29 November 1993,Official Report, column 384, the Government intend to bring the waste management licensing provisions of part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 into force on 1 May 1994. Those provisions will reflect the requirements of relevant EC directives. We have consulted interested parties in stages since August 1992 on our detailed proposals. Building on that consultation, the Department circulated for comment a draft compliance cost assessment and invited comments from industry by 28 February. We have received nine responses from trade associations and individual companies.
On 10 August and 4 December 1992 consultation papers were issued on the charging scheme for waste management licensing which we propose to make under section 41 of the 1990 Act. All of the representations received in response to those consultation papers have been considered and details of the charging scheme which will come into force on 1 May 1994 will be announced as soon as possible.