§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times a week she recommends household rubbish collections should take place; and what measures are in place to ensure that such collections take place. [77007]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 29 October 2002]: Section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a duty on each waste collection authority to arrange for the collection of household waste in its area. It is up to each authority to decide on the most appropriate method and frequency of collection, and the resources required.
The waste collection authority will need to monitor the service to ensure that it is delivered in the manner they have prescribed. Ultimately, a waste collection authority can be referred to the local authority ombudsman if it is deemed to he failing to fulfil its statutory duty in this area.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many local authorities have systems for recycling household waste from the doorstep; where they are located; and what plans there are to introduce doorstep recycling in all authorities. [77006]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 29 October 2002]: We are clear that there needs to he a significant increase in kerbside recycling. We have provided significant extra funds to local authorities through the standard spending assessment and a separate ring-fenced fund for recycling and waste minimisation. We are currently assessing the second tranche of bids for funding from that budget. The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit is currently reviewing waste strategy and its funding and is due to report shortly.
The following 288 local authorities reported that they undertook some form of kerbside recycling scheme in the 2000–01 Municipal Waste Management Survey.