UKIP makes its presence felt again
The Environment Committee of the London Assembly publishes its first report of the new session today. This deals with the disposal of hazardous waste and the difficulties of implementing the many rules, all of which emanate from the European Union.
Among the portentous comments on the need for transnational regulations to deal with hazardous waste and the terrible inability of the British government to implement the wonderfully wise directives produced by the EU, there are a few low-key but sane comments from UKIP.
In the first place, Peter Hulme-Cross, UKIP representative on the committee, has pointed out that far from solving the problem the EU has magnified it, by producing contradictory directives. On the one hand, the scope of what is hazardous waste has been widened, on the other hand, the number of landfills that can take hazardous waste has been drastically reduced. In a country that has traditionally relied on landfills, like the UK, the result has been total chaos and increased fly-tipping.
It is true that the government and the various agencies have been slow in implementing the directives, a course of action that is, let us remember, legal obligation, but the reason for this is not hard to find. In order to implement EU directives and regulations swiftly and relatively efficiently (not an easy task if they make little sense and create a confusing situation) the government would have to admit to two things: the fact that the flood of EU legislation has not abated but actually intensified and the other, even more difficult fact that no British government or British parliament can refuse to implement whatever comes out of Brussels.
Admitting these things hurts. It hurts very much. So they prefer not to do it and hope that those pesky directives and regulations will simply go away. Alas, they never do.
In an unusual development, an annex was added to the report, also on UKIP’s insistence. In this a clear account is given on how EU legislation is initiated, discussed and agreed on behind closed doors in Brussels. The role of the Commission and the Council of Ministers is examined briefly and the British Parliament’s lack of power over any legislation that is EU competence explained.
Information and clarification of these vital matters is of utmost importance. UKIP at the London Assembly has set that as one of its most important tasks.
Among the portentous comments on the need for transnational regulations to deal with hazardous waste and the terrible inability of the British government to implement the wonderfully wise directives produced by the EU, there are a few low-key but sane comments from UKIP.
In the first place, Peter Hulme-Cross, UKIP representative on the committee, has pointed out that far from solving the problem the EU has magnified it, by producing contradictory directives. On the one hand, the scope of what is hazardous waste has been widened, on the other hand, the number of landfills that can take hazardous waste has been drastically reduced. In a country that has traditionally relied on landfills, like the UK, the result has been total chaos and increased fly-tipping.
It is true that the government and the various agencies have been slow in implementing the directives, a course of action that is, let us remember, legal obligation, but the reason for this is not hard to find. In order to implement EU directives and regulations swiftly and relatively efficiently (not an easy task if they make little sense and create a confusing situation) the government would have to admit to two things: the fact that the flood of EU legislation has not abated but actually intensified and the other, even more difficult fact that no British government or British parliament can refuse to implement whatever comes out of Brussels.
Admitting these things hurts. It hurts very much. So they prefer not to do it and hope that those pesky directives and regulations will simply go away. Alas, they never do.
In an unusual development, an annex was added to the report, also on UKIP’s insistence. In this a clear account is given on how EU legislation is initiated, discussed and agreed on behind closed doors in Brussels. The role of the Commission and the Council of Ministers is examined briefly and the British Parliament’s lack of power over any legislation that is EU competence explained.
Information and clarification of these vital matters is of utmost importance. UKIP at the London Assembly has set that as one of its most important tasks.
posted by Helen at 1:17 AM
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