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Estate Action
71. Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total provision for Estate Action over the current year and 1990.
Mr. Chope : The Estate Action budget for 1989-90 is £190 million. A further £190 million will be made available for 1990-91.
Private Tenancies
72. Mr. Wall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any estimate of the rate of decline in the number of private tenancies since the introduction of the Housing Act 1988.
Mr. Chope : No. The fundamental reason for the introduction of part I of the Housing Act 1988 was to increase the supply of privately-rented accommodation. It is too early to make a firm assessment as to the impact of the new regime on the rental market. We shall be carrying out detailed evaluations as soon as practicable. But initial impressions are very encouraging. In particular, it is estimated that more than £350 million has been invested in business expansion scheme companies letting homes on assured tenancies. With an average price of £50,000 per property, that means an extra 6,000 to 7,000 homes available for letting.
Drinking Water
73. Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice his Department provides to those concerned about the quality of their drinking water.
Mr. Howard : The Water Act 1989 and regulations made under it clarify and strengthen the requirements for drinking water quality. In addition to the local authorities' continuing role of checking the quality of water supplies, the new drinking water inspectorate will seek to ensure that drinking water standards are met. Also, it is now a criminal offence for water undertakers to supply water which is unfit for human consumption.
Trafford Park
74. Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, if he will pay an official visit to Trafford park.
Mr. Chris Patten : I hope to be able to take up my hon. Friend's invitation to visit Trafford park later next year in conjuction with a visit to the Trafford park industrial council AGM.
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Competitive Tendering
75. Mr. Brazier : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any indication of the savings being achieved by local authorities as a result of the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering for certain services.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : No precise figures are available at present, but the evidence suggests that substantial savings can be achieved as a result of the new requirements for competition in local government services. This is true whether work is awarded to an outside contractor or is retained in-house. As I explained in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 1 December at column 212 the results of a research project on the effects of compulsory competitive tendering should be available in the spring.
97. Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has to take action against local authorities which fail to let contracts under compulsory competitive tendering on an impartial basis.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The Secretary of State has powers under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and the Local Government Act 1988 to direct that an authority shall cease to have power to carry out certain types of work or that they may only carry out such work subject to specified conditions, if it appears to him that the authority have acted anti-competitively or breached any of the other requirements of the legislation.
Mr. Gould : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the minimum and maximum contract periods specified in the Department of the Environment's circular on compulsory competitive tendering ; what are the periods prescribed by the Welsh Office for Wales ; and what are the reasons for the differences between the two.
Mr. Patten : The Local Government Act 1988 (Defined Activities) (Specified Bodies) (England) Regulations 1988 specified minimum and maximum contract periods for the activities subject to compulsory competition under the Local Government Act 1988. They are as follows :
Table II
Specified periods for authorities without education functions
Activity |Minimum
|period |period
|years |years
--------------------------------------------------------------
Collection of refuse |5 |7
Cleaning of buildings |4 |6
Other cleaning |4 |6
Catering for purposes of schools
and welfare |4 |6
Other catering |4 |6
Maintenance of ground |4 |6
Repair and maintenance of vehicles |4 |6
Table II
Specified periods for authorities without education functions
Activity |Minimum
|period |period
|years |years
--------------------------------------------------------------
Collection of refuse |5 |7
Cleaning of buildings |4 |6
Other cleaning |4 |6
Catering for purposes of schools
and welfare |4 |6
Other catering |4 |6
Maintenance of ground |4 |6
Repair and maintenance of vehicles |4 |6
% Table IV Specified periods for authorities without education functions ------------------------------------- Refuse collection |5|7 Building cleaning |3|5 Other cleaning |3|5 Catering |3|5 Ground maintenance |3|5 Vehicle maintenance and repair |3|3
% Table IV Specified periods for authorities without education functions ------------------------------------- Refuse collection |5|7 Building cleaning |3|5 Other cleaning |3|5 Catering |3|5 Ground maintenance |3|5 Vehicle maintenance and repair |3|3
Differences in the specified contract periods reflect decisions made by my predecessor and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales in the light of circumstances pertaining in England and Wales respectively.
English Heritage
78. Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much the grant-in-aid to English Heritage is planned to increase over the next two years.
Mr. Trippier : We are allocating an additional £3 million to English Heritage in 1990-91 and an additional£3.02 million in 1991-92, taking its total grant-in-aid in that year to £79.8 million--a 56 per cent. cash increase over 1984-85. These significant extra sums reflect the Government's recognition of the importance of the heritage to the quality of life, and its major contribution to the tourism industry. The increases will enable English Heritage to build on its successful record in several different ways. It will be able to invest more in the maintenance and presentation of its key historic sites--already a source of significant enjoyment and education for an increasing number of adults and youngsters. I am particularly pleased that some of the increase can be earmarked for preparatory work on the proposed new visitor centre at Stonehenge--one of our most outstanding national monuments. Other areas of English Heritage's
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important responsibilities which will benefit from these extra resources include archaeology and the review of some lists of historic buildings which were produced in the early 1970s and are not up to the standards of the more recent lists.Action for Cities
79. Dr. Twinn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the achievements of the action for cities programme.
Mr. David Hunt : Excellent progress continues to be made in the regeneration of our inner cities under the Government's action for cities programme, expenditure on which is planned to increase from £3 billion in 1988-89 to about £3.5 billion this year. Unemployment in the 57 inner city target areas has fallen by nearly a quarter over the last year. Massive investment is taking place in reclaiming derelict land and in new factories, housing, shopping centres, roads and other infrastructure. Recorded crime fell significantly in the Metropolitan police force areas over the last year. The Government are working in partnership with business, local government, the voluntary sector and local people to build on the progress already made and to ensure that the pace of inner city regeneration is maintained. On 6 December I announced the formation of a new ministerial team to spearhead and co-ordinate action in the inner city areas. Each city action team and inner city task force will have a Minister to advise and assist it in its vital regeneration work.
Housing, Hackney
80. Ms. Abbott : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to visit Hackney to discuss housing.
Mr. Chope : No. The Department has regular contacts with the borough and has recently held a meeting with the council in the current housing investment programme round.
Toxic Waste
81. Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the toxic waste material which is held in Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham to be removed.
Mr. Trippier : My officials are in close touch with the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the other parties involved. We are pressing hard for the early removal of this material.
Keep Safe" Scheme
83. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will report on the progress of the "Keep Safe" security grants scheme in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
Mr. Moynihan : This crime prevention scheme was first approved by my Department in 1985. Some 5,500 security installations have now been completed. The scheme has received a total of £386,000 in urban programme funds to date, of which £141,900 has been approved for works to be undertaken this year.
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River Pollution
84. Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures the National Rivers Authority has taken against polluters since it was established.
Mr. Howard : The National Rivers Authority has taken positive steps against polluters by the prosecution of offenders, the issue of warning letters, and the recovery of costs relating to pollution incidents. I understand that since 1 September the NRA has decided to institute legal proceedings in 102 cases of water pollution.
Greenhouse Effect
85. Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures Her Majesty's Government have taken to secure international agreement on the need for action on the greenhouse effect.
Mr. Trippier : We actively support the work of the
inter-governmental panel on climate change and in particular the United Kingdom chairs its working group on scientific assessment. The United Kingdom is leading efforts to gain support for an international framework convention on climate change. This was unanimously supported at the recent conference of environment Ministers in the Netherlands. Our leading role in promoting international initiatives on climate change was underlined by the Prime Minister's speech at the United Nations on 8 November.
Rents
88. Mr. Rees : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will meet housing associations and local authorities to discuss proposals to determine criteria for affordable rents.
Mr. Chris Patten : My hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning frequently meets representatives of local authorities and housing associations, and questions of rent policy are discussed when appropriate.
Hot Food Shops
90. Mr. Cyril D. Townsend : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support he has given to Bexley council in its attempt to control the number of hot food shops in Welling.
Mr. Moynihan : My Department's development control policy note 11 "Service Uses in Shopping Areas" gives advice on the planning considerations which are relevant to proposals for hot food shops.
Bed and Breakfast
91. Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many families accepted as homeless are currently living in (a) bed-and- breakfast accommodation and (b) other forms of temporary accommodation.
Mr. Chope : I will write to the hon. Member.
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New Homes
93. Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest information he has on the number of new homes which stand unsold and unoccupied.
Mr. Chope : The Department does not collect information on the number of new homes which are unsold and unoccupied.
Public Inquiries
94. Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for changes in the environmental criteria relating to major public inquiries.
Mr. Moynihan : We have no proposals to change the procedures for major planning inquiries. Environmental considerations will invariably be an important issue at such inquiries. In the case of planning applications made on or after 15 July 1988 for many projects likely to have significant environmental effects, developers are also required to provide an environmental statement of the implications to their proposals.
New Towns
95. Dr. Moonie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the policies of the Government on future new town developments.
Mr. Chope : The new towns programme in England is coming to a conclusion. New settlements however are an option that planning authorities in England can explore, in co-operation with private developers, in formulating their housing policies. New settlements could have a role to play in reducing pressure for new housing in existing towns and villages, but whether to proceed by this means and the finding of suitable locations is generally a matter for decision at the local level, through the development plan process. My right hon. Friend has no responsibility for planning or new towns in Scotland or Wales.
Olympic Games
96. Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice and support is being given by his Department to those bodies bidding to hold the 1996 olympic games in Manchester.
Mr. Moynihan : The Government wish Manchester every success in its bid to host the 1996 olympic games and will offer the bid team whatever promotional help they can. We have already offered assurances about paying full regard to the olympic rules and byelaws and doing all within our power to facilitate entry and unrestricted movement to members of the olympic family.
Projects (Kirklees)
99. Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of city grants that have been made during the current year to projects in Kirklees for (a) housing, (b) industrial and (c) commercial ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : in the current financial year, city grant of £222, 649 was approved for an industrial project at the
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Ringway industrial centre in Kirklees on 5 April 1989. The project, costing £788,000 in all, involves the development of 1.75 acres of former railway yard to provide four business warehouse units, with landscaping and car parking facilities.Regeneration Projects
100. Mrs. Currie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much city grant has been awarded to regeneration projects in Derby since July.
Mr. Moynihan : Two offers of city grant totalling £1.6 million have been made to support projects in Derby since July 1989.
Housing, Bradford
101. Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reach decisions on grant applications for new homes to rent and for sale on the Lower Grange estate in Bradford ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : On 13 November, my Department received an application for Estate Action support in respect of the dwellings on the Lower Grange estate which the City of Bradford metropolitan council intend to refurbish.
Housing (Land Prices)
102. Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the average land price content of the average priced house in the south east, the north west and England and Wales as a whole in 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available.
Mr. Chope : The table shows average land prices per plot as a percentage of average new house prices. Land prices are restricted to purchases by the private sector of sites with planning permission and are therefore directly comparable with the average price of new houses than all houses (including secondhand purchases).
Land price per plot as a percentage of new
dwelling price
|1979|1988
---------------------------------------------
South East (excluding London) |20 |45
North West |14 |15
England and Wales |17 |34
Climate Change
103. Dr. Goodson-Wickes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what role the United Kingdom delegation played at the Noordwijk conference on climate change.
Mr. Trippier : I believe the United Kingdom delegation contributed positively to a final declaration in which the nearly 70 countries present were able unanimously to endorse our call for an international framework convention on climate change, to support the work of the inter-governmental panel on climate change, and to recognise the need to stabilise emissions of carbon dioxide. Maintaining this international consensus will be essential to effective action to combat the greenhouse effect.
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Carbon Dioxide Emissions
104. Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the world's carbon dioxide emissions come from the developed world and the underdeveloped world.
Mr. Trippier : Figures for carbon dioxide emissions from developed and undeveloped countries are subject to uncertainty due both to the definition of the terms and the assessment of emissions for particular countries. Recent estimates, defining developed countries as industrialised countries and centrally planned economies suggest that the undeveloped world accounts for about 15 per cent. of world carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion.
Pollution Control
108. Mr. Aspinwall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to legislate to put control of all forms of pollution within the same statutory framework of regulations.
Mr. Trippier : Pollution control requires different forms of expertise. The Government will be bringing forward legislation to provide more effective frameworks for controlling pollution best dealt with at the local level, and new systems at the national level for controlling the most dangerous or difficult processes.
116. Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the ways in which the concept of integrated pollution control will help to protect the environment.
Mr. Trippier : Integrated pollution control (IPC) adopts a preventative approach to pollution control. The most polluting substances will be prevented or minimised at source and all substances will be rendered harmless. IPC applies the concept of the "best available techniques not entailing excessive cost" which provides an inbuilt dynamic to higher standards as techniques and technology improve. IPC will seek to achieve the best practicable environmental option, taking account of the effects on the environment as a whole.
122. Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what predictions can be made about the levels of pollution from internal combustion engines between the present time and 2010.
Mr. Trippier : The Department has asked Warren Spring laboratory to revise the projections of exhaust emissions from road transport previously published in 1987 to take account of the new emission regulations agreed this year and the full range of current traffic projections.
Company Awareness
109. Mr. Knapman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage British companies to be more aware of environmental concerns.
Mr. Trippier : The Department aims to increase the level of environmental awareness generally. It supports the Department of Trade and Industry in the latter's business
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and environment programme, for example by working with the DTI and others to organise conferences for industry on environmental issues. The Department of the Environment also operates an environmental protection technology scheme, which encourages technical innovation through grants to aid the development of low waste and pollution control technology. The Department has recently published a booklet "Clean Technology" obtainable from the EPT Office, Room B357, Romney house, 43 Marsham street, London SW1P 3PY.Sports Council
110. Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the chairman of the Sports Council ; and what subjects were discussed.
Mr. Moynihan : My most recent formal meeting with the chairman of the Sports Council was on 16 November at my meeting with the chairmen of the regional councils for sport and recreation. We discussed a number of issues including the Sports Council's grant-in-aid for 1990-91, my recent working party report on sport for people with disabilities, school sport and the impact of the new local authority capital expenditure rules on sport.
Tyne and Wear Development Corporation
111. Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to visit the Tyne and Wear development corporation.
Mr. Moynihan : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has no plans to visit the Tyne and Wear development corporation at present. However my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities plans to visit the corporation tomorrow.
Football Spectators Act
112. Mr. Ashton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he expects the provisions of the Football Spectators Act to be fully operational at all grounds.
Mr. Moynihan : We want the national membership scheme to be in place as soon as practicable. We will approve its introduction when we are satisfied that it will be effective, workable and safe. Against this background, it will be for the Football Membership Authority, in conjunction with the chosen supplier, to come forward with an acceptable timetable for implementation.
Wildlife and Trees
114. Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the impact of pollutants on wildlife and trees especially in England and Wales.
Mr. Trippier : The Department's review groups on acid waters and terrestrial effects have assessed the impacts of pollutants on freshwaters, crops, trees and vegetation in the United Kingdom. Copies of the reports have been placed in the Library of the House. In the north and south-west of England, in Northern Ireland and in many parts of Scotland and Wales, there are areas with soils and underlying rocks sensitive to acid
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deposition. In some of these areas the deposition of pollutants has caused water and soil acidification. The principal impact on wildlife is a reduction of fish and invertebrate species in affected streams, and a consequent reduction in habitat for species which feed on them. The terrestrial effects review group identified air pollution as a potential stress on trees, but was unable to specify where or to what extent trees were adversely affected. The Department has decided to set up a further review group specifically to look at the latest evidence on the impact of air pollution or tree health.Waste Disposal
115. Mr. Colin Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to legislate to separate local authority responsibilities in the regulation and management of waste disposal.
Mr. Trippier : The Environmental Protection Bill will include measures to separate local authority waste disposal operations into arm's length local authority controlled companies. The waste regulation authorities will then be responsible for the licensing and enforcement of both public and private sector facilities.
Mortgage Arrears
120. Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of households who have been evicted as a result of mortgage arrears in the past 12 months.
Mr. Chope : The latest information on building society mortgages covers the 12 months to 30 June 1989. The Building Societies Association reported that societies took 12,730 properties into possession during this period. This figure represented 0.166 per cent. of building society mortgages outstanding at 30 June 1989. In the year to30 June 1988, 21,000 properties were taken into possession, which represented 0.288 per cent. of outstanding mortgages. Figures for other mortgage lenders are not available.
Housing Corporation
121. Mr. Harris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the projected increase in the budget of the Housing Corporation between the present year and 1992-93.
Mr. Howard : The Housing Corporation's capital programme of grants and loans to housing associations is planned to increase from £818 million in 1989-90, to £1,736 million in 1992-93, more than doubling over three years.
Nuclear Waste
53. Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has a meeting scheduled with Nirex before Christmas, to discuss the disposal of low and medium level nuclear waste.
86. Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has a meeting scheduled with Nirex before Christmas, to discuss the disposal of low and medium level nuclear waste.
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107. Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has a meeting scheduled with Nirex before Christmas to discuss the disposal of low and medium level nuclear waste.Mr. Trippier : I refer the hon. Members to the answer which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond).
North Sea
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has on whether algae, in the North sea, have given off significant quantities of dimethyl sulphide ; and if he will make a statement on the next stage of the Natural Environment Research Council project on evaluating seasonal cycles in the North sea.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I understand that measurements of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) taken on NERC cruises as part of the NERC North sea community research project show a pronounced seasonal pattern. High levels of DMS in spring and summer, coinciding with the period of maximum algal activity, contrasted with low levels in the autumn/winter. Maximum DMS values in water occurred in April/May with high concentrations along the coast of France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. These results suggest that in the spring/summer the North sea algal production of DMS contributes at a rate equivalent to 25 per cent. of the rate for man-made emissions over Europe. The 15-month NERC observational cruises programme in the North sea in now concluded. The next stage of the project involves detailed data analysis and interpretation, and the incorporation of data into models of the seasonal cycle of parameters in the North sea.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards compliance with the proposals made by the European Environment Commissioner on 29 November to clean up the North sea ; and if he will estimate the likely cost of this programme to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Howard : The hon. Member may be referring to a proposal published by the Commission last month for a directive concerning municipal waste water treatment. If adopted, this would establish, inter alia, minimum standards of treatment before disposal for sewage from populations above a certain size. It would apply to discharges to all inland and coastal waters across the European Community. No discussions have yet taken place within the Council of Ministers on the proposals. The Department has commissioned Consultants in Environmental Sciences Ltd to assess the likely impact, including the cost, of certain aspects of the proposals. Their report is due early in the new year, and a copy will be made available to the House.
Radioactivity (Sellafield)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what problems with the levels of airborne radioactivity in the B-30 receiving pond facility at Sellafield have been reported to him in the past year.
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Water Rates
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is considering bringing in any statutory procedures regarding disconnection for non-payment of water rates, by either a private or public authority.
Mr. Howard : No. Section 49 of the Water Act 1989 already lays down the procedure a water undertaker must follow before a water supply may be disconnected for non-payment of charges.
Housing (Lambeth)
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why Lambeth borough council has been refused participation within the London mobility scheme for housing.
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