HC Deb 22 January 2003 vol 398 cc377-8W
David Burnside

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance will be given to district councils to assist with the costs of implementing EC Directive 1999/31 on the landfill of waste. [92276]

Angela Smith

Waste Management Plans prepared by district councils in Northern Ireland are a key element of the Government's strategy for implementing EU Directive 1999/31 on landfill of waste. These plans will provide a network of facilities for the segregation, reprocessing and treatment of waste, resulting in its diversion from landfill.

To facilitate the preparation and implementation of their plans, the Department of the Environment provided district councils with grant aid of £2 million in 2001–02 and £3.6 million in 2002–03. An indicative sum of £6.4 million has been set aside for 2003–04 for this purpose. As a result of the 2002 Spending Review, it is expected that this level of grant aid will at least be maintained up to 2005–06.

David Burnside

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what penalties will be placed on local authorities and site operators who do not comply with the EC Directive 1999/31 on the landfill of waste. [92279]

Angela Smith

The Landfill Directive contains two separate components—targets for reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) going to landfill and the introduction of detailed regulatory requirements in relation to the design, operation and aftercare of sites.

The Waste and Emissions Trading Bill, currently before Parliament, sets the framework for the introduction of local authority landfill allowances schemes in each of the four territories of the UK to ensure that the BMW targets are met. The Bill permits allocating authorities (in the case of NI, the Department of the Environment) to make regulations setting the level of penalties and supplementary penalties where a local authority has breached its landfill allowance or has failed to maintain prescribed records, make prescribed returns etc. Penalties are automatic, but allocating authorities may extend the time for paying any penalty (including interest) or relieve a local authority, whether or not subject to conditions, from liability to the whole or any part of a penalty (including interest).

The Bill also provides for penalties to be imposed on landfill site operators who fail to maintain prescribed records, make prescribed returns etc The penalties are stated on the face of the Bill and include fines and/or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

In Northern Ireland, a consultation exercise on options for meeting the BMW targets has just ended and an analysis of responses is under way. If this shows support for a system of district council landfill allowances, the provisions of the Bill in relation to penalties will be applied.

The Department of the Environment proposes to consult on the regulatory requirements of the Directive, including penalties, later this year.