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Mr. Peter Morrison : Full mud returns were recorded while setting and cementing the casing. A cement bond log was not run after the casing was set. Formation integrity tests measured at two points in the well bore were 14.1 pounds per gallon at 6,837 ft. and 13.3 pounds per gallon at 6,892 ft. The expected and actual formation pressures were 7,800 psi and 9,600 psi respectively. The programmed and actual mud weights were 12.8 pounds per gallon.
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many previous wells had been drilled in the structure, including exploration and appraisal wells, where drilling operations were taking place prior to the evacuation of north-west Hutton production platform.
Mr. Peter Morrison : A total of 55 exploration, appraisal and development wells have been drilled in the north-west Hutton field.
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the well in the drilling operations prior to the evacuation of north-west Hutton production platform production was shut in using the blowout preventers ; if the choke above the blowout preventers was open when the well was shut in ; after the blowout preventers were closed what well head shut in pressures were recorded ; if a formation higher up the well from the kick zone fractured or broke down, allowing the uncontrolled movement of gas or fluid from the kick zone via the well bore into the fractured formation ; if an underground blowout occurred ; and at what depth the formation fractured.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The blow-out preventer and the choke were closed simultaneously to shut in the well. Drill pipe pressure of 500 psi was recorded which fell to 375 psi indicating that a zone higher up in the well formation had fractured and an underground blowout had occurred. It is not possible to be precisely certain at what depth the formation fractured.
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy in which well drilling was taking place on the north-west Hutton production platform prior to evacuation ; and what was the rig activity at the time of the kick or unexpected upsurge of pressure in the well.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Drilling was taking place on well 211/27-A42. At the time of the well incident, drilling was being undertaken with a 12. " bit at a measured depth of 13,113 feet below the kelly bushing and a true vertical depth of 11,710 feet.
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made in relation to the north-west Hutton production platform of the possibility of an abnormally pressured formation in the field, charged by gas or fluid from another formation, and of the hazard posed thereby in respect of other wells which may be drilled in the formation.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The possibility of encountering an abnormally pressurised formation is present in all drilling operations. Before consent is given to any well operation, my Department must be satisfied that the drilling programme has been designed to provide safeguards against this eventuality.
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what remedial action was taken to stabilise the well at the
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time of evacuation of the north-west Hutton production platform ; at what times pumping of cement into the well (a) commenced and (b) ceased ; at what time all movements of gas or fluids through the well bore ceased ; if the well is now safe ; and if it has been re-entered since the incident which led to the evacuation.Mr. Peter Morrison : After the well was closed in, attempts were made to kill it by circulating mud of a higher density. The first cementing operation commenced at 23.00 hours on 4 September 1989. Operations continued for several days. The first occasion when movement of gas and fluids appeared to have ceased was 12.00 hours on 4 September 1989 although subsequently there was some further movement. It is not possible to be precise about when movement actually ceased. The well is now considered safe and has been re-entered.
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the diameter of the last casing set around the drill hole in the drilling operations prior to the evacuation of north-west Hutton production platform ; at what depth, measured and true vertical, the casing was set around the drill hole ; how many attempts had been made by the operators to set the casing around the drill hole ; and at what depth, measured and true vertical, the casing was programmed to be set around the drill hole.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The diameter of the casing set was 13n at a measured depth of 6,823 ft and a true vertical depth of 6,102 ft. No difficulty was experienced in setting and cementing the casing. It was programmed to be set at 150 ft into the cretaceous formation but a re- evaluation of the indicators used to determine the setting depth suggests that the casing was set just in the top of the cretaceous.
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the immediate reason for the evacuation of the north-west Hutton production platform ; at what time the evacuation took place ; what was the sequence of events leading to the evacuation ; and at what time each of these took place.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Evacuation was undertaken as a precautionary measure to reduce the number of persons at risk because the well was not responding to measures to regain full control using normal procedures. At 18.27 hours on 2 September 1989 the well was closed in by the use of the blow-out preventer. Thereafter attempts were made to kill the well by the circulation of mud. At 09.00 hours on 3 September it was concluded that the well could not be killed in this way. At 10.30 hours the decision was taken to reduce the numbers on the platform and at 10.38 hours the platform was shut down and the crew mustered to emergency stations.
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the measured and the true vertical depth of the hole in the drilling operations prior to the evacuation of north-west Hutton production platform ; if, in the drilling
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operations, the reservoir had been reached ; and if, prior to the drilling operations, or concurrent with them, the reservoir had been recently pressurised, through gas, or water injections, or by any other means.Mr. Peter Morrison : The measured depth of drilling was 13,113 ft and the true vertical depth was 11,710 ft. A reservoir had been reached. The reservoir had been subjected to water injection.
Nuclear Plants (Security)
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many members of the Atomic Energy Authority constabulary have applied for voluntary early retirement on the special terms circulated on 26 May ;
(2) how many staff employed by the Royal British Legion security division are currently engaged at the Sellafield site ; and if he will list by site the numbers of Royal British Legion Association staff engaged elsewhere on United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority sites ;
(3) if he will list the number of Atomic Energy Authority constabulary employed at the Sellafield site, West Cumbria on 1 July for each of the last 10 years ; and what is the projected number for July 1990 ;
(4) if he will show for each relevant site the proposed reduction in posts of the Atomic Energy Authority constabulary.
Mr. Michael Spicer : This is a matter for the UKAEA. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list those areas of the Sellafield site which are patrolled by staff of the security division of the Royal British Legion Association ;
(2) if he will state when Royal British Legion Association security officers were first engaged at the Sellafield site ; how many were initially engaged ; and what is the projected number for July 1990 ; (3) what qualifications are required of people applying for employment as Royal British Legion Association security officers at the Sellafield site, west Cumbria.
Mr. Michael Spicer : This is a matter for BNFL. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
ENVIRONMENT
Pendle (Financial Support)
Mr. Lee : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will summarise the financial support provided by his Department to Pendle in each year since 1979 divided as between the different programmes.
Mr. Chope : The following financial support has been provided by the Department to the borough of Pendle since the 1979-80 financial year.
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Table 1
Non-housing
£ (cash)
|Rate support<1><2> grant |Urban<3> programme |Derelict land grant |Clean air grant |Public open spaces grant
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |10,706,558 |18,542 |73,016 |- |254
1980-81 |12,055,507 |22,477 |263,762 |- |254
1981-82 |4,430,147 |31,245 |180,420 |- |254
1982-83 |4,438,542 |47,183 |207,408 |- |254
1983-84 |4,351,523 |63,991 |82,393 |2,502 |254
1984-85 |4,395,197 |81,776 |95,503 |- |254
1985-86 |4,171,795 |83,102 |51,940 |4,632 |2,519
1986-87 |4,330,327 |94,673 |39,005 |- |-
1987-88 |4,502,649 |97,597 |349,719 |- |-
1988-89 |4,712,923 |92,878 |372,239 |- |-
1989-90 |4,971,859 |36,146 |Not available |- |-
Table 2
Housing
£ (cash)
Housing Subsidies and Grants
[NL] |Main housing |Modified rent rebate |Rent allowance |Slum clearance |Homes insulation |Improvement contributions |Improvement for sale
effects
1979-80 |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>-
1980-81 |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>-
1981-82 |710,585 |456,978 |33,492 |171,255 |52,002 |711,486 |7,827 |-
1982-83 |95,694 |599,181 |47,320 |257,079 |77,671 |873,906 |30,607 |-
1983-84 |- |- |- |330,841 |78,741 |1,151,830 |16,700 |-
1984-85 |- |- |- |433,117 |70,590 |1,528,366 |26,107 |-
1985-86 |- |- |- |584,125 |50,544 |1,782,609 |27,835 |-
1986-87 |- |- |- |628,778 |55,686 |1,877,589 |40,160
1987-88 |- |- |- |691,253 |41,234 |1,960,378 |17,575 |3,918
1988-89 |- |- |- |742,594 |13,820 |2,030,063 |65,216 |13,885
1989-90 |- |- |- |810,000 |10,840 |2,222,910 |- |<2>-
Notes:
All figures are those claimed by the local authority in the relevant years.
1981-82 to 1987-88 figures are from the audited claims for those years.
1988-89 figures are from the unaudited final claims for that year.
1989-90 figures are taken from the advance claim, subject to adjustment on audit.
<1>- Figures for 1979-80 and 1980-81 are not readily available.
<2>- Cannot be claimed for in advance.
Table 3
European Regional
Development Fund
The Borough also received
the following payments
from the
European Regional
Development Fund.
|£ (cash)
---------------------------
1979-80 |84,453
1980-81 |84,243
1981-82 |5,380
1982-83 |-
1983-84 |4,480
1984-85 |1,779
1985-86 |89,567
1986-87 |35,604
1987-88 |52,579
1988-89 |57,040
1989-90 |<1>-
<1> No payments have been
made to date.
Table 4
Capital Allocations
In addition, the Department made the following capital expenditure
allocations<1> to the Borough of Pendle during the period:
£ thousands (cash)
|Housing |Urban programme|<2>Other
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |3,378 |- |-
1980-81 |2,954 |- |-
1981-82 |4,079 |16 |492
1982-83 |5,163 |166 |869
1983-84 |4,469 |85 |543
1984-85 |3,815 |211 |400
1985-86 |3,157 |82 |340
1986-87 |2,980 |69 |280
1987-88 |3,191 |468 |272
1988-89 |3,196 |372 |307
1989-90 |2,574 |n/a |416
<1> Comparable data before 1981-82 not available except for Housing.
<2> Includes waste collection and disposal, sport and recreation, planning and
economic development.
n/a.= Not available.
Water Privatisation
Mr. Andy Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the threatened legal action by local authorities against the water and sewerage plcs on the flotation of the companies.
On the basis of legal advice, including advice from leading counsel, we are confident that the threatened action is groundless and that there is no legal foundation for it. It was Parliament's clear intention in 1973 that all the pre-1974 local authority assets connected with the functions of the new water authorities should be vested in the water authorities. Similarly, in 1989, the vesting schemes under the 1989 Act were designed to ensure that such of those assets remaining in the ownership of the water authorities and not required for the functions of the
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National Rivers Authority should be vested in the water service companies. We are satisfied that in both cases the legislative provisions fully achieved those objectives.None the less my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales and I have today put before Parliament departmental minutes describing indemnities which the Government propose to grant to the water and sewerage companies appointed under the Water Act 1989. Under these, the companies would be indemnified against any material additional expenditure incurred as a result of legal claims, of the kind understood to be planned by a consortium of local authorities, against the proceeds of sales of assets which cease to be used for water and sewerage functions.
We believe that such indemnities are extremely unlikely to be called upon. But we nevertheless feel duty bound to protect the interests of taxpayers by securing flotation on the basis that Parliament intended.
Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to make an order specifying the amounts eligible for capital allowances to successor water companies under section 95 of the Water Act.
Mr. Howard : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I propose, and Her Majesty's Treasury consents, to make an order today under section 95 of the Water Act, specifying the amounts eligible for capital allowances on plant and machinery and on industrial buildings in respect of the qualifying assets transferred from the water authorities to the successor companies.
The total amounts eligible to be specified for each company will be :
|Industrial buildings|Plant and machinery
|£'000s |£'000s
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anglian Water Services Limited |80,681 |1,149,424
Northumbrian Water Limited |56,348 |344,428
North West Water Limited |83,748 |1,076,092
Severn Trent Water Limited |43,995 |1,018,365
Southern Water Services Limited |36,710 |559,525
South West Water Services Limited |33,695 |281,621
Thames Water Utilities Limited |58,016 |1,031,962
Wessex Water Services Limited |6,575 |460,925
Yorkshire Water Services Limited |63,825 |783,952
Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedid |48,262 |451,387
These amounts have been determined after consultation with the companies and Inland Revenue.
In the same way as other businesses the water service companies are subject to corporation tax and are entitled to capital allowances on their qualifying assets including those transferred to them from predecessor water authorities. As the predecessor authorities were exempt from tax and no consideration passed on transfer of the assets, it was necessary to determine opening figures of eligible expenditure for capital allowances purposes. The amounts shown represent the depreciated historical cost of the qualifying assets and are a fair measure of their value for tax purposes.
Eligible expenditure incurred after the transfer date will be agreed with the Inland Revenue in the normal way.
Community Charge Rebates
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has of the income levels up to which community charge rebates will be payable on hypothetical 1989-90 community charges of (i) £250, (ii) £300 and (iii) £350 ; and what the income levels will be for (i), (ii) and (iii) for actual 1990-91 community charges.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I have been asked to reply. The levels of income at which community charge benefits will be payable will be dependent upon the personal circumstances of the claimant. The information requested is set out in the table for various representative groups of claimants. The figures in the table assume that : claimants under pension age are working and the standard disregard has been applied ; claimants over pension age are not working ; all claimants have savings of less than £3,000 ; and no member of the household is disabled.
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Community charge benefit: Net income at which minimum CCB of 50 pence is payable
Annual Community Charge |Single under 25 |Single 25 to 29 |Single Pensioner aged |Pensioner Couple aged |Couple 2 children under
|60-74 |60-74 |11
|working |working |not working |not working |working
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 Benefit rates
£250 |54.72 |62.22 |68.42 |119.81 |142.76
£300 |59.85 |67.35 |73.55 |130.07 |153.02
£350 |64.98 |72.48 |78.68 |140.32 |163.27
1990-91 Benefit rates
£250 |56.11 |64.06 |70.86 |123.58 |147.68
£300 |61.26 |69.20 |75.97 |133.78 |157.90
£350 |66.36 |74.26 |81.06 |144.05 |168.15
Landmark Trust
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to meet Bryn Jones, the director of the Landmark Trust.
Mr. Trippier : No. I understand that the director is, in fact, Mr. Robin Evans.
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Toxic Waste
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the environment if, following Her Majesty's Government's signing of the Basel convention on transfrontier transport of hazardous toxic waste, on 6 October, he will make it his policy to refuse entry to the United Kingdom of any hazardous waste cargo originating in a state that has not signed the convention.
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The Basel convention prohibits a party from importing hazardous waste from a non-party. An exception to this is permissable where there is a bilateral, multilateral or regional agreement or arrangement with a non-party. The Government urge all countries to ratify the convention.
Only if there are sound environmental reasons would the United Kingdom contemplate entering into agreements or arrangements with non-parties to allow imports of hazardous waste.
GRID and GEMS
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what involvement with the United Nations global resource information database and the global environmental monitoring system his Department has had over the past year.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Government policy is to support the work of UNEP. Departmental statisticians have been closely involved in the production of the second edition of UNEP's environmental data report (EDR) which became available last week. The EDR is the main vehicle for presenting the data from GEMS and GRID to a wider audience. The Department also supports UNEP's global monitoring efforts through GEMS. Data are supplied to GEMS annually from the United Kingdom national air pollution monitoring network and from the harmonised monitoring network on water quality. The co-ordinator for the water monitoring programme in GEMS is in DOE.
Environmental Assessments
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each case where an application for direction has been made since 15 July 1988 what further information has been requested from the developers, local plannng authorities or others ; and what additional scientific or technical advice has been sought before determining whether environmental assessment is required.
Mr. Moynihan : In most cases in which the Secretary of State has been asked for a direction on the need for environmental assessment, he has been able to make a decision on the basis of information already available to him. In a few cases he has informally sought further advice from the local planning authority or from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. In one case, a proposed incinerator for medical and hospital wastes at Kirkby, Merseyside, the developer was formally asked for further information under regulation 6(3) of the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 ; the developer subsequently withdrew the related planning application and no direction was given.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those developments where a direction whether environmental assessment is required has been given without application by the developer, and the effect of each decision.
Mr. Moynihan : A direction has been given without an application by the developer in the following case which concerned a local authority's own development proposal :
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LPA |Proposed development|Date of direction |Effect of direction
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lincoln City |Business Park, |13 April 1989 |EA required
Council |Bishop's Bridge,
|Lincoln
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to monitor and assess the quality of environmental impact statements which have been required subsequent to the implementation of the European Community directive on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.
Mr. Moynihan : We are about to commission research to monitor the operation of the regulations which implement the EC directive in respect of projects requiring planning permission. The research will include some assessment of the adequacy of environmental statements submitted by developers.
Yachting
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the implications for participation in the sport of the International Yacht Racing Union's proposals to categorise yachtsmen into professional and amateurs.
Mr. Moynihan : I have received no such representations though I am aware of the Royal Yachting Association's concerns. This is a matter for the governing bodies of the sport.
Plastics
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce a coding system for grading plastics similar to that used in the United States of America to encourage the development of efficient plastic collection and recycling programmes involving the general public.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recently announced our aim to improve the level of recycling of domestic waste. We are, in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, looking at the possibility of establishing a coding scheme to assist in the post-consumer recycling of plastic.
Rosehaugh Self-build Housing Initiative
Mr. Nicholas Baker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an assessment of the Rosehaugh self-build housing initiative and issue recommendations to district councils on the applicability of this initiative to those who are unemployed or on low incomes in their areas and could be thus assisted to build their own homes.
Mr. Chope : The first scheme under this initiative is still under way ; so it is too early to make an assessment. I understand a number of similar schemes are in prospect, which give people the opportunity to harness their energy and commitment to provide a home for themselves. I very much hope that they will be successful, and I would encourage local authorities to consider whether this initiative would be of help in their own areas.
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Partridges
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the extension of the open general licence to release chukar and hybrid partridges into the wild ; (2) whether his Department is aware of any research into the impact on partridge populations of the release of chukar and hybrid partridges into the wild.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Last year the Game Conservancy produced a paper "The Chukar Report" dealing with the impact of releasing hybrid partridges on wild populations of red-legged partridges'. The main conclusion was that releases of Chukar partridges and their hybrids have an adverse conservation effect on the native partridge and should be phased out. General licences which expire at the end of 1992 have therefore been issued. This will enable game farmers to phase out releases of Chukars and their hybrids.
Myopathy
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will commission research into the incidence of myopathy in wild deer ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : We have no plans to do so.
Housing Policies (Monitoring)
Mr. Yeo : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he has put in hand to ensure that councils monitor the effectiveness of their housing policies and publish the results.
Mr. Chope : The Local Government and Housing Bill will require every local housing authority in England to publish information about their housing management performance, for their tenants. We are consulting the local authority associations at the moment on the type and extent of information to be provided. The consultation paper, issued on 10 October, has been placed in the Library.
Building Land
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that councils will be able to provide sufficient land for five years' building requirement in the light of his new planning guidance note ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : Yes. While we propose to end the special presumption in favour of housing development which currently operates in certain circumstances, the draft guidance nevertheless stresses the need for adequate planned provision for new housing, and for regular monitoring of land availability.
Parkinson Homes
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many owner-occupied Parkinson homes remained unrepaired at the latest available date ; and how many of these were built in Bristol.
Mr. Chope : By April 1989, all but 187 of the 730 privately owned Parkinson houses identified by local
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authorities had been repurchased ; of these, 178 were built in Bristol, of which 17 have either been repaired or are registered for repair under the PRC Houses Ltd warranty scheme.Chlorofluorocarbons
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his latest actions to try to prevent the build- up of chlorofluorocarbons.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Co-ordinated international action is the only effective answer to this global problem. The United Kingdom proposals for strengthening the Montreal protocol would require a complete phase out of chlorofluorocarbons by the end of the century. These proposals, which have now been adopted by the European Community, will require a faster phase out than proposals made by any other country.
Sewage Discharges (Bristol Channel)
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to refuse permission to water authorities or water companies to construct or maintain long sea outfalls delivering raw sewage into the Bristol channel ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : Applications for consent to discharge sewage into the Bristol channel are matters in the first instance for the National Rivers Authority. Each application will be considered on its own merits.
United Nations Environment Programme
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to distribute copies of the United Nations environment programme's environmental data report for 1987-89 to interested bodies in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The environmental data report was prepared for the United Nations environment programme by the monitoring and assessment research centre at King's college, University of London, in association with the World Resources Institute, Washington and the Department of the Environment. It is a valuable contribution to UNEP's global environmental monitoring programme and an important and authoritative source of environmental information. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House. The report will be publicised at a seminar on environmental awareness on 10 November organised by the United Kingdom committee for UNEP which will be attended by a wide range of interested Government and
non-governmental organisations, including industry, the media and the academic community.
Ministerial Visit
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the visit of the Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities.
Mr. David Hunt : As I mentioned in my letter of 19 October to the hon. Member, I was able to visit his constituency on 27 October. I am writing to the hon. Member with details of my tour of the Brunswick enterprise centre on that day.
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Downing Street (Barricade)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated scrap value of the gates to be erected across Downing street.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated total cost of the permanent gates to be erected across the end of Downing street.
Mr. Chope : It is not the Government's practice to comment on the costing of individual security measures.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when Downing street ceased to be a public thoroughfare.
Mr. Chope : Access to Downing street is controlled under police common law powers which allow them to take reasonable steps to preserve the peace and prevent threats to it.
The present barriers at the Whitehall entrance to Downing street, which the demountable gate will replace, have been in place since 1982.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the permanent gates to be erected across Downing street are expected to provide more security than the present barrier.
EMPLOYMENT
Skills Shortages
97. Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the industries and the areas where he has been advised that there are significant shortages of skills such as to present a risk to effective or planned industrial production ; and what action he proposes to take in response.
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