FUNDING FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE'S DISPOSAL OF REFRIGERATORS

EDM number 346 in 2002-03, proposed by Cheryl Gillan on 10/12/2002.

That this House notes that the Government proposes to fund the additional costs to Buckinghamshire County Council, as a result of implementing Article 16(2) of EC Regulation 2037/00 on Ozone Depleting Substances, in the period from 1st April 2002 to 31st March 2003, by means of a special grant allocation of ú312,480; further notes that the estimated actual costs by Buckinghamshire County Council for the storage and disposal of redundant refrigerators during this time period is ú498,000, and that in addition to the estimated cost to Wycombe District Council of ú17,500, unknown costs for the collection of redundant refrigerators are also being incurred by Aylesbury Vale District Council, Chiltern District Council and South Buckinghamshire District Council; recognises thereby that the total extra cost in Buckinghamshire is in excess of ú515,500; and, in view of the statement by the Minister for the Environment, the Right honourable Member for Oldham West and Royton on local authority funding that 'We are ... taking the realistic view that if extra duties are imposed they should be reasonably funded. That is the Government's policy' (Official Report, 14th January, c125), calls upon the Government to make clear how it intends to fund the shortfall in Buckinghamshire which will not be less than ú203,020.

This motion has been signed by a total of 23 MPs.