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Mr. Chope : The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. One tenth of land in England is covered by over 4,000 sites of special scientific interest. The Department consults widely at many stages in a scheme's development. Where proposed schemes may affect sites of special scientific interest, the Department consults English Nature.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Polly Peck
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the position of Her Majesty's Government on the question of state immunity being used in the case of Polly Peck in connection with the unrecognised state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The Government do not recognise the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as a state. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the matter raised by the hon. Gentleman, which is sub judice.
Parking Fines
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretry of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many unpaid parking fines there are attributable to British missions in European Community countries ; and if he will make a statement about reciprocal arrangements for the payment of parking fines.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We are not aware of any unpaid parking fines. We instruct staff at all British missions overseas to pay any parking fines promptly. There are no reciprocal arrangements.
European Community Draft Directives
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on each European Community country's procedures for considering draft directives before their consideration by the Council of Ministers.
Mr. Garel-Jones : A European Parliament publication "Bodies within National Parliaments specialising in
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European Community affairs", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, gives information on national scrutiny arrangements. Each member state has its own procedures for considering proposals with national administrations, and consulting outside parties.Visas
Mr. Rooney : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the visa for Sabia Begum will be issued by the high commission in Dhaka, ref. BEG/A2627, as authorised on 10 September 1991.
Mr. Garel-Jones : In accordance with the guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament in immigration cases, issued to Members on 14 December 1988, I have referred the question to the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hon. Member will receive a reply from the unit as soon as possible.
Romania
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent action he has taken to assist in the strengthening of democracy in Romania.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We take every opportunity to encourage the Romanian Government to adhere to their programme of political and economic reform, most recently during the visit of my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to Romania on 18 to 20 November.
Under the know-how fund, which was extended to Romania in May this year, and other programmes, we are assisting with the establishment of democratic institutions by, for example, providing training programmes for government officials, journalists, and radio and television personnel ; and supporting visits in both directions by parliamentarians and members of political parties. We have also paid for two legal experts to visit Romania to advise on drafting the new constitution.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Road Safety
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland roads service has to improve safety at Pound street and Circular road/Harbour highway road junctions, Larne, Co. Antrim ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : In the light of the tragic accident on23 October a further examination of these junctions is under way to identify whether any additional improvements are necessary.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fatalities there have been as a result of accidents at (a) the Circular road/Harbour highway junction, Larne and (b) the Pound street/Harbour highway junction, Larne, since their construction.
Mr. Needham : Since 1976 when these two junctions were constructed the number of fatalities as a result of accidents at each has been (a) 9 (b) 3.
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Parking
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce legislation for Northern Ireland which would enable residents to obtain parking permits from the Department of Environment (NI) Roads Service, allowing them to park outside their own premises under a resident parking scheme.
Mr. Needham : Residents parking schemes are being considered for inclusion in future primary legislation.
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if Rathlin island will achieve designation as environmentally sensitive ;
(2) if he will name parts of Fermanagh as environmentally sensitive.
Mr. Hanley : I announced on 20 November that both Rathlin island and other parts of Antrim, and parts of Fermanagh, are presently being considered for designation as environmentally sensitive areas. Details are being completed and interested parties will be consulted in due course. A copy of the press release has been placed in the Library.
Carrickfergus
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the increase in (a) population and (b) unemployment in the borough of Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, in the last three years ; and what consideration he has given to the establishment of a job club in Carrickfergus.
Mr. Needham : Mid-year population estimates for June 1990, the latest available, for the Carrickfergus district council area show an increase of 1,700 in the population over the three-year period from 30 June 1987. Over the same period unemployment in the area decreased by 630.
Between October 1988 and October 1991 unemployment fell by 275. In considering locations for job clubs the Training and Employment Agency takes into account the relative numbers of long-term unemployed in the area and the availability of other job clubs within a reasonable travelling distance. It is not proposed to establish a job club in Carrickfergus.
Unlawful Killings
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the number of Catholics and the number of Protestants who have been killed in Northern Ireland in the current year to the latest available date.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 20 November 1991] : Information on the religious affiliation of those who have died in Northern Ireland this year as a result of the security situation is not available. Overall statistics for such fatalities are, however, set out as follows :
|<1>1991
-----------------------------
Civilians<2> |66
RUC |6
Regular Army |5
UDR |7
<1>As at 19 November 1991.
<2>Category includes suspect
terrorists.
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on unlawful killings in the Province since his oral answers of 14 November.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 20 November 1991] : Three civilians were killed in an incident near Craigavon on the evening of 14 November in what appears to have been a sectarian attack on workers making their way home.
The RUC investigation into these and other recent killings is being vigorously pursued. Measures have been taken to enhance the security force presence in areas believed to be most at risk.
Terrorism
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civilians have been killed, and how many wounded, by terrorist action since 1969 ; and of these how many were children aged under 10 years.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 14 November 1991] : Since 1969, a total of 1,713 civilians have been killed and more than 22,000 civilians have been injured as a direct result of terrorist action in Northern Ireland. Of those killed, 24 were children under the age of 10 years. Information is not available on how many children have been injured.
ENVIRONMENT
Housing Associations
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the payment of management fees to housing associations by local authorities following the decision of the district auditor in relation to the payment of such fees by Hammersmith and Fulham council.
Mr. Yeo : I understand the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is considering the legal implications of certain payments made to housing associations as management fees. My Department is in touch with the borough on this issue.
Public Rights of Way
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the planning inspection handbook dealing with public rights of way will be revised to take into account the Court of Appeal decision in the Rubinstein case mentioned in paragraphs D8. 33.
Mr. Yeo : The section of the planning inspectors handbook dealing with public rights of way is currently under revision and is being amended to take account of the effect of the Court of Appeal decision on the Rubinstein case. At present it is not possible to give a firm date when the updated section will be finalised. However, guidance on the implications of the Court of Appeal judgment affecting the Rubinstein decision is set out in Department of the Environment circular 18/90 which was issued to inspectors shortly after its publication. They are therefore already aware of the most recent guidance and are able to take it into account where applicable.
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Pollution and Wastes Directorate
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when each of the six extra staff recently added to his Department's pollution control and wastes directorate took up their posts ; what will be their duties ; what grades they are employed at ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The information is :
Post created |Grades |Tasks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 September |1 Grade 6 and |Work on setting up
|1 Personal Secretary|local authority
|waste disposal
|companies.
1 October |1 Grade 7 |Secretary of
|Radioactive Waste
|Management
|Advisory Committee
1 October |1 HEO |International waste
|management policy
|work.
1 October |1 Administration |Assistance to
|trainee |Advisory Committee
|on Business and the
|Environment.
1 October |1 Divisional |General assistance
|Secretary |of environment pro-
|tection and industry
|division.
Refuse Collection
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department proposes to issue new guidelines for charging for collection of refuse from mixed hereditaments.
Mr. Baldry : We intend to implement those provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 relating to the collection of waste, along with other provisions of part II of the Act, on 1 April 1992. Implementation of these provisions requires us to revise the Collection and Disposal of Waste Regulations 1988. The circular which will accompany the revised regulations will provide guidance on charging for the collection of waste from mixed (composite) hereditaments. The Department will consult the local authority associations and others on a draft of the regulations and circular.
Toxic Waste
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information Her Majesty's Government provided to the European Commission under article 13 of Council directive 84/631/EEC on the transfrontier shipment of toxic and hazardous waste ; whether this information is publicly available ; and what information he has regarding submissions under article 13 by the other EC member states.
Mr. Baldry : The Commission has said that member states will be invited to report on a number of directives concerning waste, including 84/631/EEC, on the basis of a single standardised questionnaire which is in preparation. The United Kingdom will therefore make its report under article 13 of this directive through the questionnaire.
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Wild-caught Birds (Imports)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the proportion of imported wild-caught birds which are destined for (a) high street pet shops, (b) aviculturalists and (c) conservation, research and zoos.
Mr. Baldry : This information is not available in the form requested. Since September, my Department has issued licences to import about 60,000 birds covered by conservation legislation. Some 98 per cent. of these birds were required for commercial purposes and the remaining 2 per cent. for personal, breeding or scientific purposes.
UN Environment Conference
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what decisions were agreed on the transfrontier transport of toxic materials at working group II of the third preparatory committee meeting of the United Nations conference on environment and development in August and September 1991.
Mr. Baldry : The United Nations conference on the environment and development working group considered proposals relating to the transfrontier transport of toxic materials for the UNCED action plan (agenda 21). These will now be revised for consideration by the preparatory committee at its fourth session in March 1992. The Government believe the conference can give further impetus to international moves to greater self- sufficiency in waste disposal and improved waste management, including the needs of developing countries.
Harrogate Borough Council
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest estimate received by his Department of the total expenditure by Harrogate borough council for the present financial year.
Mr. Key : Harrogate borough council's budget estimate of net revenue expenditure for 1991-92 is £14.5 million.
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of council dwellings sold in the current financial year by Harrogate borough council.
Mr. Yeo : During the first six months of the current financial year, Harrogate borough council received £743,000 from the sale of fixed assets, including £558,000 from the sale of houses and flats. The total receipts figure may include receipts from the sale of land as well as property.
Orimulsion
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has studied the environmental implications of burning Orimulsion for the generation of electricity ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is closely monitoring the current trials for burning Orimulsion at two power stations- -Ince and Richborough. The environmental impacts of emissions from power stations are taken into consideration by
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HMIP when determining authorisations under part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. HMIP is required to include in any such authorisations conditions to ensure that best available techniques not entailing excessive cost--BATNEEC--will be used to prevent or minimise harmful emissions.Homelessness
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a revised code of guidance to local authorities on homelessness which specifically addresses the issue of how to interpret those in mortgage arrears.
Mr. Yeo : My Department published a revised third edition of the homelessness code of guidance for local authorities on 14 August, and copies are available in the Library. This gives detailed advice to local authorities on their homelessness functions, including matters that should be taken into account when considering the cases of applicants who are homeless as a result of mortgage arrears. Local authorities are required to have regard to this guidance ; but in deciding whether to accept responsibility to secure accommodation for any applicant, authorities must consider the circumstances of each individual case. I do not consider further guidance to be necessary.
Drinking Water
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what communications he has received from the European Commission over the last five years regarding the 1980 drinking water quality directive ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : There are frequent communications between the Department and the European Commission, formal and informal, about various aspects of this and other directives. The most significant of those relating to the drinking water directive over the last five years have been as follows.
The Commission has pursued infraction proceedings against the United Kingdom alleging failure to incorporate the directive into legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland, to apply it to water for food production, and to comply in certain respects with the directive's requirements in relation to lead and nitrate. I firmly believe that, following a hearing later this month, the European Court of Justice should recognise that we have in fact taken all practicable steps to meet the requirements of the directive. The Environment Commissioner wrote to the then Minister for Housing, Environment and Countryside in May 1989 expressing himself satisfied that provisions in what is now the Water Act 1989, and statements made in another place during the debates on it, showed that the United Kingdom intended
"to rectify any deficiencies in water supplies as quickly as possible taking certain practicalities into account".
We have since sent the Commission detailed information about the compliance programme which is now in place in all parts of the United Kingdom. As we have told the Commission, we believe this clearly
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demonstrates that we are implementing the drinking water directive successfully and effectively. Indeed, we do not know of any other member state which has a comparable compliance programme firmly committed and fully funded. We have also sent the Commission the first report of the drinking water inspectorate covering 1990, which is also unique in the Community as a published and comprehensive record of drinking water quality. The chief drinking water inspector will be making a presentation about the report to staff of the Commission in Brussels next month.Water Act 1989
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the cases which have been referred to the Countryside Commission under section 152 of the Water Act 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : This information is commercially sensitive and is provided to the Secretary of State on the understanding that it will not be made public without the agreement of the water companies.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those water companies which have been successfully prosecuted and which are currently in the process of being prosecuted under the Water Act 1989.
Mr. Baldry : The drinking water inspectorate is investigating a number of incidents which may have had an adverse effect on drinking water quality. When their investigations are concluded they will advise me whether to prosecute the companies concerned.
Water Disconnections
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of water supply disconnections over the last available period of 12 consecutive months for each water company in England and Wales.
Mr. Baldry : This is a matter for the Director General of Water Services. Companies are required under their licence to report the number of domestic disconnections to the area customer service committee of Ofwat every six months. By agreement non-domestic disconnections are also reported. The director general published on 17 July figures for the year ending on 31 March.
Council House Sales
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by district authorities in Yorkshire and Humberside all capital receipts from the sale of council houses received each year since the introduction of the right to buy.
Mr. Yeo : The total discounted values of all sales of houses and flats for each year from 1980-81, as reported by local authorities, are in the table. Actual cash receipts in any year will depend on the extent to which the sales were financed by loans from the authorities.
Yorkshire and Humberside Region<1> Discounted value of all sales (£'000) Local Authority |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beverley |981 |1,443 |2,200 |2,170 |1,062 |1,159 |1,136 |1,429 |2,966 |3,049 |1,420 Boothferry |2,107 |2,154 |1,518 |882 |829 |623 |952 |914 |1,620 |2,275 |809 Cleethorpes |71 |2,669 |954 |569 |410 |560 |912 |845 |1,667 |1,661 |572 East Yorkshire |716 |2,018 |1,116 |n/a |714 |883 |690 |1,436 |1,969 |n/a |1,314 Glanford |910 |1,236 |774 |725 |936 |770 |474 |829 |1,201 |1,237 |613 Great Grimsby |64 |1,128 |2,300 |956 |1,093 |893 |1,288 |1,380 |2,535 |3,105 |n/a Holderness |478 |995 |880 |715 |581 |472 |590 |613 |1,371 |1,165 |495 Kingston upon Hull |0 |5,927 |6,284 |6,472 |6,069 |4,915 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a Scunthorpe |0 |2,702 |4,736 |1,779 |1,199 |1,067 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a Craven |475 |531 |603 |914 |469 |466 |659 |n/a |1,280 |1,406 |517 Hambleton |16 |1,801 |2,236 |2,008 |1,084 |815 |n/a |n/a |3,265 |2,508 |1,178 Harrogate |1,470 |1,987 |3,917 |1,782 |1,009 |1,347 |1,534 |2,313 |3,828 |3,192 |1,408 Richmondshire |3 |1,601 |1,236 |911 |920 |432 |675 |1,027 |1,381 |2,127 |820 Ryedale |882 |1,029 |1,376 |1,028 |792 |733 |1,264 |1,352 |2,868 |2,661 |29,157 Scarborough |10 |887 |n/a |n/a |903 |487 |n/a |1,705 |3,002 |4,734 |2,340 Selby |936 |2,833 |2,227 |1,451 |873 |1,171 |1,342 |1,791 |2,660 |3,207 |1,949 York |708 |2,829 |3,219 |3,309 |2,557 |2,473 |n/a |2,993 |6,058 |4,435 |2,118 Barnsley |0 |4,040 |18,573 |4,565 |2,515 |2,601 |3,445 |4,165 |5,013 |9,147 |8,213 Doncaster |491 |10,750 |23,783 |n/a |4,753 |3,869 |3,447 |5,131 |7,819 |19,752 |8,183 Rotherham |48 |12,564 |18,937 |9,500 |4,786 |4,219 |4,664 |5,323 |5,881 |11,603 |8,105 Sheffield |192 |3,979 |16,141 |7,937 |6,727 |8,594 |8,893 |16,394 |23,959 |42,893 |20,724 Bradford |7,630 |3,243 |4,448 |3,520 |3,155 |3,105 |n/a |n/a |n/a |15,756 |11,580 Calderdale |3,310 |2,388 |1,493 |1,255 |1,568 |1,469 |1,567 |1,753 |3,128 |3,694 |2,741 Kirklees |4,171 |3,647 |3,614 |1,782 |2,596 |3,048 |n/a |n/a |n/a |12,808 |15,209 Leeds |3,671 |4,974 |n/a |9,546 |8,495 |8,203 |n/a |n/a |16,505 |38,669 |28,559 Wakefield |2 |8,497 |13,119 |5,150 |4,168 |4,112 |5,004 |5,837 |9,852 |17,861 |10,670 <1>Figures shown are as reported by individual authorities. n/a indicates that no data is available.
Multiple Occupation
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following the publication of his Department's consultative document, "Draft guidance on the fitness standards for houses in multiple occupation."
Mr. Yeo : The Department has received 16 responses, nine of which were from individual local housing authorities, with the remainder from landlords' or tenants' organisations, professional bodies and others. The responses are all broadly supportive of the line taken by the Department and points of detail are being taken into account in preparing the final version.
Council House Sales
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total figure held by each district authority in Yorkshire and Humberside in capital receipts from the sale of council houses for (a) 1990 and (b) the total held at the end of the first financial quarter for the current year.
Mr. Yeo : The total of usable capital receipts held by each authority at 31 March 1991 is given in the table. Capital receipts held from the sale of council houses are not separately identifiable. Data on the stock of receipts are collected on an annual basis only.
Usuable receipts held at 31 March
1991<1>
|Thousands
---------------------------------------
Barnsley |0
Doncaster |0
Rotherham |6,641
Sheffield |44
Bradford |4,306
Calderdale |2
Kirklees |348
Leeds |0
Wakefield |493
Beverley |514
Boothferry |2,676
Cleethorpes |1,128
Glanford |0
Great Grimsby |1,069
Holderness |754
Kingston-upon-Hull |12,785
East Yorkshire |2,125
Scunthorpe |3,962
Craven |1,155
Hambleton |0
Harrogate |3,193
Richmondshire |376
Ryedale |7,200
Scarborough |0
Selby |2,115
York |2,604
<1>Latest available information.
Caravan Sites
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce a decision on the application by South Cambridgeshire district council for designated status under the Caravan Sites Act 1968.
Mr. Yeo : I am considering the application very carefully. I hope to announce the decision shortly and will write to my hon. Friend.
Homosexuality
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all legal actions that have been taken against local authorities under section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988.
Mr. Key : I am not aware of any legal actions that have been taken against local authorities under section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988.
Column 253
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department is taking to monitor the effect on local government practices of section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988.Mr. Key : While maintaining an overview of how local government legislation operates, my Department does not specifically monitor the effect of section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988. I have no plans to amend the section.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988.
Mr. Key : Since section 28 came into force my Department has received some 126 representations about the section.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to amend section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988.
River Ribble (Radioactive Contamination)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measurements are made of radioactive contamination of the River Ribble in Preston ; and what have been the most recent measurements.
Mr. Baldry : Levels of radioactivity in the River Ribble are monitored by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, by my Department, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and British Nuclear Fuels plc. The most recent results are published in the inspectorate's "Environmental Monitoring Programme Report for 1989 on the environmental impact of authorised discharges of radioactive wastes in England and Wales" and the Ministry's "Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report Number 23, Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles, 1989", both of which are available in the Library of the House. British Nuclear Fuels also publishes results in an annual report entitled "Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment", the most recent of which is for 1990.
East Thames Corridor
Mr. Shore : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants from his Department are deployed on work relating to the East Thames corridor project.
Sir George Young : A core team of eight civil servants is being established to deal with work related to the East Thames corridor and the Department's interests in the channel tunnel rail link. They will be supported by consultants, who will be appointed shortly. Staff in relevant policy divisions and in the London, Eastern and South Eastern regional offices of the Department will also contribute part of their time to this work.
Whale (Export)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what circumstances his Department recently authorised the export of an orcinus orca, known as Winnie, from Windsor safari park to Seaworld, Orlando, Florida.
Column 254
Mr. Baldry : My Department permitted export in accordance with the provisions of EC regulation 3626/82, which implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora within the European Community.
The joint Nature Conservation Committee confirmed that export would not be detrimental to the survival of the species and we were satisfied that the other conditions specified in article III of the convention had been met.
City Challenge
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the total bids received from local authorities under the city challenge initiative ; and what criteria he uses to make choices on the distribution of resources.
Mr. Key : In May 1991 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment invited 15 local authorities to bid for resources under the first, pilot round of the city challenge initiative : Barnsley, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Lewisham, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Nottingham, Salford, Sheffield, Tower Hamlets, Wirral and Wolverhampton. Barnsley was invited to work together with Doncaster and Rotherham in the preparation of a joint bid covering the Dearne Valley. In addition to the 15 invited authorities, six others submitted bids : Coventry, Newham, Sandwell, St. Helen's, Stockton and Sunderland.
In July 1991 the Secretary of State announced that 11 authorities would be invited to work up their bids into five-year action plans for their areas : Bradford, Barnsley (with Doncaster and Rotherham), Lewisham, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Nottingham, Tower Hamlets, Wirral and Wolverhampton.
Subject to the preparation of satisfactory action plans and the availability of resources, the Government intend to commit £82.5 million in resources to these areas over five years starting in 1992-93.
The criteria used in making choices on the distribution of resources include assessments of the needs of urban areas and their potential for regeneration, the quality of the bids received, the subsequent preparation of satisfactory action plans and the capacity of local authorities and their partners in city challenge effectively to implement the action plans.
Community Charge (Refugees)
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an estimate of the cost to individual community charge payers in the London borough of Hillingdon of administration, accommodation and all other related expenses arising from the care of refugees arriving in the borough during the current financial year.
Mr. Key : The information requested is not available.
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to take account of expenditure by local authorities, including major ports of entry within their area, on administration, accommodation and all other related expenditure arising from the care of refugees.
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