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Fee payable : an equivalent amount to the planning application fee for the development to which the application under section 191 relates.(2) applications under new section 192 of the 1990 Act for proposed use or development
Fee payable : 50 per cent. of the equivalent planning application fee for the use of land to which the application relates.
We propose to bring the other main enforcement provisions in part I of the Bill into force approximately four months after Royal Assent.
Building Regulations
Sir Hugh Rossi : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete his review of part B of the Building Regulations 1985 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir George Young : The review of part B of the Building Regulations 1985 relating to the fire safety of buildings has now been completed. The purpose has been to review and where necessary enhance the current provisions in the light of changes in building form and fire protection technology without compromising existing levels of fire safety. I would like to thank all those who commented on the consultation proposals issed in March of last year, and these comments have been fully and carefully considered.
There is clearly a broad measure of agreement on many of the proposals on which we consulted including those relating to part B1--means of escape-- and B5--access and facilities for the fire service. Most of the modifications that we are now making to the original proposals are of a detailed technical nature although additional provisions have been included in part B5 relating to smoke and heat venting from basements.
The proposals relating to part B3--Internal Fire Spread--have proved more controversial. It remains our view that the existing provisions are insufficiently flexible to provided satisfactory solutions to the fire safety problems posed by some new building types. We consider that in certain situations developers should be encouraged to make use of active fire protection measures such as sprinkler and smoke management systems to complement the traditional forms of structural fire precautions. One of the concerns expressed has been about ongoing maintenance, and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is considering how the problem of achieving continuing control and maintenance of active fire protection measures can best be achieved. We have also concluded that it would be appropriate to permit some reduction in existing levels of passive fire resistance, particularly in situations where sprinklers are used. Some of those levels have historically related more to property protection than to the life safety considerations which are the primary concern of the Building Regulations. At the same time, we recognise that some of the fire resistance levels proposed in the consultation paper may not have taken sufficient account of possible risks to firefighters, and these have now been increased. However, it remains our view that fire resistance requirements in excess of two hours cannot be justified on life safety grounds.
The approved documents are now being edited together with those relating to the other parts of the regulations currently under review. They should be ready for publication by the end of October. The intention is that the
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changes to the regulations themselves will be laid before Parliament at the same time, and the new requirements and guidance are likely to come into operation next spring.The changes which are now being made have the support of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, and of its fire advisory panel, both of which include a wide range of relevant expertise among their membership. They have been discussed with a number of those who submitted comments, particularly the fire service representative bodies, and they also have the support of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. Both my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland are in broad support of our proposals and will move in the same direction when the opportunity arises. On the basis of the expert advice that I have received, I am satisfied that standards of life safety are being maintained. Indeed, in certain respects, they are being significantly enhanced.
Unauthorised Development
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue policy guidance to local planning authorities about the taking of effective enforcement action against unauthorised development.
Sir George Young : During debates on the enforcement provisions of the Planning and Compensation Bill, we promised to give local planning authorities new policy guidance about effective use of their powers to enforce planning control when those provisions are enacted. My Department and the Welsh Office are today sending to consultees a draft planning policy guidance note--PPG--about enforcement. The draft PPG emphasises the importance of using the new and improved enforcement powers provided by the Bill. It points out the significance of the greatly increased maximum summary penalties for enforcement offences. It suggests the criteria which planning authorities should bear in mind when considering whether to take formal enforcement action against a breach of planning control, and it discusses some of the circumstances in which difficult decisions about enforcement action will need to be taken, for example where the future of a small business could be put at risk by requiring it to re-locate or substantially change existing working practices. We are consulting about the draft guidance now so that the finalised PPG can be ready for issue when the enforcement provisions in the Bill have been approved by Parliament and are brought into force, later this year. We shall welcome comments on it.
House Improvement Grants
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the provisions of part VIII of the local Government and Housing Act 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir George Young : The new renovation grant system introduced by part VIII of the 1989 Act has been in operation for just over a year. I have therefore decided that it would be timely to review how well it is working.
The review will have three main objectives :
1. To review the operation of all aspects of the house renovation grant system (and the test of resources in particular) provided by part VIII of the Local Government
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and Housing Act 1989, to assess how far it is meeting its objectives and to identify possible obstacles (for example lack of availability of resources) to achieving them.2. To consider what changes are desirable to address problems and anomalies identified, and to facilitate the effective operation of the grant system having regard to resource implications.
3. To make recommendations for amendments to secondary legislation and Departmental guidance to implement proposed changes, and to identify where changes to primary legislation may be desirable. Written comments on the operation of the new grants system should be submitted to the Department (Room N12/05, 2 Marsham street) by 30 September 1991.
Structure Plans
Sir Peter Morrison : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 18 July, Official Report, col. 241, when he decided, when reviewing structure plans, not to take into account necessary development in villages and rural areas.
Mr. Yeo : [holding answer 23 July 1991]. There has been no such decision, nor could there be under planning law. The Secretary of State's policy remains as currently set out in planning policy guidance note 15. Structure plans must ensure that the scale of provision for development is realistic for the county as a whole, and in terms of its distribution within the county, and be consistent with national and regional policy.
Sir Peter Morrison : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to his answer of 18 July, Official Report , column 241 , (1) if he will publish the statistics which are available on his decisions on panel recommendations in connection with structure plans proposals ;
(2) if he will make it his practice to collect comprehensive statistics on his decisions on panel recommendations in connection with structure plans proposals. Mr. Yeo [holding answer 23 July 1991] : In each case, the panel report and a statement of the Secretary of State's proposed modifications, with reasons, are published. We keep the degree of modification under scrutiny. The proposed modifications vary in importance and in whether they can be presented quantitatively. For these reasons, no statistical analysis is available, and it would be difficult to draw sound conclusions from any statistical survey.
Departmental Documents
Sir Peter Morrison : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what documents were given to Cheshire county council in March, April and May by his Department ; and what they contained.
Mr. Yeo [holding answer 23 July 1991] : In connection with the Cheshire replacement structure plan the following documents were shown to officers of Cheshire county council on 10 May 1991 : 1. the draft list of proposed modifications and policies ; 2. the draft supporting Statement of reasons ; 3. the Panel Report. These were provided on an "in confidence" basis in order to obtain their comments on the drafting of the proposed modifications to avoid factual errors or inconsistencies.
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Local Plans
Sir Peter Morrison : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 18 July, Official Report , column 241 , (1) when he decided to remove prime responsibility from local authorities for the formulation of detailed proposals in local plans for their areas ;
(2) if he will list the factors on which he based his decision to change his policy in relation to development plans from that of giving priority to district and county councils.
Mr. Yeo : There has been no such change in policy. Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, local planning authorities have the primary responsibility for the preparation of development plans ; but that Act also sets out the powers through which the Secretary of State may intervene in that process. In particular, until the Planning and Compensation Bill provisions on development plans are commenced, the Secretary of State has the final responsibility for approving structure plans. Our policy is to use these powers of intervention only when necessary, for example to secure consistency with national or regional strategic guidance.
Roads
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision there is for (a) members of the public and (b) local highways authorities to comment on roads promoted by urban development corporations.
Mr. Key : Urban development corporations are local planning authorities for their areas and are subject to the same statutory requirements on consultation as other planning authorities. In London, under the general regulations of 1976, London Docklands development corporation is also required to consult the London boroughs on all its own development proposals.
Long Grass
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what responsibilities local authorities have to relieve the nuisance caused by long grass being cut and left in situ on roadside verges by council employees ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : I have been asked to reply.
Grass on roadside verges is cut by highway authorities for safety purposes. If the grass has grown very long, particularly in an urban situation, good practice guidance is that the cut grass should be removed.
Urban Development Corporations
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the budget of each urban development corporation to cover the provision for training in each of the years 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92.
Mr. Key [pursuant to his answer, 4 July 1991, c. 180.] : The information is shown in the table.
UDC |1989-90|1990-91|1991-92
|£ 000 |£ 000 |£ 000
---------------------------------------------------
Black Country |150 |400 |900
Bristol |nil |nil |nil
Central Manchester |7 |35 |71
Leeds |4 |15 |15
London Docklands |2,400 |3,300 |2,200
Merseyside |315 |315 |260
Sheffield |58 |67 |100
Teesside |148 |100 |200
Trafford Park |22 |184 |446
Tyne and Wear |n/a |n/a |n/a
Food Safety Act 1990
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reword the guidelines to regulations in the Food Safety Act 1990 so as to remove their existing ambiguity.
Mr. Dorrell : I have been asked to reply. We are currently considering a number of comments on the draft code of practice on food hygiene inspections. It will be published in due course.
Environmental Training
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, what funds have been received by the United Kingdom under the European Community's regional development fund in support of programmes to make environmental improvement and to develop environmental information and training.
Mr. Leigh : I have been asked to reply.
Comprehensive information on receipts from the European regional development fund (ERDF) for these purposes is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, ERDF allocations have been made within the United Kingdom's community support frameworks under objective 1, 2 and 5b of the structural funds as follows, at 1989 prices.
|£ million
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Objective 1
(Priority 1-improvement of social and physical |35
environment) |(1989-93)
Objective 2
(Priority 4-improving the image of the region) |57
|(1989-91)
Objective 5b
(Priority 1-diversification of the rural economy) |2
|(1989-91)
SOCIAL SECURITY
Elderly Men
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of men aged 60 to 64 years who will have paid insufficient national insurance contributions by the age of 65 years to be entitled to a pension ; and if he will estimate the average waiting time for men between ceasing to be economically active and becoming entitled to a state retirement pension.
Miss Widdecombe : This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Attendance Allowance
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received on the number of elderly people who qualify for income support following receipt of attendance allowance yet fail to claim.
Mr. Scott : Representations have been received from Notting Hill Housing Association and Hertfordshire county council social services department on a range of issues relating to the backdating of claims for income support where entitlement depends upon attendance allowance being awarded.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to revise leaflet DS668 in order to inform elderly people that they may qualify for income support when they receive attendance allowance.
Mr Scott : The administration of attendance allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Benefits, London
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of people claiming (a) income support and (b) family credit at each office in London for the last two years.
Miss Widdecombe : The administration of income support and family credit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Pensions
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the percentage of current gross average earnings that the state pension represents in the United Kingdom ; and what comparable information he has for other EC countries.
Miss Widdecombe : In Great Britain the basic rate retirement pension for a single person, at April 1990 rates, represented 17.8 per cent. of average gross weekly earnings . This basic rate retirement pension does not include SERPS, nor does it include the occupational pension that over half all pensioners received in 1988 ; in addition, nearly three quarters of pensioners received incomes from savings.
It is difficult to make direct comparisons with other EC state pension schemes because they are mostly earnings related. As a result, pensions are a reflection of individual earnings rather than the general level of earnings.
Information on the different EC pension schemes can be found in "Social Protection in The Member States of The Community" published by the European Commission, a copy of which can be found in the Library.
For separate figures on Northern Ireland I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Based on approximate average gross weekly earnings of all full time employees on adult rates--All industries and services in Great Britain and based on the New Earnings Survey and the Average Earnings Index (April 1990), earnings figures on this basis are not yet available for April 1991.
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Welsh Language
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which leaflets and claim forms for social security benefits are available in the Welsh language ; what percentage of social security offices employ Welsh-speaking counter staff and other officials who deal with the public ; and what steps are being taken to improve services, information and advice in the Welsh language.
Miss Widdecombe : The service provided for Welsh-speaking customers is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information office.
Bridge House Resettlement Unit
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what were his reasons for the closure of Bridge House resettlement unit ; and why it was closed on that particular date.
(2) whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy concerning the provision of alternative direct access accommodation to replace Bridge House resettlement unit.
Miss Widdecombe : I refer the hon. Member to the letter of 23 July 1991 from the chief executive of the Resettlement Agency to my hon. Friend the Member for Kensington (Mr. Fishburn), a copy of which is available in the Library.
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on provision for homeless single people in Kensington and Chelsea (a) before and (b) after the closure of Bridge House resettlement unit.
Miss Widdecombe : The Resettlement Agency, which is an agency within the Department of Social Security, operates 19 resettlement units nationally which provide temporary board and lodging for single homeless people with an unsettled way of life with a view to helping them resettle. Six of the agency's units are in London. A seventh, Bridge house in Notting Hill, was closed earlier this year on health and safety grounds. At the time of its closure the unit was operating 95 bed spaces. When the unit closed a total of 101 extra bed spaces were created in the remaining London units and Sittingbourne. General responsibility for homeless people is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the annual cost of extending the lower rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance to people who become disabled (a) aged between 65 and 70 years, (b) aged between 70 and 75 years, (c) aged between 75 and 80 years and (d) to all people who become disabled after the age of 65 years (all people).
Mr. Scott : The estimated costs are : (a) £20 million ; (b) £40 million ; (c) £60 million ; (d) £100 million. Costs for (a) (b) and (c) are assumed to be cumlative. All estimates are necessarily subject to large margins of uncertainty.
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Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of extending (a) the lower rate and (b) the higher rate of mobility component of the disability living allowance to children under five years.
Mr. Scott : The number of potential beneficiaries from a reduction in the lower age limit for the DLA mobility components cannot be predicted with any degree of certainty. Our tentative estimates are (a) £10 million ; (b) £25 million.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what would be the cost of paying the lower rate of the care component of the disability living allowance at (a) £10, (b) £15 and (c) £20 per week ;
(2) what would be the cost of paying the lower rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance at (a) £10, (b) £15 and (c) £20 per week.
Mr. Scott : The approximate cost by 1993-94 of introducing the lower rates of disability living allowance at £10 would be about £120 million for each component, including consequential expenditure on other benefits. Each additional £5 would increase the cost of each DLA component by around £40 million.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of raising the level of the lower rate of mobility component of the disability living allowance to the level of the higher rate.
Mr. Scott : It is estimated that the additional cost would be in the order of £150 million by 1993-94.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the annual cost of making the lower rate care component of the disability living allowance available to people aged (a) between 65 and 70 years, (b) between 65 and 75 years, (c) between 65 and 80 years and (d) all people over the age of 65 years.
Mr. Scott : The estimated costs are : (a) £25 million ; (b) £55 million ; (c) £95 million ; (d) £165 million. All estimates are necessarily subject to large margins of uncertainty.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of raising the age limit for first claiming mobility allowance by (a) one year, (b) two years and (c) three years.
Mr. Scott : I will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the annual cost of extending the higher rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance to people who became disabled (a) between 65 and 70, (b) between 65 and 75, (c) between 75 and 80 and (d) to all people who become disabled after the age of 65.
Mr. Scott : For an estimate of the cost of (d) I refer the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 17 December 1990 at columns 86-87. I will write to the hon. Member on the other points as soon as the information is available.
Severe Disablement Allowance
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of increasing the level of severe disablement allowance to that of invalidity benefit.
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Mr. Scott : We estimate that the gross cost of increasing the basic rate of severe disablement allowance to the basic rate of invalidity benefit would be about £270 million a year ; the net cost would be about £120 million a year.
Invalidity Benefit
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment his Department has made of the cost of extending the two- year linking rule to all people coming off invalidity benefit to take up work.
Mr. Scott : It would not be possible to produce a reliable estimate of the number of those coming off invalidity benefit to take up work, but we estimate that the cost of extending the linking rule from eight weeks to two years for all IVB recipients is around £30 million.
Benefits Agency
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what training Benefit Agency strategic planning teams with district management units are to receive before they draw up their strategic plans.
Miss Widdecombe : The training of Benefits Agency management is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Sri Lanka
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the freezing of the £13 million aid package to Sri Lanka following the expulsion of the British High Commissioner.
Mrs. Chalker : Her Majesty's Government's position, which has been explained to the Sri Lankan Government, is that we have withdrawn a conditional offer of £3 million of balance of payments assistance as an expression of our concern about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. The possibility of any major new aid commitments will be considered in the light of Sri Lankan Government policies and practices including the position on human rights. The reference to a £13 million aid freeze in the press was based on a misunderstood briefing.
Certain existing aid financed activities are continuing. These are mainly in the fields of education and training, local government strengthening, relief and rehabilitation programmes through NGOs, forestry and urban road rehabilitation. Their estimated cost to the British aid programme will be about £10 million this year.
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial, military, cultural and economic aid is given to Sri Lanka, apart from the recently frozen £13 million package.
Mrs. Chalker : British bilateral development aid toSri Lanka was £23.5 million in 1989 the latest year for which detailed figures are available. This was made up of financial aid totalling £15.331 million, and technical co-operation totalling £8.222 million. No cultural aid or other economic aid is given. The figures are expected to
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have been substantially less in 1990, partly because of the security situation. Our aid is focused on natural resources, power, roads, education and relief and rehabilitation.Specific details of military assistance are normally confidential between the countries concerned. Members of the Sri Lankan armed forces have, however, attended a number of courses in the United Kingdom given by the three services. We hope this training will instil the discipline and high professional and ethical standards of our own forces.
Population Activities
Mrs. Clywd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much and what percentage of the Overseas Development Administration's budget is spent on population activities for the current year and each year since 1979.
Mrs. Chalker : The figures are as follows :
|Population |Percentage of
|expenditure |net aid
|(£ million)|programme
--------------------------------------------------------
1979 |9,186 |1.1
1980 |7,589 |1.0
1981 |6,468 |0.7
1982 |9,951 |1.1
1983 |12,373 |1.2
1984 |12,333 |1.1
1985 |15,509 |1.4
1986 |15,151 |1.3
1987 |15,899 |1.4
1988 |16,710 |1.1
1989 |17,298 |1.1
For 1990, though detailed figures are not yet available, it is estimated that we spent about £24 million.
Many other United Kingdom aid activities--especially women's health and education programmes--indirectly influence the rate of population growth in developing countries.
Kenya
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the £50 million of direct assistance towards projects promoting good government will be spent in Kenya.
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Mrs. Chalker : The £50 million, which I aim to have committed over the next year, has not been broken down on a country basis. We are already supporting such activities in Kenya at a cost this year to the aid programme of about £3 million. I would expect to do more in Kenya as a result of this initiative.
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