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Ozone Depletion
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he intends to put to international colleagues in relation to the Montreal protocol with regard to reductions in the use of methyl bromide.
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Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 November to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes), Official Report, column 372.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reductions he forecasts would be achieved in ozone damage as a result of (a) a 25 per cent. reduction in the use of methyl bromide by 1995 and (b) a complete phasing out of the use of methyl bromide by 1995.
Mr. Maclean : An international science panel has recently assessed current understanding of the impact of methyl bromide on the ozone layer at the request of the United Nations Environment Programme on behalf of the contracting parties to the Montreal protocol. Estimates of the impacts of methyl bromide were not made in the exact terms asked for but indicated that immediate elimination of anthropogenic methyl bromide would provide ozone layer protection comparable to that of an advance of the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and carbon tetrachloride (CC1 ) phase-out schedule by about one and a half to three years.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that the air conditioning system of the new headquarters of his Department does not use chlorofluorocarbons as an integral part of the system.
Mr. Maclean : Environmental considerations are taken fully into account in the selection of new buildings for the Government estate. In the case of the proposed new headquarters for the Department of the Environment, none of the buildings that have been evaluated uses chlorofluorocarbons in its air conditioning systems.
Environment Council
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place in the Environment Council during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Council of Ministers on the applications of the cohesion fund to environmental projects, as proposed by draft article 130d of the treaty of Rome, under the treaty of European union.
Mr. Maclean : None. Discussions on the draft regulations to establish the cohesion fund are being pursued in ECOFIN and the Foreign Affairs Council in the context of the review of the Community's future financing.
Council Tax
Ms. Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the joint and several liability arrangements in respect of the council tax and the extent to which these differ from those in respect of the community charge.
Mr. Robin Squire : There is a separate personal community charge liability in respect of each individual. If payment is not received from a person, the local authority can also invoke joint and several liability to recover the amount due from his or her spouse or partner.
Under the council tax, there is only one liability in respect of each dwelling. The person responsible for this
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liability will generally be whichever resident of the dwelling owns or rents it. Joint owners or tenants will be jointly and severally liable. The spouse or partner of a liable person will also be jointly and severally liable if they are residents in the dwelling concerned.Special arrangements apply to people who are severely mentally impaired. These mean that such people will not generally be held jointly and severally liable for the council tax on their home. The principal difference between joint and several liability under the community charge and the council tax is therefore that under the former an individual may be liable for a bill relating to his or her partner, whereas under the latter an individual's liability relates to his or her own home.
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce measures to protect those people living in property which they occupy solely because of their employment from bills relating to the capial value of the property, under the council tax ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : An employee will be liable for the council tax on a dwelling provided by his employer only if he has his main home there ; otherwise, the owner of the dwelling--normally the employer--will be liable. If the employee is liable, council tax benefit may meet up to the full amount of his liability if he is on a low income.
Habitats Directive
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue the consultation paper on the implementation of the habitats directive.
Mr. Maclean : Member states were formally notified of the habitats directive on 5 July 1992 and are obliged to bring into force the provisions necessary to enable them to comply within two years of that date. The Government are considering what additional measures are necessary to enable them to fulfil their obligations and my right hon. and learned Friend expects to consult on the Government's proposals within the next few months.
Rents
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what records he keeps of those number of times rent offices increase rents above those recommended by housing associations.
Mr. Baldry : This information is included in the statistical returns made to the Department by all rent offices, but is not currently separately analysed.
Waste Disposal Sites
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the waste disposal sites in Lancashire and their anticipated lifespans ; and what is the Government's assessment of the likely requirements for new waste disposal sites over the next 15 years.
Mr. Maclean : Lancashire county council, as a waste regulation authority, maintains public register with details of currently operational disposal sites in its area and will be able to advise on their anticipated lifespans.
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Responsibility for assessing the future waste disposal needs in Lancashire presently lies with the county council which is required to draw up a waste management plan for its area.In due course, when the environment agency has been set up, we envisage that the Secretary of State will issue a statement of waste policies and priorities on the advice of the agency, which will consider waste disposal needs in each region, and across the country as a whole over the next 10 to 15 years. Copies of the Department's consultation paper "Waste Disposal Planning under an Environment Agency" which sets out these proposals in more detail, have been placed in the Library.
Rating Revaluations
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if it remains his policy to hold a revaluation of non-domestic property in 1995 ;
(2) what progress is being made in the preparation for a revaluation of non -domestic property in 1995.
Mr. Robin Squire : The Local Government Finance Act 1988 provides that there will be a revaluation of non-domestic property in 1995. This will be based on 1 April 1993 values. The Valuation Office agency is taking the necessary steps to achieve this.
Library and Information Services
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the standard spending assessment for library and information services for each relevant local authority in England and in total for 1990-91 and 1991-92 ; and what was the year-on-year uprating in each case.
Mr. Robin Squire : There is no separate standard spending assessment element for library and information services.
Water Pipes
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the working of the Water Act 1989, with particular reference to the charges levied on landowners for laying pipes when planning permission is gained ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : None. The conditions governing charges for the provision of mains water and sewerage services contained in the Water Act 1989 were consolidated in the Water Industry Act 1991.
Local Authority Housing
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the latest figures for vacant local authority dwellings for (a) England, (b) London and (c) each London borough ; and how many in each case were available for letting, awaiting minor repairs, awaiting major repairs, awaiting sale, awaiting demolition or occupied by squatters.
Mr. Baldrey : Local authorities report the number of their own dwellings which are empty in their annual housing investment programme (HIP1) returns.
The latest available figures, which are provisional at this stage, are for April 1992 and appear in columns A198,
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total vacant ; A191, available for letting ; A192, awaiting minor repairs ; A193 and A194, awaiting major repairs ; A195, awaiting sale ; A196, awaiting demolition ; and A20, dwellings in unlicensed occupation, of the "1992 HIP1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library.Safety for Women
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines are currently provided by his Department to buildings and estate designers to ensure that buildings and estates take women's safety needs fully into account.
Mr. Baldry : Documents approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of the Building Regulations 1991 provide practical guidance on the design of buildings so that reasonable safety standards are secured.
Correspondence
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will answer the letter sent to him on 25 June by the director of the International Art Exhibition.
Mr. Howard [holding answer 2 November 1992] : Following consultations with colleagues in other Government Departments, a response was sent to the director of the International Earth Art Exhibition on 3 November.
Waterlogged Soil (Infant Mortality)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has commissioned on the relationship between waterlogged soils and variations in the infant mortality rate ; what discussions he has had with the National Rivers Authority on this matter ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 5 November 1992] : The Department has not commissioned any research on this subject. I understand that the National Rivers Authority has received a copy of a report on the matter by two scientists and is investigating further.
Cryptosporidium
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the expert group's recommendations made under the chairmanship of Sir John Badenoch for a collaborative research programme into cryptosporidium to report.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 5 November 1992] : The drinking water inspectorate published an interim report, "Cryptosporidium in Water Supplies--Progress with the National Research Programme", in July 1992. Copies have been placed in the Library. The programme of research extends into 1993 and a further report will be made when it is complete.
Water Supplies
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to provide that payments for water services to domestic properties should be by charges linked to the valuation bands used for the council tax.
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Mr. Maclean : No. It is for individual water companies to decide on their preferred system of charging for their services, subject to the overriding requirement, contained in their licence of appointment, that their charges do not show undue preference to, or unduly discriminate against, any class of customers or potential customers. Our consultation paper, "Using Water Wisely", sought comment on a proposal that water companies should not be able to link charges to the valuation bands for the council tax. They will not, after the year 2000, be able to use rateable values from the former rating system.
WALES
Tenants
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will produce a charter for private rented sector tenants giving the tenants (a) first refusal to buy their houses, (b) the right to apply to the courts for a change of manager and (c) the right to apply to the courts for compulsory acquisition of the property by the local authority.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Department is preparing a guide for tenants in the private rented sector which will explain their rights and responsibilities. It will also emphasise the support and best practise standards which those tenants can expect from their local authorities.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will produce new guidelines for local authorities on harassment within the private rented sector, placing a duty on local authorities to follow up complaints.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : We have no plans to do so. Tenants already have statutory protection from harassment and illegal eviction under the provisions of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a tenants charter in Wales to include (a) specified rights for tenants to ensure that landlords undertake essential repairs within a set time scale, (b) the elimination of discrimination against tenants in receipt of benefits, (c) consultation and committee representation rights for tenants and (d) new safe tenancies established for tenants in properties having absentee landlords.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The principal elements of policy here are set out in the recently published charter for tenants of council housing in Wales, and the tenants guarantee appropriate to housing associations. A guide for tenants in the private rented sector is in preparation.
Housing
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local authorities on the compiling of standardised housing waiting lists, to include all names of those awaiting rented accommodation in the local authority area ; (2) if he will issue guidelines on the standardisation of allocation policies on housing provision, and for homelessness services, between local authorities in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Our position on allocation policies and standardised housing waiting lists is set out in the
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published "Agenda for Action on Housing in Wales". We have issued guidance to local authorities on the discharge of their statutory responsibilities on homelessness in the revised "Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities".Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dwellings lacking one or more basic amenities exclusively house people over the age of 60 years in each (a) housing sector and (b) local authority area in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The estimated numbers of dwellings--based on the results of the 1986 Welsh house condition survey--which lacked the exclusive use of one or more basic amenities and which exclusively housed people over the age of 60 were as follows :
|Number
----------------------------------------------
Owner occupied |13,700
Local authority/council/newtown |2,150
Private rented |4,700
An analysis of the total number of such dwellings in each authority is given in the table :
|Number
------------------------------------
Aberconwy |200
Alyn and Deeside |300
Arfon |450
Blaenau Gwent |900
Brecknock |250
Cardiff |1,450
Carmarthen |350
Ceredigion |600
Colwyn |100
Cynon Valley |1,350
Delyn |250
Dinefwr |400
Dwyfor |450
Glyndwr |250
Islwyn |750
Llanelli |900
Lliw Valley |550
Meirionnydd |200
Merthyr Tydfil |1,000
Monmouth |350
Montgomeryshire |300
Neath |500
Newport |550
Ogwr |750
Port Talbot (Afan) |400
Preseli Pembrokeshire |300
Radnorshire |250
Rhondda |2,500
Rhuddlan |50
Rhymney Valley |700
South Pembrokeshire |200
Swansea |1,200
Taff-Ely |600
Torfaen |450
Vale of Glamorgan |100
Wrexham Maelor |450
Ynys Mon |550
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a new formula for assessing affordability so as to develop a target level of housing costs for all tenures.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : We have no plans to do so.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a central housing agency to co-ordinate public and social housing strategies in Wales.
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Mr. Gwilym Jones : We have no plans to do so.
Pensioners
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many pensioner households in Wales have central heating ; and what percentage of total pensioner households this represents.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys has to date published only a selection of 1991 census results in the county monitor series, CEN 91 CM. Detailed information on households containing only pensioners is not yet available. The figures given are provisional as they are derived directly from rounded county statistics in the monitors. National level and more detailed results will be released by OPCS in November 1992 and in county reports this year and in 1993.
In Wales, an estimated 309,000 households with central heating in some or all rooms contained at least one pensioner and represented 76 per cent. of all households where pensioners lived.
Health Practices
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to promote improved health practices in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Under the strategic intent and direction for the NHS in Wales 10 health gain priority areas have been identified, where the service and its partners will focus their efforts to improve the health status of the people of Wales.
The Welsh Health Planning Forum is preparing detailed protocols for investment in health gain. Eight reports have already been issued. This material has been widely recognised as first class by other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond and complements the pioneering work of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.
The protocol forms the basis for the local strategies for health being developed by the district health authorities and family health services authorities in partnership with other local organisations, including local government. The second round of local strategies is now complete, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider these early in the new year.
The various plans and strategies being developed by NHS Wales are being brought together into a unified 10 year strategy, so providing a clear and coherent framework for future action. This document, to be known as "Caring for the Future", is currently being discussed with a wide range of service interests. The aim is to publish it in December. Further debate on its key themes will take place next year.
The new health care environment introduced last year provides the appropriate structure for taking these important initiatives ahead in an efficient and effective way. The patients charter also plays a key role by ensuring that the NHS focuses clearly on the needs of individual patients.
Infant Deaths
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to cut the death rate among those aged under five years in Wales.
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Mr. Gwilym Jones : The "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain : Maternal and Early Child Health", which was issued in August 1991 by the Welsh Health Planning Forum, highlights those interventions which have been shown clearly to be capable of achieving a worthwhile health gain in respect of early child health. The protocols assist health authorities to develop their local strategies for health. Further important aspects of child health--respiratory disease, physical and mental handicap, congenital heart disease, childhood cancers and injuries--are considered in protocols dealing with other health gain areas.
Babies
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to reduce the number of babies born with major unexpected malformations or handicaps in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : One of the health gain targets of the "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain : Maternal and Early Child Health", is to reduce the number of children born with major unexpected malformations or handicaps by 10 per cent. by 2002 compared with 1995. This is being taken forward in local strategies for health.
Mothers and Children
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to improve the quality of childbirth and early childhood for both mother and child in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain : Maternal and Early Child Health", identifies where further investment could bring worthwhile health gain and indicates to health authorities where current practices might be improved and redirection of funds might be considered.
Nitrogen Dioxide
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress is being made in Wales to meet the target of reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions by 30 per cent. by the year 1998.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Various measures are being taken throughout the United Kingdom to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions, including the fitting of low NOx burners to major coal-fired power plants and new standards for road vehicles. Details are provided in "This Common Inheritance ; The Second Year Report"--cm. 2068--which the Government published last month.
Further records on nitrogen dioxide emission levels in Wales is also being produced by the Welsh Office.
In order to gain a better picture of the current position on nitrogen dioxide emission levels in Wales, the Welsh Office is funding a survey of the Principality.
Sulphur Dioxide
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress is being made in Wales to meet the target of reducing sulphur dioxide emissions by 60 per cent. by the year 2003.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Various measures are being taken throughout the United Kingdom to reduce emissions of
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sulphur dioxide, including retrofitting 800MW of power plant with flue gas desulphurisation equipment. Further details are provided in "This Common Inheritance ; The Second Year Report"- -cm. 2068--which the Government published last month.Data on sulphur dioxide emissions are not separately available for Wales. However, information on atmospheric concentrations of sulphur dioxide is given in table 3.20 of the "The Environment Digest for Wales, No. 6 1991", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Coastal Planning
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will amend the planning policy guidance note produced by his Department so as to include a reference to the role of ports and harbours under the general development order and the scope of the Crown Estates Commissioners in coastal planning.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The planning policy guidance note on coast planning--PPG20--was published in September 1992. There is presently no intention to amend it.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to amend paragraphs 8.6 and 8.9 of planning policy guidance notes on coastal zones so as to ensure that ecological impact criteria are applied to all sites.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : No. Guidance is given to local planning authorities in the planning policy guidance note on coastal planning. Further advice will be contained in the forthcoming guidance note on nature conservation.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what role is envisaged by his Department for non-governmental organisations in the collection of data and analysis on coastal resources prior to the preparation of development plans.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : It is for the local planning authority to determine what information it requires in the preparation of a development plan. The planning policy guidance note on coastal planning advises close involvement with a range of Government bodies. It also lists contact points in relevant voluntary organisations.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to encourage local authorities to adopt management policies and management plans for heritage coast areas in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : On 11 March 1992 the Government issued a statement setting out their position on heritage coasts. The statement, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House, supports the concept of preparing management plans. In addition the Government planning policy guidance note No. 20 "Coastal Planning", advises that local planning authorities should include policies for the protection and enhancement of heritage coasts in their development plans.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to encourage the adoption of coastal and estuarial management plans in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Government have stated in their response to the second report from the House of
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Commons Select Committee on the Environment, "Coastal Zone Protection and Planning" that they will encourage the preparation of management plans.Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to amend the planning policy guidance notes produced by his Department so as to include a detailed report on his Department's coastal strategy ; and how the strategy will be implemented.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : No. The planning policy guidance note on coastal planning, issued in September 1992, covers issues of relevance to the coastal zone. An interdepartmental group on which the Department is represented has been set up by the Government and this provides a mechanism for the continuing development of coastal policies.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to enhance the remit of the coastal strategic working group ; and if he will make a statement on the effect of local government reform in Wales on the work of the working group.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I understand that the Assembly of Welsh Counties- -AWC--is to submit advice to my right hon. Friend in the new year on the main strategic issues likely to affect Wales in the next 10 to 15 years. The work of the AWC's coastal strategy working group is expected to form an element of that report. A White Paper on local government reform will be published in due course.
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