Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

HC Deb 17 July 2003 vol 409 c448W

23. Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on how she proposes to implement the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [126299]

Mr. Morley

The Government intend to implement the WEEE Directive in a way that will maximise the environmental benefits for the UK but keep the costs to a minimum.

The Directive was agreed in February 2003, and the Government now have until August 2004 to transpose the Directive into UK law. The first stage of consultation on the WEEE Directive has now concluded and the Government are in the process of analysing the responses. These will be fed into a further consultation paper, due to be issued later this year. A final consultation on the draft Regulations will be issued early next year.