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Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those trunk road schemes which his Department planned to start in 1988 -89 but which have not yet started, showing where known the planned date for construction to start.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, our current intention is to start the following schemes as indicated :
|Target month
--------------------------------------------------------------------
M20 Maidstone to Ashford |January 1989
M40 Oxford to Birmingham Gaydon section |January 1989
A6 Barton bypass |December 1988
A27 Pevensey bypass |March 1989
A30 Launceston to Plusha |February 1989
A35 Charmouth bypass |February 1989
A36 Beckington bypass |February 1989
A36 Codford bypass |March 1989
A406 Chingford Road to Hale End Road |March 1989
A435/A422 Alcester bypasses |March 1989
A604 M1-A1 Link: Kettering to Thrapston |March 1989
A696 Woolsington bypass |February 1989
We aim to start the following schemes as early as possible. Our current expectation is that they may slip into early 1989-90. M3 Compton to Bassett widening
A27 Brighton bypass
A35 Axminster bypass
A41 Bicester bypass stage 1
A65 Addingham bypass
A127 Rayleigh Weir GSJ
A282 Dartford to Thurrock crossing : approach roads
A303 Ilchester to South Petherton
A418 Leighton to Linslade bypass
A604 M1-A1 Link : Rothwell to Kettering
A604 M1-A1 Link : Thrapston to A14 ST 1
A650 Drighlington bypass
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding the capacity of the trunk roads between the west midlands and the ports situated on the coast of East Anglia, outlining any proposals he has in mind for improvement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : We are taking forward several schemes to improve routes from the west midlands to the east coast ports including the A11, A47 and A428. In addition, work is to start soon on the new M1-A1 link road which, with the A11 and the A45, will provide the main route between the west midlands and East Anglia. A review of the trunk road programme is currently in progress. We expect to make an announcement in the spring.
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Motorways
Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those sections of motorway in England which (a) are built to dual two- lane standard and carry average annual daily traffic flows in excess of 54,000 and (b) are built to dual three-lane standard and carry average annual daily traffic flows in excess of 79,000.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The sections of motorway in England which are built to dual two-lane standard and which are estimated to carry average annual daily traffic flows (combined directional ) in excess of 54,000 in 1987 are listed below.
Road |Junctions From|To ------------------------------------------------------------ M63 |1 |2 M63 |5 |7 M20 |5 |6 A57M |A5103 |C M4 |1 |2 M5 |6 |7
The sections of motorway in England which are built to dual three-lane standard and which are estimated to carry average annual daily traffic flows (combined directional) in excess of 79,000 in 1987 are listed below.
Junctions
Road |From|To
--------------------
M1 |5 |6
M1 |8 |9
M1 |11 |14
M1 |31 |32
M25 |6 |13
M25 |15 |19
M25 |23 |28
M4 |2 |4B
M4 |5 |9
M5 |1 |2
M56 |4 |6
M6 |6 |8
M6 |9 |10
M6 |17 |19
M6 |20 |21A
M6 |30 |31
M62 |12 |13
M62 |M61 |19
M63 |2 |3
M63 |10 |Spur
A38M |M6 |C
The sections of motorway in England which are built to dual four-lane standard and which are estimated to carry average annual daily flows (combined directional) in excess of 79,000 in 1987 are listed below.
Junctions
Road |From|To
--------------------
M25 |13 |15
M61 |1 |2
A40M |A40 |M41
Bottesford Bypass
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received dated 9 November from Mr. Reginald Boyce, chairman of Bottesford parish council, regarding proposed alterations to two junctions on the A52 Bottesford bypass ; and what reply he has sent ;
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(2) what representations he has received from Councillor A. Burton of Melton borough council dated 15 November regarding proposed alterations to the A52 Bottesford bypass at three specific locations ; and what reply he has sent.Mr. Peter Bottomley : We received letters from Mr. Boyce and Councillor Burton on 14 and 28 November. The Department's regional office replied reflecting the advice I gave to my hon. Friend in my letter of 14 October.
The junction layouts on the A52 Bottesford bypass are appropriate for the conditions and the volume of turning traffic. We shall monitor the situation once the bypass is open to traffic early next year.
North Devon Link Road
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will arrange to have 60 mph maximum speed limit signs erected along the north Devon link road between Tiverton and Barnstaple.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : It is not our policy to restate the 60 mph national speed limit, which applies to the north Devon link road west of Tiverton, by the erection of speed limit signs.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what security clearance procedures were undergone by Bowe Systems and Machinery United Kingdom staff before being allowed to use the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre processing equipment between 7 and 17 November, and what clearance is required by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre's own staff before they are allowed access to this area.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The contract of employment signed by all Bowe Systems and Machinery (UK) Ltd. employees has been amended to cover the requirements of the Data Protection and Official Secrets Act. The area at DVLC containing the Bowe equipment is controlled by a Cardkey entry system. DVLC staff not normally employed in the area can only enter by arrangement with line management.
Vehicle Excise Duty
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to launch the next campaign against vehicle excise duty evasion in London.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Next spring--probably May.
Enforcement continues between campaigns throughout the year.
Air Traffic
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions about the British Airports Authority's holding of land at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are made by his Department in preparing estimates on the future growth of air traffic up to the year 2005.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : We plan to publish new air traffic forecasts for the United Kingdom before the Christmas recess. The commentary on those forecasts will describe the assumptions underlying them.
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ENVIRONMENT
House of Commons (Lighting)
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to obtain drawings and specifications of the original chandeliers which illuminated the Chamber before 1941.
Mr. Chope : Investigations on these matters are already in hand in view of the possible relevance to eventual recommendations of the Select Committee on televising.
Water Companies (Foreign Interests)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to in which British water companies foreign companies have control of a sizeable interest and as to what percentage of the shares they own ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : My right hon. Friend has no information which is not already in the public domain. Such investment is subject to the normal provisions of competition and merger law.
Red List (Dangerous Substances)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the most dangerous substances in the United Kingdom red list.
Mr. Moynihan : A consultation paper was issued in July setting out proposals for a new approach towards controlling inputs of the most dangerous substances to water. The paper included proposals for selecting a "red list" of the most dangerous substances, and a provisional initial list of substances, on which comments were invited. The following substances appeared on the provisional list : Mercury
Cadmium
Gamma-Hexacholrocyclohexane (Lindane)
DDT
Pentachlorophenol (PCP)
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD)
Aldrin
Dieldrin
PCB (Polychlorinated Biphenyls)
Triorganotin Compounds
Dichlorvos
Trifluoralin
Chloroform
Carbon Tetrachloride
1, 2 Dichloroethane
Trichlorobenzene
Azinphos-methyl
Fenitrothion
Malathion
Endosulfan
Atrazine
Simazine
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Comments were particularly invited on whether these substances should be included because they were the subject of EC directives even though they did not emerge as priority substances from the selection scheme.Comments received in response to the consultation paper are currently being assessed.
River Pollution
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to ban the following from rivers (a) mercury, (b) lindane, (c) dieldrin, (d) cadmium, (e) carbon tetrachloride, (f) pentachlorephenol, (g) arsenic and (h) lead, chromium, nickel, zinc and copper ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : Discharges containing any potentially polluting substances are prohibited without prior authorisation under the normal provisions of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.
Discharges to rivers of all the substances listed are covered by European Community directives. Community-wide limit values and quality objectives are laid down for mercury, lindane, cadmium, carbon tetrachloride and pentachlorophenol. Those for dieldrin come into force on 1 January 1989. All discharges of these substances must be consented by the appropriate water authority in accordance with the provisions of the directives.
Additionally, in order to protect the aquatic environment the Government recently announced that all remaining approved uses of dieldrin as a pesticide will be prohibited from 30 March 1989. National quality standards are in force for arsenic, lead, chromium, nickel, zinc and copper. These are set out in DoE circular 18/85 (Welsh Office circular 37/85).
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received a report on the spillage of 20,000 litres of diesel oil into the tidal beaches of the River Llyst near Exeter in the South West water authority ; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
Mr. Moynihan : No. The South West water authority has treated this as a local, though serious, pollution incident. I understand that the spillage was successfully contained under the authority's established emergency procedures and that as a result there was limited environmental damage. The authority is now considering the need for any further action arising from the incident.
Exchequer Grants
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will show by standard economic region the proportion and amount at 1988 prices of aggregate Exchequer grants paid to councils within these areas for each financial year from 1981-82 ; and if, in addition he will show separately figures for inner and outer London.
Mr. Gummer : The information is as follows :
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Table 2
percentage of Aggregate Exchequer Grant<1> in each region
Per cent.
Region |1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South East |33.2 |33.7 |32.6 |31.8 |32.3 |33.3 |32.5 |32.1
South West |8.2 |8.2 |8.1 |8.2 |8.2 |8.0 |7.9 |8.2
East Anglia |3.2 |3.2 |3.2 |3.2 |3.1 |3.2 |3.2 |3.1
West Midlands |10.2 |10.3 |11.0 |10.9 |10.8 |11.3 |11.0 |10.7
East Midlands |8.0 |7.9 |8.0 |8.7 |8.1 |7.7 |7.8 |7.8
North West |16.4 |16.4 |16.6 |16.4 |16.9 |16.7 |17.0 |17.2
Yorkshire and Humberside |12.4 |12.4 |12.5 |12.9 |12.5 |12.2 |12.6 |12.7
Northern |8.4 |7.9 |8.0 |7.9 |8.1 |7.6 |8.0 |8.2
Inner London Boroughs
(including City of London)<1> |3.6 |3.8 |3.8 |3.5 |4.2 |6.0 |5.8 |5.7
Outer London Boroughs<1> |7.4 |7.8 |7.5 |7.6 |7.7 |8.3 |8.5 |8.7
<1>Figures for 1986-87 and following years are not comparable with earlier years because of the
abolition of the GLC.
Table 2
percentage of Aggregate Exchequer Grant<1> in each region
Per cent.
Region |1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South East |33.2 |33.7 |32.6 |31.8 |32.3 |33.3 |32.5 |32.1
South West |8.2 |8.2 |8.1 |8.2 |8.2 |8.0 |7.9 |8.2
East Anglia |3.2 |3.2 |3.2 |3.2 |3.1 |3.2 |3.2 |3.1
West Midlands |10.2 |10.3 |11.0 |10.9 |10.8 |11.3 |11.0 |10.7
East Midlands |8.0 |7.9 |8.0 |8.7 |8.1 |7.7 |7.8 |7.8
North West |16.4 |16.4 |16.6 |16.4 |16.9 |16.7 |17.0 |17.2
Yorkshire and Humberside |12.4 |12.4 |12.5 |12.9 |12.5 |12.2 |12.6 |12.7
Northern |8.4 |7.9 |8.0 |7.9 |8.1 |7.6 |8.0 |8.2
Inner London Boroughs
(including City of London)<1> |3.6 |3.8 |3.8 |3.5 |4.2 |6.0 |5.8 |5.7
Outer London Boroughs<1> |7.4 |7.8 |7.5 |7.6 |7.7 |8.3 |8.5 |8.7
<1>Figures for 1986-87 and following years are not comparable with earlier years because of the
abolition of the GLC.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will show by region in England, showing inner and outer London separately from the south-east region, for each year from 1981-82 to 1988- 89 constant prices, the amount of aggregate Exchequer grant received by each region.
Mr. Gummer : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him earlier today.
Rating Reform
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's estimate of (a) the lowest and (b) the highest level of poll tax to be levied by a local authority.
Mr. Gummer : The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. We published on 23 June illustrative figures showing what the community charge would have been in each area, had the new system been in force in 1988-89. Those illustrative figures assume existing levels of spending and existing local authority responsibilities. On that basis, the lowest community charge in England would have been £152 with a full transitional safety net (Teesdale) and £132 with no safety net (Isles of Scilly). The highest would have been £488 with a full safety net (City of London) and £639 with no safety net (Camden).
Housing Waiting Lists
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are on housing waiting lists, by categories, in the districts of Derbyshire, North-East and Chesterfield.
Mr. Trippier : The latest available information was provided by north east Derbyshire and Chesterfield
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district councils in section B of their 1988 housing investment programme returns (HIP1), copies of which are in the Library.Wool Textile Industry
Mr. Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to meet representatives of the wool textile industry to discuss common standards on effluent from moth-proofing.
Mr. Howard : My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to meet representatives of this industry. However, my Department has discussed with representatives of the industry a report by the water research centre setting out possible environmental quality standards in water for certain substances commonly used as moth-proofing agents. We expect to announce the introduction of environmental quality standards for these substances in England and Wales in the near future. The introduction of such standards in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Resider Programme
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice has been given to local authorities on the resider programme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : Local authorities within the programme area were advised when the programme was first approved and will shortly be invited to submit applications.
Council Home Sales
Sir Geoffrey Finsberg : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many cases under the
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right-to-buy legislation to the latest convenient date the London borough of Camden had failed to meet the dates statutorily required.Mr. Trippier : As at 31 October 1988 there were 40 RTB2 (notice acknowledging or denying the right-to-buy) defaults and 2,590 section 125 (offer notice) defaults.
Local Authority Housing
Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on allowing local authorities to opt out of direct housing provision ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : We have made it clear that we support the idea of councils opting out of direct housing provision, if they do so on the right terms. I have today announced that we have given consent to Chiltern district council to transfer its housing to the Chiltern Hundreds housing association. This is the first such transfer to obtain consent.
Chiltern council has shown considerable vision and enterprise in preparing for this transfer. It has also demonstrated that the needs and aspirations of both the tenants and the Council can be met and furthered by such a scheme. I am sure that other councils who are considering following the same route will be encouraged.
Water Privatisation
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, prior to deciding about the privatisation of the water industry, he gathered information regarding (a) the cost of repairing the sewage system within a period not longer than five years, (b) the cost of urgently cleaning drinking water of pollutants and poisons and (c) the amount of people who now have free access to water and land for the purposes of sporting and recreation activities.
Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 9 December 1988] : Information on the estimated costs of improving water and sewerage services is obtained from water authorities each year, while information relating specifically to
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privatisation is obtained as necessary. It is not possible to estimate the number of people who might make use of water and land for sporting and recreation purposes where there is free access.Westminster Hall
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether steps are to be taken by his Department to renovate the inscriptions on the memorial plaques in Westminster Hall where such work is urgently needed.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 9 December 1988] : Since I wrote to the hon. Member about this matter, English Heritage has advised that no further cleaning of the plaques should be carried out pending a long-term solution to the problem. Discussions with experts at the Victoria and Albert museum's department of metalwork conservation are continuing.
Local Government Finance
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much subsidy has been paid and is estimated to be paid in respect of authorities for each of the financial years 1979-80 to 1989-90 from the Exchequer, both in total and expressed as a subsidy per dwelling for the total number of dwellings in local authority control and in respect of those authorities in receipt of subsidy ; and what is the position, expressed in similar terms, for rate fund contributions, for both negative and positive contributions.
Mr. Trippier [holding answer 8 December 1988] : Housing subsidy up to 1980-81 was paid under a different system, so I am using 1981 -82 as the first year. The information requested is set out in the tables and is based on data provided by local authorities in their subsidy claim forms. The rate fund contribution figures (RFCs) are net amounts. The main housing subsidy figures are based on the latest entitlement claimed to date by local authorities, and the 1987-88 and 1988-89 figures are their estimates. The figures for 1989-90 are not yet published.
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Main housing subsidy and rate fund contributions 1981-82 to 1988-89
Local authorities in England
|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89
|£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Main housing subsidy
Total (million) |881.5 |436.9 |346.8 |353.5 |487.6 |464.9 |443.8 |508.4
Per dwelling:
All LAs |180 |92 |74 |77 |108 |105 |102 |123
LAs in subsidy |184 |209 |249 |263 |343 |367 |381 |466
Negative RFCs
Total (million) |-17.1 |-22.1 |-22.0 |-44.2 |-58.3 |-101.3 |-81.4 |-75.2
Per dwelling:
All LAs |-3 |-5 |-6 |-10 |-13 |-23 |-19 |-18
LAs in subsidy |-3 |-4 |-4 |-8 |-13 |-11 |-11 |-9
Positive RFCs
Total (million) |419.6 |432.7 |495.2 |431.3 |438.4 |378.0 |495.1 |484.5
Per dwelling:
All LAs |85 |91 |106 |94 |97 |85 |114 |117
LAs in subsidy |87 |184 |309 |206 |260 |243 |306 |318
Note: Not all local authorities in receipt of Exchequer subsidy are also making
contributions from the general rate fund.
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