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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 3 June 1991
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Iraq
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Attorney-General whether he intends to take any action under sections 1 and 2 of the Geneva Conventions Act of 1957 in relation to Iraq's responsibilities under article 4 of the International Red Cross conventions of 1949 ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : Ministers have stated on a number of occasions that Iraqis bear individual responsibility for grave breaches of the Geneva conventions of 1949. The question of a prosecution within the United Kingdom would arise in practice only if a person against whom sufficient evidence were available should be within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom courts.
ENVIRONMENT
Residential Property Values
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the basis on which he concluded that the average dwelling in England was worth about £80,000 ; and if he will reconcile the implied £1,500 billion value of the housing stock with the figure of £964.3 billion for the whole of the United Kingdom in 1988, given in table 12.2 of the 1990 edition of the United Kingdom National Accounts.
Mr. Yeo : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 15 May by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key), at columns 173-74. The figures in table 12.2 of the 1990 edition of the "United Kingdom National Accounts" were compiled on an entirely different basis.
Community Charge
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update and extend the figures put in the Library on 4 April 1990 (deposit 5906) showing, for each local authority area and giving the assumptions made
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about equalisation, what level of (i) capital value rates, (ii) council tax and (iii) local income tax would be required in order to raise the same amount of revenue as with (a) the 1991-92 community charge, both before and after community charge reduction grant, and (b) the 1991-92 community charge, both before and after community charge reduction grant, but on the basis that the community charge was fully operational without any transitional or related elements.Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the estimated total annual payment of (a) a man on average earnings and (b) a woman on average earnings, both living in Kirklees, under a system of local income tax to replace the community charge, based on Kirklees council's current spending and the current level of external support ; and what rate of local income tax would be required in Kirklees.
Mr. Portillo : The Government issued on 23 April full information on the illustrative effect on household bills had the council tax been fully in place in 1991-92. If Opposition parties wish to discuss the precise details of their own proposals, we will gladly help to exemplify the effect in each local authority area on a consistent basis.
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to speed up the hearing of appeals to the valuations and community charge tribunals.
Mr. Heseltine : Valuation and community charge tribunals are judicially independent bodies, and the speed at which they deal with appeals is primarily a matter for them. I am responsible for the funding of the tribunals in England, and I am satisfied that they have sufficient staff and other resources to deal with their current work load, but I am keeping the matter under review.
Opencast Coal
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of opencast coal planning applications by British Coal that have been refused by the mineral planning authorities, and appeals that have been lodged by his Department ; and if he will indicate for each case (a) the date of refusal, (b) the date of the appeal, (c) the date the inspector submitted his report to the Secretary of State, (d) the date when he announced his decision and (e) whether the appeal was granted or refused.
Mr. Yeo : Information on opencast coal applications refused by the mineral planning authorities is not held centrally. The information on appeals lodged with the Department since 1 March 1984 is as follows :
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Site |Date of refusal |Date of appeal |Date of receipt |Date of decision
|of report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barnabas, Derbyshire |<2>- |24 July 1985 |14 January 1986 |28 February 1986 |allowed
Waverley East, Rotherham |6 December 1985 |26 January 1986 |10 October 1986 |19 November 1986 |allowed
Bilston, Wolverhampton |13 June 1985 |9 August 1985 |19 August 1986 |11 December 1986 |allowed
Kirk, Derbyshire |28 February 1985 |16 July 1985 |17 October 1986 |28 January 1987 |dismissed
Streets Lane, Staffordshire |<2>- |19 August 1985 |29 September 1986|23 February 1987 |allowed
Ryders Hayes, Walsall |10 October 1985 |23 December 1985 |5 January 1987 |23 March 1987 |dismissed
High Lane, Staffordshire |25 June 1985 |14 August 1985 |6 January 1987 |31 March 1987 |allowed
Rosehill, Durham |21 April 1986 |19 May 1986 |10 February 1987 |8 May 1987 |dismissed
Plenmeller, Northumberland |<2>- |4 March 1985 |2 February 1987 |26 June 1987 |allowed
Garnet, Bolton |5 March 1986 |25 May 1986 |26 May 1987 |29 July 1987 |allowed
Bleak House, Staffordshire |11 December 1985 |28 January 1986 |18 May 1987 |13 August 1987 |dismissed
Hill Top, Durham |21 April 1986 |4 June 1986 |2 July 1987 |24 August 1987 |dismissed
Daisy Hill, Durham |20 May 1986 |15 July 1986 |17 September 1987|10 November 1987 |allowed
Slayley, Derbyshire |24 December 1986 |23 January 1987 |20 October 1987 |14 December 1987 |allowed
Billingham, Durham |20 May 1986 |23 July 1986 |3 November 1987 |12 January 1988 |dismissed
West Carr, Durham |<2>- |30 July 1986 |23 December 1987 |17 February 1988 |dismissed
Brown Lees, Staffordshire |25 September 1986|26 November 1986 |23 December 1987 |6 April 1988 |allowed
Lomax, Greater Manchester |<2>- |28 November 1986 |21 June 1988 |17 November 1988 |dismissed
Linton Lane, Northumberland |5 January 1988 |1 February 1988 |20 September 1988|21 December 1988 |allowed
Rainge, Derbyshire |<2>- |11 August 1987 |1 July 1988 |22 December 1988 |allowed
Kirk (Revised), Derbyshire |<2>- |1 March 1988 |2 March 1989 |10 July 1989 |allowed
Rockingham, Barnsley |<2>- |24 March 1988 |14 June 1989 |9 August 1989 |allowed
Slayley, Derbyshire<3> |<2>- |27 October 1988 |14 June 1989 |10 August 1989 |allowed
Shilo North, Derbyshire |<2>- |20 June 1988 |27 February 1990 |14 May 1990 |dismissed
Ellerbeck West, Lancashire<4> |16 January 1987 |25 March 1987 |17 May 1990 |28 August 1990 |dismissed
Marley Hill, Durham |24 January 1989 |21 March 1989 |18 June 1990 |22 October 1990 |dismissed
<1> Information is only available from 1 March 1984 when the British Coal Corporation were required to apply for planning permission
under the Town and Country Planning Act 1972.
<2> Non determination by mineral planning authority.
<3> Application for the variation of conditions attached to the Secretary of State's decision of 14 December 1987.
<4> Inquiry re-opened.
Royal Parks
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for change in the status or management of the royal parks.
Sir George Young : There are no proposals to change the status of the royal parks. They will continue to be managed by the Secretary of State on behalf of the Crown. However, my right hon. Friend is considering changes in the arrangements for carrying out ground maintenance work including putting the work out to tender.
Mr. Soames : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his intentions for the future upkeep and maintenance of the royal parks.
Sir George Young : My right hon. Friend is considering changes in the arrangements for carrying out ground maintenance work including putting work out to tender.
Rating Appeals
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average time in the United Kingdom generally and in Essex in particular before a rating appeal is heard before a valuation and community charge tribunal.
Mr. Heseltine : Ratepayers have six months to propose to the valuation office any change to an entry in the 1990 non-domestic rating lists. If the matter is not resolved within a further six months of the receipt of such a proposal, it is automatically referred to a valuation and community charge tribunal as an appeal. Tribunals in England have received around 540,000 such appeals of which some 13,000 were in Essex. Most of these were received in February and March this year and some tribunals have already started to list appeals for hearing.
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against revaluation remain outstanding before valuations and community charge tribunals.
Mr. Heseltine : Valuation and community charge tribunals in England had outstanding at the end of March 1991 some 530,000 appeals against entries in the 1990 non-domestic rating lists.
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Veterinary Premises
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average percentage increase in revaluation of veterinary premises in the south-east of England.
Mr. Heseltine : Information about the effects specifically on veterinary premises of the non-domestic revaluation is not available.
Noise
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to bring forward measures to control and combat neighbourhood noise and to bring English law into line with Scottish law on this.
Mr. Baldry : The Government's policy on noise--including neighbourhood noise--is set out in the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" and reflects much of thinking of the noise review working party that reported last autumn. A number of the working party's recommendations have already been accepted and we are actively working on others. My speech to the Noise Council seminar on 15 May summarised progress.
Some of the main neighbourhood noise measures which we have brought forward are as follows. The duty of local authorities to investigate complaints has been clarified. Also the Government are funding the first pilot neighbourhood noise awareness scheme which has been launched in Forest Hill, Lewisham. Its objective is to encourage the residents of an area to co-operate in agreeing on standards of behaviour to minimise noise annoyance. The Government have also accepted that the noise insulation standards for flat conversions should be as close to new build as practical, and we are also looking into the question of mandatory controls for burglar alarms. A study of levels of amplified music and acceptability to neighbours forms part of the Department's noise research programme.
The statutory control of noise by environmental health officers in Scotland is not dissimilar to that in England and Wales. But there are significant differences in police powers. In Scotland a uniformed officer may request a person to stop making a noise if it is considered to be
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giving reasonable cause for annoyance. These powers appear to be infrequently used. Nevertheless, we are looking at the position in Scotland to see if any lessons can be learnt.Water Connections
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his role under the Water Act 1989 in respect of the discretion which may be exercised by water companies to offer connections at a reduced infrastructure charge in respect of housing associations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend has no role. It is for individual companies to decide what charge, if any, to impose in individual cases, subject to complying with section 79 of the Water Act 1989 and the requirements of, and the limits imposed by, condition C of their instruments of appointment.
Meadow Well Estate, Tyneside
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals he has to involve the community of the Meadow Well estate in north Tyneside with the future development of the estate ; (2) what conclusions he has drawn from the feasibility study carried out by residents of the Meadow Well estate in north Tyneside and sent to him in April ; and what decisions he intends to take.
Sir George Young : Members of the Department's regional office participate in a multi-agency group, under the aegis of the Tyne and Wear city action team, which is looking at the feasibility of a co-ordinated approach to the regeneration of the Meadow Well estate. Consultation with the residents of the estate is an essential feature of the group's work. The report prepared by the residents' working group is an important contribution to the development of an economic and social strategy for the estate and the study team will take it into account in framing its recommendations. The multi-agency group is meeting the Meadow Well action group on 7 June 1991 for a presentation of the Collingwood centre report and to discuss its proposals. North Tyneside borough council is currently carrying out consultation with residents on options for tackling the housing problems of south Meadow Well, as part of the wider strategy.
Water Meters
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance is offered by his Department to the construction industry on the siting of water meters in new properties ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The Water (Meters) Regulations 1988 (SI 1988/1048) provide for three possible locations for water meters. It is the responsibility of the water company to determine which location should be used in a particular case.
Gipsy Sites
Mr. Michael Spicer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library the breakdown of costs for gipsy sites per pitch and by region throughout England and Wales.
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Sir George Young : I will arrange for the information requested for gipsy sites in England to be placed in the Library as soon as possible.
Gipsy sites in Wales are the responsibility of the Welsh Office.
Burial Site, Kent
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to make his decision on the future of the Anglo-Saxon burial site at Ozengell Grange, Kent, recently the subject of a public inquiry ; and whether he will make a statement.
Sir George Young : A public inquiry into an application for scheduled monument consent was held on 23 April ; the inspector's report is expected shortly. When it is received, the Secretary of State's decision will be issued as quickly as possible.
Water Services
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to offer advice on charges for water services following the introduction of a return to rateable values of properties ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : There are no proposals for a return to the rating system. The director general intends to give guidance to companies about methods of charging for water services in the light of the recent consultation exercise.
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the final report on the compulsory water metering trials will be published ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the reply he was given on 11 February, at column 297.
Prime Minister (Car)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Prime Minister is expected to take delivery of his new secure car ; and what is its make and colour.
Mr. Yeo : The Government car service vehicles used by the Prime Minister are not being changed at present.
Public Sector Dwellings
Mr. Lawson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for each year from 1979 to 1990 inclusive the number and value of public sector dwellings (a) constructed or otherwise acquired and (b) sold.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 22 May 1991] : Figures for completions, construction output and numbers of sales of dwellings by local authorities, new towns and housing associations in England are published in the following departmental publications :
Housing completions
1979 to 1989 :
Housing and Construction Statistics 1979-89 (GB), table 6.1.
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1990 :Housing and Construction Statistics (GB) December quarter 1990 Part 1, table 1.2.
Sales by local authorities, new towns and housing associations 1979 to 1989 :
Housing and Construction Statistics 1979-89 (GB), table 9.6. 1990 :
Housing and Construction Statistics (GB) December quarter 1990 Part 2, table 2.12.
Value of construction output
1979 to 1989 :
Housing and Construction Statistics 1979-89 (GB), table 1.7. 1990 :
Housing and Construction Statistics (GB) December quarter 1990 Part 2, table 2.3.
Copies of these publications are in the Library.
The available information for England on the acquisition of dwellings by local authorities and the value of dwellings sold by local authorities and new towns is as follows. Comparable information on the value of dwellings sold by housing associations is not available.
Undiscounted value of dwellings sold by local
authorities and new
towns in England 1979-90<1>
£ million
|Local |New towns
|authorities
------------------------------------------------
1979 |743 |14
1980 |1,201 |41
1981 |1,561 |48
1982 |3,169 |58
1983 |2,351 |67
1984 |2,033 |68
1985 |2,025 |48
1986 |2,185 |52
1987 |2,797 |83
1988 |4,818 |151
1989 |5,542 |158
<2>1990 |3,862 |57
<1> Including leases, small transfers to
housing associations and dwellings previously
municipalised. Excludes large scale block
transfers to housing associations.
<2> (provisional).
Acquisitions of dwellings by local
authorities in England 1979-90<1>
£ million
|Number |Cost
------------------------------------
1979 |<2>4,793|<2>38
1980 |4,440 |26
1981 |2,263 |15
1982 |1,912 |20
1983 |2,397 |39
1984 |2,935 |41
1985 |4,034 |70
1986 |4,852 |101
1987 |4,928 |125
1988 |5,600 |154
1989 |7,870 |194
<3>1990 |7,279 |142
<1> Includes acquisition of
dwellings for continued housing use,
dwellings acquired under the
Improvement for Sale Scheme' and
since 1985, the repurchase of
dwellings under Part XVI of the
Housing Act 1985 (Defects).
<2> Figures do not include first
quarter when information was not
collected.
<3> (provisional).
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Unleaded Petrol
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what investigations his Department has undertaken into the safety factors arising from the volatility of unleaded petrol ; whether they have taken account of the phenomenon of static electricity ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : I have been asked to reply.
The volatility of unleaded petrol is controlled at the same limit values as leaded petrol by British Standard BS 7070. The flammable nature of petrols, leaded and unleaded, and the phenomenon of static electricity are both taken into account in the procedures and equipment used in the handling and transportation of petrols.
ENERGY
European Energy Charter
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to press for uniform energy taxation policies in the protocols of the European energy charter.
Mr. Wakeham : A key priority for the European energy charter will be the fostering of full and proper market-based pricing for energy throughout Europe, including the removal of price subsidies. This will do much to encourage efficient energy use. Energy taxation should remain a matter for national Governments and Parliaments, although we will be seeking provisions protecting investors against having the results of their investments expropriated by unreasonable fiscal or other measures.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to press for a recognition of the roles of renewable energy and energy conservation in the protocols of the European energy charter.
Mr. Wakeham : If the charter negotiations are successful, we expect that there will be provisions in it relating to new and renewable sources of energy. We will be seeking explicit recognition of the importance of the efficient production, conversion, distribution and use of energy in the charter and relevant protocols.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to propose a non-fossil fuel obligation for inclusion in the European energy charter.
Renewables Programme
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the review of the renewables programme will take place ; what will be the terms of reference of the review ; and what will be the administrative arrangements for taking it forward.
Mr. Moynihan : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Poole (Mr. Ward) on 6 February 1991 at column 139. The terms of reference of the review are currently under consideration and I hope to make an announcement in the near future.
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Nuclear Levy
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he anticipates a fall in the level of the nuclear levy.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The percentage rate of the levy may fluctuate from one year to another, depending largely on whether any correction is needed for past over- or under-recovery of the levy. However, I am confident that the levy rate will follow a downward trend over the next seven years.
Consultancy Contracts
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total amount spent by his Department in the 1990-91 financial year on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; and if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1990-91, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm, the subject of the assignment and, if appropriate, the executive agency for whom the contract was carried out.
Mr. Wakeham : My Department spent £611,000 on management and computer consultancy contracts in 1990-91.
Contracts placed with private sector firms and companies for management and computer consultancies during 1990-91 were : Consultants and Subject
Oracle UK Ltd.
Consultants and Subject Oracle UK Ltd. Various IT consultancy services. Linear Software Communications advice. IPEC Petrophysical data analysis system. Consultants Review of computer facilities. Price Waterhouse Work on computer systems. Price Waterhouse Software development.
BIS
Communications advice.
BIS
Specification of cabling requirements.
Specialist Services Scotland Ltd.
Software development.
Duhig Berry Ltd.
Computer project management training.
P E International.
Organisation and management effectiveness study into certain aspects of Offshore Supplies Office.
Capita Group.
Advice on contracting out administration of the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.
Guardian Business Services
Management training.
WDC Ltd.
Management training.
TFC Ltd.
Management training.
Stuart McKechnie Ltd.
Management training.
Jonathon Coates and Associates
Management training.
TDA Consulting Group Ltd.
Management training.
ACT Services
Management training.
BIS Applied Systems Ltd.
Management training.
Career Track International.
Management training.
Laser Computer.
IT training.
Naltona Ltd.
IT training.
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