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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 21 February 1991
TRANSPORT
Greater Manchester Relief Road
Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what alternative solutions to the problem of traffic congestion on the M62 motorway were considered and rejected in favour of the Greater Manchester western and northern relief road.
Mr. Chope : Expanding capacity by widening of the existing motorway ; reducing demand for the road by limiting access to the motorway for local traffic or encouraging alternative modes of transport.
Bus Lanes, Westminster
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on what action is to be taken to enforce no parking in bus lanes in Westminster ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : Enforcement is entirely a matter for the police. My right hon. and learned Friend has no power to intervene in the way suggested.
Airport Congestion
Mr. Gerald Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the study that his predecessor commissioned on ways in which the system for allocating slots at congested airports might be improved.
Mr. Rifkind : The consultants, SD-Scicon UK Ltd, have completed stage one of the study. I have placed copies of their report in the Library of the House and shall be circulating it to interested parties.
The consultants have identified a number of options for allocating slots which could merit further study and have developed a technique for standardising the assessment of different methods.
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I have asked the consultants to proceed to stage two of their study and to present a further report to me in the summer.Retail Deliveries
Mr. Ward : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to encourage out-of-hour retail deliveries.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 19 February 1991] : I have no current plans to do so. The matter is best determined by highway authorities in response to local circumstances under the wide powers available to them in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. A considerable volume of out-of-hours deliveries already takes place under these arrangements and through agreements between businesses and distribution firms.
A2070
Mr. Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the date for the public inquiry into the route of the A2070 Ham street bypass in Kent.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 19 February 1991] : I cannot give a date until Kent county council proposes dates for the inquiry convenient to itself, whereupon the Secretary of State will arrange for the appointment of the independent inspector.
ENVIRONMENT
Expenditure, Yorkshire and Humberside
Dr. Hampson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown, by programme, of his Department's expenditure in Yorkshire and Humberside from 1979 to the present.
Mr. Key : A breakdown of the Department's main programmes is given in the table for the years 1986-87 to date. In the case of some DOE programmes, the information available relates to allocations or approvals rather than expenditure.
Information for the years 1979-80 to 1985-86 is not readily available.
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Breakdown (by programme) of DOE expenditure in Y and H region
(£ million)
|1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91<1>|1991-92
|forecast |estimate
|outturn
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rate Support Grant/Revenue Support Grant |1,176.30 |1,278.20 |1,325.40 |1,305.80 |888.10 |n/a
Housing Investment Programme Allocations |125.30 |124.30 |123.70 |106.30 |186.70 |188.90
Housing Subsidies |0.29 |0.27 |Nil |Nil |<2>56.73 |n/a
UDG/URG/City Grant Approvals |2.09 |3.67 |33.32 |7.54 |<3>7.74 |n/a
Urban Programme |n/a |24.08 |24.10 |26.88 |27.96 |29.32
Urban Development Corporations |n/a |n/a |10.60 |18.25 |33.00 |25.00
Gypsy grants |0.69 |0.31 |0.70 |0.26 |1.45 |2.00
City Action Team |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0.76 |0.85
Derelict Land Grant |3.30 |8.90 |9.68 |10.54 |14.11 |15.58
Private Sector/DLG |1.34 |0.83 |4.08 |1.63 |0.55 |1.21
<1> 1990-91 saw the introduction of a new capital control system and new financial regime.
<2> This is the housing element of the Housing Revenue Account subsidy.
<3> City Grant approvals to date.
Dr. Hampson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown, by programme, of his Department's expenditure in the metropolitan district of Leeds from 1979 to the present.
Mr. Key : A breakdown of the Department's main programmes is given in the table for the years 1986-87 to
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date. In the case of some DOE programmes, the information available relates to allocations or approvals, rather than expenditure. Information for the years 1979-80 to 1985-86 is not readily available.Column 195
Breakdown (by programme) of DOE expenditure in Leeds metropolitan district
(£ million)
|1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91<1> |1991-92
|(forecast |(estimated)
|outturn)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rate support grant/Revenue support |135.400 |144.800 |145.800 |138.800 |137.700 |n/a
Housing investment programme
allocations |22.400 |21.900 |20.800 |16.900 |33.600 |31.900
Housing subsidies |nil |nil |nil |nil |<2>8.350 |n/a
RDG/URG/City grant (grant approvals) |0.800 |2.400 |0.200 |0.070 |0.050 |n/a
Urban programme |n/a |3.800 |4.700 |4.700 |5.300 |5.400
Urban development corporation |n/a |n/a |2.600 |8.750 |14.000 |12.000
Gypsy grants |nil |nil |0.410 |0.035 |0.760 |0.170
City action team |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0.370 |0.400
Derelict land grant (DLG) |0.037 |0.132 |0.169 |0.227 |0.750 |0.750
Private sector DLG |nil |nil |0.300 |0.330 |<3>nil |nil
<1> 1990-91 saw the introduction of a new capital control system and new financial regime.
<2> This is the housing element of the housing revenue account subsidy.
<3> Private sector DLG no longer available in Leeds following the introduction of city grant.
Satellite Receivers
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he gives to planning authorities on the fixing of satellite receivers on the outside of properties ; under what conditions permission to site such a receiver may be refused ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : Where the installation of a satellite dish does not fall within the general permission granted by the Town and Country Planning General Development Order, it is in the first instance for the local planning authority to consider whether planning permission should be granted or refused, having regard to all material considerations. We hope later this year to publish planning guidelines which will give advice on unobtrusive siting of dishes.
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to amend the regulations specifying the planning conditions for the fixing of a satellite receiver on the outside of a property ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given by the then Minister for Planning to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 1 November, Official Report, column 695, and my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) on 13 November, Official Report, column 93. We hope to announce shortly how the Town and Country Planning General
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Development Order 1988 will be amended in the light of the consultation exercise undertaken last summer and the subsequent Sky-BSB merger.Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the accuracy of the advice given to purchasers of a satellite receiver by the suppliers in respect of planning conditions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : No representations have been received. The forthcoming departmental planning guide for the siting of satellite antennas will be widely distributed among the suppliers of antennas. This should help to improve the quality of advice and also the standard of installation.
Waste Disposal Plants
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to encourage the use of electromagnets at waste disposal plants.
Mr. Baldry : The potential return on the use of magnetic separation at a waste disposal plant should be enough to encourage the use of electromagnets without any Government intervention.
Nevertheless, we have made available £10 million in supplementary credit approvals for local authorities in England in 1991-92, for investment in recycling facilities.
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Countryside Premium Scheme
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many farmers are currently eligible for admission to the countryside premium scheme ; how many are actively enrolled in the scheme ; what is the current cost of the scheme ; and what percentage of the total amount is reimbursed from CAP funds.
Mr. Baldry : All farmers in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk entering permanent fallow land into MAFF's set aside scheme are eligible for admission to the countryside premium scheme. Land set aside for rotational fallow, grazed fallow or non-agricultural use may also be eligible in certain circumstances. There are currently about 850 farmers in the seven counties with set-aside land in these eligible categories.
To date, the Countryside Commission has made agreements under the countryside premium scheme with 160 farmers and, in 1991-92, expenditure is expected to be £750,000. The scheme is not currently eligible for reimbursement from CAP funds.
Structure Plans
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what employment factors he takes into account when approving structure plans.
Sir George Young : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 12 February, Official Report , column 426 . The economic factors taken into account by local planning authorities and my right hon. Friend would include considerations such as current and possible future levels of employment in the area.
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whom he expects to consult on his proposed modifications to the Cheshire structure plan in the spring.
Sir George Young : My right hon. Friend will notify Members of Parliament of the proposed modifications of the Cheshire structure plan who have expressed an interest, and all those who represent Cheshire, together with the participants at the examination in public. Cheshire county council will be asked to place copies of the proposed modifications and supporting documents on deposit for public inspection. It must advertise that this has been done and inform those who made representations on the plan.
Low-energy Light Bulbs
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage the use of low-energy light bulbs in his Department's offices and other buildings.
Mr. Baldry : My Department's policy relating to the promotion of low -energy lighting is, wherever practicable, to replace all standard luminaires, both tungsten and fluorescent, with low-energy consuming equivalents.
In the three largest headquarters buildings a programme of lighting improvements is currently being carried out. All these projects incorporate the installation of low-energy fluorescent tubes and miniature fluorescent
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fittings. The number of tungsten bulbs in current use throughout the Department's offices is minimal, but these will be replaced as part of the ongoing programme to reduce overall energy consumption.Radioactivity
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what levels of radioactivity are permitted for release to the atmosphere after the incineration of radioactively contaminated materials.
Mr. Baldry : Radioactive waste may be disposed of only if an authorisation has been issued under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. Authorisations impose strict conditions and activity limits and are issued only after careful assessment is made of the environmental impact of proposed disposals to ensure that doses to the public are below the maximum permissible limits as recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. As for disposal by incineration, authorisations are issued on a case-by-case basis taking all the local circumstances into account. However, it is usual to permit disposals of up to 4 megabecquerels per day of the commonly used tritium and carbon-14 without this detailed examination.
Pollution Control
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he expects all requisite guidance to be in place before the implementation of integrated pollution control under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 on 1 April ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : General guidance on the operation of integrated pollution control will be issued before 1 April. More detailed guidance on particular categories of process will be made available in accordance with the timetable for bringing processes in these categories under integrated control.
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the speciality chemicals industry about integrated pollution control requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Mr. Baldry : The Department has received representations from the speciality chemicals industry about particular characteristics of the processes they operate. In addition, we have consulted the industry's main representatives, the Chemical Industries Association, in drawing up guidance and preparing regulations on integrated pollution control.
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will further consult the speciality chemicals industry before the detailed implementation of integrated pollution control.
Mr. Baldry : The Department has already drawn on the expertise of the speciality chemicals industry in preparing regulations and drawing up general guidance for the implementation of integrated pollution control. Final versions will be published shortly. Further consultation will be undertaken on detailed issues as appropriate.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to adopt the
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principle of a presumption in favour of unrestricted access for the public to information held by pollution control authorities.Mr. Baldry : Yes. The Water Act 1989 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 provide for public access to information in respect of water pollution, integrated pollution control and local authority air pollution control.
Fire Safety
Mr. Ken Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members serve on the fire advisory panel ; and how many of those members are also members of the Society of Fire Safety Engineers.
Mr. Yeo : The Fire Advisory Panel has 13 outside members, of whom seven are also members of the Society of Fire Safety Engineers. In addition, eight officials regularly attend its meetings, and of those, three are members of the society.
Bathing Beaches
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will name the designated bathing beach in England which had the highest number of total coliforms present in any single water sample taken during the 1990 bathing season ; and if he will indicate the level reached ;
(2) if he will name the designated bathing beach in England which had the highest number of E. coli present in any single water sample taken during the 1990 bathing season ; and if he will indicate the level reached.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the publication "Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC) Article 13 Report (1990 Survey Results) United Kingdom", copies of which are available in the Library.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to publish information concerning the presence of chemicals and the level of general pollution as part of the beach standards test list.
Mr. Baldry : Monitoring of the quality of bathing water is carried out in accordance with the requirement of directive 76/160/EEC. In England and Wales the results of the monitoring are maintained on public registers by the regional offices of the National Rivers Authority. Summary results are published in "Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC) Article 13 Report (1990 Survey Results) United Kingdom", copies of which are available in the Library.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the designated bathing beaches in England, indicating for each the date that they became designated in accordance with the 1976 EC bathing water directive.
Mr. Baldry : The dates on which bathing waters were identified as being subject to the requirements for standards specified in directive 76/160/EEC are as follows :
Date Identified
-------------------------------------------------------------
Northumbrian Region
Spittal |1987
Bamburgh Castle<1> |1989 |(1987)
Seahouses North<1> |1989 |(1987)
Beadnell |1987
Low Newton |1987
Alnmouth |1987
Warkworth |1987
Druridge Bay |1987
Newbiggin North<1> |1989 |(1987)
Newbiggin South<1> |1989 |(1987)
Blyth South Beach<1> |1989 |(1987)
Seaton Sluice<1> |1989 |(1987)
Whitley Bay |1987
Tynemouth Cullercoats<1> |1989 |(1987)
Tynemouth Long Sands North<1> |1989 |(1987)
Tynemouth Long Sands South<1> |1989 |(1987)
Tynemouth King Edwards Bay<1> |1989 |(1987)
South Shields |1987
Marsden |1987
Whitburn North<1> |1989 |(1987)
Roker/Whitburn South<1> |1989 |(1987)
Seaham Beach<1> |1989 |(1987)
Seaham Remand Home<1> |1989 |(1987)
Crimdon |1987
Seaton Carew North<1> |1989 |(1987)
Seaton Carew Centre<1> |1989 |(1987)
Seaton Carew North Gare<1> |1989 |(1987)
Redcar Coatham<1> |1989 |(1987)
Redcar LB Station<1> |1989 |(1987)
Redcar Granville<1> |1989 |(1987)
Redcar Stray<1> |1989 |(1987)
Saltburn |1987
Yorkshire Region
Staithes |1987
Runswick Bay |1987
Sandsend |1987
Whitby |1987
Robin Hoods Bay |1987
Scarborough North Bay |1979
Scarborough South Bay |1979
Clayton Bay |1987
Filey |1987
Reighton |1987
Flamborough North Landing |1987
Flamborough South Landing |1987
Bridlington North Beach |1979
Bridlington South Beach |1979
Wilsthorpe |1987
Fraisthorpe |1987
Earls Dyke |1987
Barmston |1987
Skipsea |1987
Hornsea |1987
Tunstall |1987
Withernsea |1987
Anglian Region
Cleethorpes |1987
Mablethorpe Town |1987
Sutton-on-Sea |1987
Moggs Eye |1987
Anderby |1987
Chapel St. Leonard |1987
Ingoldmells South |1987
Skegness |1987
Heacham |1987
Hunstanton Beach |1987
Wells |1987
Sheringham |1987
Cromer |1987
Mundesley |1987
Great Yarmouth North |1987
Great Yarmouth Pier |1987
Great Yarmouth South |1987
Lowestoft North |1987
Lowestoft South |1987
Southwold |1990
Felixstowe North |1987
Felixstowe South |1987
Dovercourt |1987
Walton |1987
Frinton |1987
Holland |1987
Clacton |1987
Jaywick |1987
Brightlingsea |1987
West Mersey |1991
Thames Region
Shoebury East |1989
Southend Thorpe Bay |1979
Southend Westcliff Bay |1979
Southern Region
Sheerness |1991
Leysdown |1987
West Beach |1987
Herne Bay |1987
Minnis Bay |1987
St. Mildred's Bay |1987
Margate the Bay |1979
Margate Fulsam Rock |1987
Joss Bay |1987
Broadstairs |1987
Ramsgate |1987
Sandwich Bay |1987
Deal Castle |1987
St. Margaret's Bay |1987
Folkestone |1987
Sandgate |1987
Hythe |1987
Dymchurch |1987
St. Mary's Bay |1987
Littlestone |1987
Camber |1987
Winchelsea |1987
Hastings |1987
Bexhill |1987
Norman's Bay |1987
Pevensey Bay |1987
Eastbourne |1987
Seaford |1987
Newhaven |1987
Saltdean |1987
Brighton |1987
Hove |1987
Southwick |1987
South Lancing |1987
Worthing |1987
Littlehampton |1987
Middleton-on-Sea |1987
Bognor Regis |1987
Pagham |1987
Selsey |1987
Bracklesham Bay |1987
West Wittering |1987
West of Eastoke |1987
West Hayling |1987
Eastney |1987
Southsea |1987
Stokes Bay |1987
Lee-on-Solent |1987
Hillhead |1990
Calshot |1987
Lepe |1987
Milford-on-Sea |1987
Christchurch Bay |1987
Highcliffe |1987
Compton Bay |1987
Totland Bay |1987
Colwell Bay |1987
Gurnard |1987
Cowes |1987
Ryde |1979
Seagrove |1987
St. Helens |1987
Bembridge |1987
Whitecliff Bay |1987
Sandown |1979
Shanklin |1979
Ventnor |1987
Wessex Region
Christchurch Highcliffe Castle<1> |1987 |(1979)
Christchurch Friar's Cliff |1990
Christchurch Avon Beach |1987 |(1979)
Christchurch Mudeford Sandbank<1> |1987
Bournemouth Hengistbury |1987
Bournemouth Pier |1979
Poole Shore Road Sandbanks |1987
Poole Harbour Sandbanks |1979
Poole Harbour Lake |1987
Poole Harbour Rockley Sands |1987
Shell Bay |1987
Studland |1987
Swansea |1979
Kimmeridge Bay |1987
Lulworth Cove |1987
Durdle Door East |1987
Durdle Door West |1987
Ringstead |1987
Bowleaze Cove |1987
Church Ope Cove |1987
Weymouth Lodmoor |1987
Weymouth Central |1979
Portland Harbour Castle Cove |1987
Portland Harbour Sandsfoot |1987
West Bay (West) |1987
Eypemouth |1987
Seatown |1987
Charmouth West |1987
Porlock Weir |1987
Minehead Terminus |1987
Dunster North West |1987
Blue Anchor West |1987
Burnham Jetty |1987
Berrow |1987
Brean |1987
Weston-S-Mare Uphill Slipway<1> |1987 |(1979)
Weston-S-Mare Grand Pier<1> |1987 |(1979)
Weston-S-Mare Sand Bay<1> |1987 |(1979)
Clevedon Swimming Pool |1987
South West Region
Lyme Regis Church Beach<1> |1989 |(1987)
Lyme Regis Cobb<1> |1989 |(1987)
Seaton (Devon) |1987
Beer |1987
Sidmouth Town<1> |1989 |(1987)
Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder<1> |1989 |(1987)
Ladram Bay |1987
Budleigh Salterton |1987
Sandy Bay |1987
Exmouth |1987
Dawlish Warren |1987
Dawlish Town<1> |1989 |(1987)
Dawlish Coryton Cove<1> |1989 |(1987)
Teignmouth Holcombe<1> |1989 |(1987)
Teignmouth Town<1> |1989 |(1987)
Shaldon |1987
Ness Cove |1987
Maindencombe |1987
Watcombe |1987
Oddicombe |1987
Babbacombe |1987
Redgate |1987
Meadfoot |1979
Beacon Cove |1987
Torre Abbey |1979
Hollicombe |1987
Paignton Preston Sands<1> |1989 |(1979)
Paignton Paignton Sands<1> |1989 |(1979)
Goodrington |1979
Broadsands |1979
Shoalstone |1987
St. Mary's Bay |1987
Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove |1987
Blackpool Sands |1987
Slapton Sands Monument<1> |1989 |(1987)
Slapton Sands Torcross<1> |1989 |(1987)
Mill Bay |1987
Salcombe North Sands |1987
Salcombe South Sands |1987
Hope Cove |1987
Thurlestone South<1> |1989 |(1987)
Thurlestone North<1> |1989 |(1987)
Bantham |1987
Bigbury-on-Sea South<1> |1989 |(1987)
Bigbury-on-Sea North<1> |1989 |(1987)
Challaborough |1987
Mothecombe |1987
Wembury |1987
Bovisand |1987
Plymouth Hoe East<1> |1989 |(1987)
Plymouth Hoe West<1> |1989 |(1987)
Portwrinkle |1987
Downderry |1987
Seaton (Cornwall) |1987
Millendreath |1987
East Looe |1987
Readymoney |1987
Polkerris |1987
Par |1987
Crinnis Golf Links<1> |1989 |(1987)
Crinnis Leisure Centre<1> |1989 |(1987)
Charlestown<1> |1989 |(1987)
Duporth<1> |1989 |(1987)
Porthpean |1987
Pentewan |1987
Polstreath |1987
Port Mellon |1987
Gorran Haven Little Perhaver<1> |1989 |(1987)
Gorran Haven (Vault)<1> |1989 |(1987)
Porthluney |1987
Pendower |1987
Gyllyngvase |1987
Swanpool |1987
Maen Porth |1987
Porthallow |1987
Porthoustock |1987
Coverack |1987
Kennack Sands |1987
Pollurian Cove |1987
Poldhu Cove |1987
Gunwalloe Cove |1987
Porthleven East<2> |1989 |(1987)
Porthleven West<1> |1989 |(1987)
Praa Sands East<1> |1989 |(1987)
Praa Sands West<1> |1989 |(1987)
Perran Sands |1987
Mounts Bay L Hogus<1> |1989 |(1987)
Mounts Bay Heliport<1> |1989 |(1987)
Mounts Bay Penzance<1> |1989 |(1987)
Mounts Bay Wherry Town<1> |1989 |(1987)
Porthcurno |1987
Sennen |1979
Porthmeor |1979
Porth Gwidden |1987
Porthminster |1979
Carbis Bay Station Beach<1> |1989 |(1987)
Carbis Bay Porth Kidney Sands<1> |1989 |(1987)
The Towans (Hayle)<1> |1989 |(1987)
The Towans (Godrevy)<1> |1989 |(1987)
Portreath |1987
Porthowan |1987
Trevaunance Cove |1987
Perranporth Village End<1> |1989 |(1987)
Perranporth Penhale Sands<1> |1989 |(1987)
Holywell Bay |1987
Crantock |1987
Fistral |1979
Towan |1979
Watergate |1987
Mawgan Porth |1987
Treyarnon Bay |1987
Constantine Bay |1987
Mother Ivey's Bay |1987
Harlyn Bay |1987
Trevone Bay |1987
Rock |1987
Daymer Bay |1987
Polzeath |1987
Widemouth Sand |1987
Bude Summerleaze<1> |1989 |(1987)
Bude Crooklets<1> |1989 |(1987)
Bude Sandy Mouth<1> |1989 |(1987)
Hartland Quay |1987
Westward Ho |1987
Instow |1987
Saunton Sands |1987
Croyde Bay |1987
Woolacombe Putsborough<1> |1989 |(1987)
Woolacombe Village<1> |1989 |(1987)
Ilfracoombe Tunnels Pool |1990
Ilfracombe Capstone<1> |1989 |(1987)
Ilfracombe Hele<1> |1989 |(1987)
Combe Martin |1987
Lynmouth |1987
North West Region
Meols |1987
Moreton |1987
New Brighton |1987
Formby |1987
Ainsdale |1987
Southport |1987
St. Annes |1987
St. Annes North |1988
Blackpool South |1987
Blackpool Central |1987
Blackpool North |1987
Bispham |1987
Cleveleys |1987
Fleetwood |1987
Heysham-Half Moon Bay |1987
Morecambe South |1987
Morecambe North |1987
Bardsea |1987
Aldingham |1988
Newbiggin |1988
Walney Biggar Bank |1987
Walney Sandy Gap |1987
Walney West Shore |1987
Roan Head |1987
Askam-in-Furness |1987
Haverigg |1987
Silecroft |1987
Seascale |1987
St. Bees |1987
Allonby South |1988
Allonby |1987
Silloth |1987
Skinburness |1988
<1> Some bathing waters have been subdivided since first
identified. The date in parenthesis is when the bathing
water was first identified, and the other date is when the
bathing water was subdivided for the purposes of Directive
76/160/EEC.
<2> A landslip at Porthleven East in May 1989 made the beach
inaccessible.
Estuaries
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the estuaries in the United Kingdom which are regarded as of environmental importance and those which require to be protected under the terms of the Ramsar convention.
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Mr. Baldry : The information readily available relates to Great Britain. The majority of our estuaries encompass areas that are of environmental importance and where appropriate these are protected as sites of special scientific interest. The Nature Conservancy Council has undertaken a review of the nature conservation interests of the estuaries of Great Britain and I understand that its full report is due to be published on 25 March. Sites which contain estuarial areas where it has been agreed that the Ramsar criteria are met, and which have been designated, are as follows :1. Bridgewater Bay
2. Cors Fochno and Dyfi
3. Lindisfarne
4. Minsmere-Walberswick
5. North Norfolk Coast
6. Chesil Beach and The Fleet
7. Dee Estuary
8. The Swale
9. Alt Estuary
10. Rockliffe Marshes
11. Chichester and Langstone Harbours
12. Upper Severn Estuary
13. The Wash
14. Pagham Harbour
15. Bridgend Flats, Islay
16. Griunart Flats
17. Loch an Duin
Local Government Finance
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the implications for the voluntary sector of changes in local authority funding levels.
Mr. Key : It is for each individual local authority to decide on the level of its funding for the voluntary sector. We have increased the amount of external support to local authorities next year by 12.8 per cent.
The Gulf
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on action to mitigate oil spills and ecological damage in the Gulf.
Mr. Heseltine : The states whose coastlines are most at risk from the oil deliberately released from Iraqi installations or as a consequence of Iraqi shelling have the primary responsibility for response action. Recognising the unprecedented scale of the threat, both the coalition Governments and the wider international community have offered assistance to the Gulf states in the form of expertise or pollution control equipment. I described the initial assistance offered by the United Kingdom in my letter to hon. Members of 6 February which included both expert advice on pollution control and assessment of the biological effects of the oil spill. Our current information is that the largest oil slick has had a serious impact along parts of the coastline of Saudi Arabia from Khafji as far south as the island of Abu Ali. Protective booms are in place round the intakes for major industrial and desalination plants along the Saudi coast and work has begun on protecting the most ecologically sensitive sites.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the destruction of coral reefs in the Gulf forming the spring spawning grounds for large shrimp fisheries.
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Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 18 February 1991] : The assessment of the biological effects of the Gulf oil spill carried out by the Natural Environment Research Council for my Department includes a description of the likely effects of oil on the coral ecosystem in the Gulf. A copy of this report is in the Library. We do not yet have sufficiently detailed information from the Gulf to determine how serious the impact of the slick has been, but it is likely that at least some of the coastal reefs between Khafji and Manifa in Saudi Arabia have been affected.
Litter Code
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities submitted comments on his proposals to implement the litter code under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 into existing compulsory competitive tendering arrangements, as set out in his letter of 9 January to the three local authority associations ; and what proportion of the comments he received were in favour of the proposals.
Mr. Trippier : The Department received 39 responses to its consultation letter of 4 January setting out the Government's proposals for introducing transitional arrangements to facilitate the implementation of the litter duty in cases where street cleaning contracts had already been let by local authorities. The respondents, who included the main local authority associations in England, Wales and Scotland and various other representative associations, made a significant number of constructive comments. These comments are being carefully considered and an announcement will be made shortly.
Interim Development Orders
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to alter the procedures relating to interim development orders ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir George Young : Yes. The Government believe that it is inequitable that the extent and terms of these permissions, which have been in existence for close to 50 years, are not recorded and that householders and others may have been disadvantaged by this lack of knowledge.
The Government intend, therefore, to table amendments during the passage of the Planning and Compensation Bill to provide that, unless the holder of an IDO permission applies to the appropriate mineral planning authority within four months of the date of the commencement of the provisions for the permission to be registered, the permission will cease to have effect. My Department will consult on the detail of what we have in mind, including the appropriate time period for applications to be submitted.
The Government recognise that registration in itself will not deal with the problems of the lack of conditions attached to such permissions. Residential and other development may have been built on or near IDO permission areas ; similarly, parts of IDO sites may have been designated as sites of special scientific interest or of other environmental importance--without knowledge of the fact that the permission existed or the terms of the conditions attached to it. The Government are therefore considering whether to require that applications for registration of IDO permissions are accompanied by schemes of operating, restoration and, where appropriate,
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aftercare conditions for the approval of the mineral planning authority. The Government take the view that it would be sensible to use the opportunity of registration to apply conditions and believe that responsible operators would share that view. Applicants would be able to appeal to the Secretary of State against refusal or the imposition of unreasonable conditions by the authority. My Department will be issuing today a short consultation paper on these proposals, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House, and will consider the response before taking a firm decision. The question of the impact of the proposals on the compensation rights of operators would be covered in the consultation exercise.The Government have also considered carefully whether it would be right to take statutory measures now to deal with the problems of unworked land and IDO permission boundaries. Although we fully appreciate the strength of feelings on this issue and the legitimate concerns expressed, we are not convinced that it would be right to expropriate legitimate mineral working rights without a detailed examination of all the implications and full and considered consultation on any proposed changes.
My Department will therefore look at these issues very closely in its comprehensive review of the existing powers available to mineral planning authorities for dealing with inadequate permissions and we shall be considering whether we can reach early conclusions on the compensation aspects. In the meantime, I intend to invite the industry, in the context of agreeing a scheme of operating and restoration conditions with the mineral planning authority, to discuss an adjustment to the boundaries of their rights where appropriate.
These proposals are subject to consultation with representatives of the local authorities, environmental groups, the industry and land-owners. They aim to provide the right balance between the needs of the country for a secure and effective supply of minerals, together with information about where these sites are worked and ensuring that the minerals are extracted in an environmentally sensitive way. As we made clear in the Environment White Paper it is necessary to strike a careful balance between the interests of amenity and the need to exploit the resource. Mineral operators must take account of best environmental practice and aim to be good neighbours. I am aware that increasingly the industry accepts its responsibility to work sites in an environmentally sensitive manner and to restore land once working has ceased.
Rent Arrears
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the latest figures are on the arrears of rent outstanding to each local housing authority in England ; and if he will make a statement.
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