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Mr. Aitken : My Department defines lethal equipment as "military equipment designed to kill".
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions the assessment of the
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military significance of export licence applications made by his Department's group of experts was overruled by Ministers between 1987 and 1991.Mr. Aitken : In some borderline cases Ministers sought further clarification and in the light of this did not, on some occasions, endorse the recommendation made to them. It has not been possible to determine the precise number of instances in which this occurred, but we believe that they were rare.
Operation Granby
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 28 October, Official Report, column 711, how much money was given by each of the contributing countries in each year towards the cost of Operation Granby ; and what further contributions are expected.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Cash burden-sharing contributions towards the cost of Operation Granby were received as follows :
£ million
|1990-91|1991-92|Total
-----------------------------------------------------
Belgium |- |15 |15
Germany |274 |- |274
Hong Kong |16 |- |16
Japan |25 |167 |192
Kuwait |110 |550 |660
Saudi Arabia |- |582 |582
South Korea |- |18 |18
United Arab Emirates |86 |192 |278
Other |13 |1 |14
|-------|-------|-------
Total |524 |1,525 |2,049
No further burden-sharing contributions are expected.
Chemical Weapon Convention
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that signatories to the chemical weapon convention should remain subject to controls exercised by the Australia group.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I have been asked to reply.
The Australia group harmonises national export controls by consensus. It is for each member state to apply its individual controls. The Australia group (AG) has undertaken to review its work to ensure consistency with the provisions of the chemical weapons convention. AG members, including the United Kingdom, have declared their intention to be early signatories of the convention. In this context, the United Kingdom will seek to ensure within the AG and nationally that we maintain effective controls against chemical and biological weapons proliferation.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy towards the continued operation of the Australia group once the chemical weapon convention has been signed.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I have been asked to reply.
The Government's principal objective is to prevent the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons. The Australian group (AG) has played a major role in the
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effort. All AG members, including the United Kingdom, have welcomed the conclusion of the CWC negotiations and have declared their intention to be early signatories. The work of the group is to be reviewed to ensure consistency with the provisions of the convention. The United Kingdom intends to take an active part in this review.ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Mr. Oliver Pryce
34. Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions not to proceed with prosecutions arising from the unlawful killing of Mr. Oliver Pryce.
The Solicitor-General : The Director of Public Prosecutions decides whether a case should be prosecuted on the basis of the available evidence and in accordance with the code for Crown prosecutors. In this case, she had the advantage of leading and junior counsel's advice and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to justify a prosecution.
Pension Funds
35. Mr. Wareing : To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the assistance given by the Serious Fraud Office to those seeking recovery of assets of pension funds.
The Solicitor-General : The Serious Fraud Office is pleased to assist those so engaged to the extent that it is lawfully able to do so.
ENVIRONMENT
Sellafield
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate has been made of the change in the level of emissions of radioactive substances as a result of the opening of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.
Mr. Maclean : Activity limits proposed in the draft authorisations published jointly today by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food would ensure a continued decline in the maximum radiation dose to the public from Sellafield even when including the contribution from THORP at its full operating capacity.
Primates
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ban the import of wild-caught primates into the EC for research and testing.
Mr. Maclean : The import of primates into the EC is already controlled under regulations governing the wildlife trade. These are conservation measures, intended primarily to ensure that wild populations are not seriously depleted. They are not concerned with the purpose of import, except for endangered species. While we are currently negotiating a new European wildlife trade
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regulation to tighten existing controls, we have no plans to seek a general ban on the import of any animals for use in research and testing. Controls on the use of animals for such purposes within the United Kingdom are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.Urban Development Corporations
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much each urban development corporation has spent on consultants' reports since their inception.
Mr. Robin Squire : Urban development corporations contract out project management, legal, recruitment, architectural, engineering design and a range of other services to private sector consultancies and advisers. Approximate expenditure on consultants' reports, where available, is set out in the table.
|£ million
--------------------------------------------------
Urban Development Corporation
Birmingham Heartlands |0.0
Black Country |2.9
Bristol |0.6
Central Manchester |<1>-
Leeds |<1>-
London Docklands |<1>-
Merseyside |2.8
Sheffield |0.5
Teesside |4.1
Trafford Park |<1>-
Tyne and Wear |3.6
<1>Not available.
Plucked Birds
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to include the control of the exporting of plucked birds under the provisions of the Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : It is the Department's policy not to require export licences for plucked specimens of game bird species covered by the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 because they cannot be readily identified. We have no plans to alter this policy.
Residential Care Homes
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with organisations that run residential care homes as to the effect that paying the new council tax will have on such homes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : We have received a number of representations from care home owners about the council tax. My officials have met a delegation from the Joint Care Committee to discuss the effect of the tax. They explained that, for the reasons given in my answer to the hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Harvey) on 7 July, Official Report, column 157, the council tax bills faced by care home owners are likely to be modest. In many cases these bills are likely to be further reduced by transitional relief.
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Hillingdon Hospital
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and what kind of complaints the London Waste Regulation Authority has received from residents of Hillingdon about the breaking of the conditions of licence issued by the authority for the operation of the incinerator plant at Hillingdon hospital ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The London Waste Regulation Authority (LWRA) has responsibility for the licensing of disposal facilities in the Greater London area. It is therefore for it to consider the most appropriate action to take if it receives complaints alleging breaches of licence conditions. I suggest that my hon. Friend approaches the LWRA for this information.
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times during the past 12 months Her Majesty's inspector of pollution has been informed by Basic Energy (UK) Ltd. that the dump stack at Hillingdon hospital incinerator has been used ; what information he has about the purpose of using this equipment ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : HMIP has been informed by Basic Energy that the dump stack has been used on five occasions in the past 12 months. The purpose of the dump stack is to protect operators and plant during certain fault conditions. It operates only for a short time and the impact on the environment is not significant.
Housing Expenditure
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the level of public expenditure on housing in 1978-79 and the most recent available year in real terms and cash prices.
Mr. Baldry : The information for England is as follows :
£ millions
|Cash |1991-92 prices
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1978-79 |3,750 |10,130
1991-92 (provisional) |10,360 |10,360
The figures are based on total general government expenditure on housing, including local authority self-financed expenditure from receipts and expenditure on housing benefit subsidies.
North West Water
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with North West Water on its plans to introduce water metering throughout its area ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : None. It is for each water company to determine its method of charging, subject to the overriding requirement that they do not show undue preference to or unduly discriminate against any class or group of customers.
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Ultra-violet Radiation
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to enhance the current monitoring arrangements for ultra- violet radiation in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 30 October, Official Report, columns 939-40.
Economic Development
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list each piece of legislation within the responsibility of his Department which bestows economic development powers or economic development assistance on local authority areas and which are based, in whole or in part, on statistics related to the relevant travel-to-work area.
Mr. Robin Squire : Section 33 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 provides all principal local authorities with a power to take such steps as they may from time to time consider appropriate for promoting the economic development of their area. The Local Government (Promotion of Economic Development) Regulations 1990 limit the giving of grants, loans and guarantees to a business conducted with a view to profit to a total of £10,000 per business per annum, unless the local authority providing the assistance is listed in schedule 1 to the regulations (as amended). One of the criteria for scheduling is that the local authority, in whole or in part, falls within a travel-to-work area with above average unemployment. Section 13 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 empowers the Secretary of State to make grants in the assisted areas for the improvement of a basic service for which he is responsible. Local authorities would be eligible to apply for such assistance.
Eco-labelling
Mr. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contributions are Greece, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Ireland and Luxembourg making to EC eco-labelling.
Mr. Maclean : All the member states of the European Community are involved in the eco-labelling scheme. All should by now, under the terms of the EC regulation, have set up competent bodies. A number are currently leading studies to develop further criteria for product groups. I understand that further studies by other member states are about to begin or are under consideration.
Mr. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the criteria for the award of eco-labels for kitchen towels, toilet tissue, photocopier paper, writing paper, laundry detergents, paints and varnishes, washing machines, dishwaters, light bulbs, hair sprays, T- shirts, bed linen and batteries to be agreed by all EC states.
Mr. Maclean : As I told the House on 9 November, Official Report, column 724 , we hope to have agreement on a range of products in the first part of next year.
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Water Supplies
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what emergency arrangements are made in pre-payment water meters to enable water to be taken on credit in the event of fire or accident.
Mr. Maclean : I understand that pre-payment water meters are installed on an internal wall in the property. About four days before credit on a meter runs out, the meter emits a noise followed by a continuous flashing warning light. When all the credit has been used, the meter will still allow the customer to receive water until the following morning. The meter also has a facility to enable the customer to obtain a further seven days water in an emergency.
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 November, Official Report, columns 234-35, how many of the disconnections of domestic water supply mentioned in his answer were reconnected within 24 hours.
Mr. Maclean : Information on reconnections is not collected by my Department or by the Office of Water Services, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. I understand that the water industry associations believe the majority of those disconnected--and contactable--are reconnected within 24 hours.
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what emergency arrangements are made to ensure access to water in domestic or commercial properties where the supply has been disconnected.
Mr. Maclean : Where a water company disconnects or reduces for more than 24 hours the supply of water provided to any premises--dwellings, commercial or otherwise--for domestic, ie drinking, cleaning, washing, cooking, heating and sanitary, purposes to carry out necessary works, it must ensure that an emergency supply has been made available within a reasonable distance of the premises. In respect of disconnection for non- payment I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 November 1992, Official Report, column 795.
Travellers
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state for 1990, 1991 and 1992 the number of travellers in England and Wales in (a) authorised local authority encampments, (b) authorised private encampments and (c) unauthorised encampments ; and if he will break the figures down by region.
Mr. Baldry : The Department has no reliable information about numbers of travellers. I am placing in the Library of the House a table showing the number of gypsy caravans on the three types of encampment requested by the hon. Member, for each region in England. The information is derived from bi-annual counts by local authorities. Similar information for Wales is available from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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Derelict Land Grant
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much derelict land grant expenditure there has been in the Darlington travel-to-work area in each year since 1984 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1984 prices.
Mr. Robin Squire : Information on derelict land grant expenditure is not available by travel-to-work area. However, expenditure in the Darlington local authority area was as follows :
|(a) Current prices |(b) 1984 prices (£)
|(£)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |254,514 |254,514
1985-86 |589,788 |558,942
1986-87 |536,772 |492,504
1987-88 |269,442 |234,474
1988-89 |284,697 |231,054
1989-90 |563,164 |428,821
1990-91 |529,567 |372,715
1991-92 |356,164 |234,274
|---- |----
Total |3,384,108 |2,807,298
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the expenditure on derelict land grant in the assisted areas in each year since 1984-85 at (a) curent prices and (b) 1984-85 prices.
Mr. Robin Squire : Information on derelict land grant expenditure is not available by assisted area. However, derelict land grant in the assisted areas and derelict land clearance areas combined was as follows :
|(a) |(b)
|Current prices (£)|1984 prices (£)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |63,260,029 |63,260,029
1985-86 |60,688,860 |57,514,833
1986-87 |58,603,092 |53,770,095
1987-88 |57,667,935 |50,183,790
1988-89 |51,137,068 |41,501,822
1989-90 |84,096,414 |64,035,214
1990-91 |67,135,519 |47,250,650
1991-92 |79,450,627 |52,260,239
|------ |------
Total |522,039,544 |429,776,672
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of derelict land grant spending took place in the assisted areas (a) in each year since 1984-85 and (b) in total since 1984-85.
Mr. Robin Squire : Information on derelict land grant expenditure is not available by assisted area. However, the percentage of derelict land grant paid in the assisted areas and derelict land clearance areas combined was as follows :
|per cent.
--------------------------------
(a) 1984-85 |93.2
1985-86 |90.4
1986-87 |85.2
1987-88 |76.6
1988-89 |76.2
1989-90 |92.6
1990-91 |93.4
1991-92 |92.3
(b) Total |87.7
City Challenge
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are the rules concerning bidding for city challenge scheme funds in years two to five for the 11 pacemaker authorities in the first round ; and what guidance has been issued to such authorities ;
(2) in what circumstances a pacemaker authority, for the purposes of the city challenge scheme, may not receive moneys in years two to five.
Mr. Robin Squire : The action plans of the 11 city challenge pacemakers, covering five-year regeneration programmes 1992 to 1997, were agreed in February and March this year. Full financial provision for these programmes has been included in the settlement announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 November. The agreement to provide funding is subject to individual annual reviews of progress toward achieving the strategic objectives and outputs specified in the plans. The first round of annual reviews, to be chaired by Ministers, is intended to take place in February 1993. The format and procedure for the reviews have recently been piloted with the pacemakers and this will be followed up with further guidance on the issues to be covered.
Housing Management
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing how many tenants and tenants' organisations have responded to the consultation on his proposals to extend compulsory competitive tendering to housing management ; how many of these (a) supported and (b) opposed his proposals ; and if he will place copies of all the responses in the Library.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 November to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle), Offical Report, column 454. I shall be placing copies of all the responses in the Library.
Defective Housing
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many properties sold to sitting tenants under the right-to-buy have been re -purchased by English local authorities under defective housing legislation.
Mr. Baldry : By the end of 1991-92 local authorities in England had repurchased some 13,200 dwellings under the housing defects legislation. It is expected that local authorities will repurchase a further 1,000 dwellings during 1992-93.
Displaced Persons
Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to compensate local authorities for the extra expenditure they have incurred as a result of the influx of displaced persons from the former Yugoslav republic ; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir George Young : The resources made available to local authorities through the local government finance settlement include appropriate provision for dealing with the kind of needs which displaced persons present. I recognise that the recent influx from the former Yugoslav republic has placed an exceptional burden on a small number of authorities, however, and I am prepared to make available special grant to assist the worst affected cases. My officials will be discussing proposals for this with representatives of the local authority associations.
Impact Pricing
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce impact pricing into the planning system ; what representations he has received on introducing impact pricing ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir George Young [holding answer 22 October 1992] : My right hon. Friend has no such plans at present. A number of representations have been received following the announcement in February that the Department would undertake research into the scope and feasibility of development impact fees. Decisions on whether to develop the idea further will be taken in the light of that research, on which tenders will be issued shortly.
Homelessness
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the manner in which he has made provision, within the structure of standard spending assessments, for expenditure by local authorities on their statutory duties relating to homelessness for the current financial year and for the year 1993-94, respectively.
Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 22 October 1990] : The total of standard spending assessments was set for 1992-93 in the light of the spending needs of all authorities including an appropriate allowance for expenditure on providing for the homeless. Proposals for the 1993-94 revenue support grant settlement will be announced later this autumn.
Bank of Credit and Commerce International
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to assist the local authorities which had deposited money with BCCI.
Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 10 November 1992] : Authorities which applied to do so were allowed to treat their losses as capital expenditure, so that they could be met from capital receipts or by borrowing. Authorities which sought temporary increases in their aggregate credit limits, in order to maintain their borrowing capacity, were granted them.
Environmental Protection Enforcement Agencies
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the visit of the heads of European environmental protection enforcement agencies in European Community countries to the United Kingdom on 3 to 6 November.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 9 November 1992] : The first meeting of representatives from EC environmental
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enforcement authorities was held in Chester on 3 to 6 November. The purpose of the meeting was to set up a network of such bodies. The meeting was organised on behalf of the United Kingdom presidency by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and it was chaired by HMIP's chief inspector, Dr. David Slater. More than 50 representatives from the 12 EC member states and the European Commission attended.All delegates welcomed the establishment of the network, the aim of which is to provide a mechanism for exchange of information and practical regulatory experience, to address issues of mutual concern and to enhance the quality of enforcement throughout the community. The meeting agreed a framework for future work, including establishing a number of working groups to address aspects such as permitting, compliance monitoring, inspection and enforcement systems.
The next full meeting of the network will take place in May 1993 in Denmark, during the Danish presidency of the European Community.
Orimulsion
Mr. Oakes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to require any power station intending to burn orimulsion to install flue gas desulphurisation equipment before any of the fuel is burned.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer to November 1992] : Such matters are for HM inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) in the first instance. I understand that applications have been made to HMIP under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to burn orimulsion at four power stations. None of these has been determined. In determining these applications, HMIP will consider the environmental consequences of all releases from the process to all three media : air, water and land. If HMIP authorises the burning of orimulsion it is required to ensure best available techniques not entailing excessive cost to prevent or minimise and render harmless any releases. I also understand HMIP regards flue gas desulphurisation as an available technique.
In view of my right hon. and learned Friend's appellate role in these matters it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.
Sellafield (Discharges)
Mr. Gale : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the public consultation relating to the new draft discharge authorisations for Sellafield to commence.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 13 November 1992] : In response to applications made under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 by British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) to dispose of liquid and gaseous radioactive waste from Sellafield, the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) acting jointly with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), has today sent out public consultation documents proposing new limits for liquid and gaseous radioactive discharges from BNFL's Sellafield operations. The consultation process which will run for eight weeks is being carried out widely and is based on draft authorisations and accompanying
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explanatory memoranda so that everyone can clearly see what HMIP and MAFF propose in response in the company's applications. The draft authorisations will include proposed discharge limits for all relevant plant on the site. The effect of the authorisation would be to :(a) bring into operation new treatment plant for liquid effluent ; (
(b) allow the operation of the new "THORP" thermal oxide reprocessing plant whose construction is nearing completion ; (
(c) provide for the decommissioning of redundant plant, and for the processing of wastes accumulated on the site ;
(d) allow the incineration of slightly contaminated waste oil. I am assured that HMIP and MAFF will not make up their minds about the applications until after the consultation period when they have considered relevant information and the responses they have received. Copies of the consultation documents will be placed in the Library of the House.
Council Tax
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he is taking of the fall in property values since 1990 when finalising the introduction of the council tax in 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 11 November 1992] : The banding of each dwelling shown on valuation lists will be based on its estimated sale price on 1 April 1991, taking account of any significant change to the property between then and April 1993. That will establish its relative value compared with other dwellings and ensure that all dwellings are banded on the same basis.
Nuclear Reprocessing
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters of objection to the new thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield have been received by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 12 November 1992] : By 11 November Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution had received in the order of 36,000 representations about the new thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield from individual members of the public together with several petitions containing a total of approximately 6,500 names.
Inland Waterways
Mr. Gould : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the findings of the review of navigation authorities for inland waterways.
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