To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of (a) private finance initiative contracts relating to and (b) Government funding of residual waste plants on the ability of small businesses and community groups to set up residual waste projects. (325115)

DEFRA constantly assesses the financial markets to ensure that waste private finance initiative (PFI) projects are financially viable. This includes meetings with banks, contractors and waste companies as well as individual waste local authorities. In November 2009, Officials from DEFRA's Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme (WIDP) hosted a meeting attended by representatives from some 20 banking institutions.

PFI credits are given to local waste authorities and not to individual businesses and community groups. The local waste authority will then tender for companies within the PFI's criteria.