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Electric-Powered Vehicles
Mr. Jack : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research or other assistance his Department is funding for the development of electrically powered road vehicles.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 13 February 1990 by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport at column 168.
Recycling
Mr. Bevan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's target for recycling.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The Government's target is that 50 per cent. of recyclable household waste should be recycled by the end of the century, and that all forms of recycling should be maximised. This is part of our policy of conserving resources through preventing and reducing waste and promoting the effective and efficient re-use and recovery of materials. To this end we are bringing forward measures in the Environmental Protection Bill to empower and encourage local authorities to undertake recycling. In addition we are working with manufacturers and retailers, voluntary groups and local authorities to identify and remove the barriers to further recycling.
Homelessness
Mr. Eastham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to address the problems of homelessness following mortgage repossession.
Mr. Chope : The statement last November by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment
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(copies of which are in the Library) contained the wide range of proposals from the Government to relieve or prevent homelessness, from whatever cause.Disabled People (Public Toilets)
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce a scheme to allow free access to specially adapted public toilets for those who are disabled and over retirement age.
Mr. Chope : The national key scheme administered by the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation enables disabled people who have a key to obtain free access to specially adapted public toilets.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make additional resources available to local authorities to enable them to construct and convert public toilet provision adapted to the needs of the disabled.
Mr. Chope : The Government make resources available to local authorities through the revenue support grant settlement in support of their expenditure on revenue services generally. These services include the provision of public conveniences, including those adapted to the needs of the disabled. Details of the settlement for 1990-91 were announced on 11 January and full information about the grant entitlement of each area was sent to authorities on 25 January. The settlement is based on total standard spending by authorities of £32.8 billion ; this is the amount which it is appropriate for authorities in aggregate to incur to provide a standard level of service. I have no plans to make additional resources available. Revenue support grant is unhypothecated. Now that authorities have details of their entitlements, it is for them to decide how much to spend on the construction or conversion of public toilet provision adapted to the needs of the disabled.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he collected on the location of specially adapted public conveniences for the disabled.
Mr. Chope : This information is not collected by my Department. Information of the kind to which the hon. Member refers is collected by the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation, and is made available to disabled people by the association.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider making a key available free of charge to those disabled people in receipt of mobility or attendance allowance who request it to enable them to gain 24-hour access to the existing public toilets specially adapted for the disabled by local authorities ; and what is his estimate of the cost of providing such a key.
Mr. Chope : No. Keys giving access to public toilets specially adapted for the disabled included in the national key scheme are available from the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation at a cost of £2.90 each.
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Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures in the north-east for the number of people living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.
Mr. Chope : At the end of September 1989 there were an estimated 80 households temporarily living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation who had been accepted as homeless by local authorities in Tyne and Wear, Cleveland, Durham and Northumberland.
Sewage Discharges (Severn)
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to end the discharge of untreated sewage into the Severn estuary ; and within what timescale.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : On 20 October 1989 my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) announced details of a £1.1 billion programme (November 1987 prices) designed to bring United Kingdom bathing waters identified under the EEC bathing water directive up to the directive's standards within the next 10 years. Major schemes at Barry (£26.3 million) and Weston-Super-Mare (£13 million) will help to improve the bathing waters in the Severn estuary.
Waste Disposal
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to widen the powers of waste disposal authorities to allow them (a) to ensure that environmental and amenity constraints are fully considered in the implementation of their policies and (b) to minimise the movement of domestic, industrial and special wastes.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The existing waste disposal authorities will be reformed under the powers of the Environmental Protection Bill. Their functions will be divided between waste regulation authorities, whose function will be to license waste management facilities and to enforce standards, and the waste disposal authorities, whose functions will be to seek tenders for the disposal of waste. The waste regulation authorities will have wider powers under the provisions of the Bill to prevent the pollution of the environment or harm to human health. The Secretary of State will issue guidance on the way in which the authorities should carry out their duties and the authorities will be under statutory duty to have regard to this guidance.
The waste disposal authorities will arrange, through competitive tendering, for the disposal of household waste collected by the collection authorities. They will take into account the costs of transporting the waste to the facility in deciding on the tenders they have received. While the authorities are not generally involved in the disposal of industrial waste or special waste, the producers of such waste can also be expected to take into account the costs of transport to the disposal facility. However, some wastes require specialised treatment and it may sometimes be necessary for such waste to move ouside its area of origin to a suitable facility.
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Wild Birds
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers are available to him to meet Her Majesty's Government's obligations under article 4 of the European Community directive on the conservation of wild birds, 79/409 EC, in relation to tidal areas outside the jurisdiction of local authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : I will write to the hon. Member.
Competitive Tendering
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines are issued to local authorities to take account in the contracting-out service of the training and apprenticeship policies of the tendering companies.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Under the terms of section 17 of the Local Government Act 1988, the training of a contractor's workforce is a non- commercial matter which local authorities must not take into account when awarding contracts for the supply of goods or materials, the supply of services or the execution of works. The Department's circular 8/88 advises local authorities that consideration of the number or proportion of apprentices to be employed by a contractor is not allowed during the contractual process.
Overtime
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the amount of overtime worked in local government manual services in each of the last four years for which figures are available ; if he will publish such information, in summary form, in the Official Report ; and if he will make a statement on his proposals to reduce the amounts of overtime worked.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : This information is not available centrally. The amount of overtime worked by manual workers in local government is a matter for each local authority.
Lambeth
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he calculates grants due to Lambeth council in the absence of audited accounts.
Mr. Chope : Following the enactment of the Rate Support Grant Act 1988, which closed down the rate support grant system, information from audited accounts is not relevant to the calculation of an authority's rate support grant entitlement. Nor will such information be relevant to the calculation of revenue support grant entitlements under the new system of local government finance.
Where entitlements to other grants depend on information from audited accounts, and where that information is not available, final entitlements cannot be determined, although on-account payments may be made.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much Lambeth council will now receive in 1990-91 from (a) its share of the uniform business rate, (b) revenue support grant and (c) housing subsidies.
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Mr. Chope : In 1990-91 Lambeth borough council will receive £50.5 million in redistributed business rates from the central pool, and £174.3 million of revenue support grant (after allowing for the safety net).Lambeth's claim for housing subsidy and grants for slum clearance, home insulation and improvement grant for 1990-91 will not be known until April. In 1989-90 it claimed a total of £63.3 million.
Waste Management 90 Conference
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the information received in response to the reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West, Official Report, 5 February, column 436, he now expects his Department to be represented at the Waste Management 90 conference in Tucson.
Mr. Trippier : I will write to the hon. Member.
Globe '90 Conference
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department will participate in the Globe '90 conference on economic developments and environmental protection in Vancouver in March ; and whether any request has been received from the organisers to his Department.
Mr. Trippier : Mr. David Pounder, my Department's environmental protection technology adviser, has accepted an invitation from the organisers of Globe '90 to participate in the conference, and will be speaking on the subject of cleaner production.
Fire Brigade
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take immediate action to persuade the private water companies of the need to ensure that the fire-fighting services have an adequate water supply.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Private water companies have statutory duties under the Water Act 1989 both for the provision of water supplies for fire- fighting and in respect of constancy of supply and water pressure. These duties are enforceable by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment under section 20 of the Act.
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had about the current anxieties of the South Yorkshire fire service in regard to the provision of water supplies.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : None, but representations have been made to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and are currently being considered.
Sulphur Emissions
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment over what timescale his pollution inspectorate will require existing large combustion plant from (a) the general industrial sector, (b) the refinery sector and (c) the electricity supply industry to meet BATNEEC--best available techniques not entailing excessive cost--requirements for new plant.
Mr. Trippier : Subject to the enactment of the Environmental Protection Bill, integrated pollution
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control of existing plants will be introduced progressively. There will be a rational timetable, which will be subject to consultation, for bringing categories of process within the IPC system.Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the United Kingdom will meet its obligations to cut sulphur emissions under the large combustion plants directive ; and how he expects this to be achieved in (a) the general industrial sector, (b) the refinery sector and (c) the electricity supply industry.
Mr. Trippier : The Government set out their general plans for implementing the directive in a consultation paper published in August 1989. A copy is held in the Library of the House. Further consultation will take place before a statutory plan is issued for emissions reductions from existing plants.
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which the use of low-sulphur coal in power stations represents the best available techniques not entailing excessive costs of reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide.
Mr. Trippier : The use of low-sulphur coal is one of a number of means of reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide and is expected to contribute to meeting the United Kingdom's obligations under the large combustion plants directive. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is preparing detailed notes on the operation of large combustion plants which will specify the SO2 emission standards to be achieved in plants of different sizes and according to the sulphur content of fuel. The notes are expected to be published in the summer.
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of plans to burn high-sulphur Orimulsion Venezuelan bitumen emulsion in power stations ; and what the overall impact will be on the sulphur and nitrogen budget for the electricity supply industry.
Mr. Trippier : No assessment has been made of plans to burn Orimulsion, but Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is aware of the results of a related test. The sulphur and nitrogen budgets would be subject to the arrangements the Government put in place for implementing the large combustion plants directive.
Large Combustion Plants
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it remains the Government's intention to move increasingly to stated timetables for upgrading existing registered large combustion plants.
Mr. Trippier : Yes, in accordance with the proposals contained in our consultation paper.
Local Government Employees (Pensions)
Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make the regulations allowing part-time local government employees to buy additional service for pension purposes.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : It is the intention to make these regulations as soon as possible.
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Nuclear Waste Disposal
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the limit set on the radioactivity of wastes disposed of at Drigg in (a) 1985 to 1990 and (b) 1990 to 1995.
Mr. Trippier : Disposal limits are specified in the certificate of authorisation issued to BNFL by the authorising Departments. I will send the hon. Member copies of the certificates covering the relevant period. It is Government policy to keep all such certificates under regular review.
Radiochemical Inspectors
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the sites at (a) Aldermaston, (b) Burghfield, (c) Springfield, (d) Capenhurst, (e) Sellafield, (f) Calder Hall, and (g) Chapel Cross, were last inspected by the radiochemical inspectors.
Mr. Trippier [holding answer 13 February 1990] : The latest date on which each of the following sites was inspected by HMIP is as follows :
(a) Aldermaston--30 January 1990, (b) Burghfield--30 July 1986, (c) Springfield--18 December 1989, (d) Capenhurst--30 January 1990, (e) Sellafield--2 February 1990, (f) Calder Hall--9 January 1990. Inspection of the BNFL site at Chapel Cross is a matter for the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Property Services Agency
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many Property Services Agency staff responded to the Property Services Agency trawl for posts in the Ministry of Defence ; (2) if he will detail the programme, by date, function, and staff numbers, for transferring work out of the Property Services Agency, Hastings.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 14 February 1990] : A total of 418 Property Services Agency staff responded to the trawl published by PSA on 5 October 1989 for approximately 120 posts in the Ministry of Defence.
Crown Suppliers
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of the secondment agreement with the National Union of Civil and Public Servants and Civil and Public Servants Association on the morale of staff concerned, and on the retention of staff by the Crown Suppliers.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 14 February 1990] : None, but secondment has been welcomed by those staff to whom we have been able to offer it.
DEFENCE
Fuel Pipelines
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the costs to the Exchequer of capital investment in the Government pipeline project from Calne, Wiltshire, to RAF Fairford in each of the past five years.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : There has been no United Kingdom capital investment on the Calne to Fairford line over the past five years, and therefore no cost to the Exchequer.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the names of all contractors constructing and operating fuel pipeline systems on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The major contractors responsible for operating existing MOD pipelines are British Pipeline Agency (BPA), Esso UK Limited and Texaco.
Construction work is subcontracted by these contractors, or via the Property Services Agency, to a great many different companies, depending on the nature of the work to be done, and the outcome of competition. No contract has yet been awarded for the construction of the new Calne to Fairford pipeline.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the cost of the proposed extension of the Government pipeline project from Calne, Wiltshire, to RAF Fairford will be paid in full by the United Kingdom Government.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No. The cost of the extension will be met in full from NATO funds.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list payments to contractors for the operation of any part of the Government pipeline project from Calne, Wiltshire, to RAF Fairford in each of the past five years.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No. The information requested is commercial-in -confidence.
Expenditure
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expenditure on defence for each of the years from 1979 at constant prices.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to Cm. 1021, "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1990-91 to 1992-93", where the information requested is shown in table 21.2.11.
HILEX 1990
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the date of exercise HILEX 1990 ; if he will list the United Kingdom participants in the exercise ; and what was the purpose of the exercise.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The NATO crisis management exercise HILEX 14 was to have taken place from 4 to 9 March 1990. The Alliance recently decided that in view of international developments it would be inappropriate to hold the exercise at the present time.
Codename Badger"
Mr. Allason : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his agreement was sought prior to the publication in America of "Codename Badger" by John Cottell ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I have been unable to find any record that the Ministry of Defence was consulted prior to publication of the book.
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Lines of Communication Arrangement
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the exercises in which procedures for the provision of host nation labour under the terms of the United States--United Kingdom lines of communication arrangement have been tested.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The procedures for the provision of civil labour in support of the United States--United Kingdom lines of communication arrangement are tested from time to time, in conjunction with the Department of Employment. It would not be appropriate to list the occasions upon which these procedures have been exercised.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the publication dates and titles of the various joint logistic plans drawn up to meet the objectives of the United States--United Kingdom lines of communication arrangement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The titles of the joint plans refer to classified information and therefore cannot be released.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the United Kingdom representatives on the United States-United Kingdom telecommunications working group, established under the terms of the United States-United Kingdom lines of communication arrangement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The United Kingdom representation on the telecommunications working group consists of staff at major level with responsibility for communication matters from the central staffs and single -service departments of the MOD.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British private firms have contracted to provide supplies or services to the United States armed forces in crisis, tension and war, under the terms of the United States-United Kingdom lines of communication arrangement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There are some hundreds of contractors with which the United States forces contract for supplies and services in peace time. The majority of these contracts would continue in time of crisis and war.
Colin Wallace
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he made, pursuant to the answer to the Adjournment debate of 12 February, Official Report, column 115, of the implications for his policy of his reading of "Who Framed Colin Wallace" by Paul Foot.
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the five Army officers whose names appear on the memorandum written by Colin Wallace in August 1973.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the undated and unsigned briefing notes which were reproduced in Paul Foot's book "Who Framed Colin Wallace", page 292. No Army officers' names appear on that document.
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Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what disciplinary action is to be taken against those officials who failed in their duty to provide accurate information to Ministers in relation to parliamentary questions about Operation Clockwork Orange and related matters on 10 January 1989.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : This is the subject of the current internal inquiry. It would be premature to speculate whether any form of disciplinary action will be appropriate.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the reply to the Adjournment debate of 12 February, Official Report, column 118, by whom, and on whose authority, an additional job description was drafted to cover additional duties for Mr. Colin Wallace ; and why they were not recorded in any subsequent approved and issued job description.
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