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Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning permission was sought by the Merseyside development corporation to alter the facade, roofline and approach to the Atlantic pavilion at the Albert dock.
Mr. Baldry : MDC did not seek planning permission itself to carry out recent alterations to the facade, roofline and approach to Atlantic pavilion at the Albert dock, since urban development corporations are themselves the planning authorities within their designated areas. Agents acting on behalf of the developers, Linenhall Properties Ltd., sought and received planning permission from MDC.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contracts the Merseyside development corporation entered into with the Arrowcroft Company.
Mr. Baldry : The development corporation entered into only one contract--building agreement--with the Arrowcroft Company in September 1983.
This contract was for the phased conversion and refurbishment of the majority of Albert dock, giving rise to a total of 11 leases.
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Dipsticks
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will oppose the provisions of the EC directive on vapour recovery, stage 1, which call for the ending of dipsticks as the principal method of measuring quantities of petrol in storage and road tankers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : The proposed EC directive will introduce a system of petrol vapour recovery which is not compatible with the use of dipsticks becaus means of measurement on road tankers. However, the Government have secured an agreement which allows existing road tankers to continue using dipsticks, and allows a satisfactory period to agree an alternative standard measuring system for new tankers.
PSA Building Management Scotland
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrrangements will be made for maintenance of redundancy and pension arrangements of the PSA Building Management Scotland when the sale of the organisation is completed ; and if the Department will be responsible for any redundancy costs incurred by Serco in relation to staff previously employed by the Property Services Agency.
Mr. Baldry : Staff severance entitlements transfer on sale under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and are protected thereafter by employment law. A replacement pension scheme which is broadly comparable in value to the principal civil service pension scheme, will be established. The group stands behind its subsidiaries. The Department will meet the costs of redundancies, should they occur, in the five years after sale on an agreed basis up to a specified limit.
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what long-term commitment has been made by Serco, in respect of long-term commitment to maintain a separate Property Services Agency building management organisation based in Scotland.
Mr. Baldry : Serco's objective in acquiring BM Scotland is to expand its business based in Scotland as a separate Scottish company.
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whaat estimate Serco has given of the number of jobs that may be lost in PSA Building Management Scotland as a result of the proposed sale of the organisation.
Mr. Baldry : Serco does not expect significant jobs loss as a result of the proposed sale. Future jobs for BM staff will of course depend on the ability of the business to compete successfully for contracts as they are re-tendered.
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the purchasers of the PSA Building Management business will be required to continue to provide a design capacity.
Mr. Baldry : The PSA Building Management businesses each have a range of contracts which require a design input. The purchaser will take over the obligation to service those contracts.
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Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of employees of the PSA Building Management Scotland who would need to opt to transfer to the purchasing company to enable the contract to be completed.
Mr. Baldry : I hope that a very large proportion of staff will transfer with the business on sale, but the sale does not need a particular number to choose to transfer for the sale to proceed to completion.
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the purchase price offered for PSA Building Management Scotland by the management buy-out.
Mr. Baldry : No. Such information is commercially confidential.
Council Tax
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received suggesting (a) that there should be a council tax band or bands below band A and (b) that there should be a council tax band or bands above band H ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend has received some representations, but we are not persuaded that there is a case for changing the present arrangements.
Caravan Sites
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites established under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 he has visited in an official capacity ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Since his appointment on 27 May my right hon. Friend has visited no gipsy caravan sites established by local authorities under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 in his official capacity.
Darwin Initiative
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to make an announcement on the Darwin initiative ; and what the role will be of the United Kingdom systematics institutions in the initiative.
Mr. Yeo : On 5 July my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, announced the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Darwin Initiative and published a copy of its report ; copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. We are now inviting applications from British institutions and organisations, including our systematics institutions, for funding to carry out projects under the Darwin initiative. There is £1 million available this year for projects which meet the objectives of the initiative.
European Regional Development Fund
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the forecast European regional development fund receipts for 1993- 94 and the allocation for 1993-94 for the local authority other services block schemes ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Gummer : Total forecast receipts from the European regional development fund paid through the agency of my Department in 1993-94 are £221 million. The allocation of ERDF funds to other services block projects will depend on how much has been spent by authorities and claimed from the European Community through my Department by the end of the year. It is not possible to forecast the final figure at this stage. From April 1993, the Government are providing public expenditure cover, automatically and in full, for forecast ERDF receipts.
Renovation Grant System
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the findings of the Planning, Industrial and Economic Development Advisers--PIEDA--report into the new renovation grant system ; and if he will place copies in the Library.
Mr. Baldry : The report "Monitoring the New Renovation Grant System" by PIEDA was published on Monday 5 July. Copies have been placed in the Library.
Monitoring the Fitness Standard"
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the findings of the Warwick university report "Monitoring the Fitness Standard" ; and if he will place copies in the Library.
Mr. Baldry : The report will be published next month. Copies will be placed in the Library.
PSA Building Management
Mr. Congdon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now give details of the severance sharing agreements with purchasers of the PSA Building Managment businesses.
Mr. Curry : Each of the sales of the five PSA Building Management businesses include arrangements under which the Secretary of State will contribute towards the costs of redundancies up to an agreed value during the five years from completion of the sale.
The amounts concerned for BM South and West, BM South East, BM Scotland and Noreast Building Management are as follows :
|£ million
--------------------------------------
BM South and West |25.0
BM South East |30.0
BM Scotland |15.0
Noreast BM |29.5
The amount which the Secretary of State will contribute towards the cost of redundancies in the five years after sale in BM Manchester depends upon the result of the staff choice exercise which is currently under way, and will fall in the range of £26.0 to £37.2 million.
The amounts are subject to a pro rata adjustment to reflect changes in the aggregate redundancy entitlements of staff up to completion.
Sellafield MOX Plant
Dr. John Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what considerations led to the timing of his direction of 7 July to Copeland borough council not
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to grant planning permission to the Sellafield mixed oxide plant at the meeting of the council's planning committee on that day ; when his Department first knew about the application ; and if he will make a statement ;(2) under what statutory powers, and for what reasons, his officials directed Copeland borough council not to grant planning permission for the Sellafield mixed oxide plant ;
(3) when he expects to be able to reach a decision on the application by British Nuclear Fuels plc for planning permission to construct a mixed oxide plant at Sellafield.
Mr. Yeo : On 23 June my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received a request from British Nuclear Fuels plc for a direction that environment assessment of its proposal for a MOX plant at Sellafield was not needed. Although BNFL subsequently withdrew that application the Secretary of State decided that he ought to reach his own view. To provide time to consider the arguments Copeland council was directed, under the provisions of article 14(1) of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988, not to grant permission on 7 July when they considered the application. We will conclude our consideration of this matter as soon as possible. I will write to the hon. Member.
Local Government, Cumbria
Dr. John Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Local Government Commission's consideration of local government reorganisation in Cumbria ; and when he expects to receive its recommendations.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my hon. Friend the member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on 4 February at column 244. The review of Cumbria is scheduled to start on 20 September 1993 and end on 4 December 1994.
Dr. John Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names and background details of the lead commissioners for the Local Government Commission's consideration of local government reorganisation in Cumbria ; and if he will make a statement on the published timetable for the commission's work.
Mr. Baldry : The Local Government Commission announced on 2 June that the lead commissioners for its review of Cumbria and Lancashire will be Mrs. Ann Levick and David Ansbro. The commission's press release gave brief biographical details for each commissioner and I have placed a copy in the House Library.
We are keeping the commission's work programme under review.
Birmingham City Council
Mr. Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet considered Birmingham city council's response to the notice served on the authority on 24 April under section 19(A) of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend has given careful consideration to the response which Birmingham city
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council has made to the notice served on the authority on 24 April 1993, and has today given the authority a direction under section 19B of the 1980 Act. The effect of the direction is that the council is required to retender in stages 12 housing repair contracts currently carried out by its own direct labour organisation. If the council wishes to carry out this work after 1 October 1994 then it needs to satisfy my right hon. Friend at each stage that it has fulfilled the competition requirements as laid down in the legislation.Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to allow new development in rural mid-Kent as a result of the channel tunnel rail link.
Mr. Curry : Existing strategic planning policy for Kent seeks to restrict the development of fresh land in the countryside and to give protection to areas of outstanding natural beauty. I fully endorse that policy. Much of the rural area between Maidstone and the Medway towns forms part of the Kent downs area of outstanding natural beauty ; elsewhere other conservation policies apply. The current third review of the Kent structure plan specifically recognises the importance of maintaining the separation of the built-up areas of Maidstone and the Medway towns by proposing the designation of a strategic gap, within which large scale development will be restricted. The draft regional planning guidance for the south east, published on 24 March, anticipates growth associated with the rail link being focused in Ashford, and east Kent, and especially in the east Thames corridor.
Fire Services, Merseyside
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Merseyside Fire and Civil Defence Authority, following its consideration of the report of Her Majesty's inspector of fire services ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 12 July 1993] : We have received from the Merseyside Fire and Civil Defence Authority a copy of its resolution commenting on the report of Her Majesty's inspector of fire services and on the authority's finances. We are carefully considering the authority's comments, but we remain satisfied that its 1993-94 standard spending assessment, calculated in accordance with the Local Government Finance Report (England) 1993-94 approved by the House on 3 February 1993, is fair and reasonable.
Local Government Finance
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to bring forward from 1 August each year the deadline for spending returns from local authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 12 July 1993] : We have no plans to change the 1 August deadline for the return of data relating to revenue and capital outturn expenditure.
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TRANSPORT
Rail Privatisation
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the terms and conditions of employment, including basis of remuneration and hours of work of the chairman-designate of Railtrack, the Rail Franchising Director-designate and the Rail
Regulator-designate.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend has appointed Mr. Robert Horton as a part-time member of the British Railways board and as chairman- designate of Railtrack, under the general terms and conditions applying to BR board part-time members. His time commitment is, on average three days a week and his salary is £120, 000 per annum.
Mr. Swift and Mr. Salmon are part-time special advisers to my right hon. Friend. Their terms are those of civil service appointments and their remuneration, in accordance with the conventions, is a matter of confidence between them and the Department. My right hon. Friend has announced his intention, subject to the Railways Bill passing through Parliament to Royal Assent, to appoint them to the posts respectively of rail regulator and director of passenger rail franchising. In that event the level of their salaries will be in the public domain.
Road Closures, City of London
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he had with the City of London corporation on the closure of roads on security grounds ; and what discussions were held with London regional Transport regarding the impact of road closures on public transport.
Mr. Norris : The City authorities consulted the Department informally about the experimental scheme before they announced it. We understand they also gave advanced warning of the road closures to London Buses Ltd.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work is being undertaken by either his Department or Union Railways with a view to the construction of a tunnel between Stratford and St. Pancras or King's Cross, as part of the channel tunnel rail link.
Mr. Freeman : Union Railways is undertaking substantial development work for both of the alternative routes shown in its March 1993 report, including possible options for both routes, in association with its study of the St. Pancras and King's Cross terminus options.
River Avon (Navigation)
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the statute or statutes under which there is a right of navigation of the River Avon in Bristol for any vessel which has paid harbour duties.
Mr. Norris : In general, there is a public right of navigation on tidal rivers. Section 33 of the Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847, relating to free access for the public to harbour, dock and pier on payment of
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rates, is applied to shipping using the Port of Bristol by the relevant special Acts and subsequent orders relating to the port.British Rail (Speed Restrictions)
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has regarding track mileage on which British Rail has introduced temporary speed restrictions due to lack of funds for maintenance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Detailed information of this nature is not held by the Department.
West Coast Main Line
Mr. Day : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to establish the scope for a joint venture with the private sector to renew the infrastructure of the west coast main line.
Mr. Freeman : The Government today appointed Hambros Bank Ltd. to advise on the scope for such a joint venture. The study marks a new departure in our efforts to involve private finance in railway projects. Up to now the Government have invited the private sector to come forward with proposals which have then been considered on their merits. With this study the Department is taking the initiative. Hambros has been given a remit to develop an outline proposal or proposals which will be attractive to the private sector and fall within the Government's published guidelines for joint ventures. These mean that control of the venture will rest with the private sector who will also be expected to take on genuine risk in return for an appropriate share of revenues. Consortia will be invited to bid for the role of joint venture partner on these terms. The Government are determined to pave the way for private sector funding on railway projects. Equipment on the west coast main line is reaching the end of its economic life. We are hopeful that private sector funding will enable us to bring forward modernisation of one of the premier railway routes in the country.
Maintenance Staff
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the average hours worked per week by British Railways Board track and signal maintenance staff during the latest period for which figures are available.
Mr. Freeman : During the week ending 3 July 1993 track maintenance staff, excluding those who were absent through sickness or other reason for all or part of the week, worked an average of 52.1 hours. Signalling and telecommunications maintenance staff, during the week ended 24 April 1993, excluding those who were absent through sickness or other reason for all or part of the week, worked an average of 47.4 hours.
Search and Rescue
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects local coastal search and rescue committees to convene their first meetings.
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Shipping Standards
Mr. Jenkin : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is considering any plans to adopt standards for shipping in the United Kingdom ; and what account he is taking of whether such standards are compatible with the framework set by the International Maritime Organisation.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 12 July 1993] : Safety standards for shipping are under continuous review, particularly at the International Maritime Organisation. The standards applying to United Kingdom ships are based upon those developed internationally unless there is just cause to do otherwise, such as the initiative being taken with our European neighbours to establish adequate survivability standards for roll-on-roll-off passenger ferries built before 1990.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Synthesis Evaluation Study
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the full evaluation report for each of the projects on which the Overseas Development Administration's ATP synthesis evaluation study, EV490 of November 1991, was based.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The ATP synthesis study was based primarily on three evaluation studies conducted as a series during 1990 and summarised in appendices B, C and D of that report. Copies of those studies have now been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Evaluation material on three projects in Botswana, Bangladesh and Burma were included in the "Power Synthesis Report" which is already in the Libraries of the House. A further study of scattered diesels, in Indonesia was undertaken jointly with the World bank which, in line with its usual practice, has not agreed to its release. The fifth report--"Iocom Telephone Cable Project in India"-- contains comercially-sensitive material and has not been released.
Indonesia
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list United Kingdom bilateral development assistance to Indonesia for the last five years including projects and their nature, value, location and the names of United Kingdom companies involved.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Commitments of United Kingdom bilateral assistance to Indonesia for the period from 1 April 1988 to date have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
International Finance Corporation
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of British companies that have secured contracts for International Finance
Corporation-funded projects over the last five years.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : International Finance Corporation--IFC--loans go directly to private sector companies in
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developing countries. It is these companies that are responsible for awarding contracts to suppliers of goods and services. The IFC is not party to these contracts so is not able therefore to give details of contract awards for any individual country.Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will supply the details of dividends the United Kingdom has received from International Finance Corporation investments since the end of the financial year 1991.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Member Governments of the International Finance Corporation do not receive dividends from the corporation's investments. Earnings are wholly retained and recycled for new activity.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Mr. Charilaos Costa
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Attorney-General when Mr. Charilaos Costa left the United Kingdom ; what request has been made for his extradition ; and if he will make a statement.
The Solicitor-General : Mr. Charilaos Costa left the United Kingdom in March 1991 and went to the Republic of Cyprus. No application has been made for his extradition because Mr. Costa is a Greek Cypriot and the Republic of Cyprus will not extradite its own nationals. Mr. Costa left the jurisdiction before he could be charged. However, three warrants exist for his arrest if he were to return.
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. Hawkins : To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to lay before Parliament and to publish the annual report of the Crown Prosecution Service for the year 1992-93.
The Attorney-General : The annual report for the Crown prosecution service for 1992-93 was laid before Parliament at 11 am today and then published. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Illegal Immigrants
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what authority will carry out the checks proposed under article 3 of the recommendation of the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June on checks and expulsions of third- country nationals residing or working without authorisation ; what computer facilities will be provided to the authority ; what are the cost implications of such checks and such computer facilities ; and if he will place a copy of the guidelines to be issued to the authority in the Library ;
(2) what authority (a) was responsible for and (b) carried out the drafting of the recommendation of the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June on checks and expulsions of third- country nationals residing or working without authorisation ;
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(3) what plans Ministers responsible for immigration in the member states of the European Community have to harmonise their rules relating to the interpretation of public policy and national security as grounds for expulsion ;(4) what abuse is intended to be addressed by article 4, indent 3 of the recommendation of the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June on checks and expulsions of third- country nationals residing or working without authorisation ;
(5) what steps the Government plan to take to implement article 2 of the recommendation of the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June on checks and expulsions of third- country nationals residing or working without authorisation ;
(6) what consideration has been given to the cost implications of taking measures to implement article 1 of the recommendation of the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June on checks and expulsions of third-country nationals residing or working without authorisation ;
(7) if he will make a statement on the effect of the recommendation of the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June on checks and expulsions of third-country nationals residing or working without authorisation, on the current pattern of checks on persons admitted to be reunited with their families ;
(8) what measures have been taken to implement article 1 of the recommendation of the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June on checks and expulsions of third- country nationals residing or working without authorisation ; (9) what measures the Government plan to take or continue to take to ensure compliance with article 4 of the recommendation of the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June on checks and expulsions of third-country nationals residing or working without authorisation.
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