Household Rubbish

My hon. Friend will realise that we all pay for household collection through the council tax. Does he recognise that improving recycling is one the main contributory factors to reducing household waste? Will he re-emphasise that and send out one of his circulars to each council saying that it is up to them to decide their policies, and not this Government? [Official Report, 27 November 2007, Vol. 468, c. 132.] Letter of correction from Mr. Dhanda: An error has been identified in the oral answer given to the hon. Member for Tamworth on 27 November 2007, Official Report, column 132. A letter has been sent to the MP and made available in the Library of the House. The correct answer should have been: We want to work with local authorities and, as I say, it is up to them if they want to be among the five pilots. The mood that we sense among local authorities is that this process is a positive way of reducing waste, increasing recycling and having more money to return as rebate. This will not be a profit-making exercise. All revenues raised through charges under a scheme have to be paid back as rebates.