HC Deb 21 January 2002 vol 378 cc614-5W
Mark Tami

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance she provides to local authorities on the operation of schemes to recycle domestic refuse. [27212]

Mr. Meacher

All local authorities in England and Wales have been set statutory performance standards, under the best value regime, for recycling and composting household waste. It is up to individual authorities to decide how best to meet these standards, according to local circumstances. However, guidance was issued in March 2001, by the then DETR, on the development of joint Municipal Waste Management Strategies (MWMS) for waste collection and waste disposal authorities to encourage all authorities to set out integrated plans for meeting their recycling/composting targets. This guidance contains some case studies of local authority waste management schemes.

In July 2000 guidance was issued to local authorities on applying the best value framework to all waste management services "Waste Strategy Guidance—Best Value and Waste Management".

The Department also encourages the pooling of local authority experience and the promotion of best practice schemes, through the Beacon Council scheme, local Public Service Agreements and Best Value Networks.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is currently preparing a pilot training scheme, to begin in March this year, for local authority recycling officers, and for waste managers within the private and community sector. This scheme will aim to provide information on best practice from the UK and from around the world, information on the costs of recycling schemes, and advice on tools and techniques. Those involved will also be encouraged to identify and address areas where existing schemes could be improved, for example by looking at other recyclable materials or by targeting in other sectors of the community.

WRAP hopes to make this training scheme available across the UK from September this year and intends to provide further training and development for chief officers and elected members in local authorities to raise their awareness of recycling issues. Collection operators, who come into direct contact with the public, will also be given further training so that they are better able to deal with public inquiries.

WRAP also intends to invite tenders for assessing best practice guidance.