§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to make available additional funding to the Environment Agency for the regulation of on-farm drum incinerators when the Agricultural Waste Regulations are introduced. [122754]
§ Mr. MorleyA draft of the Agricultural Waste Regulations will be issued for public consultation in the autumn with a view to their coming into force in early 2004. The main purpose of the Regulations is to apply the requirements of the Waste Framework Directive to agricultural waste. Incineration is subject to control under the Directive as a waste disposal operation. Provision has been made within the Corporate Planning 561W process to meet the Environment Agency's costs, through charges and Grant-in-Aid, as a "competent authority" for the control of agricultural waste under the Directive. My Department has received no specific request from the Agency for funding for the regulation of on-farm drum incinerators.