HC Deb 01 February 2002 vol 379 cc612-3W
Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role she(a) has played and (b) will play in the implementation of the EU end of life vehicles directive; and if she will make a statement. [31232]

Mr. Wilson

The Department of Trade and Industry led on negotiation of the directive and continues to lead on transposition and implementations of its requirements. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry continues to be closely involved.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what actions she has taken with respect to the EU end of life vehicles directive; and if she will make a statement. [31231]

Mr. Wilson

Our consultation paper on options for implementing the directive stimulated 116 responses. These are being assessed, along with the conclusions and recommendations of the Trade and Industry Committee, with a view to adopting the approach which best suits the UK's circumstances. Our policy is to implement with a light regulatory touch, achieving the environmental objectives of the directive without putting UK business at a competitive disadvantage.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will state the date by which she plans to make a decision on where the obligation for the costs of recycling vehicles under the EU end of life vehicles directive will lie; and if she will make a statement. [31230]

Mr. Wilson

Under the directive, producers are required to pay all or a significant part of the costs of take-back and treatment from 1 January 2007 onwards. A decision on who will pay before this date will be made shortly. The directive requires member states to take measures to ensure that economic operators attain certain reuse and recovery, including recycling, targets by specified dates, the first of which is 1 January 2006. Economic operators are defined in the directive as producers, distributors, collectors, motor vehicle insurance companies, dismantlers, shredders, recoverers, recyclers and other end-of-life vehicle treatment operators.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the state of the vehicle treatment industry with respect to the standards required under the EU end of life vehicles directive; and if she will make a statement. [31229]

Mr. Wilson

There are approximately 2,500 shredders, dismantlers and scrapyards currently operating under waste management licences and exemptions. The continuing ability of this UK infrastructure to deal with end-of-life vehicles will be of fundamental importance when implementing legislation is written.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from(a) car manufacturers, (b) car manufacturer associations, (c) car importers and (d) other NGOs with regard to the EU end of life vehicles directive; and if she will make a statement. [31228]

Mr. Wilson

Numerous representations have been received from car manufacturers, car manufacturer associations, car importers, and other NGOs during the years since the European Commission first published its proposal for a directive, most recently in response to the Department's consultation paper on options for implementing the directive, and subsequently. A summary of the responses to the consultation paper has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Mrs. Iris Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to address the financial effects of the end of life vehicles directive on local authorities in the United Kingdom. [31687]

Mr. Wilson

[holding answer 31 January 2002]: Local Authority Associations and individual local authorities were among the respondents to the DTI consultation paper on options for implementing the end of life vehicles directive. A number outlined the possible financial consequences of the implementation options proposed. We are taking these views into account in developing the final implementation options, including the financial implications for all stakeholders.