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A1 Belford Bypass
Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the most recently recorded traffic flows in each direction on the A1 Belford bypass.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The Department has no data on the A1 Belford bypass. The nearest point on the A1 for which a count has been made is at Ellingham south of Belford. The estimated 1987 annual average daily flow for combined directions at that point is 5,500. The AADF is not computed by direction. The count on which the AADF is based was carried out for 12 hours (7am to 7pm) on 5 October 1987 and recorded 2,569 vehicles northbound and 2,147 southbound. The records show that conditions were foggy on the day of the count, which may have affected traffic levels.
Severn Bridge
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration has been given to the safety implications of the dispute involving 200 maintenance workers on the Severn bridge and the recruitment of unskilled labour.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : There have not been any safety implications for users of the bridge as a consequence of the dispute. Under the conditions of contract, the contractor is responsible for safety on site. Labour recruitment is also his concern.
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Road Works
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the period of the following construction and maintenance works (a) Tees viaduct A19, (b) Darlington area A1(M), (c) Dishforth interchange A1 and (d) Doncaster area A1(M) ; what estimates he has of average delay times at peak periods for each set of works ; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for undertaking all these works at the same time.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The information requested is :
|<1>months |<2>minutes
--------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Tees Viaduct A19 |28 |3
(b) Darlington area A1(M) |4 |20 to 30
(c) Dishforth Interchange A1 |17 |0 to 30
(d) Doncaster area A1(M) |<3>2" |20 to 30
<1> Period of works.
<2> Estimated average delay at peak times.
<3> Now finished.
The delays vary greatly depending upon the stage of the works and traffic conditions.
These road works are essential to maintain and improve these heavily trafficked routes.
Road Traffic (Public Inquiries)
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many public inquiries have been held, pursuant to section 19 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act ; and if he will name and indicate the result of each such inquiry.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Central records are not kept of inquiries held in connection with traffic regulation orders made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
ENVIRONMENT
Factory Building
85. Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the level of factory building in 1988-89.
Mr. Trippier : The value of construction orders for new factories for private sector clients in 1988 was £2.1 billion in current prices, an increase of 36 per cent. over the previous year.
Community Charge
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the special situation of hon. Members regarding community charge payments and liability.
Mr. Gummer : A few hon. Members have raised the position of those whose parliamentary duties require them to keep more than one home. Just as in any other case, it is for the relevant community charges registration officers to decide where an individual's main residence is for the purposes of the community charge. Like any other citizen, a Member of Parliament has the right to take such a decision to a valuation and community charge tribunal if he is dissatisfied.
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Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his proposal to exclude from standard community charge unoccupied property which is held for the purpose of being available for occupation by a minister of religion as a residence from which to perform the duties of his or her office would also apply to unoccupied property owned by the Religious Society of Friends for the purposes of that society's ministry.
Mr. Ridley [holding answer 11 May 1989] : The Government are currently consulting on the draft of a regulation under section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. The regulation--as drafted--sets a zero multiplier for the purposes of the standard charge for all unoccupied property which is held for the purpose of being available for occupation by a minister of religion as a residence from which to perform the duties of his office. The Government's proposal is to continue for the community charge the present position under the General Rate Act 1967. As is the case under the General Rate Act, the draft regulations do not give any definition of "minister of religion".
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the poll tax per head in Oxford city.
Mr. Gummer : The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. Illustrative 1989-90 community charges in England will be published once detailed budget returns from local authorities have been received and analysed.
Housing Act 1985
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to implement section 450A of the Housing Act 1985.
Mr. Trippier : My right hon. Friend proposes to make an order bringing into force section 5 of the Housing and Planning Act 1986, which inserted section 450A into the Housing Act 1985, as soon as the necessary regulations are ready to be made ; they are in preparation and will be completed as soon as resources permit.
Urban Programme
Mr. Heddle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures have been introduced following the report of the National Audit Office to monitor payments of grants under the urban programme and to assess the effectiveness of the programme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : Various measures were introduced under the urban programme management initiative in 1985 in anticipation of the NAO report that year. These included the preparation by each local authority of standardised inner area programmes, annual reports and regular financial forecasts. The Department annually examines selected projects and has a continuing programme of research to assess the programme's effectiveness.
Football Stadiums
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what he estimates the cost to be of making every Football League ground all- seater.
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Mr. Moynihan : The cost of making every Football League ground all- seater would depend on a variety of factors including the number and type of seats to be installed at each ground. I am not in a position to estimate these factors.
Planning Applications
Mr. Nicholas Baker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will change responsibility for notification to adjoining owners of planning applications from the local authority to the applicant.
Mr. Howard : No. The present arrangements reflect the purpose of the planning system which is to regulate the development and use of land in the public interest. The extent of publicity for planning applications is best left to the discretion of the local planning authority, which can exercise their judgment in the light of local circumstances. A general requirement for applicants to notify owners of adjoining land would be an additional and unwarranted burden for applicants, and for local authorities in ensuring compliance.
Drinking Water
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, if he will place in the Library, the information his Department holds concerning time-limited derogations and delays which have been granted on the non-compliance of potable waters in England with the European directive relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption 80/77/EC.
Mr. Howard : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin) on 7 February 1989 at column 591-7 by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.
Tenants' Choice"
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the leaflet "Tenants' Choice" was withdrawn by his Department ; what were the reasons for withdrawing it ; and what was the cost of producing and distributing the leaflet.
Mr. Trippier : A tenants' choice leaflet was produced in June 1988 at a cost of £1,102 to explain the provisions of the then Housing Bill. About 5,000 copies were sent out in response to inquiries. A second leaflet was produced in March 1989 at a cost of £22,598 to explain the tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988. More than 11,000 have been sent out, also in response to inquiries. Neither booklet was withdrawn, although the first is now obsolete.
Water Disconnections
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of water disconnections for each regional water authority for each of the last five years.
Mr. Ridley : The information requested by the hon. Member is set out in the following table. Information on disconnections in 1988-89 is not yet available. Information on disconnections by the Welsh water authority is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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Water authority disconnections Authority |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 --------------------------------------------------------------- North West |110 |238 |457 |448 Northumbrian |70 |59 |300 |480 Severn Trent |650 |1,074 |1,000 |932 Yorkshire |25 |189 |293 |560 Anglian |218 |774 |2,268 |1,586 Thames |788 |235 |576 |1,594 Southern |115 |1,249 |1,152 |1,164 Wessex |0 |0 |0 |32 South West |76 |404 |404 |324 England |2,052 |4,212 |6,450 |7,120
There were approximately 6,600 water authority disconnections for non- payment in 1981-82.
Humber Estuary
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are being taken to reduce water pollution in and around the Humber estuary.
Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 16 May 1989] : The Humber estuary from its confluence with the River Trent to the sea, is classified as good or fair quality (class A or B). Since the early 1960s there has been a progressive improvement in water quality. Measures being taken to reduce pollution include improvements to sewage treatment works, particularly at Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield and Chesterfield ; a new long sewage outfall at Grimsby ; and improvements by several factories to their effluents discharges to the Humber and the Ouse.
Sea Pollution (Study)
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the pilot study for the testing of viruses in sea water will include the Solent and adjacent waters ; if he will place in the Library the details and parameters of the study ; and if he will extend the study to include the effect of disposal of sewage at sea on marine wildlife and the food chain.
Mr. Howard : I can today announce that my Department has let a contract to establish the risks of health of bathing in the seas off the United Kingdom. This is on the recommendation of a working group of experts which was set up last year to advise me on the best way to assess the risk of contracting illnesses from sea bathing. The working group has recommended that two types of study should be made at bathing waters that meet the standards set in the EEC bathing water directive.
The first study involves bathers who are on the beach of their own volition. Information of any perceived symptoms will be obtained by means of a questionnaire at the time and subsequent telephone follow-ups.
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The second study will involve the use of healthy volunteers who will be asked to swim in waters meeting EEC standards. The volunteers will be examined medically both before and after swimming. The Committee on Ethical Issues in Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians has given clearance for this study.A contract has now been let to the Water Research Centre to carry out the first stage of the study this year. Further studies are likely to be required in 1990 and later years. The bathing waters at which the studies are to take place have yet to be selected. Reports of the studies will be placed in the Library in due course. The studies will not be extended to study the effect of sewage disposal at sea or marine wildlife and the food chain. This area of research is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Water Meters
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by the Property Services Agency in installing water meters in residential buildings owned by Her Majesty's Government ; and whether a water meter has been installed at No. 10 Downing street.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 11 May 1989] : Departments are responsible for water comsumption in the buildings they occupy : the PSA gives professional advice and recommends the installation of meters where justified on economic grounds.
Nos. 10, 11 and 12 Downing street are jointly served by one water meter.
Bathing Water
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the estimated cost for each of (a) Minehead terminus, (b) Dunster North West, (c) Burnham jetty, (d) Barrow, (e) Weston Super Mare uphill slipway, (f) Weston Super Mare grand pier and (g) Clevedon swimming pool of (i) a long sea outfall, (ii) full sewage treatment works with a short sea outfall and (iii) full sewage treatment works with a long sea outfall to enable them to comply with European Economic Community bathing water directive 76/160/EEC ; and when the appropriate solution will be put in place, giving estimated cost of commencement and completion.
Mr. Howard : I understand that Wessex water authority has schemes in progress which aim to bring these bathing beaches into compliance with the EC bathing water directive by mid-1991. The details are as follows :
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Beaches Scheme/type Total capital expenditure Expected completion date -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minehead Terminus; Dunster North |Sea outfall with headworks |10.8 |1989-90 Burnham Sea Jetty; Barrow |Diversion of Sewage to inland works|3.1 |1990-91 Weston Super Mare; Uphill Slipway and Grand Jetty |New headworks for sea outfall |4.4 |1990-91 Clevedon Swimming Pool |Diversion of sewage to inland works|1.2 |1990-91
The comparative costs of alternative schemes is not available.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Yemen (Aid)
Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much public money has been allocated to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen during the past 12 months ; for what purposes ; and whether the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen has taken up all these allocations ;
(2) how much public money has been allocated to the Yemeni Arab Republic during the past 12 months ; for what purposes and whether the Yemeni Arab Republic has taken up all these allocations.
Mr. Chris Patten : For details of the level and nature of our aid to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen and the Yemen Arab Republic in the financial year 1988-89, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley) on 10 April at column 572.
Expenditure for the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen was somewhat lower than originally anticipated mainly because of problems arising from delay to the signature of a memorandum of understanding on technical cooperation. Expenditure for the Yemen Arab Republic was somewhat higher following approval of a project to be funded from the aid and trade provision.
Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much public money has been allocated to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen by the European Community and the United Nations and its specialised agencies during the past 12 months ; for what purposes ; and whether the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen has taken up all these allocations ;
(2) how much public money has been allocated to the Yemeni Arab Republic by the European Community and the United Nations and its specialised agencies during the past 12 months ; for what purposes ; and whether the Yemeni Arab Republic has taken up all these allocations.
Mr. Chris Patten : We are not aware of any pre-set annual allocations but in 1987, the latest year for which we have information, actual net flows of aid to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen from the European Community and from the United Nations system were US$0.06 million (£0.04 million) and US$18.49 million (£11.4 million) respectively. Comparable figures for the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR) are US$2.45 million (£1.48 million) and US$16.75 million (£10.09 million) respectively.
European Community aid to the PDRY was in the form of medical assistance ; and to the YAR was in the form of food aid and assistance for rural development. The register of development activities of the United Nations system 1987, a copy of which is in the Library, provides a breakdown of United Nations aid to these countries by project.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Immigration
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the number of notices of intention to deport under the Immigration Act 1971 and (b) the number of persons subsequently removed for each week in 1989 ; if he will indicate the average length of time between issuing a notice of intention to deport and deportation in 1988 and 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Renton : The latest available information about the number of notices of intention to deport and the number of persons removed under the deportation powers is contained in table 14 of the Home Office statistical bulletin 10/89 "Control of Immigration : Statistics--Fourth Quarter and Year 1988", a copy of which is in the Library. Corresponding information for the first quarter of 1989 is due to be published next month. The average length of time beween the issue of a notice of intention to deport and removal under the deportation powers is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The period varies greatly from case to case.
Mr. David Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the outcome of the meeting of EC Immigration Ministers and of Trevi Ministers in Madrid on 12 May.
Mr. Hurd : The meeting of Ministers responsible for immigration, attended also by a vice-president of the Commission, was the sixth such meeting following an initiative taken during the United Kingdom presidency in 1986 to help prepare the EC's approach to the creation of the single market by end 1992 so far as the movement of persons is concerned.
The meeting on 12 May took a significant step forward on asylum by instructing the official group to prepare a draft convention to deal with the so-called "refugee in orbit" problem. This would establish the criteria for determing which state should be responsible for examining an application for asylum. The meeting reviewed the other work done by officials, and in particular noted with satisfaction that the first regular bulletin on forged and false documents had been produced in April in accordance with the group's earlier recommendations. I welcome this example of solid, practical co-operation on shared operational problems.
I took the opportunity of the meeting to re-state the Government's view of the interpretation of the relevant provision of the Single European Act and the frontier controls of persons, as endorsed by the House on 4 May at column 417.
The later meeting of Trevi Ministers took further measures to enhance collaboration between European Community countries to combat terrorism and other crime. Agreement was reached on the study of forged documents, streamlined procedures for secure communications between Trevi countries, further exchanges on specialist matters, and the establishment in all member states of national drugs intelligence units similar to our own, as well as the later examination of the establishment of a European drugs intelligence unit. Ministers agreed to further work on closer co-operation between police forces. They also considered the preliminary work of the Group established within Trevi to study border checks and
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other security measures post 1992 in order that the changes to take place should not adversely affect the prevention of terrorism, drug trafficking and other serious crime in the Community.Accommodation Agencies
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) accommodation agencies and (b) directors of accommodation agencies have (i) had summons issued against them, (ii) been successfully prosecuted and (iii) continued to trade after successful prosecution under the Accommodation Agencies Act 1953 for each year since 1975.
Mr. John Patten : Information available to me relates to the number of prosecutions and convictions under the Accommodation Agencies Act 1953 in England and Wales for 1986 and 1987.
|1986|1987
----------------------------
Prosecutions |21 |3
Convictions |8 |2
To produce further information for each year from 1975 would involve disproportionate cost. Information as to whether the prosecution was against the agency or a director and whether the agency continued to trade is not available.
Police National Computer
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list the projected size of each index and the projected number of accesses to each index, including those accesses that retrieve information from more than one index of the new police national computer for each year until 1993.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The projected size of each index on the new police national computer for the years 1991, 1992 and 1993 is as follows :
millions
|1991 |1992 |1993
--------------------------------------------------
Criminal Names |6.300 |6.700 |7.200
Wanted Missing |0.100 |0.120 |0.140
Disqualified Drivers |0.250 |0.270 |0.290
Impending Prosecution |0.500 |0.540 |0.570
Convictions |2.300 |2.500 |2.600
Fingerprints |4.000 |4.300 |4.600
Vehicles |42.800|45.800|49.000
Stolen Property |0.030 |0.032 |0.034
The estimated number of inquiries to each index on the new police national computer for the years 1991, 1992 and 1993 is as follows :
millions
|1991 |1992 |1993
----------------------------------------------
All names indexes
combined |15.700|16.700|17.700
Vehicles |19.100|20.300|21.500
Stolen Property |0.090 |0.950 |0.101
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will place the operational specification of the new police national computer and its accompanying management summary in the Library.
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Mr. Hurd : I have placed a copy of the functional specification for the new police national computer in the Library.
Parking
Mr. David Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to review the enforcement of parking restrictions.
Mr. Hurd : Parking enforcement has been under review by a working party under Home Office chairmanship on which the Department of Transport, the police service and the local authority associations have been represented. The working party has now completed its report, which identifies a number of areas of concern and possible proposals for change. I am placing a copy of the report in the Library. The Government will consider their conclusions carefully over the next few months.
Political Refugees
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply has been sent to the letter sent to his Department from Amnesty International dated 21 April about political refugees.
Mr. Renton : None, as yet. Amnesty International's letter raises a number of different points which we need to consider fully before replying.
War Crimes
Mr. Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his decision on the possible prosecution of Nazi war crimes perpetrators now resident in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Hurd : I shall consider what further action is required when I have had an opportunity to study the report of the war crimes inquiry, which I expect to receive in June.
Football Stadiums
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to discuss all-seater football stadiums with the football authorities.
Mr. John Patten : The Government will be consulting the football authorities about the introduction of all seated accommodation at major football clubs. I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is hoping to meet them for this purpose later this month.
Private Remand Centres
Mr. Irving : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of cells in any privately managed remand centres will be for (a) single and (b) double occupation.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : It is too early to take detailed decisions, but if the contracting out of the design, construction and operation of remand centres were to go ahead, I would expect inmates normally to be accommodated in individual cells, with some provision for circumstances where it is considered there are advantages for inmates to share with others.
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AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Ron Daveis : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 14 April, Official Report, column 748, what information his Department possesses concerning the incidence and location of confirmation of bovine spongiform encephalopathy infection in cattle at slaughterhouses of fatstock markets.
Mr. Donald Thompson : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on Friday 12 May at column 571.
National Office of Animal Health
Mr. Speller : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the duties of the National Office of Animal Health together with the sources of its income and any specific tasks that it has been set by Government.
Mr. Donald Thompson : The National Office of Animal Health Ltd. is a trade organisation representing manufacturers of veterinary medicines. I do not know how it is financed. It has not been set tasks by Government although it is consulted, along with other representative organisations, on matters affecting its members.
Food and Wine Surpluses
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount, expressed in pounds sterling, which the EEC plans to spend this year on the disposal or destruction of food and wine surpluses ; and if he will also publish a table showing these amounts in respect of the previous 15 years.
Mr. Ryder : The 1989 Community budget made provision for expenditure of £8,281.9 million on export refunds, subsidies for internal disposals, losses on sale out of intervention and depreciation of stocks. Comparable data for earlier years are shown in the table.
|£ million
-------------------------------
1974 |431.1
1975 |677.3
1976 |1,058.4
1977 |1,284.8
1978 |2,836.2
1979 |3,860.1
1980 |3,947.5
1981 |3,417.9
1982 |3,565.0
1983 |4,280.4
1984 |5,249.1
1985 |5,384.0
1986 |6,272.4
<1>1987 |8,130.8
<1><2>1988 |8,451.4
<2>1989 |8,281.9
<1>1987 budget year covered 10
months' expenditure, 1988
budget year covered 11"
months' expenditure.
<2>Excluding provision for
additional depreciation of old
stocks; 1,240 mecu in 1988 and
1,449 mecu in 1989.
Food Labelling
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, Official Report,
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25 April, column 493, he will list the mechanical problems that he believes would arise if the European Commission's proposal for information labelling on food was implemented.Mr. Ryder : The European Commission's proposal concerns only post- harvest pesticide treatments. Some pesticide active ingredients can be used either pre or post-harvest. A requirement to label post-harvest might mislead consumers into believing no pre-harvest treatment had been given. In some cases it may be possible to evade the control by switching treatment which is normally post-harvest to the pre-harvest stage ; it will be very difficult for the enforcement authorities to police such switching, and, more fundamentally, to test for the wide range of possible treatments.
There could also be problems for packers, wholesalers and retailers especially when they are dealing with consignments from a number of sources which have been subject to differing treatments. The costs need to be weighed against the benefits which might arise from the proposal, especially when the results of pesticide residue monitoring are published.
Pesticides
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, Official Report, 25 April, column 492, whether any of the maximum residue levels for pesticides are at such a level they would result in any of international acceptable daily intakes being exceeded.
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