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Mr. Portillo : Local authorities should be attempting to collect 100 per cent. of the community charges due in their areas ; well-managed authorities are coming very close to achieving this.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the safety net arrangements within the national non-domestic rate system ; and if he has any plans to make changes to those arrangements.
Mr. Portillo : We have received a number of representations about the non-domestic rate transitional arrangements. We shall shortly be making regulations to allow transitional protection to continue in cases where a local authority waste disposal company takes over property occupied by an existing waste disposal authority under part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make changes to the arrangements for the national non- domestic rate for 1992-93 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : A number of provisions modifying the non-domestic rating system are contained in schedule 10 to the Local Government Finance Bill. Those which would
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have effect in 1992-93 concern the payment of interest in respect of overpayments of rates, the rating of multiple moorings, the exemption of church property, the reference date for the determination of rateable values, and the information which charging authorities must take into account in calculating their contributions into the national non-domestic rating pool.Council House Building
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority permanent dwellings have been started in the 32 London boroughs in each year since 1979.
Mr. Yeo : The information requested for 1979 is shown in table 5 of the publication "Local Housing Statistics : England and Wales", issue No. 53 (May 1980). Figures for 1980 to 1989 appear in "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Areas, 1980 to 1989", tables 1.1 to 1.10. Figures for 1990 are in "Local Housing Statistics : England and Wales", issue No. 98 (July 1991). The following information is available on local authority housebuilding in 1991 :
|Local authority
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Authorities with local |Barking 10 dwellings
authority housing starts in |Barnet 4 dwellings
1991 |Kensington and Chelsea
| 4 dwellings
|Waltham Forest 88 dwellings
(b) Authorities with no local |Bromley, Camden, Croydon,
authority housing starts in |Ealing, Greenwich,
1991 |Hackney, Hammersmith and
|Fulham, Harrow, Havering,
|Hounslow, Islington,
|Redbridge, Sutton,
|Wandsworth, Westminster
(c) Authorities which have not |Bexley, Brent, Enfield,
yet sent returns for all, or |Haringey, Hillingdon,
part, of 1991. No authority |Kingston upon Thames,
reporting for part of 1991 |Lambeth, Lewisham,
has recorded any local |Merton, Newham,
authority housing starts |Richmond upon Thames,
|Southwark, Tower Hamlets
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Tenants' Participation
Mr. Turner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the Housing Corporation's document "Tenant Participation Strategy".
Mr. Yeo : The corporation has not yet completed its review of tenant participation strategy. As soon as it publishes a strategy document, I shall be happy to arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.
Orimulsion
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from his European opposite numbers with regard to orimulsion.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the burning of orimulsion ; and to which power stations they relate.
Mr. Baldry : I have received a number of representations concerning the burning or proposed burning of orimulsion generally and at individual power stations such as Pembroke and Ince. A considerable number have also been received by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in respect of applications for authorisation under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to burn orimulsion at Padiham and Pembroke power stations.
Nature Reserves
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what restrictions are placed on developments by local authorities of designated local nature reserves ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : Local planning authorities can grant themselves planning permissions under the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1976. Authorities are required to give their proposals the same publicity, to make them subject to the same consultations, and to consider them against the same criteria and policies, as they would an ordinary planning application for similar development. On 27 February the Department of the Environment issued for consultation a draft planning policy guidance note on nature conservation which provides up to date guidance on how the Government's policies on the conservation of our natural heritage are to be reflected in land use planning.
Wind Farms
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on wind farm developments ; and what proposed developments he has called in.
Mr. Yeo : My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on such developments in response to the Department's consultations and proposed planning policy guidance note on renewable energy. He has called in two planning applications for wind farms : at Kirkby moor in south Lakeland, and Ovenden moor, Halifax.
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Business Rates
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the amounts outstanding in unpaid business rates for 1990-91 and 1991-92.
Mr. Portillo : I estimate that up to 31 December 1991 a total of £9,130 million was collectable from non-domestic rates in respect of properties on local rating lists for the 1990-91 financial year. By 31 December 1991 local authorities had collected £8,960 million. For 1991 -92, I estimate that £10,600 million of non-domestic rates are collectable within the year. By 31 December 1991 local authorities had collected £8,180million.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the revenue available to local authorities from business rates for each year from 1979-80 to 1992-93 showing the figures in £ million and constant prices.
Mr. Portillo : The available information is as follows :
Local authority non-domestic rates
|<1>Non-domestic|1991-92
|rates |prices
|£ million |£ million
----------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |3,354 |7,798
1980-81 |4,169 |8,191
1981-82 |5,013 |8,982
1982-83 |5,685 |9,509
1983-84 |6,042 |9,659
1984-85 |6,361 |9,684
1985-86 |6,740 |9,725
1986-87 |7,566 |10,569
1987-88 |8,088 |10,715
1988-89 |8,819 |10,901
1989-90 |9,595 |11,138
1990-91 |10,429 |11,159
1991-92 |12,408 |12,408
1992-93 |12,306 |11,776
<1> For the years 1979-80 to 1989-90 this represents
non-domestic
rate yields net of rate relief. For the years 1990-91 to
1992-93 this
represents the distributable amount from the non-domestic rates
pool.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his best estimates of the amount of business rates being transferred between gainers and losers under the uniform business rate safety net arrangements for 1992-93, showing the amounts deferred for both categories.
Mr. Portillo : I estimate that the amount of business rate increases in England being deferred for losers is about £475 million. An equal amount of reduction for gainers is also being deferred.
Local Government (Political Control)
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in rank order, showing political control, the all ages social index for local authorities for 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Mr. Portillo : A table showing the information requested has been placed in the Library.
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Market Testing
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list any area within his Department that have been identified since 18 November (a) by individuals or organisations from the private sector or (b) otherwise as possibly suitable for market testing and contracting out ; and what steps are being taken to prevent any non- governmental organisations successfully tendering to carry out work currently undertaken by civil servants facing a conflict of interest between the public interest requirement of this work and other commercial activities they are involved in or other clients they represent ;
(2) if he will list the individuals or organisations from the private sector who have been involved since 18 November (a) in determining areas within his Department for market testing or contracting out or (b) who have advised him of areas that should be market tested or contracted out to market consultants, the total fees or other costs to date and the full costs likely to be charged.
Mr. Heseltine : My officials are currently drawing up proposals for new market testing areas within the Department in line with the timetable set out in the Financial Secretary's letter to the Home Secretary of 17 December. A market testing adviser from the private sector is to be appointed soon to assist in this task. The market testing areas are to be selected from the list of possible candidates set out on page 13 of the White Paper "Competing for Quality" (Cm 1730). My Department will carefully vet all non-government organisations involved in tendering for work currently undertaken by civil servants to ensure conflicts of interest do not arise.
Reptiles (Indonesia)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what scientific advice he has received on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species appendix 2 status for reptile species from Indonesia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : My scientific advisers, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), are currently considering new information from the Indonesian authorities about these species. The European Commission proposes to arrange discussion of this information by representatives of EC member states during the current conference of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The JNCC will give advice at this meeting, which will decide whether or not the EC should lift its current ban on the import of certain species from Indonesia.
Water Supply, Hull
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has decided to take in respect of the supply of water unfit for human consumption in Hull in 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : The drinking water inspectorate has reported to me on the progress of its investigations into the outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in the Hull area in December 1989 and January 1990. This investigation has inevitably been difficult and lengthy because of gaps in
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scientific knowledge about cryptosporidium, which a research programme funded by the Department is seeking to remedy.This case has raised a number of new and complex issues, and necessarily continues to involve external advisers as well as the inspectorate. An outbreak control group, comprising representatives of the health authorities, the local authorities, the water company and the Public Health Laboratory Service, was established in the locality during the outbreak and its report was essential to the inspectorate's investigations. The group was not able to complete its report until March 1991. Advice then had to be sought from the Government's Chief Medical Officer and, in view of the possibility of a prosecution, from leading counsel.
The case is being taken forward as quickly as possible and I shall make a further statement as soon as there is further progress to report.
Local Government Commission
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance will be available to the Local Government Commission in assessing the identities and interests of local communities.
Mr. Portillo : We commissioned two research projects as a contribution to thinking on how to assess community identity in the restructuring of local government. The research is intended as a starting point for the Local Government Commission in its work in recommending changes to local government structure and boundaries. I have placed in the Library copies of the reports "Identification with local areas" by Alan Hedges and "Application of Geographic Information Systems to community boundary definition" by the centre for urban and regional development studies at Newcastle university. Copies have also been sent to the local authority associations and the Audit Commission.
Water Pollution
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received the report by the drinking water inspectorate on the incident at the Iver treatment works of Three Valleys Water in July 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : I have now received the drinking water inspectorate's report on the incident at the Iver treatment works in July 1992, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. A summary of the findings and recommendations is being made widely available.
The inspectorate found that the normal disinfection processes failed on Saturday 20 July 1991 because, when a changeover occurred from one bulk liquid chlorine storage tank to another tank, a valve on the outlet from the second tank was not opened and remained shut for 4 hours. The effect of this failure was mitigated however by mixing that occurs at the treatment works and in the distribution networks part of the normal operation of the system, and by the fact that chlorine is applied at various stages. Having weighed all the evidence, the inspectorate has concluded that there is no reason to believe that the water supplied by the company in the period following the incident was unfit for human consumption. Any breach of the quality standards in the Water Quality Regulations is likely to have been trivial.
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The inspectorate is critical of the company for not taking appropriate remedial action at the works within a reasonable period. It has nevertheless concluded that, on the basis of the situation at that time and the information available, senior management took a prudent decision on the Saturday night to issue advice to consumers to boil water. However the water undertakers owned by Three Valleys Water which supply water from the Iver works, Colne Valley Water Company Plc and Rickmansworth Water Plc, contravened the Water Quality Regulations by failing to notify each local authority and district health authority affected by the incident. At the time of the incident there were no powers to take enforcement action in relation to a contravention of this nature, but I can confirm that this gap in the legislation has now been filled for the future. The report identifies specific deficiencies in the instrumentation at the Iver works, in operational and management procedures, in emergency plans, and in contingency plans for communicating with consumers in such circumstances. Although microbiological analysis would not have provided results until the following day, the inspectorate is nevertheless critical of the company's failure to carry out comprehensive sampling and analysis particularly of water leaving the Iver works. The report also identifies weaknesses in the response to the incident by local authorities and district health authorities.The report puts forward 13 recommendations. Most of these have already been met by action which Three Valleys Water has subsequently taken, and the company has accepted the remaining recommendations. Some of the recommendations about contingency planning also require the co-operation of the relevant local authorities, district health authorities and police forces, and of the media, and I hope that this will be forthcoming.
In a covering letter to the report, the chief inspector has drawn attention to a number of points which have implications for the approach adopted by water companies generally to preventing failures of disinfection and ensuring that the necessary contingency plans are in place. I have accepted the conclusions and recommendations of the report, and the chief inspector's advice that further guidance should be given to all water companies on these matters. He will be writing to companies promptly for this purpose, and special attention will be paid to emergency procedures in the annual inspections of water companies.
In the light of the conclusions of this report, my Department will discuss with the Department of Health and the Home Office whether further guidance needs to be given to local authorities and health authorities about their role in responding to incidents affecting water supply. To ensure that liaison with the media functions effectively on future occasions and to secure a prompt response, we are also drawing the attention of water companies to the BBC guide on facilities for broadcasting emergency announcements. We are recommending them to make appropriate standing arrangements both with the BBC and with other television and radio stations serving their areas.
The inspectorate's report is commendably thorough. The findings that, although we have a very high standard of drinking water in this country, and this particular incident did not cause damage to health, there is scope for improving procedures in order to provide more effective safeguards for the future. I confirm that the necessary action has either been taken or is in hand.
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United Nations Conference
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what matters are on the agenda for the final preparatory committee meeting in New York from 2 March to 2 April for the forthcoming United Nations conference on environment and development.
Mr. Baldry : The main items for consideration at the final United Nations conference on environment and development preparatory committee are 900 pages of proposed action under the heading of "Agenda 21--a statement of principles on the world's forests and the Earth Charter".
Inland Waterways
Mr. Gould : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the results of his consultation into the management of the navigation of inland waterways ; and what changes he is considering in navigation rights as part of this review following the River Derwent judgment.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 27 February 1992] : Responses are still being received. The outcome of the review will be announced as soon as possible.
Peat Extraction
Mr. Gould : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment following the agreement between English Nature and Fisons plc (a) who now owns the mineral rights for the sites concerned and (b) to what habitat- type it is intended to restore cut over areas of lowland raised peatbog once the peat has been extracted.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 27 February 1992] : Of the 8,000 acres of land involved, English Nature will immediately assume ownership of mineral rights over some 2,800 acres ; Fisons will retain the mineral rights for the remainder.
The objective has been to restore lowland peat vegetation on the cutover areas, but I am advised that a mosaic of other habitats, such as fen, is likely to be the end result.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Duchy Visits
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many visits he plans to make to the Duchy in the period before April.
Mr. Chris Patten : I have no present plans to visit the Duchy in my capacity as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster during the coming month.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Recycled Paper
Mr. Hayward : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee (1) what target is set for the use of recycled writing paper in the House.
(2) if he will make arrangements to supply all stores in the House with recycled writing paper ;
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(3) what is the cost of recycled House writing paper expressed as a percentage of the cost of non-recycled paper ;(4) what proportion of writing paper used by hon. Members is recycled ;
(5) what was the level of recycled writing paper used in the House 12 months ago ;
(6) why it is not possible to order House of Commons writing paper which has been recycled for delivery in less than three weeks.
Mr. Orme : There is no target set for the use of recycled writing paper in the House. At its meeting on 18 June 1991 the Services Committee approved a resolution of the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee that a range of recycled items of stationery should be stocked on a permanent basis in addition to existing ranges of equivalent stationery of archival quality, but that, for the present, it should be supplied only from the Serjeant at Arms stores. The Serjeant at Arms has taken steps to draw Members' attention to the availability of recycled writing paper and I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.
Telephones
Mr. Allen : To ask the Lord President of the Council how many telephones there are in the House of Commons ; and what was the total telephone bill for the last available year.
Mr. MacGregor [holding answer 5 December 1991] : I understand there are 2,972 telephones in the House of Commons ; the House telephone bill for the year ended 31 March 1991 was £1,212,831.49.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Lord President of the Council what monitoring of telephone calls made from public areas of the House of Commons takes place ; and what percentage of telephone expenditure takes place from such locations.
Mr. MacGregor [holding answer 5 December 1991] : The monitoring of telephone calls in the House has in the past caused Members great concern, particularly on the ground of the threat to their privacy. I am aware a number of Members make frequent use of telephones in the corridors and currently there is no monitoring of telephones in these areas or in any others.
Over recent months the Director of Finance, appointed as a result of the Ibbs report, has been considering how to measure telephone usage and expenditure throughout the House. The Director of Finance is aware of the sensitivities of Members to the monitoring of telephone calls and it is now for him to make a proposal to the House of Commons Commission on the principle of monitoring if he wishes to do so.
If telephone monitoring were to be introduced in any part of the House in the future, Members and staff would be given adequate warning and explanation of the measures planned. There remains, however, at present the need for the House to balance the identification of telephone expenditure against the preservation of privacy for Members in their use of the telephones throughout the House.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the policy towards supplying Members and
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authorised users with a key or pass card to access telephones in the public parts of the House ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. MacGregor [holding answer 5 December 1991] : Proposals to limit the use of telephones will be considered by the Administration Committee shortly after the Easter recess and it is hoped to introduce new measures when the telephone exchange is upgraded in mid-1992 ; it is unlikely that a key or pass card will form part of these proposals.
EMPLOYMENT
Doncaster Unemployment Office
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the unemployment office in Trafford way, Doncaster, was first open for business ; and when it received its official opening.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
Market Testing
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Empoyment if he will list any areas within his Department that have been identified since 18 November (a) by individuals or organisations from the private sector or (b) otherwise as possibly suitable for market testing and contracting out ; and what steps are being taken to prevent any non-governmental organisations successfully tendering to carry out work currently undertaken by civil servants facing a conflict of interest between the public interest requirement of this work and other commercial activities they are involved in or other clients they represent.
Mr. Jackson : A study to determine the most promising areas for market testing within the Department is not yet complete. The Department follows the guidance on the ethics of conducting business with the private sector contained in the Treasury's public competition and purchasing unit's guidance--CUP No. 16.
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the individuals or organisations from the private sector who have been involved since 18 November 1991 (a) in determing areas within the Department for market testing or contracting out or (b) who have advised of areas that should be market tested or contracted out to market consultants ; the total fees or other costs charged to the department by them to date and the full costs likely to be charged.
Mr. Jackson : Two companies have been used by this Department in considering areas for market testing or contracting out, namely Ernst and Young, chartered accountants and Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte. The fees agreed with these organisations for their services are commercially confidential.
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Health and Safety
Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give figures for the number of health and safety inspectors and the number of industrial accidents in (a) Wales and (b) the United Kingdom for the years 1979 and 1991.
Mr. Forth : The number of Health and Safety Executive inspectors based in Wales and the total number employed in Great Britain in 1979 and 1991 is as follows :
Year |Inspectors |Inspectors
(1 April) |based in |employed in
|Wales |Great Britain
--------------------------------------------------------
1979 |<1>69 |1,426.5
1991 |62 |1,342.0
<1> Excludes mines and quarries and industrial air
pollution
inspectors as centrally held records for 1979, for
these staff, cannot be
analysed by location.
The information available on the total number of occupational injuries occurring in Wales and in Great Britain in 1979 and the financial year 1990 -91 is as follows :
Total injuries reported<1> to Health and Safety
Executive's Factory
and Agricultural Inspectorates and Local Authorities
|Wales |Great Britain
--------------------------------------------------------
<2>1979 |<3>n/a |269,763
<4><5>1990-91 |9,629 |180,450
<1> Reported under various pieces of health and safety
legislation in
1979 and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and
Dangerous
Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR) for 1990-91.
<2> Injuries to employees only compulsorily reportable.
<3> Regional analysis of injuries in 1979 is not
available.
<4> Injuries to employees, self-employed people and
members of the
public injured as a result of someone else's work
activity in year
commencing 1 April 1990.
<5> Provisional.
Responsibility for occupational health and safety matters in Northern Ireland lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Unemployment, London
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has for reducing unemployment in inner London.
Mr. Jackson : The Employment Service and training and enterprise councils deliver a wide range of employment, enterprise and training programmes to help employment prospects for unemployed people. In inner London, as elsewhere, these programmes are often designed to take account of special local circumstances to help people find the best and quickest route back to employment.
Noise
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his Department's actions to combat noise in industry and other places of work since 1987.
Mr. Forth : During this period the Government introduced the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 requiring measures to control noise and protect workers. The Health and Safety Executive supplemented the regulations by
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publishing extensive guidance and free leaflets for employers, employees and machinery makers and suppliers, explaining the new legislation.Health and safety inspectors have been active in enforcing the legislation. They have mounted a series of campaigns and other initiatives to monitor compliance and to raise the awareness of the hazard created by excessive noise at work and improve understanding of the means of controlling it.
TRANSPORT
Ports Privatisation
Mr. Bell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timetable has been established for the privatisation of the port of Tilbury in accordance with the Ports Act 1991 ; what criteria he has laid down for management-employee buy-outs ; how many bidders have submitted bids ; when he expects to receive any recommendation as to the proposed successful bidder ; when he proposes to announce his decision ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Final bids for the port of Tilbury were to be submitted by 28 February. Once they have assessed the bids, the Port of London authority board will make its recommendation to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State, who will announce his decision as soon as he is able to do so. The objectives of sale for the port of Tilbury include the following criterion in respect of management and employee share -ownership :
"In considering competing bids, the PLA will have regard to the desirability of encouraging the disposal of the whole or a substantial part of the equity share capital of the company to managers or other persons employed by the company ; or to another company the whole or a substantial part of whose equity share capital is owned by managers or other persons so employed."
The number of bidders for the port is a matter of commercial confidentiality.
Mr. Bell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what submissions he has received from the port of Dover for the privatisation of the port in accordance with the provisions of the Ports Act 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : My right hon. and learned Friend has received no proposals for privatisation from that port.
Mr. Bell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timetable has been established for the privatisation of the port of Medway in accordance with the Ports Act 1991 ; what criteria he has laid down for management-employee buy-outs ; how many bidders have submitted bids ; when he expects to receive any recommendation as to the proposed successful bidder ; when he proposes to announce his decision ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Final bids for the Medway ports authority's undertakings were submitted on 24 February. Once it has assessed the bids, the Medway ports authority board will make its recommendation to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State, who will announce his decision as soon as he is able to do so. The objectives of sale for the Medway ports authority include the following criterion in respect of management and employee share-ownership : "the Authority will have particular regard to the desirability of encouraging the disposal of the whole or a substantial part of the Company to managers and employees."
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