§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect to publish advice to local authorities on the separation of their functions as waste regulators and as waste disposers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
§ Baroness BlatchWe have today issued a draft circular which gives guidance on the new arrangements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for the separation of waste disposal and waste regulation functions in local authorities which are both waste regulation authorities and waste disposal authorities under the Act.
The draft circular gives guidance on the functions assigned to waste regulation and waste disposal authorities under the Act and on the extent of separation that will be required.
From May this year, local authorities will have to arrange for the administrative separation of the two functions so that the waste regulation authority can set the highest practicable environmental standards free from pressures arising from the local authority's role as a waste disposer. It is vital that waste regulation decisions are fair to all waste disposers and seen to be fair.
These changes, with other provisions of the Act, particularly those on the transfer of local authority waste disposal operations to arm's length companies or to the private sector announced on 22nd February, will help provide the basis for higher standards and fair competition.