Clause 22 - ''Landfill''
Waste and Emissions Trading Bill [Lords]
8:55 am
Mr Michael Meacher (Minister of State (the Environment), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Oldham West and Royton, Labour)
I appreciate the hon. Gentleman's objective. We certainly do not wish flexibilities to develop into loopholes. The exclusions are set down in article 5 of the EU directive, which cannot now be altered unless the European Council decides to do so. I repeat: the Bill fulfils the requirements that that directive places on the UK. The provisions will not have the effects of which the hon. Gentleman spoke, for the reasons that I have given. However, I take his point and assure him that we will keep an eye on the matter and that if there is any evidence of what he mentioned, we will take action.