§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list(a) the rules governing the local environmental trusts created under the provisions of landfill tax legislation, (b) the method or format by which nominated trustees are to be selected and (c) the common core provisions that have to exist in any trust's constitution, in particular in relation to safeguarding the trust's work from the interests of the industries contributing to the trusts. [97401]
§ Mr. Timms[holding answer 8 November 1999]: The Landfill Tax Regulations 1996 contain the legislative framework within which the Landfill Tax Environmental Bodies Scheme operates. Regulation 33 lays down the conditions that an environmental body has to meet in order for contributions to it to qualify for tax credits under the scheme. Regulation 33(1) precludes an environmental body from applying any of its funds for the benefit of any contributing landfill operator, and specifies that, to be eligible for approval, a body must not be controlled by one or more local authorities.
ENTRUST, the regulator for the scheme, also publishes literature detailing its requirements of prospective environmental bodies. I have asked ENTRUST to send a copy to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the membership of the regulatory body overseeing the work of environmental trusts set up under the landfill tax legislation, indicating from where the members are drawn, the duration of their office and their terms of reference. [97402]
§ Mr. Timms[holding answer 8 November 1999]: I am arranging for the information asked for by my hon. Friend about ENTRUST, the regulator of the landfill tax environmental bodies credit scheme, to be placed in the Library of the House.