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Industrial Waste
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's current policy on the import or export of poisonous industrial waste
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substances out of, or into, the United Kingdom; what are the latest trends in respect to such trade; and if he will make a statement. [130]
Mr. Clappison: The Government's policies on the import and export of hazardous wastes are set out in the United Kingdom management plan for exports and imports of waste. Under the plan, which is legally binding throughout the United Kingdom, all exports of waste for disposal are banned, as are most imports for disposal other than in exceptional cases where wider environmental considerations apply. Exports of waste for recovery to countries within the OECD may continue but, subject to limited exceptions, exports of hazardous waste for recovery to non-OECD countries are banned. Imports of waste for genuine recovery operations may continue.
The plan, which was published on 16 May 1996 and came into effect on 1 June, provides the means to implement the Government's long-standing policy of self-sufficiency in waste disposal, while preserving legitimate trade in wastes moving for recovery.
Imports of hazardous waste into the UK for disposal in the period 1988-89 to 1993-94 are as follows:
| Imports (tonnes) | |
|---|---|
| 1988-89 | 40,027 |
| 1989-90 | 31,918 |
| 1990-91 | 44,517 |
| 1991-92 | 46,920 |
| 1992-93 | 47,018 |
| 1993-94 | 67,993 |
Some 525 tonnes were exported from Northern Ireland to Finland between 1990-91 and 1991-92. No waste has been exported from the UK for disposal since 1992. More detailed information is available in my Department's digest of environmental statistics No 18 for 1996. The Department did not collect data on shipments for recovery before May 1994. Information on imports and exports of waste for recovery or disposal in more recent years is currently in preparation.
Castle Cement
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what reasons were given by Castle Cement for its decision to withdraw its appeal against the conditions imposed by the Environment Agency on the operation of the plant; [901]
- (2) whether Castle Cement has undertaken to comply with the conditions set by the Environment Agency relating to the operation of the plant at Clitheroe. [902]
Mr Clappison: Castle Cement withdrew its appeal in a letter dated 11 October. I have today placed a copy of that letter in the House Library.
Also, in answer to the question of whether the company has now undertaken to comply with the conditions of authorisation, the company was, and continues to be, legally obliged to comply with any condition of authorisation pending the outcome of its appeal. Any breach of a condition is a criminal offence.
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Mr. Beith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the occasions on which he has used discretionary powers to (a) revoke and (b) challenge planning permission for out-of-town or edge-of-town retail developments since 1990, giving the date in each case. [864]
Mr. Robert B. Jones:
None. The revocation of any planning permission is rare. Slightly more usual is for my right hon. Friend to call in for his own determination certain planning applications which are required to be referred to him. An application cannot be called in once permission has been granted. An application for retail development in Alnwick, Northumberland, was not referred to my right hon. Friend and was granted permission in 1993, These circumstances will be examined at a local public inquiry and my right hon. Friend will then decide whether to invoke his powers.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the amount of regional water authorities' debt written off before privatisation. [1521]
Mr. Clappison:
Debts to the Exchequer of £5,028 million were written off as part of the capital restructuring of the water industry in England and Wales for privatisation.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue the proposed best practice guide for coastal zone management. [2185]
Mr. Clappison:
The Department of the Environment has today published "Coastal Zone Management--Towards Best Practice". The guide takes a practical look at the main issues which arise in coastal management and it highlights numerous examples of good practice which are at present being used. We have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of the House, and the guide will be extensively distributed to interested organisations and individuals.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Government to respond to the Environment Committee's report on world trade and the environment. [2293]
Mr. Gummer:
My right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the President of the Board of Trade, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister for Overseas Development and I have today published the Government response to the Environment Committee report on world trade and the environment and have placed copies in the libraries of both Houses.
The Government wish to take the opportunity presented by the preparation of this document to set out an overview of their evolving approach to trade and the environment.
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This comprises part I of the response; part II contains the detailed response to the Committee's conclusions and recommendations.
The Government have always held the view that economic development makes a vital contribution to improving environmental standards. An open and non-discriminatory world trading system is crucial to future economic development throughout the world. However, to deliver high environmental standards, economic development must take place within a framework which ensures sustainable development.
There has been much debate about the impact of trade on the environment; and the impact of environmental controls on trade.
The challenge for the world community, both at the forthcoming ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation this December in Singapore and more widely, is to move away from the misleading rhetoric of trade versus environment to focus more closely on the principles of sustainable development. The Government are determined to ensure that the European Union takes the lead in promoting these principles.
Further work on trade and environment will be required both in the WTO and in other forums such as the United Nations Environment Programme. We have identified six topics as the focus of major international effort in the near future:
Mr. Liddington:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans there are for the sale of the Housing Corporation's loan portfolios to the private sector to proceed. [2294]
Mr. Gummer:
My right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration announced on 28 November 1995 the Government's decision in principle to sell the loans provided to housing associations by the Housing Corporation, Scottish Homes and Housing for Wales. We subsequently appointed N M Rothschild and Sons Ltd. as the Government's financial advisers for the project and asked them to evaluate the options for selling these loans to the private sector.
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On the basis of Rothchild's advice, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I have decided to proceed with the sale of the loans, subject to receiving satisfactory final bids at the conclusion of negotiations. We have asked Rothchilds to make the necessary arrangements for the next stage.
multilateral environmental agreements--the most effective response to transboundary and global environmental problems. We support the efforts of the European Union in the WTO to clarify the relationship between trade measures in multilateral environmental agreements and GATT;
environmental policies based on processes--a wide variety of process controls are employed as part of environmental policy. The WTO needs to consider their relationship with the product-related regime of trade agreements;
examination of environmental effects--we should like to see more analysis by the WTO of the potential environmental effects of trade proposals as they are developed;
spreading understanding of environmental principles--there needs to be better understanding among those concerned with trade policy of the principles and concepts underlying environmental laws and policies;
market access for least developed countries--reinforcing and spreading the benefits of the multilateral trading system is an important way of providing the world's poorest countries with the wealth to tackle environmental issues;
combating illegal trade in endangered species, chlorofluorocarbons and hazardous wastes.
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