§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales to ensure Wales plays its part in meeting the commitment to the EU Landfill Directive target of 25 per cent. of 1995 levels by 2010. [140815]
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§ Mr. TouhigMy right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Assembly Secretaries about matters affecting Wales. In June 2002, the Assembly published a comprehensive national waste strategy for Wales: "Wise about Waste". It contains challenging targets for local authorities to increase their recycling and composting of municipal waste to 40 per cent. by 2010. The Assembly has also issued guidance to local authorities to assist the development of their own municipal waste management strategies. There has been some early and encouraging progress showing significant increases in recycling and composting: for example eight authorities have reported achieving the initial 15 per cent. target for 2003–04 by 2002–03.