HC Deb 05 February 1990 vol 166 cc433-4W
Mrs. Gorman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King) on 9 January,Official Report, column 589, (1) if he will estimate the cost of establishing and running the advisory group to study further an environmental labelling scheme and (2) (i) how many individuals will serve on the advisory body, (ii) how many civil servants will support the advisory body and (iii) will the members of the advisory body be (a) full or part-time and (b) salaried.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

The answers are:

(1) no more than £ 10,000 in 1990–91 to cover travel and subsistence costs of the group's members;

(2) (i) the composition of the group is not yet finalised, but is expected to include some 12 members;

(2) (ii) support from officials is not expected to exceed the equivalent of half a full-time post;

(2) (iii) (a) part time; (b) unsalaried.

Mrs. Gorman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the cost to business of complying with the Government's product eco-labelling scheme.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

It is not possible to give any estimates of cost since we are still in the early stages of discussing an eco-labelling initiative at the EC level. We are clear, however, that companies' participation in an eco-labelling scheme should be on a voluntary basis, and any charges made will have to be commercially acceptable if their participation is to be secured.