To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to examine the proposals put forward in the 17th report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (Cm 2181) on the use of waste as fuel for energy in incineration plants.

I welcome the 17th report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (CM 2181) and note its view that incineration will prove to be the best practicable environmental option for municipal waste requiring disposal. Energy recovery is accepted as a legitimate means of recycling and I have already agreed with my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside that we should re-examine the idea of setting waste-to-energy targets. The Government will be making a full response to the Royal Commission's report in due course.