§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003; and why they are only available in draft form. [147080]
§ Mr. MorleyI refer the hon. Member to my answer of 21 January 2004,Official Report, column 1234W.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 21 January 2004,Official Report, column 1234W, on packaging waste, what her policy is on the penalising of companies involved in the packaging waste process for actions taken in contravention of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) 2003 before they were published. [152138]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003 came into force on 1 January and were published in final form on 14 January.
The Environment Agency is responsible for monitoring compliance with the Regulations.
Producers are required to register with the Environment Agency by 7 April, providing the required packaging data and fee. There are no actions required under these new Regulations that have to be discharged in the first 14 days of January.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 21 January 2004,Official Report, column 1234W, on packaging waste, what the extent was of the delays caused by the Christmas holiday period to the publishing of the Producer Responsibility Obligations(Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) 2003 [152139]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003 came into force on 1 January 2004. The final Regulations were published by the Stationery Office on 14 January.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason her Department had not allowed for delays caused by the Christmas holiday period when deciding(a) when to publish the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) 2003 and (b) when they should come into force. [152140]
§ Mr. MorleyThe new obligation year under the Packaging Regulations starts on 1 January each year. This determines when new Regulations must come into902W force. The Department's intention is to publish new Regulations as soon as possible after making them. We would have preferred to see the new Regulations published before 1 January 2004, but from time to time, unintended delays occur which was the case on this occasion.