§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the extent of availability of doorstep recycling and participation in such recycling; what timetable she has for introducing doorstep recycling to all households; and if she will make a statement. [3990]
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§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 13 July 2001]: Results from the 1999–2000 Municipal Waste Management survey indicate that the proportion of households served by kerbside or doorstep collection schemes remained unchanged since 1998–99 at 43 per cent. However, the amount of waste collected for recycling through such schemes has increased by 18 per cent. since 1998–99 to 756,000 tonnes in 1999–2000.
The choice of waste facilities is a matter for local authorities to take in consultation with their local communities. The Government do not require authorities to introduce kerbside recycling, although it is expected that the setting of statutory targets for recycling is likely to lead to an increase in the availability of kerbside recycling.
Targets in the national waste strategy "Waste Strategy 2000" are based on the assumption that by 2020 up to 80 per cent. of households nationally can realistically be served by kerbside collections, and that 80 per cent. of households provided with the service will actually use it.
§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much household recycling was done in Great Britain in the last 12 months; what targets her Department has set for recycling of household waste by(a) 2005, (b) 2010 and (c) 2015; and if she will make a statement. [3999]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 13 July 2001]: In 1999–2000, the latest year for which data are available, 10.3 per cent. of household waste in England and Wales was recycled or composted. One of the key objectives in the Government's Waste Strategy, set out in "Waste Strategy 2000", is that where the creation of waste cannot be avoided, recycling and reuse should be maximised. The Government have set targets for England and Wales, for at least 25 per cent. of household waste to be recycled or composted by 2005, 30 per cent. by 2010 and 33 per cent. by 2015. These targets are not "ceilings" but realistic minima that will be revised upwards if experience indicates that higher levels are achievable. The National Assembly for Wales is currently consulting on revised targets for composting and recycling as part of a review of the waste strategy for Wales. Recycling in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive.