HC Deb 25 June 2002 vol 387 cc757-8W
Jonathan Shaw

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will review the operation of the PERN system. [63781]

Mr. Meacher

The current system of PRNs and PERNs has worked moderately well, allowing the UK to increase recovery from 30 per cent. to 48 per cent. over four years. However, if there are specific problems I am open to discussion about how these can best be resolved.

Jonathan Shaw

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the criteria used for granting packaging export recovery notes to waste paper exporters. [63774]

Mr. Meacher

PERNs are issued by exporters accredited by the Environment Agency to businesses or schemes obligated under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended).

I understand that, in order to be accredited, exporters must undergo scrutiny by the agency on the basis of the same criteria used to scrutinize reprocessors wishing to be accredited to issue PRNs.