To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will investigate the extent to which fines levied on county councils in two-tier authority areas are passed on to and paid by district councils; and if he will make a statement. (106865)

Assuming the hon. Member’s question relates to the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, no penalties have been imposed to date under this scheme. All waste disposal authorities in England met their obligations in 2005-06 to landfill, and were within the limits of the allowances they held.

More generally, DEFRA has no plans to investigate the extent to which penalties levied on county councils in two-tier authority areas are passed on to, and paid by, district councils.