§ Mr. AtkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to publish the regulations to implement the EU directive on packaging and packaging waste; [7759]
(2) when he expects to announce the principles underlying the regulations to implement the European Union directive on packaging and packaging waste. [7757]
§ Mr. ClappisonI am very pleased that representatives of the packaging industry were able to agree last month a proposal for a form of legal obligation to implement the recovery and recycling targets of the EC directive on packaging and packaging waste, 94/62/EC. This proposal was set out by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in reply to a question on 19 December 1995,Official Report, columns 1104–5. 215W The Government will now need to consider and decide on the best form of legal obligation, taking account of all the relevant considerations. We hope to make an announcement on this shortly and to prepare draft regulations to implement the directive in order to issue them for consultation as soon as possible.