§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what responses he has received to his consultation paper on a waste strategy, "Less Waste: More Value"; what is the time scale for implementation of that waste strategy; what conclusions he has reached on the subjects of(a) waste minimisation and (b) recycling; and if he will make a statement. [65769]
§ Mr. MealeThe Government's consultation paper on reviewing the waste management strategy for England and Wales, "Less Waste: More Value", was launched by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 9 June 1998. During the consultation period over 28,000 copies of the document were distributed. The consultation period ended on 25 September 1998, by which time 652 submissions had been received by my Department, including 267 submissions from local authorities. In addition, 137 members of the public wrote to Ministers following the launch of the consultation document and its attendant publicity in the media.