England is recycling more household waste than ever before, Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, confirmed.

Mrs Beckett confirmed that England is poised to meet its national recycling and composting target of 17 per cent in 2003/04. Mrs Beckett‘‘s comments today come as Defra release the audited Best Value Performance Indicators showing local authority recycling and composting rates during 2003/04. As well as recycling more waste, the figures show that the recycling and composting rate increased by 3 percentage points - the highest rate of increase ever recorded in England.

Figures show that people in Lichfield District Council in Staffordshire recycle more waste than anyone else in England, recycling or composting over 46 per cent of their waste.

Residents in Fylde Borough Council made the biggest leap. Nearly 30 per cent of household waste was recycled or composted, 19 per cent more than in 2002/03, mainly as a result of increased composting.

Mrs Beckett said: "This is positive news. England looks certain to meet its national recycling and composting target, the first time such a target has ever been met. "While there is still a lot of work to do to raise levels of recycling even higher, this is a strong indication that the nation is adjusting to more sustainable waste practices. "This has been brought about through the commitment of the majority of local councils, a fantastic response from the public and careful targeted Government support."

However, Mrs Beckett warned that some poor performing councils will face action, as single figure recycling rates are "no longer acceptable": "Environment Minister Elliot Morley will be personally engaging with each of the very poorest performers to ensure they receive the right support or, if they continue to demonstrate no commitment to improvement, to take stronger action."

More detailed information on current household waste management practices, and confirmation of the national recycling and composting rate for 2003/04, will be available in the Municipal Waste Management Survey published later this year.

Notes

Data on local authorities individual performance, set against individual recycling and composting targets and rates of improvements is listed in table, which we can forward to you on request.

All local authorities with waste management responsibilities have been set individual Statutory Performance Standards for recycling and composting in 2003/04 and 2005/06 and are required by law to meet them.

A more ambitious, but achievable, national target of recycling and composting 25 per cent of total household waste has been set for 2005/6. Help and advice is available to local authorities to help reach the next national target.

Defra will continue to provide funding - about £265m in direct short term funding over the period 2003-6 - and a range of support services to help meet these requirements. Defra‘‘s Waste Implementation Programme (WIP) is providing a range of targeted support measures, toolkits and best practice advice for local authorities to follow. These cover procurement, strategy-making, kerbside recycling, waste collection from high-density housing estates, civic amenity sites and collecting bulky goods

WIP is also responsible for delivering longer term funding to local authorities to support more sustainable waste management. WIP also provides impartial information and support to Local Authorities and the Waste Management Industry about new technology and motivates the sector to make necessary decisions and changes through procurement and specialist waste management advice.

WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) is a major UK programme established to promote resource efficiency and backed by substantial Government funding from Defra, DTI and th