HC Deb 31 July 1998 vol 317 c679W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ensure that sufficient of the funds allocated by the Environmental Trust flows into research and development projects. [53391]

Dawn Primarolo

Research and Development work on sustainable waste management is one of the approved objects under the landfill tax credit scheme, which gives tax credits to site operators who make contributions to environmental bodies. Neither the Government nor the private sector regulator of the scheme, Entrust Ltd., may direct to which of the approved objects site operators choose to make their contributions. However, Customs and Excise are currently examining, together with other interested departments, whether and how the scheme could be altered to encourage recycling.