Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans(a) have been made and (b) are in progress to determine the future funding mechanism for local schemes promoting sustainable waste issues following the end of the landfill tax credit scheme; [106459]
(2) when she intends to announce the format of the successor scheme for landfill tax credit scheme categories (a) C and (b) CC; [106469]
(3) if she will make a statement on the design of the scheme that will replace categories C and CC of the landfill tax credit scheme. [106461]
§ Mr. MeacherIn the pre-Budget Report the Chancellor announced changes to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme which would leave approximately one third (£47 million) to be made available for spending on local community environmental projects, via a scheme similar to the existing one. The remaining two thirds will be converted into a public expenditure programme for sustainable waste management. The public expenditure programme will enable us to take forward the package of strategic measures recommended by the Strategy Unit in their report, 'Waste Not. Want Not'. The design of this scheme, including replacement of catergories C, CC of the LTCS, will be announced alongside the Government's official response to the Strategy Unit's report, which is planned for around the time of the budget.