§ Norman BakerTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Lewes of 4 July 2001,Official Report, column 256, on what evidence he bases his statement that incineration is a cheaper option than recycling in terms of waste dispersal. [3133]
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government's overall strategy for waste is first and foremost to cut waste and, secondly, to recycle, and only then to consider incineration and other opinions lower down the waste hierarchy. We are purchasing a range of measures intended to support recycling. These include the £40 million Waste and Resources Action Programme to overcome market barrier to re-use and recycling, increase in the Landfill Tax, and increased financial support for recycling through Spending Review 2000 and the next round of the New Opportunities Fund.
Relative costs of incineration and recycling are given in the Government's Waste Strategy 2000, Part 2 (appendix C), copies of which have been placed in the Library. This details the independent research which shows incineration is less expensive than recycling under a wide range of conditions.