Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the draft waste strategy; what representations he has received on this matter; and if he will make a statement. [95563]
§ Mr. MullinThe Government published for consultation its draft waste strategy for England and Wales, "A Way With Waste", on 30 June 1999. We have received over 500 substantive submissions from a wide range of interested parties, and around 20,000 postcards urging higher recycling targets from members of the public. These views will be taken into consideration as we develop the final strategy.
The final version of our sustainable waste management strategy-which we will publish early next year-will be a long-term strategy for handling the waste generated by businesses, service providers and households. The Government is committed to introducing and promoting sustainable waste management across the UK. This means using materials resources efficiently, to cut down on the amount of waste we produce. And where waste is produced, dealing with it in a way that actively contributes to the economic, social and environmental goals of sustainable development.