DOUGHTY TELLS DEFRA MINISTER TO SORT OUT WASTE POLICY SHAMBLES

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 13th Feb 2004

Speaking in a House of Commons debate today on proposals for a Strategic Waste Authority, Guildford MP, Sue Doughty MP, will tell the Government it must sort out its shambolic performance on waste management.

Sue will tell the DEFRA Minister that proposals for a Strategic Waste Authority are born of frustration with a Government department that is incapable of taking political leadership. DEFRA has repeatedly received heavy criticism from industry, local government, parliamentary committees and the Environment Agency for its failure to implement an effective sustainable waste strategy.

Sue said:

"After the community action against an incinerator, people in Guildford know how important it is that there is a real step change to increase recycling and decrease the amount of waste we generate. But DEFRA seems incapable of providing leadership and is doing little to help councils adopt the options that are best for the environment and people's health.

"A Strategic Waste Authority would just be another costly quango making the public fork out for new offices, pension schemes and letterheads while the Environment Secretary and the waste officials in DEFRA keep failing to get the job done."