HC Deb 12 May 2003 vol 405 cc6-7W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has carried out a cost-benefit analysis on changes in the collection of bulky items of waste from individual households; how much she has spent on addressing fly tipping in local authorities that have introduced charges for the collection of household waste; and what the likely administrative costs are estimated to be of introducing a charge for the collection of waste items from individual households. [111041]

Mr. Meacher

We have not carried out a cost-benefit analysis on changes in the collection of bulky items of waste from individual households.

Local authorities receive funding through the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block and it is not therefore possible to estimate how much local authorities have spent on tackling fly tipping.

Information on the administrative costs of local authorities introducing charges for the collection of bulky items of waste from individual households is not held centrally.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the environmental benefits of a free service for the collection of bulky items of waste from individual households; and what guidance she gives to local authorities on the advisability of introducing charges for the collection of bulky items of waste. [111057]

Mr. Meacher

No assessment has been made of the environmental benefits of a free service for the collection of bulky items of waste from individual householders. The Government intends to conduct research into fly tipping that will look at schemes that have been instigated by local authorities to combat fly tipping. One of the areas to be covered is the free collection of bulky items.

Guidance to local authorities on the advisability of introducing charges for the collection of bulky items of waste was published in the joint Circular from the Department of the Environment (Circular 13/88) and the Welsh Office (Circular 19/88) and this advice was reinforced in the joint Circular from the Department of the Environment (Circular 14/92), the Welsh Office (Circular 30/92) and the Scottish Office Environment Department (Circular 24/92).