§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will give details of the 2001—02 charging schemes for local air pollution control under Part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Local Authority-Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999. [154043]
§ Mr. HillCharges to cover the costs of local enforcing authorities in regulating processes which are subject to Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 were introduced in April 1991. Interim charges for processes which are subject to the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 were introduced in August 2000.
246WWith the approval of the Treasury, and following consultation with local authority associations and industry, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has made revised schemes for England in respect of Environmental Protection Act and England and Wales in respect of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act. The schemes specify the scale of fees and charges to take effect from 1 April 2001.
The initial application fee will be unchanged and the annual subsistence fee will be increased by £1 for both schemes. For those processes transferring, in due course, to local authority control under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 there will be an increase of £56 in subsistence charge to cover the production of new technical guidance.
The Secretary of State was unable to justify an increase in the basic fees and charges from 1 April 2001 because not enough local authorities are undertaking cost accounting for their functions under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and there is insufficient financial information.
The schemes will be laid before both Houses and copies placed in the Libraries.