§ Sir Irvine PatnickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to help to minimise the effect on small businesses of the producer responsibility for packaging waste directive. [15703]
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesFollowing extensive consultation with industry on the draft packaging waste regulations, my rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 18 December,Official Report, columns 614–16, the modifications that we propose to make in the light of the comments and proposals received.
Among the changes announced were measures to help small businesses. We are proposing a staged approach to the new system, bringing in the largest businesses first, and we have introduced a turnover element to the cut-off threshold which should assist smaller businesses in establishing whether they will be obligated under the regulations. Businesses with a turnover of £5 million or less, and who handle 50 tonnes of packaging or less, will not be obligated in the years 1997 to 1999. With effect from 1 January 2000, the small business threshold applies to those with turnover of £1 million or less or who handle 50 tonnes of packaging or less. In addition, the provision that wholesalers take the selling obligation for small retailers will take effect from 1 January 2000. These changes will mean that the number of businesses obligated in the first few years will be in the region of 4,000 rising to around 9,000 by the year 2000. This compares with a total of over 250,000 businesses who handle packaged goods.
A further measure which will help small businesses is the development of a ready reckoner or packaging catalogue to ease the collection of data and my Department has now commissioned contractors to this end.