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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 4 December 1992
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people received legal aid this year ; and how many of these would have been eligible and how many would pay increased contributions, if the changes in legal aid announced for England and Wales were to be introduced to Northern Ireland.
Mr. John M. Taylor : In the year ended 31 March 1992, the legal aid department of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, issued 14,585 civil legal aid certificates. In addition 56,508 bills for legal advice and assistance and 11,320 bills for legal assistance by way of representation were paid.
In the above cases contributions were required in 1,601--11 per cent.--of civil legal aid cases, in 1,607--3 per cent.--of legal advice and assistance cases and in 1,242--11 per cent.--of assistance by way of representation cases. In all other cases no contribution was required.
Information regarding how many of those involved would be eligible and how many would pay increased contributions, if the changes in legal aid announced for England and Wales were to be introduced in Northern Ireland, is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The system of granting criminal legal aid in Northern Ireland is different from that in operation in England and Wales and a direct comparison of the effect of proposed changes in England and Wales is not possible.
Divorce
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he has completed his review of all aspects of divorce reform and conciliation following the Law Commission's
recommendations ; and what proposals he has to establish a counselling and mediation service.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lord Chancellor is considering the Law Commission's recommendations and the role and funding of family mediation services. His review of these matters is not yet complete and therefore it would be premature to put forward proposals on what are difficult and controversial issues.
TRANSPORT
Civil Servants
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants from his Department have been relocated from London to other parts of the United Kingdom (a) in the last five years and (b) in the last 10 years ; and to where they were relocated.
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Mr. Norris : The Department of Transport has relocated 267 posts from London in the last five years and 307 in the last 10 years, as follows :
New Location |Unit |Posts Relocated -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Farnborough- |Air Accidents Investigation Branch |40 Nottingham- |Driving Standards Agency Headquarters|120 Leeds- |Highways Computing |42 Coventry- |Motorway Widening Unit |105
Roadside Testing
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take to introduce roadside testing to ensure on-road compliance of motor cycles, cars, light vans, buses and heavy goods vehicles with emission standards for (a) carbon monoxide, (b) smoke and (c) noise ; and if he will set annual targets for such testing.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The police and the Department's vehicle examiners have the power to check vehicles at the roadside for emissions. The use of those powers by the police is a matter for the chief constables. The Department's examiners make a visual assessment of emissions at the roadside as part of roadworthiness inspections. The targets for these inspections in 1992-93 are 125,000 heavy goods vehicles, 23,000 public service vehicles and 33,000 cars and light goods vehicles. In addition, there will be metered roadside checks of smoke and carbon monoxide emissions from some 13,000 vehicles. By 1 January next year, annual roadworthiness tests of most vehicles apart from motorcycles will include metered checks of carbon monoxide and smoke. Those tests are the main way of dealing with excessive on-road emissions from individual vehicles.
Excessive noise arising from a missing or a faulty silencer would lead to failure at annual test and prohibition at the roadside.
Catalytic Converters
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses he has received to his proposal to allow a derogation for the sale of cars not fitted with catalytic converters after 1 January 1993 ; how many respondents (a) supported and (b) opposed his proposal ; which motor manufacturing companies (i) supported and (ii) opposed his proposal ; what estimate he has made of the number of vehicles not fitted with a catalytic converter left unsold on 1 January 1993 ; and when he will announce his decision.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Of some 400 representative organisations consulted in accordance with section 195(2) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, only 25 replied with substantive comments. Of these, 18 were in favour or raised no objection and seven opposed the derogation. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders welcomed the measures on behalf of the industry as a whole. Of individual motor manufacturing companies, Ford, Mazda, Proton, Rolls-Royce and Rover welcomed the proposal, whereas Bristol Cars did not consider it would be of use to them. No motor manufacturers opposed the proposal. We estimate that there may be some 32,000 cars
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left unsold by 31 December which will benefit from the proposal. This represents a little under 2 per cent. of projected registrations this year. Having considered the representations, I made the related regulations (SIs 1992 Nos. 2908 and 2909) on 19 November and they were laid before the House on 26 November.Motorcycles
Mr. Jopling : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received (a) at the international motorcycle show or (b) elsewhere about the desirability of relaxing rules which prevent motorcycles with plastic petrol tanks being sold in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : There have been a number of representations from the motorcycle industry requesting a relaxation of the current rules so as to allow plastic fuel tanks to be used on motorcycles. We are actively considering a change and intend to consult on draft-amending regulations very soon.
Thames Bridges (Traffic)
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the information he has about plans to close or restrict vehicular and pedestrian traffic during the next six months in respect of each of those Thames bridges between Tower bridge and Hampton Court bridge which allow vehicular or pedestrian access.
Mr. Norris : The Thames bridges which carry trunk roads and for which my right hon. Friend is the highway authority are those at Twickenham (A316), Chiswick (A316), and Kew (A205). He has no plans to close or restrict any of these bridges in the next six months. The appropriate London borough councils, and the City of London, are responsible for the other Thames bridges. The following restrictions apply or are planned :-
Tower Bridge
17 tonnes weight. Weekend closure on 22-23 and 29-30 January for renovation.
London Bridge
Lane closures for one week at some time in the summer for resurfacing the King William street approach.
Waterloo Bridge
Closure on 2-15 January to replace an expansion joint.
Westminster Bridge
7.5 tonnes weight. The co-ordination of work to upgrade the bridge, starting in the summer, and work to extend the Jubilee Line is currently under discussion.
Lambeth Bridge
Closures and lane closures to renew expansion joints, but no start date yet decided.
Chelsea Bridge
Footways will be repaired in January and February.
Albert Bridge
Closure for one weekend in March for programmed maintenance. Further weekend closures in the summer for deck repairs.
Battersea Bridge
Closed since 29 November and expected to re-open in February. Hammersmith Bridge
3 tonnes weight. Lane closures from 4 January to mid-February for programmed maintenance.
Blue Light Emergency Services
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those companies registered with his Department who are offering blue light emergency services ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Operators of vehicles using blue warning beacons and special warning lights are not required with this Department.
The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations make provision for these lamps to be used on "emergency vehicles" which are defined as motor vehicles of any of the following descriptions :
(a) a vehicle used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes ;
(b) an ambulance, being a vehicle (other than an invalid carriage) which is constructed or adapted for the purposes of conveying sick or injured persons and which is used for such purposes ;
(c) a vehicle owned by a body formed primarily for the purposes of fire salvage and used for those or similar purposes ;
(d) a vehicle owned by the Forestry Commission or by a local authority and used from time to time for the purposes of fighting fires ;
(e) a vehicle owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used--
(i) for the purposes of the disposal of bombs or explosives, (ii) by the Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation for the purposes of a nuclear accident or an incident involving radioactivity,
(iii) by the Royal Air Force mountain rescue service for the purposes of rescue operations or any other emergencies, or (iv) by the Royal Air Force armament support unit ;
(f) a vehicle primarily used for the purposes of the Blood Transfusion Service provided under the National Health Service Act 1977 or under the National Health Service (Scotland) act 1978 ; (g) a vehicle used by Her Majesty's Coastguard or Coastguard Auxilliary Service for the purposes of giving aid to persons in danger or vessels in distress on or near the coast ;
(h) a vehicle owned by the British Coal Corporation and used for the purposes of rescue operations at mines ;
(i) a vehicle owned by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and used for the purposes of launching lifeboats ; and
(j) a vehicle primarily used for the purpose of conveying any human tissue for transplanting or similar purposes.
London Buses Ltd.
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the privatisation of London Buses Ltd.
Mr. Norris : My right hon. Friend has written to the chairman of London Transport to inform him of the Government's agreement in principle to the early privatisation of the subsidiaries of London Buses Ltd.
Before the companies can be sold, the services they operate on behalf of London Transport must be put on a clear contractual basis. Forty per cent. of the London Transport network is already operated under contract by private firms or London Buses Ltd. companies, and there will be a further round of competitive tendering next year to increase that proportion. The remaining routes operated by London Buses Ltd. subsidiaries will be put on a formal contractual basis from 1 April 1993, paving the way for the London Buses Ltd. companies to be offered for sale from late 1993 onwards.
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The Government remain firmly committed to deregulating the London bus market at the earliest opportunity. Early privatisation will help to ensure that competition in the deregulated market takes place on a free and fair basis.ENVIRONMENT
Emissions
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what work has been undertaken to date by his Department to monitor emission levels from manufacturing industries in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maclean : The main polluting industries are controlled under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Alkali etc. Works Regulation Act 1906. The emphasis is on operators of these industries monitoring their own emissions. The relevant enforcing authorities have powers to check that this monitoring is undertaken satisfactorily and to carry out their own monitoring in order to substantiate the operator's results or to investigate matters not covered by the operator's monitoring programme.
Water Quality
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial assistance Her Majesty's Government gave to improve water quality for each of the last five years before water privatisation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : A considerable proportion of investment by the former water authorities had the effect of improving water quality. Some details of that expenditure were given in the DOE chapters of the annual public expenditure White Paper. Investment expenditure was met from water charges and borrowing : the limits for the latter were set out in the White Papers.
Water Supplies
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to which authorities the disconnection of a water supply to an inhabited premises with a water meter is notifiable.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 November 1992, at column 235, which applies irrespective of the method of charging in use.
Housing Starts
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of private sector housing starts in England for the 1991-92 year.
Mr. Baldry : It is estimated that in England during the financial year 1991-92 there were 113,300 private enterprise and 19,700 housing association starts.
Unleaded Petrol
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what analyses of the safety, or impact on human health, of unleaded petrol have been carried out ; if he will give details ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Maclean : The hon. Member may have in mind the fact that the benzene content of unleaded petrol in the United Kingdom is typically rather higher, at 3 to 4 per cent., than for leaded petrol--2.5 per cent. Benzene is a genotoxic carcinogen. A number of studies have been made of the effects of occupational exposure to benzene, and the Department's expert panel on air quality standards has been asked to make recommendations on an ambient air quality standard for benzene. However, the major source of benzene emissions in the United Kingdom is not the evaporation of petrol but rather petrol engine exhaust, and most of the benzene in this exhaust arises from the "cracking" of aromatics in the engine rather than from the original benzene content of the fuel. Harmful exhaust emissions, including benzene, can be drastically reduced by fitting three-way catalytic converters to cars. This will be mandatory under EC standards for new cars from the end of 1992. Cars with catalytic converters will run only on unleaded petrol.
Tarmac
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many meetings took place between Tarmac and individual members of the Property Services Agency Projects board from October 1991 to October 1992 ; and if he will make a statement on the nature of these meetings ;
(2) if he will list the meetings between Tarmac and the Property Services Agency Projects board from October 1991 to October 1992 ; and if he will make a statement on the nature of these meetings.
Mr. Redwood : Many meetings would have taken place between individual members of the PSA Projects board and Tarmac as with any major construction company, in the normal course of business. The PSA board has met Tarmac twice during this period as part of projects' efforts to establish itself as a commercial organisation. In addition during the due diligence phase of the sale process, both the board and individual board members met Tarmac on the same basis as other shortlisted bidders. Following Tarmac's selection as preferred bidder at the end of September there were frequent meetings between board members and Tarmac in preparation for staff consultation about the sale and to develop Tarmac's plans for the business.
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list and quantify all existing claims for liquidated damages (a) from the former Property Services Agency Projects board against Tarmac and (b) from Tarmac against the former Property Services Agency Projects board.
Mr. Redwood : There are no existing claims between Tarmac and the former Property Services Agency Projects board. Property Services Agency Projects no longer advises client departments on current claims against or by Tarmac. The contracts relating to such claims have been the responsibility of client departments since 1 April 1990. The amounts of claims by commercial companies against Government Departments are commercially confidential.
City Grant
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the expenditure on city grant in the assisted areas in each year since its inception ;
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(2) how much city grant expenditure there has been in the metropolitan borough of Wirral council district in each year since its inception ;(3) what percentage of city grant spending took place in the assisted areas (a) in each year since its inception and (b) in total since its inception.
Mr. Robin Squire : City grant expenditure approved for projects in assisted areas since the introduction of city grant in 1988, and the percentage of total expenditure is as follows :
|£ million|per cent.
------------------------------------------------
In assisted areas
1988-89 |4.752 |19
1989-90 |28.684 |44
1990-91 |34.741 |65
1991-92 |56.468 |74
1992-93<1> |31.128 |66
In Wirral metropolitan borough council aarea
1988-89 |0.000 |-
1989-90 |0.000 |-
1990-91 |0.126 |-
1991-92 |2.173 |-
1992-93 |0.000 |-
<1> In first eight months.
Total expenditure approved for projects in assisted areas represents 58 per cent. of all city grant expenditure approved to date.
All figures exclude grant offers not taken up.
City Challenge
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria or performance indicators will be taken into account, apart from measuring each authority's performance against the strategic objectives and outputs specified in the action plans, for the purposes of the city challenge scheme in considering which pacemaker authorities should receive more or less than the average sum originally promised per pacemaker authority.
Mr. Robin Squire : The 11 city challenge pacemakers will each receive £37.5 million over five years, subject only to an annual review of progress toward achieving the strategic objectives and outputs specified in their action plans.
Building Control Fees
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the current level of building control fees ; and what was the level of those fees in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available ;
(2) what was the rise in both actual and percentage terms of the most recent increase in building control fees ; when that increase was implemented ; and upon what basis that increase was calculated ; (3) if he will make a statement outlining the reasons for levelling building control fees ; and for which precise categories of building work they are levied.
Mr. Baldry : The current level of building control fees payable to local authorities in England and Wales is set out in the Building (Amendment of Prescribed Fees) Regulations 1992 (1992 No. 2079). These regulations, which were laid before Parliament on 9 September 1992
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and came into operation on 1 October 1992, provided for an increase in fees for all three categories of building work : new housing, domestic extensions and alterations, and all other types of work including industrial and commercial.Building control fees are levied so that the costs of providing the service are paid for primarily by the developer rather than by the taxpayer generally. The purpose of the increase was threefold : to keep fee levels in line with inflation since the previous increase in February 1991 ; to reflect increased local authority workload arising from the Building Regulations 1991 ; and to reduce the deficit between fee income and the cost of the building control service, which was particularly large for work involving domestic extensions and alterations. The average increase for most categories of work was 9.4 per cent. The actual fee for an average sized house increased from £209 to £228 ; for 10 houses from £1,802 to £1,972 ; for a £0.5 million non-domestic building from £2,440 to £2,668. For non-domestic work above £1 million the fees remained unchanged. Fees for domestic extensions and alterations inceased by 50 per cent., involving an actual rise for an average sized extension from £60 to £90 ; and for larger extensions from £120 to £180.
The level of fees charged by local authorities over the last 10 years are set out in the following statutory instruments which are available in the Library of the House :
Statutory Instrument |Came into force -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1982 No. 577 | 1 July 1982 1983 No. 1611 (Amendment) |19 December 1983 1985 No. 1576 |11 November 1985 1986 No. 2287 (Amendment) | 1 February 1987 1988 No. 871 (Amendment) |13 June 1988 1989 No. 1118 (Amendment) | 1 September 1989 1990 No. 2600 (Amendment) | 1 February 1991
The separate building regulations system for London was incorporated into the national arrangements in 1985 and 1987 and the building regulation fees existing at the time in England and Wales were applied to London under the Building (Inner London) Regulations, Statutory Instruments 1985 No. 1936 and 1987 No. 798 which came into force on 6 January 1986 and 1 July 1987 respectively.
Home Improvements (Compensation)
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish a consultation paper on the new right to compensation for home improvements in the Housing and Urban Development Bill.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. and learned Friend, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have today published a consultation paper entitled "Compensation for Tenants' Improvements". The consultation paper seeks views from interested parties on the operation of a new mandatory scheme whereby local authority tenants can receive compensation for carrying out worthwhile home improvements, once their tenancy ends. In line with the citizens charter, the scheme will benefit all council tenants, and provide encouragement and recognition for the commitment some tenants make towards improving their homes.
The powers to establish this new scheme are contained in clause 109 of the Housing and Urban Development Bill.
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A consultation paper on the introduction of a similar scheme in Scotland will be issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. Copies of both consultation papers will be placed in the Libraries of the House.Waste (Definition)
Mr. Marland : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the regulations governing the definition of waste ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 2 December 1992] : Waste is defined in section 75 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Government have no plans to amend the section. The definition of controlled waste in the same section of that Act is qualified in the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 (SI 1992 No. 588).
Ozone Depletion
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution has been promised by the United Kingdom to the interim multilateral fund to assist with the prevention of ozone depletion ; and what funds have so far been paid.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I have been asked to reply. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Burnely (Mr. Pike) on 3 December (column 302).
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Citizens Charter
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will describe the place and the date on which each of the photographs in the citizens charter first report : 1992 Cm. 2101 was taken ; and if he will place in the Library an untrimmed copy of the photograph facing the contents page, showing the background behind the people.
Page 6 St. Marys Hospital Paddington, London W2--October 1992. Page 11 Woodcote Primary School, Croydon--October 1992.
Page 17 Dorking BR station--February 1992.
Page 18 Victoria BR station, London SW1--October 1992.
Page 24 South West Mechanised Letter Office, London SW8--August 1992.
Page 33 Watford Tax Office--October 1992.
Page 36 Sheffield--October 1992.
An untrimmed version of the photograph that faces the contents page has been placed in the Library of the House. It was taken in Victoria street, London SW1, in June 1989.
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