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ENVIRONMENT
Environment Summit
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the events, and give full details, scheduled to take place at the environment summit in Manchester in September which specifically involve children ; and on what basis children will be invited to participate.
Mr. Yeo : The children's environment summit will be held in Manchester on Saturday 18 September. The children attending will be invited to put forward ideas for a long-term environmental initiative.
A competition will be launched later this month to select 60 children aged between eight and 15 to participate.
Climate Change
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the organisations which responded to his departmental consultation document on climate change ; and what action he has taken in response to the comments received.
Mr. Yeo : We received more than 250 responses to the discussion document : "Climate Change--Our National Programme for CO Emissions." A list of the respondents has been placed in the Library of the House. Copies of all the responses have been placed in the library of my Department. They have all been read very carefully and will be taken into account in finalising the national CO programme. The programme will be published later this year.
Council Tax Registers
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those public utilities, organisations or companies which currently have direct access to council tax registers.
Mr. Baldry : None of these bodies has rights of access to information about the state of a council tax valuation list going beyond those available to all persons under section 28 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to extend the scope of access to council tax registers ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend has no plans to extend access to information in council tax valuation lists.
Homeless Elderly
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the night shelters or hostels within the Greater London area that are specifically allocated for use by homeless elderly people within the Greater London area.
Mr. Baldry : This information is not held centrally, although the Department part-funds resource information services to publish an annual London hostels directory, which lists hostel accommodation in London. The entry for each hostel shows, inter alia, any age restrictions on residents. I am placing copies of the directory in the Library.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what survey has been undertaken by his Department on the welfare of elderly homeless people sleeping rough in London during the first three months of 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The Department has not undertaken such a survey. The age breakdown of people sleeping rough in central London is given in the report of independent research into the effectiveness of the rough sleepers initiative, commissioned by the Department from Geoffrey Randall and Susan Brown, entitled "The Rough Sleepers Initiative : an Evaluation", published in January 1993. Copies of this report are in the Library.
Landfill Management
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to examine the issue of criminal liability of private sector companies which take over the management of local authority landfill sites under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the Water Act 1989, which then cause pollution as a direct result of waste deposited in the past.
Mr. Yeo : We have no plans to examine the issue of criminal liability in these circumstances.
However, my right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State announced on 24 March 1993 at column 633 a wide-ranging review by an interdepartmental group of officials, under the chairmanship of his Department, of the problems associated with contaminative uses of land. Among the issues to be covered by this review will be civil liability for contamination.
Mobile Home Owners
Mr. Alan Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 to extend compensation payable under it to mobile home owners affected by motorways completed in the last 10 years.
Mr. Baldry : Under a provision inserted by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport intends later this year to make regulations enabling highway authorities to make payments to the owners of mobile homes which are affected by a specified level of noise arising from the construction or use of new or altered roads. The powers
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apply only to cases where the works giving rise to noise came into use no earlier than 12 months before commencement of the provision. The regulations which my right hon. Friend proposes to make will accordingly apply to new or altered road schemes which first came into use on or after 25 September 1990. We are not persuaded of the case for any extension in the scope of the powers.Water Prices
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the heads of the regional water companies to discuss the basis for water price structure ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : My right hon. Friend's predecessors have from time to time met chairmen of the water companies. The basis for restrictions on water charges is set out in the water companies' instruments of appointment, compendia of which are available in the Library. Under the Water Industry Act 1991, the Director General of Water Services has the duty to set limits to the prices companies may charge. The director general has published a number of consultation papers concerning his approach to setting price limits at the first full review in 1994 which will take effect from 1 April 1995. Under section 2 of the Water Industry Act 1991, the director general must enable companies to obtain the funds to finance their duties while protecting the interests of their customers.
Radon Gas
Sir Roger Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants are available to help householders pay the cost of remedial work in their homes to prevent contamination by radon gas ; how many grants he estimates have been made ; and how many houses are estimated to be at risk.
Mr. Yeo : Local authorities have powers under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 to award discretionary renovation grants to help home owners with radon remedial measures. Information on the number of grants given for this purpose is not collected by the Department. The National Radiological Protection Board estimates that 100,000 houses are above the Government action level.
Company Relocations, Merseyside
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many companies from outside Merseyside have relocated within the Merseyside development corporation area since 1991.
Mr. Baldry : A recent survey carried out on behalf of MDC has indicated that approximately 200 companies have been established within MDC's area since 1991. Ten of these companies moved into MDC owned premises from outside Merseyside. In addition, there have been relocations by three Government organisations into the MDC area.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost to Government of relocating companies to the Merseyside development corporation area since 1991.
Mr. Baldry : It is not possible to put a figure on cost to Government in relocating companies to the MDC area
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since 1991 as much of the information is commercial in confidence. However, since 1991 MDC has given grant assistance of more than £3 million to companies within MDC's area, thereby creating or retaining jobs.Red List Substances
Mr. Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the United Kingdom input figures, and their dates, for each of the 23 red list substances, which are to be used as the baseline for the Government's commitment to reduce riverine, estuarial and direct coastal aqueous discharges to the sea by 50 per cent. ; and if he will disaggregate inputs of each substance to the North sea and other coastal waters of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Mr. Yeo : The available information is contained in "The Implementation of the Ministerial Declaration of the Second International Conference on the Protection of the North Sea," published by my Department in February 1990, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Discharges of red list substances in Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.
Mr. Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest available figures relating to riverine, estuarial and direct coastal discharges of the red list substances ; and what are their dates, disaggregating the data to provide input figures of each substance to the North sea and other coastal waters of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Mr. Yeo : The latest available information is contained in "Controlling the Inputs of Persistent Chemicals to Marine Waters from Land- Based Sources", a paper by the chief scientist of the National Rivers Authority given to the British Association for the Advancement of Science at its Southampton meeting in August 1992. A copy of this is in the Library of the House. Discharges of red list substances in Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.
Forestry
Mr. Clifton-Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government will publish their response to the Environment Select Committee's first report of the current Session on "Foresty and the Environment" ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : The Government are today publishing their response to the Environment Select Committee's report on "Forestry and the Environment". We welcome the Committee's report as a valuable contribution to the debate on this important topic.
The Government welcome the Committee's recognition of the important role of forestry in meeting a wide range of environmental, economic and social objectives. The Government also welcome the Committee's support for the continued expansion of forestry cover.
In taking forward the relevant policies, the aim of the Government is to ensure that encouragement of increased woodland cover complements the goal of conserving and enhancing the environment. The statement published by the Forestry Commission on behalf of forestry Ministers
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in September 1991 set out the broad policy framework : the present response to the Committee's report highlights various developments which have occurred since then. These include the publication of additional environmental guidelines with which applicants for the woodland grant scheme have to comply, the publication last year of guidance to local authorities on the preparation of indicative forestry strategies to assist landowners and others drawing up new planting schemes, and provision by the Forestry Commission of a public register of grant applications to improve the public's awareness of forestry planting proposals.In the wider policy context, the response confirms the Government's commitment to publish by the end of this year a national plan for implementing the statement of forest principles agreed last year at the Earth summit in Rio de Janiero. The Forestry Commission is co-ordinating the preparation of this plan, and will seek the views of non-governmental organisations before it is completed. The plan will set out the arrangements for implementing forestry policy, including the delivery of multiple objectives in forests throughout the United Kingdom.
The response points to the Government's current review of the effectiveness of existing incentives for forestry investment and options for the ownership and management of the Forestry Commission's woodlands with a view to possible changes which would improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the Government's forestry policy objectives.
The response announces the Government's intention to review existing consultation arrangements for planting and felling proposals ; and it confirms that a review of current procedures to maintain public access where appropriate to forests and woodlands sold by the Forestry Commission as part of its disposals programme will take place later this year.
The response also announces the Forestry Commission's intention to devote a greater proportion of its resources to the community and national forest initiatives, and to undertake a study of the extent of neglected and derelict woodlands with a view to making recommendations on any additional action required.
Copies of the Government response are being laid before the House and will be available in the Library.
Displaced Persons
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the special financial assistance to be given to local authorities in respect of displaced persons from the former Yugoslavia and unaccompanied refugee and asylum-seeking children.
Mr. Curry : Financial assistance is to be given to local authorities under two special grant schemes. Details are contained in "Special Grant Report (No. 8)" which has been laid before the House of Commons for approval. These two grant schemes will provide support to those authorities which are most affected by the influx of displaced persons from the former Yugoslavia and by the pressure on local services caused by the arrival at major ports of entry of refugee and asylum-seeking children from other parts of the world.
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Local Government Staff Commission
Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to issue policy guidance to the Local Government Staff Commission (England).
Mr. Baldry : I am placing in the Library a copy of the policy guidance which we are issuing to the Local Government Staff Commission (England).
The Government recognise the anxieties which many local authority staff have about their future when reorganisation of local government in the shire counties takes place over the next few years. We are keen to ensure that the staff commission looks carefully at all the staff issues involved. The policy guidance provides a framework for the commission to consider the complex arrangements relating to staff which will need to be resolved by local authorities.
The commission will focus specifically on mechanisms for staff transfer to, and recruitment by, the new authorities, and on the scope for any prior consideration arrangements for staff whose posts are lost in reorganisation.
Over the coming months, the staff commission will be talking extensively to local governments at all levels : the local authority associations, individual local authorities directly affected--their staff and their representatives--and listening to their views and concerns.
Coocal authorities from compulsory competitive tendering for construction-related and corporate services.
Mr. Curry : Competition provides many benefits to local authorities : better managed services, higher quality work and significant financial savings. However, the Government recognise that CCT involves additional administrative requirements, which need to be taken into account.
For this reason we introduced de-minimis thresholds for the services subject to CCT under the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980 and the Local Government Act 1988. Where the amount of work falls below these thresholds, authorities are not obliged to seek competitive tenders--though they can do so voluntarily if they wish. During our joint discussions on the implementation of white-collar CCT, local authority representatives have proposed that de-minimis thresholds should similarly be adopted for professional and corporate services.
I have considered these comments, and accept the principle. I have asked my officials to discuss with local authority representatives the appropriate form and amounts of the thresholds which will achieve broadly the same objectives as those thresholds already in place for manual services. I have also accepted the argument that a local authority needs a satisfactory staffing level to perform adequately the core client roles which may not be suitable for competitive tendering.
White collar CCT covers a range of different services. The deminimis thresholds adopted will need to reflect these differences. For some services, a threshold based on the total value of the service may be appropriate, for others
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one based on the number of staff employed, or a combination of the two, may better meet authorities' needs. I am anxious that we consider all options.I will make further announcements on the proposed thresholds for individual services in due course.
As with the existing services, local authorities will of course be free to tender services below threshold levels voluntarily. Authorities should take every opportunity to improve services and reduce costs through market testing.
Meantime, I hope this early announcement about the decision in principle to adopt deminimis thresholds for the white collar services will be helpful to local authorities.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of the written submission appeals submitted by Castle Point borough council, Harlow district council and Gloucestershire county council against his proposed cap of their budgets.
Mr. Baldry : I have today placed copies of these documents in the Library.
Executive Bodies
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to whom each executive non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department is statutorily or legally responsible ; and which such bodies are subject to (a) surcharge, (b) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (c) scrutiny by the Audit Commission or National Audit Office, (d) the statutory provisions for open Government which apply to local authorities, (e) performance indicators, and (f) any provisions under the citizens charters.
Mr. Gummer [holding answer 10 June 1993] : The Department of the Environment currently sponsors 29 executive non-departmental public bodies, details of which are in "Public Bodies" and the Department's 1993 annual report (Cm. 2207). The functions and responsibilities of each non- departmental public body are specified in its founding legislation. I appoint and specify the terms of service of the members of the board of each non-departmental public body and am responsible for non-departmental public bodies' use of resources and the general framework within which they are required to operate. The chief executive of most non-departmental public bodies is designated as the non-departmental public body's accounting officer and, together with the departmental accounting officer, is liable to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to account for the use of public funds.
(a) The concept of surcharge as used in the Local Government Finance Act 1982 applies only to local authorities.
(b) The non-departmental public bodies subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration are : Commission for the New Towns (excluding housing functions) Countryside Commission
Housing Corporation
Local Government Commission
London Residuary Body
National Rivers Authority (excluding flood defence functions)
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Nature Conservancy Council for England (English Nature) Rural Development CommissionUnited Kingdom Eco-Labelling Board
Urban Development Corporations (excluding town and country planning functions)
(c) The Comptroller and Auditor General, as head of the National Audit Office, is the statutory external auditor of :
Audit Commission
Countryside Commission
Nature Conservancy Council for England
Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Rural Development Commission
The Comptroller and Auditor General also has a statutory right to inspect the books of the National Rivers Authority and, by agreement, those of other NDPBs. Under the provisions of the National Audit Act 1983 he may also carry out examinations into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of NDPBs for which he is the external auditor or which receive more than half their income from public funds. The Audit Commission is the statutory external auditor of the London Pensions Fund Authority and the London residuary body. (d) The provisions of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 apply only to those local authorities specified in the Act.
(e) As a matter of policy, all NDPBs are required to develop and use performance indicators both for their own internal management and to inform the public about their work.
(f) All NDPBs are required to apply the principles of the citizens charter in their dealings with the public.
Essex Coast
Dr. Spink : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an announcement about the Essex coast protection scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : I have been asked to reply.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has overall policy responsibility for coast protection in England. Grant aid is available under the Coast Protection Act 1949 to maritime district councils for carrying out works to protect land from erosion or encroachment by the sea. Such works must be technically sound, economically worthwhile and environmentally acceptable to qualify for approval and grant aid. There are a number of works currently under construction or consideration by the maritime district councils in Essex.
SCOTLAND
Energy Saving Trust
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many meetings he has had with the chairman and chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, what resources his Department has committed to the trust to date ; and if he will make a statement on the progress made in achieving the aims of the trust to date in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 9 June 1993] : The prime responsibility for promoting energy efficiency rests with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment who provides support for the Energy
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Saving Trust. It would be a matter for the trust to make any progress report. Meantime there has been no meeting between either the chairman or chief executive of the trust and the Secretary of State for Scotland.HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the allocations for each health board in respect of (a) misuse in drugs services and (b) HIV/AIDS service operations in (i) 1993-94, (ii) 1992-93 and (iii) 1991-92.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 7 June 1993] : The allocation of moneys to each health board in Scotland for drugs and HIV/AIDS services is shown in the tables.
HIV/AIDS
£ millions
|1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |468,000 |592,328 |620,729
Ayrshire and Arran |250,000 |460,032 |543,936
Borders |139,550 |147,846 |153,000
Dumfries and Galloway |229,000 |207,767 |235,222
Fife |438,070 |465,235 |481,773
Forth Valley |402,000 |473,000 |449,000
Grampian |648,000 |1,233,067 |1,235,000
Greater Glasgow |3,959,000 |4,188,787 |4,559,968
Highland |295,400 |288,595 |324,940
Lanarkshire |422,000 |657,667 |708,000
Lothian |<1>7,856,000 |7,592,400 |7,300,000
Orkney |5,000 |26,739 |28,454
Shetland |25,000 |30,892 |33,392
Tayside |2,361,000 |2,589,583 |2,643,000
Western Isles |42,000 |47,062 |47,062
State Hospital |- |- |34,000
|------- |------- |-------
Total |17,540,000 |<2>19,001,000|19,397,476
<1> This figure includes a capital payment of £542,000.
<2> Includes £500,000 to enable health boards to implement recommendations of
the ministerial AIDS task force.
HIV/AIDS
£ millions
|1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |468,000 |592,328 |620,729
Ayrshire and Arran |250,000 |460,032 |543,936
Borders |139,550 |147,846 |153,000
Dumfries and Galloway |229,000 |207,767 |235,222
Fife |438,070 |465,235 |481,773
Forth Valley |402,000 |473,000 |449,000
Grampian |648,000 |1,233,067 |1,235,000
Greater Glasgow |3,959,000 |4,188,787 |4,559,968
Highland |295,400 |288,595 |324,940
Lanarkshire |422,000 |657,667 |708,000
Lothian |<1>7,856,000 |7,592,400 |7,300,000
Orkney |5,000 |26,739 |28,454
Shetland |25,000 |30,892 |33,392
Tayside |2,361,000 |2,589,583 |2,643,000
Western Isles |42,000 |47,062 |47,062
State Hospital |- |- |34,000
|------- |------- |-------
Total |17,540,000 |<2>19,001,000|19,397,476
<1> This figure includes a capital payment of £542,000.
<2> Includes £500,000 to enable health boards to implement recommendations of
the ministerial AIDS task force.
Miscarriages
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what provision he has made to help those who have suffered miscarriage ; (2) whether he will provide guidance on best practice for hospitals to help those suffering a miscarriage or recurrent miscarriage.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 14 June 1993] : Grant aid is provided towards the core costs of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS) and also to assist it to develop a self-help network providing support to bereaved parents, their families and friends. The SANDS publication "Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death. Guidelines for Professionals" ; the Scottish Health Service Advisory Council report "Everybody's Death Should Matter to Somebody ; the Care of the Dying in Scotland" and the Department of Health publication "Welfare of Children and Young People in Hospital", all of which include good practice guidance for the care of those who have suffered a miscarriage, were issued to health boards and health and social care professionals during 1991. Guidance leaflets published by the Miscarriage Association and Support After Termination for Abnormality (SATFA) have also been recommended for use by NHS professional staff.
Counselling of bereaved parents or families is, of course, included in the curriculum for medical and nursing education.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of pregnancies end in miscarriage ; and what is the ratio of miscarriages to live births in (a) Scotland as a whole and (b) each of the health board areas.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 14 June 1993] : The information for known pregnancies in 1991, the latest year for which figures are available, is as follows :
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Health board of |All pregnancies<1> |Spontaneous |Per cent. |Ratio spontaneous
residence |abortions |losses: live births
|(miscarriage)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |7,368 |950 |12.9 |1:5.9
Ayrshire and Arran |6,376 |799 |12.5 |1:6.1
Borders |1,649 |207 |12.6 |1:6.1
Dumfries and Galloway |2,293 |255 |11.1 |1:7.0
Fife |5,837 |606 |10.4 |1:7.2
Forth Valley |4,552 |460 |10.1 |1:7.8
Grampian |9,213 |1,078 |11.7 |1:6.3
Greater Glasgow |16,883 |2,160 |12.8 |1:5.9
Highland |3,513 |406 |11.6 |1:6.5
Lanarkshire |9,564 |1,094 |11.4 |1:7.0
Lothian |13,740 |1,604 |11.7 |1:6.2
Tayside |6,735 |634 |9.4 |1:7.7
Orkney |298 |36 |12.1 |1:6.6
Shetland |392 |44 |11.2 |1:7.4
Western Isles |394 |35 |8.9 |1:9.4
Resident elsewhere but miscarried in Scotland |119 |119 |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Scotland |88.926 |10,487 |11.8 |1:6.4
<1> Includes births (live and still), spontaneous and therapeutic abortions.
Infertility
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are taken to ensure health boards are provided with guidance on the provision of infertility treatment and counselling.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 14 June 1993] : Good practice guidance and advice on the organisation and management of all aspects of infertility treatment, including counselling, is contained in the National Medical Advisory Committee's report on infertility services in Scotland, which was published on 10 March. This report has been issued to health boards and commended to them for implementation. Guidance to licensed centres on the provision of treatment, again covering counselling, is also contained in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's code of practice.
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Electoral Registration Statistics
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the latest estimates of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency, together in each case with the equivalent year's electoral registration figures, also expressed as a percentage of these population estimates.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 14 June 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 9 February, at columns 516-17.
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