Abandoned Cars

HC Deb 18 December 2003 vol 415 cc1015-6W

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of abandoned cars were set alight in the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [143843]

Mr. Raynsford

I have been asked to reply.

In England, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) conducted a Municipal Waste Management Survey in 2001–02 which estimated that 292,900 abandoned vehicles were removed and destroyed by local authorities. No data are available for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland for that year.

An analysis of national fire statistics shows that in 2001–02 an estimated 22,700 fires occurred in vehicles that had previously been abandoned. This estimate represents 8 per cent. of all abandoned vehicles removed and destroyed, as recorded by the Defra survey.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vehicles she expects to be abandoned in each year before the End of Life Vehicles Directive is fully enforced. [143957]

Mr. Morley

It is not possible to estimate how many vehicles will be abandoned in the period leading up to January 2007, from which time producers will be required to take back end of life vehicles at no cost to the owner.

Vehicle abandonment rates will be dependent on a number of factors, including the price of scrap metal.

The Government have introduced a range of measures, including the advent of continuous registration in January 2004, which will enable local authorities to tackle abandoned vehicles effectively and make it much harder for last owners to evade responsibility for their vehicles.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total average cost per car was of disposal of end of life vehicles in the last 12 months for which figures are available [143955]

Mr. Morley

Based on estimated disposal costs of between £30 and £50 per vehicle, the total cost of disposal for end of life vehicles in the financial year 2001–02 was between £8.79 million and £14.65 million.