To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provision has been made by the Government for the underwriting of the recently-agreed Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority private finance initiative scheme. (291994)

DEFRA has made no provision for the Government to underwrite the recently agreed Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) private finance initiative (PFI) scheme. DEFRA has, however, provided £124,500,000 of PFI credits which assist GMWDA payment obligations under the contract itself. These payments made by GMWDA would only be made for services actually received.