§ Mr. CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to ensure that the Environment Agency does not use the integrated pollution prevention and control licensing regime as a revenue stream. [174089]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Environment Agency has powers under Section 41 of the Environment Act 1995 to charge for environmental licences, including pollution prevention and control permits. Charging schemes must be approved by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Treasury. Charging schemes have to be limited to the recovery of the amounts needed, taking one year with another, to recover the Environment Agency's costs of carrying out its regulatory functions.
§ Mr. CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that charges for integrated pollution prevention and control licences are set at a reasonable level; and if she will make a statement. [174095]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Environment Agency's Environmental Protection Operator and Pollution Risk Appraisal (EP OPRA) charging scheme is a risk based assessment system, which closely links regulatory effort to environmental risk. EP OPRA was approved by the Government after consultation with industry and is based on four elements: emissions, location, complexity and operator performance. The scheme allows the Agency to recover the costs of carrying out its statutory responsibilities under the Pollution Prevention and Control regime. In line with the "polluter pays principle", well run companies with low potential risk to the environment are charged less than poorly run ones with a high potential to pollute. The Agency must adhere to the Treasury's Fees and Charges Guide, which describes how charges for statutory services should be calculated. The Agency is due to publish a 'transparency document' shortly, which will provide more detail on1294W the Agency's costs; this document will be subject to the approval of the Environment Protection Charges Review Group, which includes industry representatives.
§ Mr. CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the proposed integrated pollution prevention and control licences governing ammonia levels and odour; and if she will make a statement. [174096]
§ Mr. MorleyPermits issued under the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) system each relate to a specified industrial installation and must contain emission limits and other permit conditions in respect of any pollutant likely to be emitted in significant quantities from that installation. Both Defra and the Environment Agency are in regular contact with all the industry sectors covered by IPPC and with other stakeholders.
One industry sector in which ammonia and odour emissions will be significant is the intensive rearing of pigs and poultry. IPPC permits for that sector may incorporate "Standard Farming Installation Rules", based on the application of Best Available Techniques which are described in a reference document published by the European Commission and in national guidance.
The Environment Agency began a public consultation on an updated version of the Standard Farming Installation Rules on 12 May 2004. The responses to the consultation are due by 16 August 2004. The consultation document is available on the Environment Agency's website at http://www.environment-agencv.gov.uk/yourenv/consultations/775300/7versi