HC Deb 27 January 1999 vol 324 cc281-2W
Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is his Department's current estimate of the cost of implementation of the draft EC Directive on end-of-life vehicles; [67341]

(2) if he will publish the results of the consultation exercise by his Department to assess the implications of the draft EC Directive on end-of-life vehicles. [67342]

Dr. Howells

The Government estimate that the cost of implementing this Directive will be £312 million per annum in 2005 and £388 million per annum in 2015. My Department submitted an Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Directive to the European Scrutiny Committee in December 1998, and the RIA was then updated in January 1999. These documents summarise the results of our consultation exercise and give further details on the costs and benefits of this Directive. Copies of the Explanatory Memorandum and the RIA are available from the Vote Office, and copies of the updated RIA have been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of the End of Vehicle Life directive on vintage and classic cars; what is his Department's current cost compliance assessment; what voting arrangements apply to the directive; and if he will make a statement. [67392]

Dr. Howells

Vintage and classic vehicles will only be affected by this Directive if they become 'waste' as defined under existing legislation—in other words, when the owners have decided to discard them. My Department submitted an Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on this Directive to the European Scrutiny Committee in December 1998, and the RIA was then updated in January 1999. Copies of the Explanatory Memorandum and RIA are available from the Vote Office, and copies of the updated RIA have been placed in the Libraries of the House. This Directive is a qualified majority voting Directive made under Article 130s(1) of the Treaty of Rome. It has still to be finalised and decisions on the Council's Common Position are not expected until the next Environment Council in March.

Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to implement the European Union Directive on End-of-Life Vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [67154]

Dr. Howells

[holding answer 26 January 1999]: This Directive has still to be finalised. Decisions on the Council's Common Position will not be taken until the next Environment Council in March, and the Directive is not presently expected to come into force until the year 2000. We would then envisage that Member States would be given an appropriate period in which to implement the Directive.