§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what regulatory impact assessment she has made of the(a) Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive and (b) Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive; [37529]
(2) what the estimated cost is to (a) public funds and (b) the industry of implementing the (i) Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive and (ii) Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive in the United Kingdom; [37530]
(3) what representations she has made within the Council for Ministers regarding the (a) Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive and (b) Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive; and if she will make a statement. [37531]
§ Margaret BeckettThe Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive and Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances Directive were discussed at the Environment Council on 18–19 December 2000, 8 March 2001 and 7–8 June 2001, where my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment represented the UK. He stated our support for the environmental objectives of the Directives, which are very much in line with our national Waste Strategies. The UK negotiating line on the Directives was clearly explained to the House in European Standing Committee C on 28 March 2001 by the former Minister of State for Industry and Energy, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
My hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy has the lead responsibility for negotiating these Directives. He placed initial Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) for each in the Libraries of both Houses on 7 December 2000 and I am informed that he will be submitting revised RIAs later this month. Based on the principle of Producer Responsibility, these Directives provide that producers will be responsible for financing the costs which arise.