§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money was made available to local authorities through supplementary credit approvals with respect to recycling projects in each year since 1991–92, and the amount which is forecast to be made available to local authorities in each of the next three years. [10351]
§ Mr. Curry[holding answer 22 January 1996]: Provision for the recycling supplementary credit approval programme was £12 million for 1991–92, £15 million for each of the next three years, and is £16.4 million for 1995–96. Planned provision for 1996–97 is £10 million. In addition, from next year local recycling initiatives are likely to benefit from expenditure by environmental trusts established in consequence of the landfill tax as well as from increased industry funding as a consequence of the producer responsibility for packaging initiative. With regard to 1997–98 and beyond, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State explained in his statement on the rate support grant on 30 November 1995, Official Report, column 1338, we will shortly be consulting on the scope for bringing challenge funding more broadly to bear on local authority capital spending in future years, including SCAs for recycling. This should give greater scope for 200W authorities that are keen to make major investment in recycling infrastructure, alongside the growing activities of industry and voluntary groups.