§ Mr. Robert B. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to respond to the seventh report of the Environment Select Committee (HC-263) on the EC draft directive on the landfill of waste.
§ Mr. BaldryI have today laid before the House copies of the Government's response to the seventh report from the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment; the EC draft directive on the landfill of waste. Copies are also available in the Library. The Government broadly welcomes the Committee's report, which makes a number of useful points both about the draft EC landfill directive and about the management of waste in general. However, the Government take issue with the Committee on some points, most notably concerning a suggested strategic role for the proposed environment agency and the adequacy of the Department of the Environment's programme for waste-related research. Command Paper 1821, which is published today, seeks to clarify the Government's position on these and other issues raised by the Committee.