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Science and the Environment

Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if she will place in the Library a copy of her speech on science and environment, given as the 50th anniversary lecture of the parliamentary and scientific committee on 6 December 1989.

The Prime Minister : A copy is available in the Libary of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Market Research

Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many market research and sample surveys were carried out by or for his Department in the last 12 months ; what was the cost of each ; what was the total cost ; how many were carried out in-house ; how many were carried out for his Department by outside organisations ; and what percentage of the total expenditure was paid to outside organisations.

Mr. Cope : A total of 38 sample surveys were carried out in the target period of which eight were continuous or annual surveys, for example, the family expenditure survey and the labour force survey. The remainder were ad-hoc surveys of varying size and complexity. Total expenditure was £954,000 with the costs of individual surveys ranging from £400 to £192,000. Twenty-two surveys were conducted in-house (cost £832,000) and 16 were carried out for the Department by outside organisations (cost £122,000). Payment to outside organisations accounted for 13 per cent. of total expenditure.

Public Appointments

Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons above the age of (a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Cope : The information requested is as follows :


         |Over 60|Over 65|Over 70        

-----------------------------------------

1980     |3      |6      |-              

1981     |2      |1      |-              

1982     |8      |7      |-              

1983     |4      |4      |-              

1984     |3      |1      |-              

1985     |9      |2      |-              

1986     |8      |6      |-              

1987     |3      |3      |-              

1988     |11     |7      |-              

1989     |2      |5      |1              

         |---    |---    |---            

  Totals |53     |42     |1              

The figures include reappointments.

Fishery Conservancy Board

Mr. Clifford Forsythe : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many statutory pollution samples have been taken by the Northern Ireland Fishery Conservancy Board in the past 12 months ; what was the cost of taking each sample ; how many such samples


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proved positive ; how many such samples resulted in prosecution in court ; and how many such prosecutions were successful.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : During 1988, the latest period for which complete statistics are available, 198 statutory samples were taken by the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland. Information on the cost of taking each sample is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

All the statutory samples proved to be polluting. Of these samples, 98 resulted in prosecution in court with 92 leading to convictions ; four cases are still pending.

Mr. Clifford Forsythe : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the Northern Ireland Fishery Conservancy Board is funded : what is the total number of bailiffs employed by the Northern Ireland Fishery Conservancy Board ; what is the number of permanent bailiffs employed ; what is the average probationary period served by a bailiff before he becomes permanent.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : The Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland is responsible for the conservation and protection of salmon and inland fisheries of Northern Ireland other than the fisheries of the Londonderry area of the Foyle Fisheries Commission. The board derives licence revenue from commercial fishermen and anglers to offset the cost of carrying out those functions. In addition the board carries out and receives agency fees for water pollution control work on behalf of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland and providing bailiffs for public fisheries on behalf of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. The total number of bailiffs presently employed by the board is 48 : of these, 14 are permanent bailiffs.

While the turnover of permanant staff is small, the probationary period for a new permanent bailiff is six months after which the appointment is confirmed, subject, of course, to a satisfactory report. This period may be extended or the appointment terminated in the event of an unsatisfactory report.

Strangford Lough

Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will replace the CNCC with a democratically constituted council ; and if he will make a statement about public participation in the management of area of special scientific interest Strangford lough part 3.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : The Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC) was recently established under the provisions of article 3 of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, and its constitution was very carefully considered. The membership of the council represents a wide range of interests and experience throughout Northern Ireland. It provides sound and balanced views on conservation matters. There are no plans to amend the legislation.

The management of the lands within the Strangford lough (part 3) area of special scientific interest (ASSI) depends on co-operation between individual owners and occupiers and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. It is not an appropriate matter for public participation.


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Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to involve the loughside community in the management of the Strangford lough foreshores ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : The management of the Strangford lough area of special scientific interest (ASSI), which mainly comprises the Strangford lough foreshores, is a matter between the individual owners and occupiers and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. At the time the declaration of Strangford lough (part 3) ASSI was confirmed I stated that a locally based and organised voluntary group representative of the wide variety of interests concerned could be very useful to the Department in preparing its proposals for the marine nature reserve in Strangford lough. I also indicated that I hoped that local people would take forward this suggestion which I had welcomed.

Agricultural Advisory Service

Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amount of money has been received for advice given following the introduction of charges by the Agricultural Advisory Service ; how many persons have been given advice ; and what were the comparable figures for the equivalent period prior to the introduction of charges.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : Following the introduction of charging by the advisory services of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland in October 1988 a total of £224,000 has been received up to November 1989.

Advice, some of which continues to be free, is given in a variety of ways both to individuals through farm visits, office consultations and by telephone and to groups through events, meetings, advisory letters, press articles, media broadcasts and publications notably "Agriculture in Northern Ireland". During any given period a farmer may get advice in more than one way. Currently our records which are compiled for each financial year are as follows :--


                                  |1987-88|1988-89        

----------------------------------------------------------

Farms Visited                     |16,827 |14,442         

Attendance at meetings/events     |34,006 |29,744         

Advisory letters                  |20,268 |38,500         

Press articles                    |416    |403            

Media broadcasts                  |21     |36             

"Agriculture in Northern Ireland" |12,125 |12,958         

Harbours

Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the level of harbour dues for (a) boats, (b) yachts and (c) other sea-going vessels at the harbours of Portrush, Ballycastle, Bangor, Ardglass and Portstewart.

Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 19 December 1989] : The harbours at Portrush, Portstewart, Ballycastle and Bangor are owned and operated by the Coleraine, Moyle and North Down councils respectively and the information sought is not available in my Department.

The Ardglass harbour is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority. Charges at Ardglass are as follows :--


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Fishing Vessels

Over 15 tons gross--£50 per annum

Under 15 tons--£25 per annum

Cargo and other commercial vessles

EC Vessels--15p per tonne per visit

Outside EC--21p per tonne per visit

If vessels stay over 1 week an extra 11p per tonne is charged for each week thereafter.

All other craft

30p per metre for each week or part thereof except for vessels in a reserved area (for yachts and pleasure crafts) 15p per metre each week or part thereof.

ENVIRONMENT

European Environmental Monitoring

Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what European Community funds are being, or will be, directed to the establishment of the European Environment Agency in 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92 ;

(2) what European Community funds are being, or will be, directed to the establishment of the European monitoring and information system in 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92.

Mr. Trippier : The establishment of the European Environment Agency and the European monitoring and information system are integral parts of a single proposal. As such it is inappropriate and impossible to distinguish separate expenditure elements. The cost of establishing and maintaining the agency and the underlying network in the first year of operations is estimated at 5.5 million ecu, equivalent to about £3.8 million. Budget estimates for later years are not available.

CORINE Programme

Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what European Community funds have so far been directed to the establishment of the CORINE programme ; and what is the predicted annual funding of the programme in 1990-91 and 1991-92.

Mr. Trippier : Up to 1989, 4 million ecu (£2.8 million) have been directed to the CORINE programme. For 1989, expenditure is estimated at 3 million ecu (£2.1 million) and for 1990 expenditure earmarked at 4.5 million ecu (£3.1 million). After 1990, it is envisaged that CORINE-related work will pass to the proposed European Environment Agency.

European Environment Statistics Office

Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what European Community funds will be directed to the European environment statistics office in 1990-91 and 1991-92.

Mr. Trippier : A separate European environment statistics office does not exist. A four-year programme to develop regular official statistics of the environment is currently being proposed within the statistical office of the European Communities. The proposed budget for the period amounts to 13.3 million ecu, approximately £9.3 million, with £0.7 million earmarked for 1990, £1.9 million for 1991, £2.8 million for 1992 and £3.9 million for 1993.


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Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost to the Economic Community each year since its inception of the European environment statistics office.

Mr. Trippier : A separate European environment statistics office does not exist. The statistical office of the European Communities collects, co-ordinates and disseminates statistics to assist in the formulation and monitoring of a wide range of Community policies. The office is mainly concerned with economic and social statistics ; its programme of work on environmental statistics has only recently begun with appropriations being met from the general budget of the European Communities.

European Environment Agency

Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to his reply of 30 November to the hon. Member for Billericay, Official Report, column 368, if he will undertake a survey of businesses to determine their view of the usefulness of the European Environment Agency.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The objectives of the proposed European Environment Agency are to assemble, co-ordinate and analyse environmental information to inform and support Community environment policy. There is no intention to place further burdens on industry by surveying their views on the proposal.

Sir Hugh Rossi : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report his letter of 6 December to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green concerning the seventh report of the Environment Committee of Session 1988-89, relating to the proposed European Environment Agency.

Mr. Chris Patten : The text of my letter was as follows : "Your Committee took evidence from my officials on 8th November and produced an admirably clear report in time for the debate in the House on 12th November ; we appreciate this.

For the record I can say that Government policy is very much in line with the Committee's recommendations.

In particular :

Paragraph 1 : The Committee's agreement with the DOE view on duties of the Agency is noted.

Paragraph 11 : The Government agrees that "in the first instance the Agency should be set up as a Community body".

Paragraph 12 : The Draft Regulation requires separate agreements to be established with third countries covering all aspects of participation ; but the need to include voting rights and the financial contribution issue is noted.

Paragraph 14 : The need to recognise the value of the information holding of NGO's is important and the Committee is right to stress the advantages of collaboration between the Agency and the NGO's in this area.

Paragraph 15 : I shall be keeping the staffing implications of the proposal under review as far as my Department is concerned. Paragraph 16 : The Committee's support for the Government bid for the Agency to be located in the United Kingdom is welcome. Please convey my thanks to your Committee for their speedy and helpful examination of this issue. Your findings were helpful in the discussions in the Environment Council on 28th November and you might like to know that the location of the Agency is now the only significant outstanding issue as far as Environment Ministers are concerned. You may have


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seen that the Government has now offered Cambridge as a suitable location ; no decision has yet been taken however at Community level."

Housing Needs Index

Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his review of the housing needs index and on the effect on the apportioning of capital funds to housing associations in the north-west of England of this review.

Mr. Chope : My hon. and learned Friend the then Minister for Housing and Planning announced on Wednesday 20 December 1989, in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Dr. Twinn), his decisions on the Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 1990-91. The number of new housing association dwelling units to be approved in the north-west region is planned to increase in each of the next three years, though the proportionate increase will be less than in some other regions.

Local Government Finance

Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library as soon as possible a full list of non- domestic revaluations arising out of the Local Government (Finance) Act 1988.

Mr. David Hunt : I shall make available in the Library as soon as possible microfiche copies of the draft local non-domestic rating lists for England and Wales which have been sent to local authorities by the valuation office.

Derelict Land

Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his decision on the joint rolling programme submission by North Staffordshire local authorities for derelict land programme assistance ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan : The Department will announce decisions on the regional distribution of derelict land grant resources for 1990-91 shortly. At the same time, we will announce the rolling programme which the Department is prepared to support.

Radioactive Waste

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his departmental library holds copies of the International Atomic Energy Agency waste management research abstracts on radioactive waste programmes in progress.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Copies are held by the Department.

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his departmental library receives a copy of the bimonthly information bulletin on radioactive wastes and fuel reprocessing, produced by Harwell Information Services.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Yes.


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Nirex (Safety Research)

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the 1988-89 report on the United Kingdom Nirex safety assessment research programme.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I understand that the report is expected to be published by the end of January 1990. Distribution of the report is a matter for United Kingdom Nirex.

Insulation

Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make cavity wall insulation and double glazing mandatory requirements in building regulations.

Mr. Michael Spicer : No. The thermal insulation standards in the Building Regulations 1985 have recently been upgraded, and we estimate that these amendments will achieve a saving of around 20 per cent. in energy requirements for space and water heating in new houses and other buildings. Cavity wall insulation and double glazing are methods of meeting these requirements, but there are also other ways of doing so. We consider that architects and builders should be allowed the maximum flexibility to choose for themselves whch is the most appropriate way of meeting the higher standards, which are due to come into force on 1 April.

Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update his Department's 1985 estimates of the amount needed to be spent on the insulation of local authority houses in England and generally on heating, insulation and works to remedy condensation.

Mr. Chope : The Department's most recent estimate of the amount needed to be spent on the insulation of local authority houses in England is £880 million, and on heating, insulation and works to remedy condensation £3,100 million. These figures are based on analysis of the 1986 English house condition survey. They are at 1984 prices and therefore comparable with the Department's estimates reported in 1985.

Departmental Finance

Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when MINIS 10 was completed ; when it was placed in the Library ; and if he will make a statement in its findings.

Mr. Chris Patten : I reviewed the outcome of MINIS 10 on 3 October 1989 and subsequently authorised publication. Copies of MINIS 10 were sent to the Library on 15 November 1989.

Mr. Barron : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give for each year since 1978 the spending on loft and wall insulation measures in local authority housing stock, consistent with the figure of £146 million stated in paragraph 3.40 of the National Audit Office's "National Energy Efficiency".

Mr. Chope [holding answer 18 December 1989] : The figure given in paragraph 3.40 of the National Audit


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Office's report was based on analysis of the 1986 English house condition survey. Comparable figures for earlier years are not available.

Microwave Ovens (Palace of Westminster)

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the location and make of each microwave oven within the Palace of Westminster.

Mr. Chope [holding answer 18 December 1989] : A total of 14 microwave ovens in use on the parliamentary estate have been provided by my Department. They are located in either the Refreshment Department or mess facilities and comprise seven Merrychefs, five National Panasonics, one Moulinex and one Sharp.

Craven Cottage

Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on what criteria he based his decision to set the date of the inquiry concerning Craven Cottage at 30 January 1990 ;

(2) on what date Hammersmith council was notified that Mr. Palmer had been appointed to preside at the inquiry concerning Craven Cottage ;

(3) on what date Mr. Martin replaced Mr. Palmer on the inquiry concerning Craven Cottage ; and why Hammersmith council was not given an opportunity to make representations on this matter ;

(4) when the date of the public inquiry on 30 January 1990 into the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham's compulsory purchase order of Craven Cottage was set ; and when his Department received the council's compulsory purchase order ;

(5) whether he received any representations from any person concerning the appointment of Mr. Palmer to the inquiry concerning Craven Cottage.

Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 20 December 1989] : The compulsory purchase order was received on 30 May 1989 and the date of the public inquiry on 30 January 1990 was set on 25 September, after consultation with the parties on alternative dates in the usual way. The Department has no record of when Hammersmith council was told the name of the inspector. Mr. Stephen Marks was substituted for Mr. Palmer on 10 November after representations were received from the agents for the owners. It is not departmental practice to invite the parties to an inquiry to comment upon the choice of inspector.

Arts and Design

Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what expenditure was made by his Department on (a) the arts and (b) design in the last financial year.

Mr. Chris Patten [holding answer 21 December 1989] : The Government's support for the arts, as the term is commonly used, is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts. I have joint responsibility with my right hon. Friend for the grant in aid to the national heritage memorial fund, and for the acceptance of land, property and works of art in lieu of tax. In the last financial year (1988- 89) expenditure was split equally £3 million (£1.5 million each) and £2 million (£1 million each) respectively.


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More generally my Department contributed to expenditure on the arts in 1988-89 where inner city regeneration is concerned, for example through grant in aid to urban development corporations--the London Docklands development corporation spending £75,000 in 1988-89.

Among all its activities, PSA included, the Department aims to encourage good design especially through the public bodies it sponsors. Specifically, it has incurred expenditure of £365,000 through its sponsorship of the Royal Fine Art Commission, and contributed £12,000 as its share of the costs of the housing design awards, the other contributors being the Royal Institute of British Architects and the National House Building Council.

Radioactivity

Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information on radioactivity released has been withheld in 1989 under section 8(5)(b) of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

Mr. Trippier : It is not Government policy to reveal the existence of any authorisation to dispose of radioactive waste restricted under the terms of section 8(5)(b) of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

Rutland Water

Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will call for a report from the National Rivers Authority into the progress of the investigation since 27 November into the death of dogs and sheep connected with the Rutland Water, and whether he will instruct the authority to complete its report in sufficient time to enable remedial action to be taken before summer 1990.

Mr. Trippier : I am satisfied with the progress which the NRA is making in compiling its report into the causes of last year's toxic algae problem which will take account of the findings arising from the studies being conducted into animal deaths at Rutland Water. These are primarily matters for the NRA which I understand will address the question of remedial action in its report which it aims to complete this summer.

Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following the meeting between the Minister of State, the hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) and the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton on 27 November, he has obtained copies of (a) the findings by Professor Codd of Dundee university regarding the toxicity of algae at Rutland Water and (b) the findings of the veterinary service of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, regarding post mortems on dead dogs and sheep ; when this information will be made available to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier : Results of the work carried out by Professor Codd to establish the toxicity of the algae at Rutland Water have been placed on the NRA public registers. The studies being conducted by the veterinary service of MAFF and Professor Codd on the animal deaths at Rutland Water are continuing and final results are not yet available.


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Water Privatisation

Mrs. Golding : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the total cost to public funds of advertising for the privatisation of water ;

(2) what was the total cost to public funds of the flotation of the water industry in fees to City advisers ;

(3) what was the total cost to the Government of the flotation of the water industry.


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