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parts of Devon particularly at risk from radon. We have asked the National Radiological Protection Board to provide further advice which will enable decisions to be taken on other areas where such measures need to be taken.Local Councils (Planning Powers)
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to seek to upgrade the responsibilities and duties of town and parish councils in respect of planning issues.
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Mr. Moynihan : Statutory consultation procedures already provide an opportunity for town and parish councils to contribute to the preparation of development plans. Those councils also have a statutory power (paragraph 20 of schedule 16 to the Local Government Act 1972) to require the district council for their area to keep them informed about planning applications it receives. Where such a requirement is made, and the councils make representations about an application, they have the right to appear at any public inquiry held to consider that application or a related appeal. There are no proposals at present to extend these arrangements.Local Councils (Maladministration)
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to seek to widen the powers of the local government ombudsman to include investigations of alleged maladministration by town and parish councils.
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : No. Local government electors can raise the actions of town and parish councils directly at town and parish meetings.
Derelict Land
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total area of land redeemed from dereliction in each region of the United Kingdom during the last seven years ; what is the present area of dereliction in each region ; and by how much the area of dereliction has changed within each region.
Mr. Moynihan : The information requested is not available. However, the survey of derelict land in England in 1988 shows the following changes in the area of derelict land in England between 1982 and 1988.
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Derelict land in England 1982-1988
Hectares
Standard Region |Area of derelict | Area of derelict|Net decrease/ |Area reclaimed
|land at 1 April | land at 1 April |increase | 1 April 1982-
|1982 | 1988 |1 April 1988
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North |7,307 |5,945 |-1,362 |2,472
North West |10,042 |8,823 |-1,219 |3,671
Yorkshire and Humberside |5,431 |6,145 |714 |2,055
West Midlands |5,787 |5,575 |-212 |2,279
East Midlands |5,198 |4,407 |-791 |1,586
East Anglia |804 |593 |-211 |182
South West |6,635 |5,827 |-808 |667
South East<1> |2,525 |1,794 |-731 |607
Greater London |1,954 |1,386 |-568 |494
England |45,683 |40,495 |-5,188 |14,013
<1> Excluding Greater London.
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what sums from the European structural fund have been devoted since 1986 to the clearance of dereliction in South Yorkshire ; and what action he is taking to ensure that this level of support is significantly measured.
Mr. Moynihan : Information is not readily available for schemes approved by the European Commission under the previous ERDF Regulations. No schemes for clearance of dereliction have been approved under the Yorkshire and Humberside steel area integrated development operation or the resider and non-quota measures for steel areas.
Water and Sewerage Undertakers
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will give for each water and sewerage undertaker, which plans he has approved with modifications, pursuant to paragraph 2(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ; (2) if, for each water and sewerage undertaker, he will list the dates on which the undertakers submitted their plans, pursuant to paragraph 2(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ;
(3) if he will give for each water and sewerage undertaker, which plans he has approved without modifications, pursuant to paragraph 2(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ;
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(4) if he will place in the Library copies of the plans submitted to him by each water and sewerage undertaker, pursuant to paragraph 2(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ;(5) if he will give for each water and sewerage undertaker the form in which he has prescribed the reports shall be submitted, pursuant to paragraph 2(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The former water authorities prepared and submitted plans progressively, under letters of direction issued in 1983, until 1986. Undertakers are currently reviewing these plans, following the 1989 direction. In addition, plans for expenditure each year on the provision or purchase of facilities and equipment are submitted to the Department for approval, with modifications if necessary. It is neither in the interests of national security nor commercial confidentiality to provide the further information requested.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, for each water and sewerage undertaker, he will list the land he has specified, pursuant to paragraph 3(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Paragraph 3(2) does not refer to land. It would not be in the interests of national security to give the information requested in relation to paragraph 3(1).
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Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether, having regard to the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983 and section 3 of the emergency planning guidance to local authorities, the duty to consult other water and sewerage undertakers, pursuant to paragraph 5(1) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 is to be extended to local authorities with civil defence functions under regulation 4 of the 1983 regulations ; and if he will make a statement ;(2) whether, having regard to the Civil Defence (Fire Services) (Water) Regulations 1956, the duty to consult other water and sewerage undertakers, pursuant to paragraph 5(1) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 is to be extended to fire authorities ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) if he will give for each water and sewerage undertaker the extent to which he has required their plans, operations, facilities and services to be complementary and co-ordinated, pursuant to paragraph 5(1) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Extension of paragraph 5(1) of the Direction as suggested is not considered necessary. Responsibility for ensuring the co-ordination of water undertakers' civil defence planning in peacetime is delegated to Chief Regional Water Co-ordinators.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if for each water and sewerage undertaker he will list the number of employees he has required to be made available (a) as regional co-ordinators and (b) in such other capacity as he has required and in what capacity, pursuant to paragraph 5(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has appointed chief regional water co-ordinators, deputy chief regional water co-ordinators and further regional water co-ordinators for the various home defence regions. The numbers of employees made available by undertakers to fulfil these roles are as follows :
Anglian Water Services Ltd. |8
North West Water Ltd. |6
Northumbrian Water Ltd. |2
The Newcastle and Gateshead Water Co. |1
Severn Trent Water Ltd. |9
Southern Water Services Ltd. |4
South West Water Services Ltd. |3
Thames Water Utilities Ltd. |8
Wessex Water Services Ltd. |3
Yorkshire Water Services Ltd. |3
There has been no requirement to make employees available in any other capacity pursuant to paragraph 5(2) of the direction.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if, for each water and sewerage undertaker, he will list the dates on which the undertakers reported to him, pursuant to paragraph 6(1) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ;
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(2) if he will place in the Library copies of the reports submitted to him on or before 1 April, pursuant to paragraph 6(1) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ; (3) if, for each water and sewerage undertaker, he will give the form in which he has prescribed their reports shall be submitted, pursuant to paragraph 6(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ;(4) if, for each water and sewerage undertaker, he will give the losses which it has sustained by reason of compliance with the direction, pursuant to paragraph 6(2) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The chief regional water co-ordinators have submitted at various dates reports on action taken pursuant to the direction. It is not in the interests of national security to provide details. Information on the losses sustained by each undertaker in complying with the direction is subject to the normal rules of commercial confidentiality.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what general policy in respect of civil defence he has notified to the water and sewerage undertakers, pursuant to paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ; and if he will place a copy in the Library ;
(2) what guidance, procedures and requirements have been notified to the water sewerage undertakers by him, pursuant to paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Security Measures (Water and Sewerage Undertakers) Direction 1989 ; and if he will place copies in the Library.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Water and sewerage undertakers were told that Government policy would be one of minimum change following the introduction of section 170 of the Water Act 1989. But current policy is under discussion following recent international developments. General policy had been set out in the Civil Defence Manual for Water Services and section 12 of the Emergency Planning Guidance to Local Authorities. A copy of the latter document is already available in the Library. I will be placing in the Library a copy of "National Security Measures in the Water Industry : Notes for Guidance of Water Undertakers and Sewerage Undertakers on Grant (with effect from 10 October 1989)".
Falconers
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the species of birds that falconers were licensed to set birds of prey on in 1989 ; what criteria a falconer must fulfil before being issued with a licence ; what are the terms and conditions of the licence issued for a bird of prey to be set on a blackbird ; and how many licences have been issued to date in 1990.
Mr. Trippier : In 1989, the Department issued licences to falconers to fly birds of prey at the following species : blackbird, skylark, black- headed gull, song thrush, mistle thrush, redwing, fieldfare and meadow pipit. Before a licence is issued, falconers must identify the bird of prey they intend to fly and specify the number and species of their proposed quarry and the county in which they will be taken.
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Licences are subject to conditions restricting them to the period 1 September to 28 February, imposing a limit of 50 on the number of quarry which may be killed ; requiring that the bird of prey to which the licence refers is properly ringed and registered, and requiring that a return showing the birds killed be made by 31 March. To date, two licences have been issued this year.Planning Application Fees
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to compensate local authorities for loss of income against forecasts due to the lack of any increase in planning application fees.
Mr. Michael Spicer : No. It would not be appropriate to provide compensation for any shortfall against any authority's own forecasts.
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next increase planning application fees for local planning authorities.
Mr. Michael Spicer : I will make an announcement shortly.
Extraction Licences
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to review the role of the Crown Estates Commission in the granting of extraction licences.
Mr. Moynihan : The Secretary of State has no plans to review the role of the Crown Estate in the granting of extraction licences. The Government view procedure for determining marine dredging production licences was reviewed recently following public consultation in 1988 and the revised procedure published in May 1989.
Homelessness
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the £15 million announced on 22 June to help single homeless people is allocated for a rent deposit fund.
Mr. Michael Spicer : Decisions have yet to be taken on the balance of the package. Discussions are currently taking place between my Department, housing associations, the voluntary sector and local authorities about how to make the best use of the resources.
Stoke Park, Guildford
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call in for public inquiry the application to build a sports and leisure complex in Stoke Park, Guildford.
Mr. Moynihan : My right hon. Friend considered requests that he should call in the application for outline permission in June 1988 when the borough council decided to proceed with the scheme. He considered that the issues raised were local ones and not such as to justify his intervention. That remains his view in respect of any other related applications for the provision of a sports and leisure complex on this site.
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Television Cables
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations govern the installation of cable television lines above ground in (a) national parks, (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty, (c) areas of great landscape value and (d) conservation areas.
Mr. Moynihan : Operators of local broad band cable systems are licensed by the Department of Trade and Industry and benefit from the permitted development rights set out in Part 24 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988. In addition, their licences restrict the manner and circumstances in which different forms of development may be undertaken. These conditions relate in particular to the placing of overhead wires and poles, and help provide for the protection of particularly sensitive areas such as national parks, AONBs, conservation areas etc. by requiring consultation with or the agreement of local planning authorities and others before apparatus is installed.
Green Belt, Brentwood
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to his answer of 20 June Official Report, column 568, if the Brentwood district council local plan which provides for a change of designation from green belt to that of an employment area meets the exceptional circumstances to which he referred.
Mr. Moynihan : Brentwood district council has not as yet published its draft local plan for public consultation, prior to placing it on formal deposit, it is during those stages and any subsequent local public inquiry that there will be opportunities to consider whether any proposed changes to the green belt are justified.
Extraction Licences
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to ensure the conditions of extraction licences are complied with.
Mr. Moynihan : The Crown Estate, which grants the extraction licence, monitors the conditions that the Secretary of State has imposed when a favourable Government view has been given. If the Secretary of State is advised that such conditions are not adhered to, he can review the provision of the Government view and in some circumstances the Crown Estate could withdraw the licence.
DEFENCE
Aldermaston A-90 Building
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes to the original programme of work have been made during the construction of the Aldermaston A-90 building.
Mr. Neubert : Changes to the programme of work for the A90 building at AWE Aldermaston were made as a result of the Government's decision to purchase the Trident system and in response to subsequent programme slippage. I refer the hon. Member to appendix 4 of the July 1987 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General--
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"Control and Management of the Trident Programme"--HC27. The construction of A90 is now complete and equipment installation is proceeding within the scheduled time scale for Trident.Warships (Satellite Communication Terminals)
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current number of satellite communication terminals available for use by frigates or destroyers in the Royal Navy.
Mr. Neubert : Twenty-six satellite communications terminals are available for use by Royal Navy destroyers and frigates. Plans exist to fit the terminals to all Royal Navy destroyers and frigates.
Hypox Deck Flooring
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report those frigates and destroyers in the Royal Navy fitted with Hypox deck flooring ; and if he will separately distinguish the percentage of the total deck area covered in those vessels so fitted.
Mr. Neubert : Hypox was introduced into service in 1988 as an internal deck covering primarily for passages and wet spaces, which together comprise some 25 per cent. of the internal deck area of warships. It is used as appropriate as an alternative to linoleum and painted deck finishes. It is fitted on an opportunity basis, for example during refits, when existing deck surfaces are beyond repair. Material of this type is being fitted progressively in new frigates. The actual amount fitted thus varies considerably from ship to ship and details of the amounts in individual ships are not available.
Lynx Helicopters (Radar System)
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give consideration to updating the radar system on Royal Navy Lynx helicopters to give a 360 degrees scanning facility.
Mr. Neubert : We regularly assess proposals to maintain and enhance the effectiveness of the equipment available to the armed forces, taking into account a variety of factors, including the potential threat and the resources available. All our requirements are, therefore, subject to revision in the light of circumstance. We do not at present have any plans to update the Lynx radar system.
Low Flying
Mr. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the deployments of Skyguard radar to monitor low-flying exercises in the United Kingdom since October 1989 ; and if he will make a statement on the number and nature of any breaches of low-flying regulations that were detected.
Mr. Neubert : Since October 1989, the Skyguard system has been deployed to the following areas to monitor low flying :
North East England and Borders area
(Exercise Mallet Blow)--27 to 29 March 1990.
Shepton Mallet area--9 to 13 July 1990.
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No breaches of low-flying regulations were substantiated during the March deployment. The results of the July deployment are still awaited.RAF Leuchars (Noise)
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the results of the recent noise survey carried out in the vicinity of RAF Leuchars indicate that an extension of the noise insulation scheme would be required to bring all properties suffering from excessive noise within its ambit.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The results show that further properties are subject to the qualifying level of noise for the payment of noise insulation grants.
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the results of the noise survey recently carried out in the vicinity of RAF Leuchars.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Yes. In accordance with established practice, this will coincide with the announcement of a revised noise compensation scheme.
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to extend the area covered by the noise insulation scheme in the vicinity of RAF Leuchars ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces intends to authorise an extension of the area of entitlement to noise insulation grants as soon as resources are available. The funding position is being monitored closely and my noble Friend will, in any event, be reviewing the situation towards the end of 1990.
RAF Greenham Common
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons have been removed from RAF Greenham Common since 12 July.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Members of the public were escorted from RAF Greenham Common on 128 occasions between 12 and 22 July 1990. This figure does not refer to 128 different people as many individuals have been escorted from the base on more than one occasion.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current policy of the Ministry of Defence police towards members of the public walking within the confines of the perimeter fence at RAF Greenham Common.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : RAF Greenham Common is Ministry of Defence property and there is no general right of access to it. The current policy of the Ministry of Defence police towards members of the public walking within the confines of the perimeter fence at the station is that trespassers who have committed no criminal damage will be escorted from the site, while persons who are suspected to having committed an offence, for example criminal damage, will be arrested and charged accordingly. The police wil not prevent the valid exercise of commoners' rights by those who are entitled to do so.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many arrests there have been within the confines of the perimeter fence at RAF Greenham Common since 12 July.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : There were 16 arrests within the confines of the perimeter fence at RAF Greenham Common between 12 and 22 July, all in connection with instances of criminal damage.Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if members of the public found within the confines of the perimeter fence at RAF Greenham Common are requested to leave before being placed into Ministry of Defence police vehicles.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is Ministry of Defence policy that members of the public found within the confines of the perimeter fence at RAF Greenham Common are requested to leave before being escorted off the base. For their own safety, trespassers are always taken to the base exit in MOD vehicles if it is beyond reasonable walking distance.
Regimental Running Costs
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the average annual running costs of (a) the Life Guards, (b) the Blues and Royals, (c) the Grenadier Guards, (d) the Coldstream Guards, (e) the Scots Guards, (f) the Irish Guards and (g) the Welsh Guards.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Information regarding the running costs of individual units is not held centrally and could be provided only with disproportionate time and effort.
Uniforms
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the wearing of service uniforms by civilians for commercial purposes.
Mr. Neubert : My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.
Eastern Europe
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what re- assessment has been made of the threat as a result of the Soviet troop withdrawals from Hungary and Czechoslovakia that have been made so far.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : Soviet withdrawals from Hungary and Czechoslovakia are well under way and are expected to be completed by mid- 1991. We keep all threat assessments under review.
Equipment
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 2 May, Official Report, column 602, whether his Department classifies (a) tank transmissions, (b) tank engine spare parts, (c) military avionics equipment, (d) encoding equipment, (e) military radars and (f) military optical equipment as non-lethal defence equipment.
Noise Regulations
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has issued any exemption certificates from the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 to (a) Her Majesty's forces and (b) visiting forces ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No certificates of exemption have been issued by my right hon. Friend under the Noise at Work Regulations 1989, either to Her Majesty's forces or any visiting force.
Expenditure Reductions
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 12 June, Official Report, column 142, when he expects the work currently in progress to assess the possibility of altering the readiness of British military forces will be completed ; and what expenditure reductions he estimates will be possible as a result of this work.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : SHAPE's review of the criteria govering the readiness and availability of alliance forces is not expected to be concluded for some time yet. Some interim measures, the details of which are classified, have already been implemented. It is too early to estimate what expenditure reductions may be possible as a result of this work.
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Ceremonial Duties
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what amount of time (a) the Life Guards, (b) Blues and Royals, (c) the 1 Battalion Grenadier Guards, (d) the 2 Battalion Grenadier Guards, (e) the 1 Battalion Coldstream Guards, (f) the 2 Battalion Coldstream Guards, (g) the 1 Battalion Scots Guards, (h) the 2 Battalion Scots Guards, (f) the Irish Guards and (g) the Welsh Guards have spent on ceremonial duties in each year for the last 10 years.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Disproportionate effort would be required to identify actual periods spent on ceremonial duties by these units for each of the last 10 years.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications take place between his Department and the London tourist board regarding the ceremonial duties of the Guards division.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There is regular contact with the London tourist board on the ceremonial duties of the Household Division including the provision of forecasts of events and press releases.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the approximate value of one Guards ceremonial uniform.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The cost of ceremonial uniform varies. For example, the uniform for a guardsman of a foot Guards regiment costs approximately £970 whilst that of a trooper of the Household Cavalry mounted regiment costs about £4,450.
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