Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment

Mr. Don Foster
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans his Department has put in place to ensure full compliance with EU Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electric and electronic equipment, with regard to disposing of the equipment which will become redundant following digital switchover.

Malcolm Wicks
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006, which implement EU Directive 2002/96/EC, provide for enforcement action to be taken against producers, distributors and scheme operators for a wide range of offences. They can be liable to a fine of up to £5,000 per offence on summary conviction in the magistrates court or an unlimited fine imposed by the Crown court. Company directors and managers of companies can also be prosecuted, in addition to the company itself, if they consent to, or participate in, the offence, or if their neglect led to the commission of an offence by the company.

Mr. Don Foster
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the cost of disposing of the electrical and electronic equipment that will become redundant following digital switchover.

Malcolm Wicks
Information on disposal costs for electrical and electronic equipment is contained in the final regulatory impact assessment which accompanied the WEEE regulations, which were laid before the House on 12 December 2006. The results of DTI/DEFRA sponsored research into the levels of waste disposal due to switchover will be published in early 2007.