"This Common Inheritance" (Hansard, 26 March 1991)

§ Mr. Trippier

Our White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", published on 25 September last year, was the first comprehensive statement of environmental policies and objectives by any United Kingdom Government. Over the last six months we have worked hard, proving that the White Paper means action, not just words. Thanks to the drive and commitment of the Government across the whole range of their activities, getting on for 100 White Paper initiatives have borne fruit so far.

In the field of investment, I announced last November an increase of 33 per cent., or £130 million, in planned expenditure for 1991–92 on protecting and improving the environment. This provided extra resources for purposes including environmental research, the countryside, the heritage, housing and urban initiatives, pollution control and waste disposal and recycling.

The Government have set up new institutions, including a permanent committee of Cabinet Ministers to consider environmental policies and follow up and roll forward the initiative taken by the White Paper. Each Government Department has nominated a Minister to consider the environmental implications of all of its policies and programmes. The first round of new annual departmental reports, many reporting at length on environmental initiatives, has been published. The first meeting of a new local government environmental forum 347W has been held, and arrangements have been made to set up similar new fora involving business and the voluntary sector. In Europe, Britain has proposed amendments to the EC treaties to give the Community clearer competence on environmental matters and launched an initiative to promote the integration of the environment with other areas of Community policy.

In the field of planning, a consultation paper has been issued on tighter controls over agricultural and forestry buildings. The Department of the Environment has published a report and consultation paper on the protection of hedgerows. The planning Bill has been introduced, with proposals which will implement many of the improvements described in the planning chapter of the White Paper. A consultation paper has been issued giving proposals for the application of environmental assessment to private Bills. New guidance has been published on subjects including archaeology and planning, the interaction of planning and transport and planning aspects of the extraction of cement.

In the field of environmental technology, waste minimisation and recycling, the Department of Trade and Industry in conjunction with the Department of the Environment has launched the new £12 million environmental technology innovation scheme as well as its own environmental management options scheme. An extra £60 million over three years has been announced to upgrade and replace municipal incinerators. A further £31 million will be available over the same period to help authorities improve standards at landfill sites, transfer stations and civic amenity sites and £40 million of resources will be available to enable authorities to invest in effective recycling schemes. The derelict land programme for 1991–92 has been increased by £15 million.

Research projects have been commissioned on recycling building waste and waste from quarries and mines. Studies to monitor the results of pilot recycling projects in a number of cities have been commissioned. The Department of the Environment and the Scottish Office have announced the introduction of a new system of registration for carriers of waste. At present, local authorities are responsible both for disposing of waste themselves and for regulating the way in which others do so. The DOE has issued draft circulars for local authorities on arrangements to separate these functions by the formation of new local authority waste disposal companies. In line with the United Kingdom's policy, a recommendation on international self-sufficiency in waste management has been adopted by the OECD. Extra resources have been announced by the Department of the Environment for improving local authority disposal and recycling facilities, and a code of practice has been issued on standards of cleanliness in public places and the best means of dealing with litter.

In the fields of pollution control and air quality, a practical guide has been published to the system of integrated pollution control through which the Government have given a new push to the process of designing out pollution problems from the most potentially polluting processes. Detailed regulations have been laid to implement both these controls and the supplementary air pollution controls by local authorities. The Government have achieved agreement in the EC on standards for new large diesel engines. A new advisory group on medical aspects of air pollution episodes has been announced by the Department of Health. The 348W Department of the Environment has produced a model describing critical loads of air pollution—the loads that a particular environment can tolerate without adverse effects—and has also announced funding for an expanded air quality monitoring network and new arrangements to provide information on air pollution for weather bulletins. As from 1 April, 25 process guidance notes will be published covering processes for local authority pollution control.

The Chancellor, in the Budget, raised the duty on petrol and dery by 15 per cent., substantially above inflation. With the VAT increase in April the tax differential between leaded and unleaded petrol will rise to 4p a litre, giving a further boost to unleaded, whose market share has risen from 30 to 39 per cent. over the last year. The Budget also put up employers' national insurance contributions on company cars and raised income tax on car sales by a further 20 per cent.

Also in the field of transport, the agreement that the Government have been pressing for on a consolidated directive applying to emissions from cars of all sizes has been reached. From November this year an emissions check will be included in the MOT test. A Road Traffic Bill has been introduced by the Department of Transport which contains provisions to improve the enforcement of speed limits. The first pilot "red route" scheme has been introduced. Plans have been announced for six demonstration projects on the best way to integrate bypasses with traffic management schemes.

As for the countryside, a start has been made on planting a new national forest in the midlands. Extra funds have been announced for national park authorities, the Countryside Commission and the Groundwork Trust. Proposals have been announced for additional planning control safeguards over sites of special scientific interest. Agriculture departments in England and Wales have gone out to consultation on a draft code embodying new advice on best practice to reduce agricultural water pollution. My right hon. Friend has announced that he proposes to revoke a deemed planning permission to develop housing on the edge of Canford heath, a site of acknowledged international importance for nature conservation.

Internationally, the Government have continued to make a major contribution to efforts to agree a global convention on climate change and to work for a successful United Nations conference on environment and development in 1991. In the field of overseas assistance, the Government announced in November 1990 a new public expenditure sub-programme, separate from the budget for aid for developing countries, on global environmental assistance. For this, the Government have pledged £40 million to the global environment facility being established under the leadership of the World bank, UNDP and UNEP to help developing countries tackle global environmental problems.

In the field of energy, the Government are drawing up plans for a major publicity campaign and extra research on domestic energy efficiency. The Department of Energy's new home energy efficiency scheme has been launched. The Department of the Environment has launched a pilot programme of energy efficiency measures in local authority housing. The Department of Energy has announced a £4 million increase in research into renewable energy. With the active participation of the United Kingdom, the second world climate conference in Geneva agreed the basic shape of a global strategy on climate 349W change. Thanks in no small part to the Department of Energy's efforts, obsolete EC rules that made it harder than it need be to switch to gas from more polluting fuels for generating electricity have been repealed, and a new ministerial committee has been established to oversee all aspects of energy efficiency.

In the field of the heritage, state funds are to be available for the first time for the repair of historic cathedrals. The scheme will be launched on 3 April. A total of £ 11.5 million of new money has been set aside for grants for cathedrals over this and the next two years.

In the field of water, to help reduce water pollution regulations have been introduced setting standards for farm waste facilities and oil stores. A total of £23 million extra grant in aid for the National Rivers Authority has been announced. The maximum fines for water pollution in magistrates courts have been increased tenfold to £20,000; the fines in Crown courts are unlimited.

In the field of noise, the report of the Government's noise review working party has been issued for consultation.

In the field of wider environmental knowledge, the Department of the Environment has issued its detailed consultation paper on its proposed new, more comprehensive environmental statistical report. Consultation with industry and consumer groups is continuing on the outlines of a new eco-labelling scheme. A new leaflet—"Wake Up To What You Can Do For The Environment"—has been published and widely distributed to tell individuals how they can help.

In Scotland, legislation has been introduced establishing Scottish Natural Heritage. A project team has been appointed to bring the Government's new rural enterprise programme into operation. A fuller list of Scottish Office achievements is in its press notice also issued today.

In Wales, £41 million funding was announced for the Welsh Development Agency's initiatives "Landscape Wales" and "Urban Development Wales" in 1991–92, with £7 million urban programme support for environmental improvements. An environmental competition for schools is being run with £5,000 cash prizes donated by Welsh Water plc.

In Northern Ireland, work has started on a code to support the Government's new countryside management strategy. Core funding has been announced for the establishment of a regional Tidy Britain Group office in Belfast, and a consultation paper has been issued on energy efficiency in Northern Ireland. An Environment Week will also be held at the end of April.

This is only a selection of the very wide range of action that the Government have in hand in order to push ahead with their environmental strategy. Vigorous action will continue, not only to fulfil the individual commitments made in the White Paper, but to roll forward the process of addressing tomorrow's environmental challenges. With co-operation from everyone—individuals, as well as local authorities, businesses, schools and voluntary organisations—I am confident that those challenges can be met with courage and success.