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ENVIRONMENT
Methane
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by his Department in assisting the development and usage of systems to recover methane from landfills and waste-water treatment plants.
Mr. Maclean : My Department in its comprehensive waste management research programme has sponsored a considerable body of work on the optimisation of landfill gas production and methods relating to its improved management. Apart from research into the control of landfill gas for safety, there are 10 research projects set up in collaboration with the energy technology support unit of the Department of Trade and Industry on the recovery and utilisation of the gas.
Direct support for demonstration projects is given by the Department of Trade and Industry. Nine projects receiving support have shown that the extraction and utilisation of landfill gas in boilers, kilns and for the generation of electricity can be economically attractive. Renewables orders made under the 1989 Electricity Act
Column 283
which require regional electricity companies to contract for non-fossil fuel sources of electricity have brought forward 53 projects with a total capacity of 85MW.London Docklands
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the provisions of the 1991 Treasury guidelines contained in "Economic Appraisal in Central Government : "A Technical Guide for Government Departments" were applied in the investment appraisal used in deciding that civil servants should be moved to the docklands, in particular paragraphs 3.2 to 3.12 dealing with alternative options ; and if he will publish the investment appraisal.
Mr. Howard : On 2 June I announced, Official Report, column 707, that some 2,000 civil servants in my Department would move to docklands subject to securing fully commercial terms giving value for money to the taxpayer. In making a final decision full account will be taken of the Treasury guidelines. To publish details of the appraisal now would jeopardise the negotiations that are currently taking place with developers. I will, however, consider making available the factors which were taken into account, including the investment appraisal, in due course, but that, too, would be subject to commercial confidentiality.
Environmental Bulletins
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Departmental library receives environmental bulletins or newsletters produced by counterpart departments in other European Community countries.
Mr. Howard : No. I am not currently aware of any such bulletins, but I should be happy to consider whether to order any that are drawn to my attention.
Housing Investment Programme
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were (a) the initial housing investment programme allocations and (b) the housing investment programme bids for each district council in Cumbria in constant 1991-92 prices for each year since 1979.
Mr. Baldry : The available information on housing investment programme bids and allocations is as follows. The table also gives corresponding figures for gross capital expenditure on housing.
|c|Housing Investment Programme (HIP) bids, allocations and gross|c|
|c|capital expenditure in Cumbria by district, 1979-80 to 1992-93<1>|c|
Allerdale £ thousands (1991-92 prices)
|HIP bids |Initial |Final |Gross
|allocations |allocations |capital
|expenditure<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |17,581 |n/a |12,610 |12,299
1980-81 |17,521 |n/a |8,285 |9,526
1981-82 |12,589 |n/a |5,492 |6,238
1982-83 |10,824 |n/a |7,513 |7,251
1983-84 |8,252 |4,765 |10,039 |11,593
1984-85 |8,812 |4,987 |5,336 |5,452
1985-86 |11,704 |4,100 |4,100 |5,537
1986-87 |17,339 |3,348 |3,348 |4,732
1987-88 |10,325 |3,012 |3,277 |4,195
1988-89 |8,700 |2,274 |3,133 |4,199
1989-90 |6,514 |2,512 |3,098 |8,305
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the
figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years. Under
the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital
expenditure rather than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed
by the single, cross-service, basic credit approval, which is set at a level which takes
account of each authoritys ability to finance expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of their
HIP allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|HIP bids |Allocations |Allocations |Gross
|plus |capital
|supplementary|expenditure
|credit
|approvals
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |7,537 |3,009 |3,009 |5,136
1991-92 |6,125 |2,656 |<3>3,741 |n/a
1992-93 |6,840 |3,167 |<3>3,167 |n/a
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the
figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years.
Under the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for
housing capital expenditure rather than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing
approval is now conveyed by the single, cross-service, basic credit approval, which
is set at a level which takes account of each authoritys ability to finance
expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of
their HIP allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|c|Barrow-in-Furness|c|
£ thousands (1991-92 prices)
|HIP bids |Initial |Final |<2>Gross
|allocations|allocations|capital
|expenditure
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |9,076 |n/a |5,331 |5,876
1980-81 |8,635 |n/a |4,698 |4,332
1981-82 |7,290 |n/a |3,830 |3,523
1982-83 |4,131 |n/a |4,281 |4,268
1983-84 |4,465 |3,815 |4,942 |5,911
1984-85 |7,209 |3,687 |4,021 |7,969
1985-86 |8,953 |3,154 |3,154 |5,648
1986-87 |12,758 |2,511 |3,081 |6,082
1987-88 |12,517 |2,318 |3,569 |6,170
1988-89 |13,934 |1,751 |4,353 |6,547
1989-90 |9,675 |1,320 |3,178 |6,600
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of
1990-91 and the figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for
earlier years. Under the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment
of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a direct
borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single,
cross-service, basic credit approval, which is set at a level which
takes account of each authoritys ability to finance expenditure from
usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the
borrowing power of their HIP allocations by using the prescribed
proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|HIP bids |Allocations |Allocations |<2>Gross
|plus |capital
|supplementary|expenditure
|credit
|approvals
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |5,575 |2,442 |2,638 |4,157
1991-92 |4,667 |1,917 |<3>1,942 |n/a
1992-93 |4,445 |1,614 |<3>1,614 |n/a
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the
figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years.
Under the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for
housing capital expenditure rather than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing
approval is now conveyed by the single, cross-service, basic credit approval, which
is set at a level which takes account of each authoritys ability to finance
expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of
their HIP allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
Year |HIP bids |Allocations |Allocations plus|<2>Gross
|supplementary |capital
|credit approvals|expenditure
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |14,638 |4,880 |5,426 |7,486
1991-92 |16,882 |4,301 |<3>5,454 |n.a.
1992-93 |17,957 |5,225 |<3>5,225 |n.a.
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the figures for
allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years. Under the new
system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather
than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single, cross-service,
basic credit approval, which is set at a level which takes account of each authoritys ability to
finance expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of their HIP
allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
text
Year |HIP bids |Allocations |Allocations plus|<2>Gross
|supplementary |capital
|credit approvals|expenditure
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |14,638 |4,880 |5,426 |7,486
1991-92 |16,882 |4,301 |<3>5,454 |n.a.
1992-93 |17,957 |5,225 |<3>5,225 |n.a.
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the figures for
allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years. Under the new
system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather
than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single, cross-service,
basic credit approval, which is set at a level which takes account of each authoritys ability to
finance expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of their HIP
allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|c|Copeland|c|
£ thousands (1991-92 prices)
|HIP bids |Initial |Final |<2>Gross
|allocations|allocations|capital
|expenditure
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |9,294 |n/a |8,064 |7,388
1980-81 |13,823 |n/a |5,671 |4,705
1981-82 |10,494 |n/a |5,366 |5,415
1982-83 |5,131 |n/a |4,610 |4,538
1983-84 |4,741 |3,384 |3,916 |5,429
1984-85 |6,832 |3,436 |3,436 |4,903
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of
1990-91 and the figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for
earlier years. Under the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment
of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a direct
borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single,
cross-service, basic credit approval, which is set at a level which
takes account of each authoritys ability to finance expenditure from
usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the
borrowing power of their HIP allocations by using the prescribed
proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|HIP bids |Initial |Final |<2>Gross
|allocations|allocations|capital
|expenditure
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |6,597 |2,668 |2,668 |5,740
1986-87 |11,920 |2,303 |2,303 |4,917
1987-88 |7,114 |1,961 |2,196 |9,465
1988-89 |7,438 |1,493 |1,970 |9,557
1989-90 |6,128 |1,067 |2,299 |8,881
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of
1990-91 and the figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for
earlier years. Under the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment
of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a direct
borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single,
cross-service, basic credit approval, which is set at a level which
takes account of each authoritys ability to finance expenditure from
usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the
borrowing power of their HIP allocations by using the prescribed
proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|HIP bids |Allocations |Allocations |<2>Gross
|plus |capital
|supplementary|expenditure
|credit
|approvals
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |4,284 |2,038 |2,038 |3,211
1991-92 |6,262 |1,515 |,<3>1,731 |n/a
1992-93 |9,012 |1,623 |<3>1,623 |n/a
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the
figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years.
Under the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for
housing capital expenditure rather than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing
approval is now conveyed by the single, cross-service, basic credit approval, which
is set at a level which takes account of each authoritys ability to finance
expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of
their HIP allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
text
|c|Eden|c|
£ thousands (1991-92 prices)
|HIP bids |Initial |Final |<2>Gross
|allocations|allocations|capital
|expenditure
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |2,949 |n/a |2,503 |1,909
1980-81 |3,271 |n/a |2,299 |2,113
1981-82 |3,514 |n/a |2,180 |1,933
1982-83 |3,072 |n/a |1,984 |2,502
1983-84 |3,097 |1,397 |1,734 |3,320
1984-85 |3,042 |1,726 |1,726 |1,741
1985-86 |2,567 |1,308 |1,308 |2,039
1986-87 |3,298 |1,186 |1,186 |1,714
1987-88 |3,567 |962 |966 |2,055
1988-89 |2,903 |671 |671 |1,884
1989-90 |2,431 |521 |521 |1,851
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of
1990-91 and the figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for
earlier years. Under the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment
of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a direct
borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single,
cross-service, basic credit approval, which is set at a level which
takes account of each authoritys ability to finance expenditure from
usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the
borrowing power of their HIP allocations by using the prescribed
proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|HIP bids |Allocations |Allocations |<2>Gross
|plus |capital
|supplementary|expenditure
|credit
|approvals
1990-91 |2,337 |825 |825 |2,529
1991-92 |2,156 |948 |<3>1,371 |n/a
1992-93 |2,781 |1,115 |<3>1,115 |n/a
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the figures for
allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years. Under the new
system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital expenditure
rather than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single,
cross-service, basic credit approval, which is set at a level which takes account of each
authoritys ability to finance expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of their HIP
allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|c|South Lakeland|c|
£ thousands (1991-92 prices)
|HIP bids |Initial |Final |Gross
|allocations |allocations |capital
|expenditure<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-90 |5,447 |n/a |4,202 |3,206
1980-81 |5,060 |n/a |3,711 |2,537
1981-82 |5,168 |n/a |3,988 |3,403
1982/83 |4,218 |n/a |3,008 |4,373
1983-84 |4,257 |3,384 |4,000 |4,661
1984-85 |6,186 |3,177 |3,177 |2,914
1985-86 |6,265 |2,409 |2,431 |4,889
1986-87 |5,686 |2,041 |2,066 |5,069
1987-88 |4,977 |1,770 |1,790 |5,878
1988-89 |5,957 |1,235 |1,235 |4,951
1989-90 |6,661 |868 |868 |6,986
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the
figures for allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years. Under
the new system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital
expenditure rather than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed
by the single, cross-service, basic credit approval, which is set at a level which takes
account of each authoritys ability to finance expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of their
HIP allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
|HIP bids |Allocations |Allocations plus|Gross capital
|supplementary | expenditure<2>
|credit approvals
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |6,303 |1,234 |1,234 |3,983
1991-92 |6,141 |1,399 |<3>1,631 |n/a
1992-93 |5,834 |1,590 |<3>1,590 |n/a
<1>A new capital finance system was introduced at the beginning of 1990-91 and the figures for
allocations for 1990-91 and subsequent
years are, therefore, not directly comparable with the figures for earlier years. Under the new
system the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather
than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single, cross-service,
basic credit approval, which is set at a level which takes account of each authoritys ability to
finance expenditure from usable capital receipts.
<2>Since 1981-82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of their HIP
allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.
<3>These figures reflect the latest position and are not yet final.
n/a{equals} Not available.
Housing, Cumbria
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new houses were started in each district in Cumbria since 1979 in (a) the private sector, (b) by housing associations and (c) by local authorities.
Mr. Baldry : Estimates of housebuilding starts by sector for each local authority in Cumbria are shown in the publications "Local Housing Statistics" and "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Area".
Figures for 1979 are in table 5 of the May 1980 edition--issue No. 53--of "Local Housing Statistics". Figures for 1980 to 1988 are in tables 1.1 to 1.9 of "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Areas : 1980 to 1989". Revised 1989 figures are in table 1 (b) of the April 1991 edition--issue No. 97--of "Local Housing Statistics" and figures for 1990 and 1991 are in tables 1 (a) and 1 (b) of the April 1992 edition--issue No. 101. Copies of all these publications are in the Library.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons were on council housing waiting lists in each district in Cumbria in (a) 1979 and (b) 1991.
Mr. Baldry : Local authorities report the number of households on their council housing waiting lists in their annual housing investment programme--HIP--returns.
The figures as at 1 April 1991 are in column B5 of the "1991 HIP1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library.
The information was not reported in 1979.
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what position the Government will be recommending to the EC on hydrochlorofluorocarbons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The United Kingdom, with other member states, has agreed that the Community should support a quantitative limit on HCFC consumption, together with controls on use and a phase out date. The Community's proposal for HCFC controls is one of the issues to be discussed at the meeting of the Montreal protocol open-ended working group between 8 and 17 July.
Waste Management Licences
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his timetable for the implementation of section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Mr. Maclean : No timetable for implementation of section 143 has yet been decided, but an announcement will be made in due course.
Column 287
Homelessness
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons were accepted as homeless under the provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 and part III of the Housing Act 1985 in Barrow- in-Furness in each year since 1978.
Mr. Baldry : The information for 1978 is contained in edition No. 52, table 12 of "Local Housing Statistics : England and Wales", a copy of which is available in the Library. For the other years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 17 June 1992, Official Report, columns 569-70.
International Agreements
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with (a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.
Mr. Maclean : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 24 June, Official Report, columns 208-9.
Mortgage Payments
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he intends to take to assist home owners facing repossession who are in difficulties meeting their mortgage payments.
Sir George Young : All mortgage borrowers will have been helped by the 5 per cent. reduction in base rates since October 1990. The Government agreed a package of measures to help borrowers at risk of repossession with the Council of Mortgage Lenders in December 1991. We reviewed progress on that package with CML members on 2 June. They estimate that measures taken since December will save some 55,000 repossessions this year, and that the number of homes repossessed this year will fall.
Water Use
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the percentage figures for water use in each of the main water regions for (a) agricultural, (b) industrial, (c) commercial and (d) domestic use, respectively.
Mr. Maclean : The available statistics are published in the annual "Digest of the Environmental Protection and Water Statistics". Copies of the digest were placed in the House Library.
Waste
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he takes to ensure that all transporters of waste adhere to regulations governing the safe control of waste ; and if he will bring forward proposals to empower waste regulation authorities with rights to inspect waste transporter premises and stop check waste vehicles within the area of the authority's function.
Column 288
Mr. Maclean : Since 1 April 1992 it has been an offence under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 for any person to transport controlled waste in the course of his business unless he is registered with the appropriate waste regulation authority ; or benefits from an exemption provided under the Controlled Waste (Registration of Carriers and Seizure of Vehicles) Regulations 1991. Under 7(1) of the 1989 Act, as amended, waste regulation authorities have powers to enter and inspect premises ; and under section 5 of that Act waste regulation authorities and police constables have powers to stop and search vehicles in certain circumstances. Guidance on the 1989 Act and the 1991 regulations has been provided to waste regulation authorities in DOE circular 11/91.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that waste regulation authorities which receive imported waste are fully aware of those countries through which waste travels.
Mr. Maclean : The Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988 provide a system of consignment notes, one of which must be sent to the competent authority of the state of destination. In the case of shipments of waste for disposal, this copy will show in code form all the other EC member states through which the consignment is due to pass.
The current draft of the proposed EC waste shipments regulation would improve upon these requirements. Consignment notes would show routeing arrangements, and this would apply to shipments of certain types of waste for recovery as well as to shipments for disposal.
Housebuilding
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the level of new starts in local authority housing annually, for the years 1980 to 1991 ;
(2) what was the number of housing association new starts, annually, for the years 1980 to 1991.
Mr. Baldry : Estimates of the numbers of new housebuilding starts by local authorities and by housing associations for 1980 to 1990 are published in table 6.1 of the annual publication "Housing and Construction Statistics 1980-1990 : Great Britain". Provisional esti-mates for 1991 are shown in the quarterly publication "Housing and Construction Statistics ; Part 1", in table 1.2 of the December quarter 1991 edition, No. 48.
Local Authority Housing
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will show the level of capital spending for local authority housing in the years 1980 to the present day and also as a proportion of gross domestic product, annually, for the same period, in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire and Humberside.
Mr. Baldry : Information on housing expenditure by local authorities is only available on a financial year basis. Financial year GDP figures are not available for England or regions of England. The available information, which relates to gross capital expenditure, including spending from receipts, is as follows.
Column 289
|c|Gross capital expenditure on local authority
housing|c|
£ million
|England cash |Yorkshire and
|value |Humberside
|cash value
--------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |2,947 |218
1980-81 |2,729 |193
1981-82 |2,632 |164
1982-83 |3,235 |221
1983-84 |3,571 |280
1984-85 |3,501 |237
1985-86 |3,023 |225
1986-87 |3,017 |217
1987-88 |3,272 |261
1988-89 |3,604 |282
1989-90 |5,123 |347
<1>1990-91 |3,141 |266
<2>1991-92 |2,801 |n/a
<1>Provisional.
<2>Estimated.
n/a = Not available.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the (a) highest, (b) lowest and (c) average rents for each local authority housing department in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Baldry : I have today placed in the Library of the House a table showing provisional figures for the average weekly rent in 1992-93 for each local authority in England. No data is held centrally on highest and lowest rents within authorities. For information relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland I refer the hon. Member to the respective Secretaries of State.
Pentachlorophenol
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken to control the discharge of pentachlorophenol from grey cloth ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Since 1 January 1988 the EC dangerous substances directive 86/280/EEC has required all surface waters to meet an environmental quality standard in respect of
pentachlorophenol--(PCP--of 2 microgrammes per litre as an annual average.
Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, on behalf of the Secretary of State, has reviewed a number of trade effluent consents granted to traders discharging effluent which may contain PCP.
As a result, traders have been given a period of time in which to take measures to control the discharge of PCP in order to enable the environmental quality standard in the receiving water to be achieved. The most effective measure is for traders to tackle the problem at source by accepting only those supplies uncontaminated with PCP, and I understand that they are having some success in this respect.
New Developments (North-East)
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate how much public money has been spent on the Twelve Quays, East Quayside and Teesdale developments ; and how that money has been spent.
Mr. Redwood : The information for East Quayside and Teesdale is shown in the tables. Public expenditure on the
Column 290
Twelve Quays site up to 31 March 1992 amounted to £487,000 for various advance works, including a feasibility study, wall repairs and causeway works.
|c|Expenditure by Teeside UDC on Teeside up to
31 March 1992|c|
|£ million
-----------------------------------------------
Environmental improvements |9.998
Land Aquisition |10.092
Land Reclamation |18.602
Services |1.828
Roads and Transport |9.162
Community Support
Housing |0.867
text
|c|Expenditure by Teeside UDC on Teeside up to
31 March 1992|c|
|£ million
-----------------------------------------------
Environmental improvements |9.998
Land Aquisition |10.092
Land Reclamation |18.602
Services |1.828
Roads and Transport |9.162
Community Support
Housing |0.867
Radioactive Waste
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was Her Majesty's Government's position on the discussion of international transport and trade in radioactive waste at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
Mr. Maclean : The Government support the aims of the Agenda 21 chapter concerned with radioactive wastes, including the international movement of such wastes. A key priority of the chapter is to strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency's code of practice on the international transboundary movement of radioactive waste.
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the types and amount of radioactive products disposed of on site by Barnsley district general hospital since 17 July 1986 ;
(2) if he will give the amounts of radioactive waste burned at Barnsley district general hospital for each year since the issue of authorisation in 1986.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 22 June 1992] : The total radioactivity contained in the wastes incinerated by the hospital since 1986 is as follows :
|Megabecquerels
---------------------------------------------
1986 |41
1987 |50
1988 |41
1989 |30
1990 |9
1991 |11
During 1991 the daily average disposal rate was 28 Kilobecquerels. This is less than the activity of a household smoke detector. 1 Megabecquerels = 1000 Kilobecquerels.
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reviews have taken place since 1986 of the authorisation given to Barnsley and district general hospital to burn radioactive waste.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 22 June 1992] : All authorisations issued under the Radioactive Substances
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Act 1960 are kept under review, and revised when appropriate. In this case, the use of radioactive materials and the disposal of radioactive wastes by the hospital have remained broadly constant over the period. No changes to the terms of the authorisation have therefore been needed.Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are taken to monitor the levels of radioactivity of (a) the staff, (b) the patients and (c) persons residing in close proximity of Barnsley district general hospital following the authorisation given to that hospital to burn radioactive waste.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 22 June 1992] : So far as the staff and patients are concerned, the hospital undertakes its own radiological monitoring as part of its procedures to ensure the safe keeping and use of radioactive materials and wastes.
In relation to the monitoring of radioactivity in the vicinity of the hospital, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to him today.
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what records are held of the levels of radioactivity in and around Barnsley prior to 1986 and since that date ;
(2) what monitoring of the environment has taken place in and around Barnsley to determine levels of radioactivity since 1986.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 22 June 1992] : The wastes discharged to the atmosphere from Barnsley district general hospital have an extremely small radioactive content and pose no radiological hazard. Environmental monitoring in the vicinity of the hospital is therefore not necessary.
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the terms and conditions of the certificate issued to Barnsley district general hospital authorising the burning of radioactive waste.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 22 June 1992] : The certificate of authorisation issued by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 permits the hospital to incinerate each day material containing up to 2 megabecquerels of radioactive waste. A copy of the certificate will be placed in the House Library.
First-time Home Owners
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of first-time home owners in 1992 and the comparable figures for 1987 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 24 June 1992] : Information is only available for the numbers of first-time buyers who are purchasing their homes with a mortgage through a bank or building society. The latest available information is for the first quarter of 1992, when there were 106,370 first-time purchasers with such mortgages in the United Kingdom compared with 131,200 in the same quarter of 1987.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Auditing
Mr. Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby) : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many of the post 1979 inspectors' reports relating to investigations carried out under the Companies Act 1985 have been prepared by partners from auditing firms criticised in his Department's inspectors' reports.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : Nine accountant inspectors appointed since 1979 have been partners in firms which have previously been the subject of criticism in inspectors' reports under the Companies Acts.
Weights and Measures
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many inspections were made, by local authority areas, by weights and measures inspectors in 1981, 1988, 1990 and 1991.
Mr. Leigh : The total number of enforcement visits by weights and measures inspectors was as follows :
{TITRE]
------------------------
1988 |857,527
1990 |741,085
1991 |711,205
Information for 1981 is not available.
High-definition Television
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contribution will be required from the United Kingdom towards the £600 million EC subsidy for the development of high-definition television ; what is his policy on making that contribution ; and what benefits will accrue to the British television industry from the development of a European system of HDTV.
Mr. Leigh : The call to spend 850 mecu--about £600 million--on wide-screen and high-definition television services broadcast by satellite and cable is made in the European Commission's proposal for a Council decision on an action plan for the introduction of advanced television services in Europe. Such services will use the European developed MAC-- multiplex analogue components--transmission standards. The expenditure is proposed over a five-year period. Our contribution would be calculated on a gross contribution of about 17.5 per cent. less abatement, which would depend on the level of United Kingdom receipts. However, the Government have rejected the sum of 850 mecu as unacceptably high. During negotiations on the proposal, the Government have said that they are prepared to consider a case for a considerably lower sum, provided that it is accompanied by a rigorous justification for the use of public money. We have yet to see a convincing business case presented for any expenditure.
The Government recognise the potential consumer appeal of wide-screen and high-definition television. There is a market opportunity for such MAC- based services which the satellite and cable TV industry and equipment manufacturers may wish to exploit. The Government believe that it is principally through the cooperation of
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broadcasters and manufacturers that the market will take off. What benefits the British television industry derives from wide-screen and high-definition television must depend primarily on the investments which the individual commercial players decide to make, based on their perception of the development of the market and the needs of consumers.Ozone-depleting Chemicals
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to introduce mandatory recovery or recycling of chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons and
hydrofluorocarbons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : My Department already encourages the voluntary recovery and recycling of ozone-depleting substances. Legislation on the management of industrial and domestic waste is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish recent research undertaken on hydrochlorofluorocarbons for his Department by Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : The results of the study were given by the consultants at a presentation on 4 March 1992, which was attended by representatives of those industry sectors concerned and non-governmental organisation. A copy of the executive summary, which was issued at the presentation, has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy on the publication of United Kingdom production figures of ozone-depleting chemicals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : Information on United Kingdom production of ozone- depleting substances is not published separately for reasons of commercial sensitivity. Production figures are however reported to the Commission of the European Communities which published production levels for the Community as a whole.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the 10 largest users in the United Kingdom of each of (a) hydrochlorofluorocarbons, (b) chlorofluorocarbons, (c) methyl chloroform, (d) halons and (e) carbon tetrachloride ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : On (a), (b), (c) and (e) the information is not available.
On (d) I refer the hon. Gentleman to the publication "Use of Halons in the United Kingdom and the Scope for Substitution" published by HMSO/Department of the Environment 1991, a copy of which is in the Library.
Glass (Safety)
Mr. Illsley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to include BS 7449 : 1991 within a forthcoming European safety standard for glass used in furniture manufacture.
Mr. Leigh : British Standard 7449 : 1991 has been put forward to the European standards body--by the British
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Standards Institution as a basis for the inclusion of glass specifications in a draft European standard on safety requirements for cabinets and general storage furniture for domestic use.Mr. Illsley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he intends to include BS 7449 : 1991 within the general safety requirment.
Mr. Leigh : Standards of safety are relevant for the purposes of the general safety requirement as soon as they are published. British Standard 7449 : 1991--Specification for inclusion of glass in the construction of furniture, other than tables or trolleys, including cabinets, shelving systems and wall hung or free standing mirrors--was published by the British Standards Institution in June 1991. From this date it has been open to the courts to take account of BS 7449 when deciding whether the relevant products satisfy the general safety requirement in relation to aspects covered by this standard.
International Agreements
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with (a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.
Mr. Needham : I refer my hon., Friend to the answer given on 24 June Official Report, col 208-9 by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
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