§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for a public fund to help public authorities deal with the remedying of damage on orphan sites under the EU Environmental Liability Directive. [72492]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 23 July 2002]: Under the draft Directive, where the party responsible for environmental damage cannot be found, or has insufficient means to pay the costs of remediation, the responsibility for remediative action would fall to the Competent Authority.
The Government's public consultation on the Commission's proposal, which ended on 24 May 2002, covered the provisions relating to orphan sites. Careful consideration is being given to its detailed implications for the UK and no decisions have yet been taken.