§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much hazardous waste has been disposed of to landfill in each year since 1997. [183828]
§ Mr. MorleyData for the fate of consigned special waste have been collated centrally by the Environment Agency from 1998 to 2002 and are as follows; 2003 data are in preparation.
Special waste consigned to landfill disposal for the years:
Million tonnes 1998–99 (combined) 2.3 2000 2.1 2001 2.3 2002 2.0
§ Mr. FlookTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where funds diverted to the Treasury from the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme since 2003 have been spent, broken down by(a) region and (b) project. [184643]
§ Mr. MorleyAs part of the reform of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme approximately £84/92/92 million has been allocated to sustainable waste management in England £100/110/110 million to the UK as a whole) for the financial years 2003–04,2004–05 and 2005–06. A new public expenditure programme, delivered jointly by Defra and the Waste and Resources Action Programme, has been established for England. The new Waste Implementation Programme is designed to accelerate progress towards meeting the landfill directive targets.
The Waste Implementation Programme is taking forward a package of strategic measures recommended by the Strategy Unit in "Waste Not Want Not", published in November 2002. Key areas of action so far (including indicative three-year funding allocations) include the following:
413W
£million Project Budget allocation Four programmes for waste minimisation 40 Kerbside taskforce to help local authorities maximise potential for kerbside collection of recyclables and to boost the recycling of organic materials 15 Programme for education and awareness 30 Two programmes for data and research 22 Programme of development of new technologies, 37
£ million Project Budget allocation including pilots Programmes designed to help local authorities with their recycling strategies, and ensure they are offered targeted assistance 10 In addition to these programmes, the Waste Implementation Programme contributed £29 million in 2003–04 and 2004–05 to boost Defra's Waste Minimisation and Recycling ("Challenge") Fund. This fund provides project-based funding to local authorities to enable them to roll out high-quality recycling and home composting schemes in their area.
The Waste Implementation Programme has also provided £20 million in targeted grants to local authorities in 2004–05. This grant is designed to reduce the pressure faced by councils to fund services such as waste management through increases in council tax.