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ENVIRONMENT
Consultants
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all of the reports his Department has commissioned from external consultants in each of the last three years ; for each of the last three years, how many reports from external consultants to his Department led to further consultancy work being commissioned, stating for each of these who were the original and subsequent consultants and briefly describing the subject matter of the consultancy work ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : My Department commissioned 320 reports from external consultants in 1989-90 ; 391 in 1990-91 and 457 in 1991-92. For the convenience of the hon. Member, I have placed in the Library of the House separate lists of the reports for each of these years. Information concerning subsequent work commissioned as a result of these reports could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Halons
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will establish halon banks to assist in the recovery and recycling of halon.
Mr. Maclean : The Government are working closely with the fire industry and halon users on ways in which halon banking in the United Kingdom can be facilitated and are also playing an active role both within the EC and internationally on discussions on banking.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ban the production and import of halons into the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maclean : The parties to the Montreal protocol are currently meeting in Copenhagen to discuss the phase out of ozone-depleting substances, including halons. The United Kingdom, together with its EC partners, is calling for production of halons to be phased out by the end of 1994 at the latest except for continued production for essential use.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has made to the Government of Greece concerning membership of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Mr. Maclean : We and other EC partners have regularly urged the Greek Government to become a party to CITES. I am pleased to say, however, that the Greek Government have passed a law enabling Greece to ratify CITES, and formally become a party to the convention on 6 January 1993.
Ultra-violet Radiation
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the current system of UVB monitoring ; and what plans he has for improvements.
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Mr. Maclean : The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has carried out continuous monitoring of ultraviolet radiation in the United Kingdom for three and a half years.
The Department of the Environment has supported the spectral measurement of ultraviolet radiation at Reading university for two and a half years. It is planned to continue this programme.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to enable the National Radiological Protection Board to purchase equipment that is capable of detecting the levels of UVB increase resulting from present ozone depletion.
Mr. Maclean : Spectral radiometers have the potential for detection of increases in UVB that may result from ozone depletion. The Department of the Environment has supported the spectral measurement of UVB at Reading university since 1989 and will continue to do so. There is no plan at the moment to support the purchase of identical equipment for the National Radiological Protection Board.
UN Conventions
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make representations to the Secretary General of the United Nations seeking clarification on the compliance arrangements and verification procedures for (a) the framework convention on climate change and (b) the convention on biological diversity.
Mr. Maclean : The intergovernmental negotiating committee will resume its work next month to elaborate the framework convention on climate change and prepare for decisions at the first meeting of its parties.
Subject to approval by the United Nations Environment Programme's Governing Council in May 1993, an intergovernmental committee on the convention on biology diversity will be established. In the interim, UNEP will establish official level working groups to take forward the necessary further work on the convention.
Packaging
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been undertaken by his Department to date upon the implementation of (a) waste-reducing packaging design and (b) the introduction of landfill and packaging taxation.
Mr. Maclean : (a) None. The Government believe that it is in industry's own commercial interest to undertake research and introduce techniques and technologies to minimise the quantity of packaging and other material which ends up as waste.
(b) The Government have commissioned studies on the use of economic instruments for recycling and on landfill charges.
Council House Sales
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it hs policy to ensure that the proceeds from council house sales, including capital receipts currently set aside, are earmarked for the development of new social housing within each local authority area.
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Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his autumn statement a relaxation of the rules governing the use by local authorities of their capital receipts. In consequence, authorities are able to spend 100 per cent. of most capital receipts generated between 13 November 1992 and31 December 1993.
This initiative will proceed in conjunction with our plans for a capital partnership in England between central and local government to enhance the value for money from these substantial extra resources. These proposals represent an opportunity for the provision of additional new social housing, particularly through the sponsorship by local authorities of housing association development, as well as for substantial new expenditure on the renovation of existing housing.
Recycling
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to oblige shops and offices to collect their waste paper and cardboard for recycling.
Mr. Maclean : We have no plans to do so at present.
Solid Waste
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will establish targets for the reduction of solid waste production within the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maclean : The Government advise industry on how to reduce and minimise waste ; however, we have no plans to set targets at present.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his original estimates for local authorities' capital receipts, showing for each authority both gross receipts and usable receipts and showing separately housing receipts for (a) 1992-93 and (b) 1993-94.
Mr. Howard : I have not made any estimates of these receipts at the level of individual local authorities. Local authorities have provided their own forecasts of the receipts they expect to receive during 1992-93. I am arranging for this information to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his latest estimate for each local authority of (a) the gross receipts from (i) housing and (ii) other assets from 1 April to 12 November, (b) the gross receipts from (i) housing and (ii) other assets from 13 November to 31 March 1993, (c) the gross receipts from (i) housing and (ii) other assets from 1 April 1993 to 31 December 1993 and (d) the gross receipts from (i) housing and (ii) other asets from 1 January 1994 to 31 March 1994.
Mr. Howard : I have not made any estimates of these receipts at the level of individual local authorities.
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Caravan Sites
Mr. Jamieson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many applications for gipsy sites have been turned down since the Caravan Sites Act 1968 became law ;
(2) if he will list the locations of the gipsy sites established since 1968, indicating (a) which were subject to public inquiries and (b) in which ones the local authority concerned applied for outline planning permission first before applying for detailed planning permission ;
(3) how many gipsy sites have been established in England and Wales since the Caravan Sites act 1968 became law.
Mr. Baldry : Information is not available in the form requested. In January 1992 there were 306 local authority gipsy sites in England and Wales acommodating nearly 6,000 gipsy caravans, and nearly 3,000 caravans on authroised private sites. I have placed in the Library a copy of the Department's list of local authority gipsy sites in England, as at January 1992, compiled from data supplied by local authorities.
Mr. Gunnell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the total number of occupied caravan sites by local authority area, which would be affected by legislation implementing the proposals of the 1992 consultation paper on the Caravan Sites Act 1968.
Mr. Baldry : The consultation paper states that the Government expect existing gipsy caravan sites to continue in being.
North-East Atlantic (Discharges)
Mr. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps the Government are taking to ensure the new levels of discharges, agreed in Paris in the new convention to protect the north-east Atlantic, can be met.
Mr. Maclean : The new convention to protect the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic does not itself set any "new levels of discharges". The Government and the regulatory authorities will be using the powers at their disposal to fulfil obligations established under the convention and its predecessors.
Land Quality Statements
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ensure that all planning applications are accompanied by land quality statements.
Mr. Baldry : The relationship between a proposed development and the quality of land affected can be material to decisions on planning applications, and local planning authorities have powers to ensure they obtain all the information they need to take proper decisions.
Water Supplies (Contamination)
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the incidence of bacterial contamination of water supplies in each of the last five years in each of the areas covered by the present water companies.
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Mr. Maclean : Information on drinking water quality in England and Wales during 1990 and 1991 is contained in the annual reports of the chief inspector, the drinking water inspectorate, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
Information on earlier years is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Castle Vale Housing Action Trust
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce a decision on the future of the proposed Castle Vale housing action trust, Birmingham.
Mr. Baldry : An announcement on the proposal for a housing action trust on the Castle Vale estate in Birmingham will be made once the assessment of the feasibility work is complete.
Water Companies (Safeguards)
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the memorandum on safeguards in the operation and management of public waterworks still applies to the privatised water companies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The memorandum has been replaced by "Operational Guidelines for the Protection of Drinking Water Supplies", published in 1988 by, and obtainable from, the Water Services Association. The advice given is not mandatory. It complements the legal requirement to provide wholesome water.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has carried out in the last five years into the possibility of cross contamination in the water industry.
Mr. Maclean : During the last five years, the Department has commissioned two research projects about backflow which could lead to contamination of water supplies. The first, which started in 1988, is to evaluate the degree of protection afforded by a range of mechanical devices designed to prevent backflow. The second, which started recently, is to study information on events which might lead to backflow. Both are due for completion in March 1993.
Water Charges
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the method of basing water charges on the rateable value of properties.
Mr. Maclean : Following the publication of my right hon. Friend's paper, "Using Water Wisely", we have received numerous
representations about the possible bases for calculating water charges, including on the use of property values.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what investigations his Department has carried out into the possible methods of charging for water and sewerage services.
Mr. Maclean : My Department has co-funded with the water industry 11 of the national water metering trials.
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Following widespread consultation, the Director General of Water Services has issued guidance to water companies about the development of their charging strategies. It is now for each water company to decide on its preferred method of charging in the light of the circumstances in its area, subject to legal limitations such as the obligation to avoid discriminatory charges and the prohibition on using rateable values after the year 2000.Leasehold Properties
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each housing authority in England the total number of leasehold properties.
Mr. Baldry : No information is held centrally on the total number of leasehold properties in each local authority area.
Local Government (Legislation)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the public Acts of Parliament passed since the general election of 1979 which have affected the duties, powers and responsibilities of local government.
Mr. Squire : Public General Acts of Parliament between June 1979 and the end of the last Session of Parliament which affect local authorities in England include those on the following list : Charter Trustees Act 1985
Further Education Act 1985
Food and Environment Protection Act 1985
Representation of the People Act 1985
Local government Act 1985
Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act 1985
Wildlife and Countryside (Service of Notices) Act 1985
Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985
Transport Act 1985
Housing Act 1985
Housing (Consequential Provisions) Act 1985
Housing Associations Act 1985
Weights and Measures Act 1985
Highways (Amendment) Act 1985
Education (Amendment) Act 1986
Museum of London Act 1986
Local Government Act 1986
Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1986
Drainage Rates (Disabled Persons) Act 1986
Civil Protection in Peacetime Act 1986
Health Service Joint Consultative Committees (Access to Information) Act 1986
Road Traffic Regulation (Parking) Act 1986
Children and Young Persons (Amendment) Act 1986
Airports Act 1986
Disabled Persons (services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986
Education Act 1986
Rate Support Grants Act 1986
Education (No. 2) Act 1986
Housing and Planning Act 1986
Public Order Act 1986
Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1987
Rate Support Grants Act 1987
Local Government Finance Act 1987
Reverter of Sites Act 1987
Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987
Local Government Act 1987
Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988
Local Government Act 1988
Coroners Act 1988
Environment and Safety Information Act 1988
Education Reform Act 1988
Local Government Finance Act 1988
Housing Act 1988
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