To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to publish a planning guidance note on the recycling of aggregate materials.

The potential for increasing the use of waste and recycled materials as aggregates is a factor considered in the consultation draft of Minerals Planning Guidance Note 6 ("Guidelines for Provision of Aggregates tribunals alleging sex or religious discrimination by each of the area health and social services boards in Northern Ireland; and how many, and for what reason, have not proceeded to a hearing by the tribunal over the last three years.

The requested information is given in the following table:in England and Wales"). Final guidance should be published in the summer. At present, I have no plans to issue separate guidance on recycling for aggregates.