HC Deb 13 July 1998 vol 316 cc10-1W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if in developing his proposals for best value, he will ensure that the Eco Management and Audit Scheme for local government is recognised as an acceptable quality management system. [49893]

Mr. Raynsford

Quality Management systems, including the Eco Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), will be important management tools in the delivery of best value. However, the extent to which they are used by local authorities will be essentially a matter for them to decide in the light of their own local circumstances and priorities.

Where services under best value are to be provided by the private sector, local authorities may specify that contractors establish an EMAS, but in so doing they will need to comply with the EC Procurement Directives.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many local authorities have been accredited under the Eco Management and Audit Scheme; [49891]

(2) what steps his Department is taking to promote the use of Eco Management and Audit within local government. [49892]

Angela Eagle

At present, two local authorities are registered under the Eco Management and Audit Scheme for United Kingdom Local Government (LA-EMAS). The London Borough of Sutton has registered twenty-six separate units covering various operations, and Stratford-on-Avon District Council has registered all its departments and services apart from its Housing Service. The Housing Service will be included in Stratford-on-Avon's application for reregistration of all their services at the end of July. Hereford City Council, which was the first local authority to register all its operations, was obliged to withdraw from the scheme earlier this year when it ceased to exist as a separate authority. The new unitary council, the County of Herefordshire District Council, expect to register their Planning Services in 1999 and intend to register all their operations by the year 2003.

My Department has produced a full range of free publicity about LA-EMAS, including guidance notes, case studies and a video. It also works closely with the Local Government Management Board to encourage local authorities to participate in the scheme, and is jointly funding a Help-Desk which provides information and runs workshops as well as monitoring the progress of authorities towards full participation. 53 councils (11 per cent. of all 472 local authorities prior to restructuring in April 1998) have committed themselves to achieving external recognition by either EMAS or ISO 14001. A further 106 councils are currently implementing an environmental management system but have not yet decided whether they will seek registration under EMAS or certification to the international standard ISO 14001.