HC Deb 23 June 1997 vol 296 cc366-7W
Ms Roseanna Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate for each of the organisations replaced by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in 1996; and whether they operated under an exemption in terms of the Value Added Tax Act 1994, section 33. [4220]

Mr. Chisholm

[holding answer 19 June 1997]: The predecessor bodies of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency were River Purification Boards, District and Islands Councils, Her Majesty's Industrial Pollution Inspectorate (HMIPI) and the Hazardous Waste Inspectorate (HWI). With the exception of HMIPI and HWI, both formerly parts of The Scottish Office, all those bodies had the right to precept on local taxation and thus were entitled to claim refunds of VAT under the terms of Section 33 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994.

SEPA does not have the power to precept on local taxation and is therefore not eligible to claim refunds of VAT in this way.

Ms Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the responsibilities of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. [4221]

Mr. Chisholm

[holding answer 19 June 1997]: The principal responsibilities of SEPA are:- consenting of discharges to the water environment (surface, tidal and ground waters); conserving water resources as far as practicable and promoting the conversation and enhancement of the natural beauty and amenity of controlled waters; providing flood warning systems, assessing the risk of flooding on any area and advising planning authorities on flood risk; granting abstraction licences for irrigation where a control order is in force; issuing authorisations to prevent, minimise or render harmless the release of substances into the environment from prescribed processes; authorising the handling and disposal of radioactive materials and registering persons holding or using such materials; licensing of waste management activities; registering waste carriers and brokers and regulating the transfrontier shipment of waste; taking enforcement action against persons breaching licence conditions or illegally polluting the environment; carrying out assessments of the general state of the environment (if required by the Secretary of State); keeping up-to-date on pollution control technology, with powers to undertake relevant research and development; creating smoke control areas; ensuring compliance with the "producer responsibility" regulations as directed by the Secretary of State.

In carrying out these specific responsibilities, SEPA is required to:- have regard both to the desirability of conserving and enhancing the natural and man-made environment and to the social and economic needs of any area; and take into account the likely costs and benefits of exercising its powers.

Ms Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the refusal to grant the Scottish Environment Protection Agency an exemption in terms of the Value Added Tax Act 1994, section 33; and if he will make a statement. [4222]

Mr. Chisholm

[holding answer 19 June 1997]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland regularly discusses various issues with colleagues, including my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

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