§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure a swift conclusion to the debate in Europe on the review of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC); and if she will introduce interim targets for recovery and recycling over the next three years in advance of new EU targets. [62362]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Government are fully involved in the negotiations in Europe on the review of the EC Directive on packaging and packaging waste. It has always been the UK Government's policy in these negotiations to urge a swift conclusion to the debate on the targets for the next 5-year period.
It is my intention to consult this year on interim business recovery and recycling targets for 2003 and 2004.
§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures the Government intends to take to ensure that the requirements of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 are uniformly enforced across the UK. [62364]
§ Mr. MeacherI will be looking, with my colleagues in the devolved Administrations, at the Regulations to see whether there are any amendments needed to ensure the most effective functioning of the UK's packaging waste recovery system. Any changes the Government propose to make will be included in a consultation paper to be issued this summer.