§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the Scottish port authorities consulted by his Department regarding the inclusion of indirect fees for port waste management facilities into the harbour dues, proposed by the European Parliament in the Draft Directive on Port Waste Reception Facilities; and if he will make a statement. [131013]
§ Mr. Hill[holding answer 19 July 2000]: Throughout the process of working up the Government's policy on port waste management planning, we developed our proposals through consultation with the Marine Pollution Advisory Group, which includes representatives of central and local government, the ports, shipping and waste industries and environmental non-governmental organisations. Because the provision of adequate port waste reception facilities is an international obligation under the MARPOL Convention, we need a national strategy. That strategy takes account of the interests of ports in all parts of the UK.
The EC Directive substantially mirrors the UK's own port waste management legislation and practice. The UK has been involved at every stage of the Directive, and—while we have not consulted, or received representations from, any individual ports—we have consulted closely with the representative bodies of the UK ports industry on specific issues associated with the Directive.