HC Deb 14 February 2003 vol 400 cc89-90W
Mr. Robert Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when and how the Government informed the European Commission of its intention to postpone the attainment of the targets set out in Article 5.2 of the Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste. [89274]

Mr. Meacher

Under the terms of the Landfill Directive, those member states who are to make use of the derogation to postpone the attainment of the reductions in the landfill of biodegradable municipal waste targets by a period not exceeding four years shall inform the Commission in advance. The final decision on whether we will make use of the derogation will be taken the year before each target year (2005 for target year 2006, 2008 for 2009 and 2015 for 2016). If the decision is to make use of the derogation for that target year, then the Commission will be informed accordingly.

Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department is preparing to implement the Landfill Directive by 2016. [96469]

Mr. Meacher

Yes, preparations are in hand to support our aim of meeting the Landfill Directive's final biodegradable municipal waste reduction target by 2016.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the operator for the Wortley tip at the Cabbage Hill site in the Leeds, West constituency has submitted a conditioning plan to the Environmental Agency; and whether it has applied to operate as a hazardous waste site. [96964]

Mr. Meacher

No; the operator has not submitted a conditioning plan for this site and has therefore not applied to operate as a hazardous waste site.

A list of all those landfill operators who have submitted a conditioning plan to the Environment Agency is available on the agency website at www.environment-aiency.gov.uk