§ Mr. McLoughlinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the 1995–96 charging schemes for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. [17203]
§ Mr. AtkinsCharges to cover the costs of regulating processes under integrated pollution control and Premises Subject to Radioactive Substances Act 1993 Regulations were introduced in 1991 under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Act requires Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to balance costs and income, taking one financial year with another.
With the agreement of the Treasury, and following consultation with industry and other bodies, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales have now made revised IPC and RSA93 charging schemes, specifying the revised scales of fees and charges which will take effect from 1 April 1995.
Most charges are held at their 1994–95 levels, the exceptions being the IPC subsistence charge which is increased by 4.7 per cent. to £1,805 per component, to contribute to additional regulatory activity of around 10 per cent. needed to implement the check monitoring programme, and an increase in the RSA93 band 3 subsistence charge of 12 per cent. to £1,115, to accommodate a request from some operators who sought and were granted a compensatory reduction of 50 per cent. to £710 in some variation fees.
The rate per inspector day will be £924, a reduction of 5.1 per cent. in the rate for 1994–95, but offset in calculating the charges by a change in the method of accounting for inspector's travelling time.
Full details are included in the revised schemes, copies of which I have placed in the Library.
Copies of the schemes will shortly be sent to relevant operators and to other interested bodies.