To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with representatives of the waste industry in the course of his Department’s review of England’s Waste Strategy; (103335)

(2) what representations his Department received from (a) the Environmental Services Association, (b) the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management, (c) Veolia Environmental, (d) the Waste Recycling Group, (e) Cory Environmental, (f) SITA and (g) Shanks in the course of his Department’s review of England’s Waste Strategy. (103336)

DEFRA Ministers and officials have met with various representatives of the waste industry in the course of our review of England’s Waste Strategy. In developing the draft strategy we have been working closely with stakeholders in an open and transparent manner using a wide range of consultation methods, including workshops, seminars, bilateral contacts and structured interviews. This was followed by a formal 12 week public consultation.

The Environmental Services Association, the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management, Cory Environmental, SITA UK and Shanks PFI Investments Limited all responded to our public consultation on the review of the Waste Strategy. I have arranged for copies of their responses to be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what distinctions are made between mass-burn incineration and anaerobic digestion in his Department’s policy on energy from waste. (103381)

There are several technologies available to derive energy from waste (EfW). The Government do not favour mass burn incineration over other technologies such as refuse derived fuel, gasification and pyrolysis.

The Department’s policy is to classify anaerobic digestion of waste as a form of recycling, rather than EfW. As such, it benefits from inclusion in the recycling Best Value Performance Indicators. Electricity produced in anaerobic digestion plants also receives Renewable Obligation Certificates, which are not routinely available to EfW plants.