§ Mr. BurgonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has reached conclusions on his review of policy on environmental information for consumers, and on the Financial Management and Policy Review of the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board; and if he will make a statement. [54155].
§ Mr. MeacherThese reviews have been taking place against a background of helpful developments at EU level. EU institutions have recently been considering the future direction of the EU ecolabelling scheme, while interest has been growing in a more integrated approach to policy on consumer products and the environment. The UK Presidency tabled these issues for discussion at the Council of Ministers in June. There was a very constructive debate, which gave some clear guidance about future revision of the ecolabelling regulation and confirmed a close interest among member states in work being developed by the Commission on an integrated policy for products and the environment.
Against this background, the Government propose to look afresh at ways of stimulating a more sustainable market in consumer products, including more effective ways of informing consumers about the benefits. This will involve consideration of a range of approaches depending on the specific characteristics of products and the way they are consumed. I shall be issuing a strategy paper later this summer which will set out our analysis of the issues, our view on the part that can best be played by different instruments, and some specific propositions for future action on which we will be seeking views.
To help take matters forward, I intend setting up a new advisory panel to assist my Department across the range of product-related issues. The panel will be asked to advise on the development of strategic product policies, priorities and mechanisms for national approaches to labelling, and practical action to raise the standard of information available in the market. Membership of the panel will be drawn from a range of stakeholder interests, and make use of experience already available within the UK Ecolabelling Board (UKEB).
On the "prior options review" of UKEB itself, copies of the report are being placed in the Library of the House. The text is also available on request from my Department and will be placed on its Internet site.
422WUKEB was set up under the European Communities Act 1972 with the sole purpose of administering the EU ecolabelling scheme. Unfortunately, that scheme has had only limited impact in the market; the level of take-up is still low and is not expected to increase dramatically in the foreseeable future. The review found that UKEB has done a good job in these difficult circumstances. I endorse this view and pay tribute to the dedicated work done by the Board members and staff of UKEB to advance the EU ecolabelling scheme. However, in the circumstances of low market take-up of the label, and bearing in mind that UKEB' s duties could not be widened without new legislation, the Government would not feel justified in retaining an executive Non-Departmental Public Body solely to administer this function.
The Government will therefore be formally winding up UKEB later this year, at which point the role of "UK Competent Body" under the EU ecolabelling regulation will be taken on by my Department while wider policies are being developed. The new advisory panel will be asked to assist the Department in this work by offering advice on strategic ecolabelling issues. The EU scheme is a valuable voluntary instrument, with potential for influencing consumer choice across the single market, but experience has shown that it will need to operate within a wider framework of measures if it is to make a significant contribution. In aiming to develop a more comprehensive approach to consumer products and the environment, the Government hope to unlock more of the potential which schemes such as this offer.