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Mr. Maude : We have received representations from the World Wide Fund for Nature, from Wildlife Link and from the Women's Institute.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding New Zealand's decision to set aside ratification of the convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities ; if Her Majesty's Government will reconsider ratifying the convention ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude : We are aware of the New Zealand Prime Minister's press statement of 6 July. We continue to support the Antarctic minerals convention as a means of ensuring protection for the Antarctic environment.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give
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consideration to the establishment of a long -term legally binding moratorium on minerals mining in Antarctica ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Maude : The Antarctic minerals convention provides for a binding moratorium on mineral exploration and development which would remain in force until such time as the convention's commission decided otherwise by consensus. We fully support such a moratorium and therefore the early entry into force of the convention.
Gifts
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey, Official Report, 9 July, column 47, how many gifts received from foreign powers in 1989 (a) were placed on the inventory of a British mission, (b) were placed on the inventory of his Department, (c) were given to external institutions, (d) were retained by Ministers, (e) were retained by civil servants, (f) were bought by Ministers, (g) were bought by civil servants and (h) were sold at public auction.
Mr. Maude : The disposal of gifts received from foreign powers in 1989 is as follows :
|Number ------------------------------------------------------------(a) Were placed on the inventory of a British mission |2 (b) Were placed on the inventory of his Department |7 (c) Were given to external institutions |3 (d) Were retained by Ministers |22 (e) Were retained by civil servants |13 (f) Were bought by Ministers |10 (g) Were bought by civil servants |9 (h) Were sold at public auction |None
This does not include gifts of a minor nature.
Cambodia
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has concerning the validity of reports that Pol Pot is currently inside Cambodia ; (2) what information he has concerning the current whereabouts of Pol Pot.
Mr. Maude : There are no reliable reports of Pol Pot's whereabouts.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will instruct Her Majesty's Government's representative at the United Nations to oppose recognition by the United Nations of any Cambodian delegation that includes members of the Khmer Rouge.
Mr. Maude : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the hon. Member for Warrington, North (Mr. Hoyle) on 11 July.
Political Parties (Funding)
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the information available to him on the systems of state funding for political parties in the Group of Seven countries.
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Mr. Maude : The following is a summary of information currently available :
(a) Canada
The Treasury reimburses registered political parties 22.5 per cent. of allowable election expenses and parliamentary candidates 50 per cent. of expenses up to a maximum of 50 per cent. of the total permitted, subject to certain conditions of expenditure incurred and votes received. Political contributions to candidates and political parties benefit from income tax credits. Parties in Parliament receive funds for research staff budgets, office supplies and certain support services.
(b) France
Under new legislation parties will receive funding for legislative and presidential election campaigns, subject to conditions of parliamentary representation, contesting at least 75 constituencies and opening their accounts to scrutiny. Funds will be allocated proportionate to the number of seats held in Parliament and the number of votes won in the first rounds of the most recent legislative elections.
(c) FRG
At general elections each party is reimbursed DM 5.00 per eligible voter voting for it, subject to its publishing its accounts. The reimbursement may not exceed half a party's revenues, but under certain conditions deductions may be made from the next reimbursement, and parties may receive advances of reimbursement. Similar arrangements apply to elections to the European Parliament and in the Federal Laender.
(d) Italy
Subject to certain conditions of parliamentary representation or votes received at the most recent general election and to opening their accounts, parties receive an annual subvention. The amount is calculated by complex rules reflecting recent electoral performance. In 1990 the largest grants were to the Christian Democrats (25.7 million lire), Communists (17.8 million) and Socialists (11.6 million).
(e) Japan
There is no formal state funding of political parties but political groups represented in the Diet receive a monthly sum of 605,000 yen per Dietman.
(f) United States
For presidential elections, a voluntary public financing system provides, subject to certain conditions, matching funds to candidates in primaries and to party nominees in the general election and flat grants to parties for their nominating conventions. (In 1988 the national spending limit for pre-nomination campaigns within which matching funds were available was 23.1 million dollars plus 4.6 million dollars for fund-raising ; the maximum subsidy for the two major parties' nominating conventions was 9.2 million dollars ; and the maximum subsidy for the general election (subject to no additional funds being raised or spent by the candidate) was 46.1 million dollars. As for congressional elections, until recently no public funding was available, but some states are beginning to experiment with a matching fund system. Some states and cities provide public funding for state and municipal elections ; others do not.
Kenya
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Kenya about human rights in that country, and the recent arrest without charge of Mr. Kenneth Matsla and Mr. Charles Ruha.
Mr. Waldegrave : There are real causes for concern including the detention of critics of the Government which are bound to worry the friends of Kenya. The Kenyan Government are well aware of our views on these matters.
Gulf Co-operation Council
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet representatives of the Gulf Co-operation Council ; and what matters he will discuss.
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Mr. Waldegrave : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs expects to meet representatives of the Gulf Co-operation Council in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in September. He last met such representatives at an EC/GCC ministerial meeting in Muscat on 17 March 1990. Among the matters discussed were the implementation of the EC/GCC first-stage agreement and forthcoming negotiations for a second-stage agreement, as well as regional and international issues.Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has seen the text of the European Parliament's resolution on a possible free trade agreement between the European Community and the states of the Gulf Co-operation Council ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude : We have seen the text of a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 13 July concerning a possible free trade agreement with the Gulf Co-operation Council.
The Commission will shortly begin negotiations with the GCC for a second- stage EC/GCC agreement, based on a free trade arrangement. We have consulted widely with United Kingdom industries interested in these negotiations and believe that the Commission's negotiating mandate takes into account essential United Kingdom interests.
ENERGY
Community Insulation Projects
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many homes were insulated by community insulation projects in 1988 and 1989.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The number of homes treated by the projects in 1988 and 1989 were some 159,000 and 134,000 respectively.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Knapman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much was spent on the promotion of energy efficiency (a) in 1979 and (b) in 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Expenditure by my Department on energy efficiency programmes in 1979-80 was £2.4 million. The provision for expenditure by the Energy Efficiency Office in 1989-90 was £15 million.
EC-Gulf Trade
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department has made any assessment of the effects on the United Kingdom offshore sector of a free trade agreement between the European Community and the states of the Gulf Co-operation Council.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Assessment of the effects of a free trade agreement between the European Community and Gulf Co-operation Council is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. However, any agreement is expected to have little effect on the United Kingdom offshore sector.
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Electricity Supply
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to review the upper limits on direct sales to large electricity consumers by the present generating companies.
Mr. Baldry : This is a matter for the Director General of Electricity Supply.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those companies which have been given second-tier licences as electricity suppliers.
Mr. Baldry : The Director General of Electricity Supply has a statutory responsibility for maintaining the register of all licences granted.
Standing Charges
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will seek powers to abolish standing charges on domestic electricity supplies for all old age pensioners.
Mr. Baldry : No. Pricing decisions are a matter for the regional electricity supply companies.
ENVIRONMENT
Bathing Waters
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by which date all designated beaches will be prohibited from having untreated sewage discharged into their bathing waters.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 5 March at column 452 that in general all substantial discharges of sewage should be treated at a sewage treatment works and that this investment programme should be completed as soon as practicable. Discussions are now being held with the water industry about implementation of this policy.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to bring all Britain's beaches up to European Community blue flag level ; and by what date he hopes to achieve this.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 5 March at column 452 that, in general, sewage will be treated before discharge. The cost of doing this was estimated to be £1.5 billion. The programme, which is being integrated with the £1.4 billion investment programme to bring the remaining bathing waters up to the directive's standards, is expected to last for 10 years. It will be for local authorities and other proprietors of beaches to capitalise upon this and bring their beaches up to the requisite standards.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met leaders of local authority associations to discuss alternatives to the community charge.
Mr. Portillo : My right hon. Friend and I last met the leaders of the local authority associations on 5 July at the
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Consultative Council on Local Government Finance. The leaders did not raise the question of alternatives to the community charge.Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average reduction in poll tax per head for each additional £1 million support for each local authority in England and Wales.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 12 July 1990] : The effect on community charges of an extra £1 million of support for an area depends upon the budget decisions of the local authorities in that area. Prudent authorities would pass the support on to their charge payers in the form of reduced community charges. Others might increase spending, giving no benefit to charge payers in their area.
Nitrogen Oxides
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the research which he has commissioned into the control of nitrogen oxides technologies ; what reports he has received ; and if he will place copies in the Library.
Mr. Trippier : My Department commissioned a report on acid emission abatement technologies from the Fellowship of Engineering, a major part of which deals with technologies for reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides. The report was placed in the Library. As part of its work for my Department, the Warren Spring laboratory is making a study of technology for reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides from cars and its report will be placed in the Library.
My Department recently commissioned an evaluation of NOx abatement technologies for large combustion plant. A draft report has been received and is being considered.
National Rivers Authority
Mr. Janman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what grant in aid the National Rivers Authority is receiving for its laboratory investment programme ; what assessment has been made of the impact of running costs in such a programme as against contracting out these services ; and what is his policy towards funding such work ;
(2) what cost-benefit analysis was undertaken before the National Rivers Authority reversed the original intention of contracting out analytical requirements ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The National Rivers Authority may claim grant in aid in respect of that part of its laboratory investment programme which is not financed by cash transfers from water and sewerage undertakers. The total net cost of the programme is not yet known, but amounted to some £2 million in the period 1 September 1989 to 31 March this year.
In those regions where water authorities transferred one of their laboratories to the authority a full cost-benefit analysis was not thought appropriate. In those regions where new laboratories were to be provided and where contracting services were, or might have been, available a comparative cost analysis was carried out to assess whether building new laboratories was the best way of providing the required capability.
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I am satisfied with the decisions reached on the authority's ownership of its own independent laboratory facilities and that grant in aid should support their provision.Mr. Janman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of new laboratory facilities at Reading for the National Rivers Authority ; and what is the estimated annual revenue cost of undertaking analysis in-house as against contracting out.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The estimated capital cost of the National Rivers Authority's new Reading laboratories is £3.62 million. The estimated annual revenue cost of using it to undertake analysis in-house is £1.02 million, compared with a contracting-out cost of £1.31 million.
Mr. Janman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the National Rivers Authority is able to compete for and perform any third-party work.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Section 145 (2) of the Water Act 1989 gives the National Rivers Authority power to carry out work for other public bodies. It also has general powers to do anything which, in the opinion of the authority, is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the carrying out of the authority's functions.
Gas Emissions
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department collects on the emission of gases damaging to the ozone layer from (a) aircraft, (b) road vehicles and (c) other sources ; and what the most recent statistics indicate in respect of such emissions.
Mr. Trippier : The approach of the Montreal protocol, and that of the European Community, is to control the supply to the market, rather than the emission, of ozone-depleting substances. We do not therefore need to collect data on emissions.
Avon Dam
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current water volume stored by the Avon dam ; and what is his current projection of when the volume will drop to 600 megalitres.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : South West Water Services Ltd. has recently reported that the current stored-water volume in the Avon reservoir is 1,232 megalitres and that the reservoir is 96 per cent. full. The projection requested is not held centrally.
Radioactive Waste
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what efforts are made by his Department to quantify the total amounts of low-level radioactive waste being dumped in London.
Mr. Trippier : Radioactive waste may be disposed of only if an authorisation has been issued by HMIP under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. The Department does not maintain a central record of the quantities of low-level radioactive waste disposed of through local disposal routes nor of specific disposal locations.
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However, a condition of authorisation requires waste producers to keep proper and detailed records relating to their disposals. These records as well as the premises or sites concerned are subject to scrutiny by HMIP inspectors to ensure compliance with the terms of the certificates of authorisation.Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached in respect of the purity of water supplies in London arising from the study sponsored by his Department on the disposal of low-level radioactive waste ; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.
Mr. Trippier : Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has a national programme for checking the levels of radioactivity in drinking water sources. This shows that the levels of radioactivity in the Thames are extremely low and the levels in drinking water supplies are below the guideline values for potable water recommended by the World Health Organisation. The research study commissioned by my Department and being carried out by St. Bartholomew's hospital medical college will not be completed until March 1991. A first draft report was received by my Department this month and is currently being reviewed. The report will be published in due course and copies will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list all those organisations authorised by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to dispose of low-level radioactive waste ; and if he will make a statement.
(2) if he will give the number and names of organisations in Greater London area permitted to dispose of low-level radioactive waste.
Mr. Trippier : I refer the hon. Member to the Department's "List of Premises in England and Wales currently authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to dispose of radioactive waste", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Radon
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following the Government's announcement of 19 January that the recommended action level for radon in houses was to be halved, he plans to issue any advice to householders.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : A second edition of the Department's publication, "The Householders' Guide to Radon", was published today, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
The guide comprises a general first section describing what radon is and where it comes from, how it can affect
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people, how it gets into homes, the ways of finding out if a house has a high level of radon, and what to do if measurements show radon concentrations above the action level. The second section gives practical advice on ways of reducing the level of radon indoors in various types of houses, and on how to get the work done and paid for. The third section answers some more questions which are commonly asked about radon. Sources for further information and advice are also given.The new edition takes account of the reduction of the action level from 400 to 200 becquerels per cubic metre announced by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside on 19 January this year. The section on reducing the level of radon in houses has been extended, and incorporates the latest findings of the Government-funded research programme currently being carried out by the Building Research Establishment.
The second edition of "The Householders' Guide to Radon" will be widely distributed, especially in those areas of the country where high levels of indoor radon are most prevalent. The document is available free of charge from the Department by writing to : "Householders' Guide to Radon"
Room A518
Romney House
43 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 3PY.
Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the business ventures that made use of Warrington and Runcorn development corporation property ; how long each of them used the property rent-free ; and how much in each case was eventually deducted from fees paid by the corporation to take into account the use of its property.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 12 July 1990) : Although Warrington and Runcorn development corporation did not at the outset charge business ventures directly for the use of its property, the fees which the corporation paid to business ventures were exclusive of accommodation costs. This ensured that the costs incurred by the corporation were no greater than if the work of business ventures had been retained in-house. The absence of a direct rental charge to business ventures did not represent a subsidy. After the first year the development corporation reduced the fees it paid to business ventures to reflect the use they made of its accommodation in carrying out work for other clients. The period over which each business venture used corporation property and the fee reduction in respect of work for other clients are as follows :
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[TITRE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rendel Palmer and Tritton |1 April 1987 to 30 September 1989 |60,666 Cipfa Services (latterly CSL) |1 August 1987 to 30 September 1989 |1,050 Meredith Hewson |1 October 1987 to 30 September 1989 |200 Kingham Knight Architects |1 October 1987 to 30 September 1989 |6,479 E. C. Harris and Partners |1 October 1987 to 30 September 1989 |5,200 Gillespies |1 October 1987 to 30 September 1989 |1,908 Dove and Hodd |1 November 1987 to 30 September 1989|1,540 Povall Worthington |1 February 1988 to 30 September 1989|Nil Warrington-Runcorn Property Services (latterly Eileen Bilton Partnership) |1 March 1988 to 30 September 1989 |917 Business Environment Planning |1 April 1988 to 30 September 1989 |1,326 Mainmet |1 August 1988 to 30 September 1989 |Nil Dixon Webb |1 October 1988 to 30 September 1989 |Nil
Table file CW900717.022 not available
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether business ventures supported by the Warrington and Runcorn development corporation paid the bills covering rates, heating and lighting (a) during the period they used corporation property rent-free and (b) after the corporation had started to make deductions for the use of its property.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 12 July 1990] : Since the fees paid by Warrington and Runcorn development corporation to business ventures were exclusive of accommodation costs, it would not have been appropriate for the business ventures to have paid bills covering rates, heating and lighting. However, these items were taken into account in the adjustment to fees paid to business ventures to reflect the use they made of corporation accommodation in carrying out work for other clients.
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what savings were made as a consequence of the privatisation of Warrington and Runcorn development corporation services ; what records were kept to show what savings had been made ; and whether the contracts awarded to these business ventures will be offered for competitive tender when they come up for renewal.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 12 July 1990] : Business ventures were established on the basis that they should cost Warrington and Runcorn development corporation no more than the cost of retaining the work in- house. Budgetary controls were used, and appropriate records kept, to ensure that this objective was achieved. It is the normal policy for the Commission for the New Towns to let contracts on the basis of competitive tender.
Tenancies
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward legislation to ensure that live-in carers have the right to succeed to a tenancy in the event of the death of the person they care for ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Spicer [holding answer 16 July 1990] : No. If the carer is a spouse or is living with the tenant as a husband or wife, and the tenant is not already a "successor", he or she has the right of automatic succession to a secure tenancy (granted by local authorities and, before 15 January 1989, by housing associations) or an assured tenancy (new tenancies granted by housing associations and by some private landlords).
If the carer is a close relative and has lived with the tenant for at least a year, he or she has an automatic right to succeed to a secure tenancy and may be able to negotiate to succeed to an assured tenancy by agreement with the landlord.
In other cases it is open to these landlords to grant a joint tenancy, secure or assured as appropriate, to the live-in carer.
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