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Mr. Portillo : Many of the 800 representations we received in response to the consultation paper "A New Tax for Local Government" refer to the implementation of the council tax. My Department is discussing detailed implementation issues with the local authority associations.
Local Government Finance
21. Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to revise the present arrangements for capping local authorities' expenditure.
Mr. Portillo : The provisional capping criteria which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 26 November represent our firm intentions for 1992-93, but before taking our capping decisions we shall take account of all appropriate considerations.
Non-metropolitan District Councils (Housing)
22. Mr. Colin Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he has now introduced to assist non-metropolitan district councils to fulfil their role as the facilitators of housing.
Mr. Heseltine : Local authorities should assess housing needs in their areas and work with housing associations and the private sector in their role as enablers to help ensure that those needs are met. They have powers, subject to the consent of the Secretary of State, to sell land below market value to provide low-cost housing for sale (including shared ownership sale) and for rent, commonly in return for nomination rights. They may also give grants to private landlords and they may sponsor housing association schemes which then receive grant from the Housing Corporation. We have also encouraged them to use their planning powers to encourage developers to include a proportion of low-cost housing in new developments.
Wild Birds
23. Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the work of English Nature in respect of wild bird habitat.
Mr. Baldry : English Nature continue to make satisfactory progress in the conservation of wild bird habitat primarily through the notification of SSSIs and, where appropriate, through their subsequent management.
Housing Estates
24. Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on Government policy towards outer-city housing estates.
Mr. Yeo : In common with other housing estates, those in outer city areas can benefit from the increased emphasis on performance and proposals in the allocation of housing investment programme resources and the major programmes we now have in place under estate action, housing action trusts and city challenge.
Carlisle Council Housing
25. Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses were built by Carlisle city council in the financial year 1990-91.
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Mr. Yeo : None. The building of new social housing is now mainly the responsibility of housing associations, and the role of the local authority should be to assess the housing needs of the area and work with housing associations and the private sector to ensure that these needs are met. Carlisle city council is well aware of its enabling role and has secured an increase in Housing Corporation funding for housing association schemes over the next three years.Green Belt
26. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres within the former Greater London council area are designated as green belt ; what was the figure in May 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir George Young : The Metropolitan green belt has grown from just over 750,000 acres in 1979 to 1.2 million acres now. Figures for the former GLC area would need to be obtained from the individual local authorities.
Local Authorities (Privatisations)
27. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 local authorities who have made the greatest savings through privatisation of services over the last 10 years ; and the bottom 10.
Mr. Key : My Department does not collect this information.
Water Regulation
28. Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the regulatory regime for the water industry in delivering quality of service in the long term.
Mr. Baldry : Quality of service is a central concern of the Director General of Water Services, and the Competition and Service (Utilities) Bill will lead to a further strengthening of his powers. The National Rivers Authority and the drinking water inspectorate are dealing effectively with, respectively, environmental quality and the quality of drinking water.
County Hall, London
29. Ms. Hoey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the London residuary body to discuss county hall.
Mr. Yeo : My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to meet Sir Godfrey Taylor. Ministers meet Sir Godfrey to discuss London residuary body business as and when the need arises.
Planning and Compensation Act 1991
31. Mr. Allason : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans there are to implement the enforcement procedures contained in the Planning and Compensation Act 1991.
35. Sir George Gardiner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to implement the enforcement provisions contained in the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir George Young : I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen).
Poll Tax
32. Mr. Douglas : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of poll tax payments outstanding since its introduction ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : Up to 30 September 1991 local authorities in England had collected £9.7 billion in community charges for the financial year 1990-91 leaving £500 million of the income they budgeted to receive for 1990-91 yet to be collected. An additional £400 million of community charges bills have been issued against which authorities had already made provision for non-payment.
36. Mr. Haynes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to abolish the poll tax 20 per cent. contribution rule for 1992-93 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : I do not propose to make any change in the existing basis of liability or the benefit arrangements for the remaining period of the community charge.
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call for a report from each local authority as to the position on 31 March 1991 and 30 September 1991, as to how many liability orders for poll tax recovery have been passed to bailiffs ; of these, how many liability orders were enforced by (a) payment agreements and (b) distraints exercised ; and of these how many bailiff visits were unsuccessful because the poll tax non-payer had moved away.
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call for a report from each local authority, as at 31 March 1991 and 30 September 1991, as to how many attachment-of-earnings orders are in place to recover poll tax arrears.
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call for a report from each local authority to show how many summonses for poll tax non-payment for 1990-91 were issued at 31 March 1991 and 30 September 1991, and of those between 31 March 1991 and 30 September 1991, how many were also for 1991-92 non-payment.
Mr. Key : No. The Home Office collects statistics by individual magistrates court which are not analagous to local authority areas. These show that in 1990-91 the courts issued over 4.7 million summonses to authorities and so far in 1991-92 nearly 3.3 million have been issued. However, these figures relate to the date on which the summonses were granted and not to the year of the charge.
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call for a report from local authorities to show, at 31 March 1991 and 30 September 1991, what percentage of information requests sent to poll tax non-payers served with a liability order were returned.
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Mr. Key : No.Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines he issues for the use by local authorities of bailiffs for poll tax enforcement.
Mr. Key : My Department issued a practice note to all charging authorities advising them to check the reputation, qualifications and expertise of private firms of bailiffs and to issue guidelines to them on procedures. The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation have incorporated and expanded this advice in a revised practice note.
River Quality
33. Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on river water quality.
Mr. Trippier : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams) earlier today.
Urban Protection
34. Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to strengthen the powers available to local authorities and civic bodies in protecting the character and environment of urban areas.
Mr. Portillo : The Government have given local authorities substantially enhanced powers to protect the character and environment of their urban areas and do not see any need at the moment to add to those powers.
Incinerators
37. Mr. Ted Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the date of the publication of the report of the public inquiry into the application to build two incinerators in Tyne and Tees areas.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend expects to receive the inspector's report on the three linked incinerator inquiries on Tyneside and Teesside before Christmas. The reports will be published, along with his decision on the applications, as soon as it is practicable to do so.
Homelessness
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Government have to assist homeless people in cities other than London over the Christmas holiday period.
Mr. Yeo : In 1991-92, the Government are providing just under £6 million in grants to voluntary organisations throughout the United Kingdom for practical projects to prevent and relieve homelessness. The concentrations of rough sleepers in individual local authority areas throughout the United Kingdom are comparatively small and in the event of severe weather this winter, I would expect individual local authorities to make emergency provision for people sleeping out in their areas.
EC (Visits)
Mr. Forman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for himself, and for each of the Ministers at his Department, details of (a) the number of
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visits made in the past month to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on official business related to the European Community, (b) the number of visits made to Brussels within the past month on official business related to the European Community and (c) the number of nights spent over the past month away from the United Kingdom on official European Community business.Mr. Heseltine : For the month ending 24 November the information is as follows :
(i) 51 visits
(ii) 40 visits
(iii) 77 nights.
London Residuary Body
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of capital receipts enjoyed by the London residuary body since its inception.
Mr. Key : Since its inception LRB has distributed more than £520 million in capital receipts among the London boroughs.
Global Warming
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the advertisement which appeared in The Sunday Times entitled "Global Warming--We Have Been Warned", on 10 November ; in how many other newspapers it appeared ; and what was the cost in each case.
Mr. Heseltine : All advertising rates obtained are commercial in confidence. The advertisement entitled "Global Warming--We Have Been Warned" appeared in The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Observer, The Independent on Sunday as well as The Sunday Times.
School Cleaning
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the standard of cleaning in schools since the contracting out of school cleaning services.
Mr. Key : The Department does not collect information on the standard of cleaning in schools following competition for cleaning work. The Local Government Act 1988 requires local authorities to prepare a detailed specification setting out the standards required, and further requires the in-house direct service organisation to comply with this specification in carrying out the work ; a private contractor would be similarly so obliged under the terms of his contract with the authority. Under the Education Reform Act 1988, schools with delegated budgets may determine the standard of cleaning they require and their wishes must be reflected in the specification. Research commissioned by the Department from the Institute of Local Government Studies at the university of Birmingham indicates that one effect of competition has been that authorities have paid greater attention to the clear definition of service standards.
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Uniform Business Rate
Mr. Enright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the responses he received to his consultation paper "A New Tax for Local Government", were in favour of retaining the uniform business rate ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : Although the consultation paper included no proposals for changes to the uniform business rate, we received representations from eight local authorities, and a number of other organisations and individuals, in favour of its retention.
Copies of all responses were placed in the Library on 14 October.
Air Pollution
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings he, departmental Ministers or officials have had with representatives of (a) the foundries industry, (b) paintmakers (c) chipboard manufacturers and (d) the castings industry in regard to difficulties posed by the air pollution requirements imposed under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 ; and what matters have (i) been resolved and (ii) remain to be resolved.
Mr. Baldry : Officials met representatives of the industries listed in working parties convened to assist the preparation of guidance notes on BATNEEC (best available techniques not entailing excessive cost) standards to be met by industrial operators becoming subject to local authority air pollution control under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The number of meetings were as follows :
foundries and castings industry--6 meetings on note no. PG2/4 chipboard manufactuers--10 meetings on noe no. PG6/4
paintmakers--10 meetings on note no. PG6/10 plus 30 meetings on other paint -related guidance notes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met representatives of the Paintmakers Association in May.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already published process guidance on iron, steel and non-ferrous metal foundry processes (PG2/4) and on processes for the manufacture of particleboard and fibreboard (PG6/4). The remaining guidance on coating manufacture and sectors using coatings will be published early next year in advance of these processes coming into the new controls from 1 April 1992. Trade associations, together with a wide range of other bodies, have been given the opportunity to comment on the final drafts of guidance notes and these comments are considered when the guidance is finalised for publication.
Environmental Assessment
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has obtained for his departmental library a copy of the recent report, "Environmental Assessment : Experience to Date" produced by the Institute of Environmental Assessment.
Mr. Yeo : I have arranged for a copy of the papers for the conference on advances in environmental assessment held at the Royal Lancaster hotel, London, from 28 to 29 October 1991--in which this article by Dr. Tim Coles appeared--to be placed in my Department's library.
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British Nuclear Fuels
Mr. Carr : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make it his policy to require BNFL to publish its criteria for assessing best available technology not entailing excessive cost ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what criteria are used to assess best available techniques not entailing excessive cost with reference to the BNFL Springfields works ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : BATNEEC relates to a requirement placed upon operators of processes that fall under the regulation of part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Regulation of nuclear site operators falls under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 which requires operators to use the best practicable means (BPM) to reduce radioactive discharges. An explanation of BPM and how it applies to discharges from BNFL's Springfield works is set out in an explanatory memorandum from the recent public consultation exercise concerning proposals to revise Springfield's liquid discharge authorisation. I have arranged for a copy of this document to be placed in the Library of the House. Information on BPM in BNFL's application for revision of the Springfield's liquid authorisation was classified commercially sensitive, and as such cannot be published under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, as amended by part V of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Heveningham Hall
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his policy towards Heveningham hall.
Mr. Heseltine : My concern is to ensure that this outstanding house is fully restored and properly cared for. I will announce my decision on pre-emption very shortly.
Flood Damage (Calderdale)
Mr. Donald Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will be making payments of grant to Calderdale metropolitan borough council to compensate it for emergency work undertaken in the light of flood damage on 19 and 20 May 1989.
Mr. Key : Yes. In the light of information provided by the council in December 1990, my right hon. Friend is satisfied that special financial assistance would be justified in the case. Accordingly the Secretary of State has decided, with the consent of the Treasury, to establish a scheme of assistance under section 155 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 in respect of expenditure relating to damage caused by flash floods in Calderdale in 1989. Grants will be paid to reimburse local authorities in the area of the Metropolitan borough of Calderdale for 75 per cent. of eligible costs above a threshold.
Property Services Agency
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the progress towards implementing his policy of privatising Property Services Agency projects ; which consultants are handling the negotiations ; how many specific bids have been obtained ; when they will be evaluated ; and when he expects the matter to be concluded.
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Mr. Yeo [holding answer 3 December 1991] : Preparations for the sale of Property Services Agency projects are continuing following the decision, announced in July, to offer the business for sale as early as possible next year, subject to progress and market sentiment. The sale process itself including evaluation of bids could take some six months. My financial advisers are Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte. Bids have not yet been invited.Live Television Feed
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the locations of the television sets in his Department which can receive the live television feed from the Chamber, and the total cost to his Department of this service.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 3 December 1991] : My Department has 12 television sets equipped to receive the live television feed from the Chamber, all of which are located within 2 Marsham street, London SW1P 3EB. The total cost to date of this service is £13, 795.67.
Environmental Protection Regulations
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answer of 27 November, Official Report, column 503, precisely where in the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991 the specific terms "same location" and "same person", appearing, respectively, in lines one and two of paragraph 2 of schedule 2 thereof, are unambiguously defined ; and what is the Minister's intended meaning of those specific phrases.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 3 December 1991] : These terms are not defined specifically in the regulations but have the normal meaning attributed to them. Their exact definition is a matter for interpretation by the courts.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
House of Fraser
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to fulfil the undertaking given by his predecessor to the Select Committee on Trade and Industry to report to the House on how all the regulations concerned with the takeover of the House of Fraser have carried out their duties.
Mr. Redwood : When further relevant information is provided by regulators.
Disabled Staff
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many disabled people are currently employed in his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : The Department employs 184 people who are known to be disabled. This figure includes both registered and unregistered disabled officers.
The Department has taken steps to try to increase the number of disabled recruits and aims to ensure that disabled staff receive equal treatment. It fully accepts the responsibilities laid down by the civil service code of practice on the employment of disabled people.
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EC Funds
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he envisages a conclusion to the discussions with the European Commission on additionality in order to allow the unfreezing of EC regional development funds to the United Kingdom, in particular RECHAR and RENAVAL.
Mr. Leigh : I hope that the Commission will release the RECHAR grants, applied for in July 1990, without further delay. RENAVAL grants are not being affected by these discussions.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many visits have been carried out by Ministers of his Department to factories and businesses involved in the manufacturing sector during each of the last five years.
Mr. Lilley : Ministers of this Department have extensive contacts with the manufacturing sector, including frequent visits to companies. However, a record of the number of such visits is not kept.
RENAVAL Programme
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the implementation in the United Kingdom to date of the EC's RENAVAL programme.
Mr. Leigh : Programmes of RENAVAL grants are currently in operation in Tyne and Wear--which has received over £23 million of European regional development fund grant--Plymouth--over £11 million--and Middlesbrough and Langbaurgh--over £4 million. Programmes for Strathclyde, Fife, and the districts of Wirral and Sefton on Merseyside have been applied for and are expected to be approved by the Commission to start soon.
Telephone Service (Premium Rate)
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce further measures to prevent abuses of telephone premium rate services involving the offering of bogus prizes to lure telephone users into using the service.
Mr. Leigh : The independent committee for the supervision of standards of telephone information services--ICSTIS--the body responsible for regulating premium rate telephone services, is in the process of amending and strengthening the code of practice regulating premium rate services. The new code, which ICSTIS expects to have in place next month, contains further provisions specifically regulating competitions and similar services.
Telephone Statistics
Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the percentage of households with telephones installed in (a) the constituency of Neath, (b) the constituency of Wokingham and (c) the United Kingdom.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 3 December 1991] : There is no information available on the percentage of
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households with the telephones installed for individual parliamentary constituencies. Around 88 per cent. of households in Great Britain had a telephone in 1990, compared to 72 per cent. in 1980.
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