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Mr. Janner : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Ministry last conducted a survey of the ethnic origin of its employees ; when it next plans to do so ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : The Department completed its survey of the ethnic origin of staff in 1987 and keeps this up to date with information on new staff and leavers. Over 92 per cent. of staff have volunteered information on their ethnic origin. The Department is fully committed to the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for people of ethnic minority origin.
Meat
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that consumers in the United Kingdom are made fully aware of the European Community health mark labelling scheme for meat.
Mr. Soames : All meat which receives either the EC or the national health mark is fit for human consumption. The health mark operates as a control measure in the chain for slaughterer to retailer. There is no requirement in EC or United Kingdom legislation for it to be displayed at the point of sale to the final consumer. Consumers can be confident that all meat produced in the United Kingdom is inspected to ensure that it has been produced in accordance with hygiene requirements and is fit to eat.
Mr. Michael Alison : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to create a national meat hygiene service.
Mr. Gummer : As I announced on 9 March 1992, a national meat hygiene service is to be established as an agency of my Department. The timing of the transfer of responsibility for fresh meat hygiene enforcement from local authorities to the new agency will depend upon parliamentary time being available for the necessary primary legislation. Detailed planning for the new agency has begun, and interested organisations will be kept informed of progress and will be consulted as appropriate.
Fishery Inspections
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether fishing boats are required to carry a ladder to facilitate inspection by fisheries protection personnel ; whether there is a directive by the European Commission about the provision of ladders on fishing boats ; and in which European Community countries the provision of a ladder on a boat is a legal requirement.
Mr. Curry : Commission regulation 1382/87 requires the provision of boarding ladders on fishing vessels to
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facilitate inspection by fisheries protection personnel. The regulation applies to vessels of all member states, and the Government are currently taking steps to incorporate the requirement into domestic legislation.ENVIRONMENT
Bathing Waters
8. Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many bathing waters were designated for the purposes of the 1975 European Community bathing waters directive by (a) 1979, (b) 1985 and (c) 1990.
Mr. Maclean : The number of United Kingdom bathing waters identified as within the scope of the bathing waters directive was 27 in 1979 and 1985, and 446 in 1990.
Derelict Land
12. Mr. Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for tackling the problem of vacant and derelict land.
Mr. Redwood : I propose to establish an urban regeneration agency with powers to reclaim vacant, derelict and underused land in urban areas. It will work in partnership with local authorities and the private sector wherever possible. The agency will be supported in its task by regulations which came into force this February requiring local authorities to maintain and publish registers of their unused and vacant land.
Housing, Hackney
15. Ms. Abbott : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to visit the London borough of Hackney to discuss housing.
Sir George Young : My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Hackney at present.
Protection Proposals
18. Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to achieve an integrated approach to environmental protection and enforcement of relevant environmental legislation in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maclean : The Government intend to create environment agencies for England, Wales and Scotland at the earliest legislative opportunity, in line with our manifesto commitments. Meanwhile we have significantly strengthened existing environmental protection requirements, for example, through the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Water Pollution
19. Mr. Lord : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to further reduce pollution in rivers and seas ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The 1990 river quality survey published by the National Rivers Authority shows that around 90 per cent. of river length in England and Wales is of good or fair quality. The system of statutory water quality
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objectives which we will be introducing later this year will ensure that a real and sustained improvement in the quality of inland and coastal waters is achieved.Estate Action
20. Mr. Streeter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the level of funding for the estate action programme in 1989-90 ; and what is the expected level of funding for 1992-93.
Mr. Baldry : The funding available for 1989-90 was £190 million. For 1992-93 it has been increased substantially to £364 million and is planned to rise to £423 million by 1994-95, focusing on the most run-down estates.
Recycling
21. Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to fund comprehensive recycling schemes in every local authority.
Mr. Maclean : I allocated £15 million of supplementary credit approvals to English local authorities on 27 April for recycling investment. That figure, which is a 25 per cent. increase on last year, included £185,000 for Bristol.
However, there is no point in setting up comprehensive recycling collection schemes if there is no market for the materials collected. The Government have commissioned a major study into the use of economic instruments to promote recycling. Once we have that report, we will be in a better position to decide whether further measures are necessary to promote recycling, beyond the extensive range of measures already introduced.
29. Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to encourage recycling in Chelmsford.
Mr. Maclean : The Government have taken a wide range of measures to promote recycling throughout the country. Recent measures which will encourage recycling in Chelmsford include the introduction of the recycling credits scheme and the allocation of £12,000 in supplementary credit approvals to Chelmsford borough council in 1992-93 to fund more recycling sites in the borough.
Noise
22. Mr. Adley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to reduce noise ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : My Department commissioned an independent review of noise control policy in 1990 and has already taken action to implement and progress over half the recommendations made in the report.
Local Government Finance
23. Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will explain the method by which standard spending assessments for local authority social services are calculated.
Mr. Squire : The method is set out in the revenue support grant distribution report, which is available in the Library.
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Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the reform of the standard spending assessments in the light of the Audit Commission's report.
Mr. Squire : Standard spending assessments (SSAs) are based on extensive analysis, research and continuing discussions with local authority representatives. The Government are not proposing any major changes to SSAs although data from the 1991 census will be incorporated as soon as possible after they become available. The Audit Commission is in the early stages of a study of standard spending assessments, but it has published no recent report on the subject. We shall, of course, consider any recommendations which the Commission may eventually make.
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Federation of Master Builders about the release of local authority capital receipts for re-investment ; and what was his response.
Mr. Redwood : My Department has received a copy of a press release from the Federation of Master Builders seeking changes in the rules on the use of local authority capital receipts. Local authorities may currently spend 25 per cent. of their capital receipts from the sale of council houses, and 50 per cent. of receipts from most other sources. We have no plans to change these percentages.
County Hall
24. Ms. Hoey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to meet the London residuary body to discuss county hall.
Mr. Redwood : I have no immediate plans to meet the London residuary body.
30. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in respect of the future of county hall and Battersea power station.
Sir George Young : I have received a number of representations on the future of county hall, particularly in the light of the offer made for the site by the London School of Economics. I have received no representations in respect of Battersea power station.
Right-to-repair Scheme
25. Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for improving the right-to-repair scheme for council tenants.
Sir George Young : The citizens charter proposed a new right-to- repair scheme to replace the existing scheme and provide local authority tenants with a simpler, stronger right to repair for the most urgent types of minor repairs affecting health, safety or crime prevention. The Government will bring forward legislation later this Session to give effect to it. A first round of consultation has been completed and there will be a further round of consultation in due course on the details.
Housing Defects Act 1984
26. Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the scope of the Housing Defects Act 1984.
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Mr. Baldry : The housing defects scheme of assistance was the subject of an efficiency scrutiny report published in November 1991. We have no plans to carry out any further review of the legislation.
Poll Tax
27. Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost to date of introducing, administering and collecting the poll tax, including the various Government-initiated relief schemes.
Mr. Redwood : The cost of preparing for, administering and collecting the community charge in England up to 1 April 1992 has been about £1.2 billion. Government relief schemes have reduced the burden of local domestic taxation to 15 per cent. of local government spending and have not added to overall public expenditure.
Council Tenants
28. Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for offering council tenants an opportunity to take a stake in the home in which they live.
Sir George Young : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. French).
Homelessness
31. Ms. Lynne : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to combat homelessness in the regions.
Mr. Baldry : The Government are very concerned about homelessness wherever it occurs, and the aim to reduce homelessness underlies all our housing policies.
Urban Regeneration Agency
32. Mr. Mudie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with interested bodies with regard to the establishment of the urban regeneration agency.
Mr. Redwood : The Department will consult interested bodies on the proposals to establish an urban regeneration agency.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what procedures will be established to enable Parliament to monitor and seek information on the activities of the proposed urban regeneration agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The urban regeneration agency will be a sponsored body working under the guidance of the Secretary of State and reporting direct to him. It is therefore appropriate for him to be accountable to Parliament for the agency.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he envisages the proposed urban regeneration agency will be established ; and what will be its annual budget for its first three years of operation ;
(2) whether responsibility for (a) city grant, (b) urban development corporations, (c) enterprise zones, (d) land
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registers, (e) task forces, (f) derelict land grant, (g) city action teams, (h) urban programme, (i) city challenge and (j) simplified planning zones will be transferred to the proposed urban regeneration agency.Mr. Redwood : These matters are being finalised. The primary function of the agency will, however, be to bring about the development of vacant and derelict land in urban areas and its responsibilities will reflect this.
Crown Immunity
33. Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to streamline the operation of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in relation to properties which formerly enjoyed Crown immunity.
Mr. Maclean : No, Sir. Under the Environmental Protection Act, properties which formerly enjoyed Crown immunity are subject to the same administrative arrangements as any other property. There is no need to streamline them.
Sea Defence
34. Mr. Ian Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the increase of sea defence responsibilities by the National Rivers Authority.
Mr. Maclean : The Environment Committee of the House of Commons for the Session 1991-92 has issued a report on coastal zone protection and planning. This includes recommendations for the reorganisation of responsibilities for coast protection and sea defence. The Government will respond to that report in due course.
Construction Industry
35. Sir Michael Neubert : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his assessment of the short and medium-term prospects for the construction industry.
Mr. Baldry : The signs of a return to steady sustainable growth are already here : inflation is down, interest rates are down, business confidence is growing and productivity is up. The construction industry will play a significant role in the country's growing prosperity.
Travellers
36. Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to change planning law to introduce penalties for the unlawful occupation of public and private land by traveller families ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : From 2 January this year we increased tenfold the maximum summary penalty on conviction for those contravening an enforcement notice or stop notice, from £2,000 to £20,000. There is no upper limit on the penalty on conviction on indictment. We have also strengthened the enforcement and stop notice provisions. We do not think it is appropriate, in the absence of enforcement action by the planning authority, to make unauthorised development itself a criminal offence.
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to tackle the problem of illegal camping by gypsies and other travellers ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Baldry : The Government are firmly committed to addressing the nuisance caused to local communities and local authorities by gipsies' and other travellers' camping illegally ; we are committed to reviewing the operation of the Caravan Sites Act 1968, and hope to publish our proposals shortly.
Planning Applications
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation requiring the submission of an independent environmental impact report before local planning authorities, or his Department, determine their decision in respect of planning applications for the extraction of aggregates and other minerals and the disposal, by tipping, of household waste and other rubbish.
Mr. Baldry : The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988, which implemented directive 85/337/EEC, require planning applications for the extraction of sand and gravel and other minerals and for the disposal of household and other non- toxic waste to be accompanied by an environmental statement if the proposed development is likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of factors such as its nature, size or location. In such cases, planning permission may not be granted unless the environmental statement and representations on it from statutory consultees and the public have first been taken into consideration.
Rental Housing
37. Mr. David Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for further encouraging the private rented sector to provide homes to rent for families.
Sir George Young : The deregulatory measures in the Housing Act 1988 are already halting the decline in the private rented sector. Further initiatives to encourage the private rented sector include extending nationwide the housing associations as managing agents scheme, £25 million to bring vacant flats over shops back into use, and giving tax relief to home owners who rent a room to lodgers.
Local Government Reorganisation
38. Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the reorganisation of local government.
Mr. Redwood : I refer the right hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave earlier to my hon. Friends the Members for Amber Valley (Mr. Oppenheim) and for Derbyshire, South (Mrs. Currie).
Eco-labelling
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what publicity his Department has carried out and plans to carry out to publicise the EC eco-label to (a) those companies whose products may qualify and (b) consumers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Responsibility for eco-labelling is shared between my Department and the Department of Trade
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and Industry. The Department of Trade and Industry has already taken steps to publicise the scheme widely to industry through newsletters, articles and seminars and this will continue. As we move towards the autumn when the scheme is due to come into operation we will increasingly target publicity to raise awareness among consumers.Dumps (Methane Gas)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, by local authority area, the locations of waste dumps in England and Wales which are known to produce methane gas ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Current information on the location of landfill sites known to produce methane gas is not held centrally. A report on this matter was published by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in April 1991, compiled from information supplied by local authorities. The statistics contained in this report, even though of a
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general nature, are now recognised as unreliable. Accurate information should be available from local authorities with which the responsibility rests.Housing (Disrepair)
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give (a) the latest details of the number of properties in Stoke-on- Trent, North constituency classified as in serious disrepair, and (b) that figure as a percentage of the entire housing stock in that constituency.
Mr. Baldry : The information is not available for constituency areas. Local authorities report estimates of the number of unfit dwellings, and dwellings which are not unfit but in need of renovation in their annual housing investment programme returns (HIP1). The information as at 1 April 1991 for Stoke-on-Trent city council and the borough of Newcastle-under- Lyme, which both include part of the Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency within their boundaries is as follows :
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|Unfit dwellings|As a percentage|Fit but needing|As a percentage
|of stock |renovation |of stock
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stoke-on-Trent city council |21,348 |21.0 |46,460 |45.7
Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme |2,402 |4.9 |6,000 |12.1
Note: Private sector dwellings (the majority) are only counted as "Fit but needing renovation" if the owner is
considered likely to qualify for a discretionary renovation grant.
Ultraviolet Radiation
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research is being undertaken on the possible effects of enhanced ultraviolet radiation due to stratospheric ozone depletion upon materials which are subject to outdoor exposure ; whether he has evaluated the possible costs of increased exposure on such materials ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The Building Research Establishment is investigating the effects of ultraviolet radiation on plastic building material, polymeric roofing membranes, building sealants and paints, as part of its research on the deterioration of these materials caused by natural weathering. This research involves development of accelerated weathering tests, including exposure to enhanced levels of ultraviolet radiation. However, it is not presently possible to estimate the costs of exposure of building materials to ultraviolet radiation alone.
Ferro Alloys Ltd.
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what indications he has received from Ferro Alloys Ltd. regarding the company's planned actions to reduce emissions from its factory in Glossop, following his Department's instructions.
Mr. Maclean : An improvement notice under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 served on Ferro Alloys and Metals Ltd., Glossop, requires it to reduce the emission of sulphur dioxide to 113kg/hr from its smelting (roasting) process by 31 August 1992. The works have indicated orally that they intend to reduce throughput to comply with this notice.
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High Efficiency Lighting
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to issue guidelines to the public and private sectors concerning the use of high efficiency lighting.
Mr. Maclean : The Department's Energy Efficiency Office already provides guidance on energy efficient lighting to domestic consumers, the public sector and industry and commerce through its best practice programme. The current "Helping the Earth at Home" domestic campaign also describes the merits of energy efficient lighting in its literature.
Carbon Dioxide
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new policies have been, or are to be, introduced to implement the Government's commitment to bring forward the date of carbon dioxide stabilisation for 2005.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington).
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what submission he has made to the Commission of the European Communities on his strategy for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Mr. Maclean : A copy of the Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance", which set out the United Kingdom's strategy on carbon dioxide emissions and a first tranche of measures to limit emissions, was sent to the Commission last year. My right hon. Friend expects to send the Commission an update on this strategy shortly.
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Planning Law
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to review the laws on planning.
Sir George Young : Substantial improvements to the planning system were made in the Planning and Compensation Act 1991. I have no plans at present for any further general review of planning law.
Building Insulation
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve standards of insulation in new houses, other new buildings and existing houses and other existing buildings.
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