Waste Review
Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Caroline Spelman(13 years, 6 months ago)
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Mrs Spelman
I have made it clear that energy from waste has its place in turning waste into resources. I have also made it crystal clear today that the Government are committed to helping local authorities that want to use anaerobic digestion, and we will make funds available to achieve that.
Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)
Will the Secretary of State congratulate Malvern Hills district council and Wychavon district council? The former kept weekly bin collections, the latter moved to two-weekly bin collections, and both were recently soundly re-elected as Conservative councils for a further four-year term.
Mrs Spelman
That demonstrates that good local authorities that respond to the wishes and needs of their residents and supply refuse collection services of good quality and sufficient frequency receive their reward through the ballot box and are returned to office.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Caroline Spelman(13 years, 10 months ago)
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Mrs Spelman
The hon. Gentleman was perhaps not in the House last night, so allow me just to remind him that, in the last few months before the general election, the party of which he is a member published when in government an operational efficiency programme setting out the case for long-term leases of the public forest estate and for getting
“greater commercial benefit from the public forest estate”.
Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)
I have had more representations on this issue than on any other since I was elected—probably about 500 so far. If I send them on to the consultation with a covering letter, can the Secretary of State reassure my constituents that they will all be counted as individual submissions?
Mrs Spelman
I can give my hon. Friend that assurance. All hon. Members should actively encourage their constituents to read the genuine consultation document. There has been an awful lot of mythology in the press, and we would welcome responses to the genuine consultation.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Caroline Spelman(14 years, 5 months ago)
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Mrs Spelman
Of course I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance. I just said that I was seeking to get a better deal for farmers, consumers, taxpayers and the environment, and he can be assured of that. DEFRA is an economic Department with a very clear role in the economic recovery that this country needs. It is absolutely at one with the objectives set out by the Treasury in that regard.
Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)
15. What recent discussions she has had with the farming industry and other interested parties on the Animal Health Agency; and if she will make a statement.