§ Mr. SalterTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the 2002–03 charging schemes for local air pollution control under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Local Authority Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999. [47165]
§ Mr. MeacherCharges to cover the costs of local enforcing authorities in regulating processes which are subject to Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 were introduced in April 1991. Interim charges for processes which are subject to the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 were introduced in August 2000.
With the approval of the Treasury, and following consultation with local authority associations and industry, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has made revised schemes for England in respect of Environmental Protection Act and England and Wales in respect of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act. The schemes specify the scale of fees and charges to take effect from 1 April 2002.
835WThe fees and charges in both schemes have been increased by 1.8 per cent., broadly in line with inflation. However, my Department is writing to local authorities to advise them that if there is not much more widespread adoption of cost accounting practices for LAPC over the next six months this increase may be rescinded at the next review of the charging schemes later this year.
The schemes will be laid before both Houses and copies placed in the Libraries.