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Departmental Files
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many files marked "not for National Audit Office eyes" are held by his Department.
Mr. Redwood : There are 97 files in my Department marked "not for NAO eyes". These figures refer to individual jackets--file parts. For each NAO study a number of divisions may be involved and each may possess a file with a number of parts.
The marking "not for NAO eyes" is used in accordance with an agreement between the Treasury and the National Audit Office, under which documents relating to the handling of relations between Department and the NAO and Public Accounts Committee are not automatically available to the NAO while they are current.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Press and Publicity Officers
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many press and publicity officers are currently employed in his Department ; and how many were employed in (a) 1985 and (b) 1979.
Mr. David Davis : The Office of Public Services and Science employs seven members of the Government information service in its information division. The Department did not exist in any comparable form before 1992. Figures for earlier years are not therefore available.
Departmental Files
Mr. Byers : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many files marked "not for National Audit Office eyes" are held by his Department.
Mr. Davis : The marking "not for NAO eyes" is used in accordance with an agreement between the Treasury and the National Audit Office--NAO-- under which documents relating to the handling of relations between departments, the NAO and the Public Accounts Committee--PAC--are not automatically available to the NAO while they are current ; 122 Cabinet Office and Office of Public Service and Science files are so designated.
ENVIRONMENT
Housing
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in the last three years in relation to housing problems in England (a) from local authorities, (b) from housing associations and (c) from other sources ; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir George Young : My Department regularly discusses housing problems and successes with local authorities, housing associations and others. We value their contribution to policy development. Local housing authorities discuss their strategies and expenditure priorities each year with Ministers and with departmental officials as part of the annual housing investment programme resource allocation process ; developing housing associations have similar discusions with the Housing Corporation. Twice a year I discuss local authority housing issues with representatives of the local authority associations in the Housing Consultative Council. In addition, we receive responses to consultation papers, and there is a wide range of formal and informal contact with local authorities and housing associations, and with Members of Parliament, members of the public, voluntary organisations and the private sector.
Green Belt
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions since 1960 he has used his powers under section 5(1) of the Green Belt (London and Home Counties) Act 1938 to refuse his consent to the disposal by a local authority or parish council of green belt land to which the section applies ; and what are his criteria for refusing consent in the future.
Mr. Baldry : This information is not avilable, except at disproportionate cost. Consent has been refused on one occasion since January 1991. In that case the land was not designated as metropolitan green belt in a development plan. My right hon. Friend's primary concern in determining applications is to ensure that the land continues to fulfil the objectives of the 1938 Act and of green belt policy as set out in planning policy guidance note 2.
Council Tax Arrears
Ms Short : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what circumstances an attachment of earnings order for the recovery of council tax or community charge arrears can be served on an organisation which provides a training programme funded by the European social fund requiring the organisation to make deductions from (a) a training allowance paid to the trainee or (b) a wage paid to the trainee ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : A billing authority may serve an attachment of earnings order in respect of arrears of community charge or council tax on an employer following the issue of a liability order by a magistrates court. Deductions may be made from the net earnings as defined in regulation 32 of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 and regulation 27 of the Community Charge (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989.
Market Franchise Rights, Doncaster
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from Doncaster metropolitan district council in regard to proposals on market franchise rights ; what reply he has sent ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Baldry : We have received representations from the council objecting to our proposal. All representations, both for and against the proposal, will be fully considered before any decision is made.
Bomb-proofing
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost, by location, of bomb-proofing the Department's premises.
Mr. Gummer : On security grounds, this information is not available.
Housing Revenue Accounts
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Mrs. Lait) of 19 November 1993, Official Report, column 1, what considerations led to his proposal to increase housing revenue account subsidy guideline rents by 7.5 per cent. and management and maintenance allowance by 4 per cent.
Sir George Young : My right hon. Friend took into account a number of considerations including the constraints on public expenditure ; the need to move gradually towards income-related subsidies and a more market- related pattern of local authority rents which better reflects the value of accommodation provided in different parts of the country ; the need to make further progress on the targeting of management and maintenance allowances by guaranteeing all authorities at least 95 per cent. of their target scores ; and general movements in prices and earnings. The proposals are subject to consultation.
Housing Investment
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the gross aid net level of investment in housing proposed by his Department for 1994-95.
Sir George Young : Information on the Government's public expenditure plans for housing is contained in the Financial Statement and Budget Report, copies of which are available in the Library. More detailed information will be contained in my Department's annual report, to be published in the new year.
Peat Bogs
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the locations of raised peat bogs in England ; and if he will make a statement as to their protection.
Mr. Baldry : A list of raised peat bogs in England is being prepared by Scottish Natural Heritage as part of work on a national peatlands resource inventory. This inventory will also summarise information on those sites designated as sites of special scientific interest--SSSIs. It is expected to be published during 1994 and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Government Car Service
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the response to date of advertisements placed in British and overseas journals in
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respect of bids to take over the financial management of the Government car service ; what classified information on the location of classified bids was given in these advertisements ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Gummer : The market test relates to the routine book-keeping work provided for the Government car service--GCS--and the Interdespatch service--IDS. Financial management will remain the responsibility of the GCS and IDS management.
Eight firms responded to the advertisement placed in the European Journal for the market-tested work. No classified information was given in this advertisement. Two tenders have been received and are now being evaluated. The decision should be announced shortly.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual cost to the Department of the car service for Ministers ; and how many vehicles are involved.
Mr. Gummer : The annual cost to the Department of Environment for their Ministers' car service was estimated at £265,00 in 1992-93. Six cars are provided by the Government car service with drivers and full back- up service.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual cost of the Government car service in each of the last three years ; what was the comparable cost in 1979-80 ; how many vehicles form the Government car service ; and what were the categories of cost in 1992-93.
Mr. Gummer : The current cost of the Government car service--GCS-- for the last three financial years is :
|£ million
------------------------------
1990-91 |6.95
1991-92 |6.99
1992-93 |7.19
The 1990-91 figure includes an estimate for pension contributions that were paid centrally at that time. These contributions are included in the 1991- 92 and 1992-93 figures.
Information on the comparable cost in 1979-80 is not available. There are currently 190 vehicles in the Government car service fleet.
In 1992-93 approximately 75 per cent. of costs were staff and 15 per cent. were vehicle costs.
London, Making the Best Better"
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tenders for the publication of "London, Making the Best Better" were received from Asian businesses.
Mr. Gummer : It is neither possible nor desirable to group tenders according to the ethnic origin of their owners.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what day, date and times the two photographs that appear on page 10 of "London, Making the Best Better" were taken.
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Mr. Gummer : Both photographs were taken between 2 pm and 3 pm on Thursday afternoons. The precise dates are not known but the "before" photograph was taken in late November or early December 1990 and the "after" photograph in late October or early November 1991.
London Boroughs
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the full range of activities for which London boroughs (a) are currently responsible and (b) were responsible in 1979.
Mr. Baldry : The statutory activities of London Boroughs are described in the document entitled "The Functions of Local Authorities in England" published by my Department last year. As this was the first occasion on which a comprehensive review had been carried out, I regret that there is no equivalent for 1979.
Press and Publicity Officers
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many press and publicity officers are currently employed in his Department ; and how many were employed in (a) 1985 and (b) 1979.
Mr. Gummer : There are currently 31 press and publicity officers employed by the Department of the Environment's information directorate.
Before 1989, the information directorate of this Department was part of the common services of DOE and Department of Transport and separate figures for the resources for each Department are not available. Global information for this period is published each year within the management information system for Ministers--MINIS--dating back to 1979 and is available in the Library.
Durham (Boundaries)
Ms Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost (a) overall, (b) to the Local Government Commission, (c) to Durham county council and (d) to the district councils of Durham to date of the inquiry into local government boundaries in the county of Durham.
Mr. Baldry : Expenditure by the Local Government Commission and by local authorities in the area is a matter for them.
Ms Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he is issuing regarding a timetable for the reconsideration of the Boundary Commission's final proposal regarding local government boundaries in the county of Durham.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend has directed the Local Government Commission to start its further review of County Durham on 13 December 1993 and to report to him by 30 December 1994. The review will be conducted in accordance with the revised procedure guidance issued to the commission on 22 November. We will agree a target date for the report with the commission.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1993 to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight), Official
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Report, column 380, whether he envisages that the same organisations and individuals will be consulted in the new review of County Durham as in the original review.Mr. Baldry : On 22 November my right hon. Friend issued revised procedure guidance to the Local Government Commission for England. Annexe A to this revised guidance sets out the organisations which the commission is required to consult in conducting its review of an area. Except for the addition of the chief inspector, magistrates courts service, and the Lords Lieutenant for the area, this list is unchanged from that annexed to the procedure guidance issued to the commission in July 1992. The commission should also consult representative local organisations, including voluntary organisations. Others will be welcome to express their views, which will be taken fully into account by the commission.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1993 to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight), Official Report, column 380, which local authorities in County Durham made representations about fresh proposals on the basis of the new guidance.
Mr. Baldry : Four district councils--Derwentside, Easington, Sedgefield and Wear Valley--have asked for the revised policy guidance issued to the Local Government Commission on 2 November to be applied to County Durham and have indicated their willingness to consider fresh options for change.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1993 to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight), Official Report, column 380, what weight he will now give to local views in determining the future structure of local government in Darlington.
Mr. Baldry : It is for the Local Government Commission to conduct a further review of County Durham and make recommendations to my right hon. Friend. The Government have said that they attach great importance to local consensus and that the commission will wish to measure proposals from local authorities against expressed views from those outside local government. Once the final report has been published, there will be an opportunity for interested parties to make representations before we take decisions about the implementation of any recommendations for change.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1993 to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight), Official Report, column 380, what has been the cost to date of the Local Government Commission's review of local government in County Durham.
Mr. Baldry : Expenditure on the review of County Durham is a matter for the Local Government Commission.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 29 November to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight), Official Report, column 380, whether the same commissioners will be reviewing County Durham.
Mr. Baldry : This is a matter for the Local Government Commission.
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Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1993 to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight), what are the expected costs of his decision further to review County Durham.
Mr. Baldry : The resources which we are making available to the commission, £5.124 million in 1993-94 and £8.300 million in 1994- 95, should be adequate to enable it to complete all the reviews of local government structure in the shire counties of England by the end of 1994.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1993 to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight), if he will make a statement on his reasons for not exempting Darlington from further review.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend has directed the Local Government Commission, under section 15(6) of the Local Government Act 1992, to conduct a further review of County Durham because he is not at present satisfied that the commission's recommendations for the area meet the criteria in section 13(5) of that Act. He did not want to limit the possible options available for consideration in the further review, and there would also have been difficulties in implementing changes for part of the county in advance of the remainder. He therefore concluded that it would not be right to exclude Darlington from the area to be covered by the further review.
Surcharged Councillors
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many councillors in England have been surcharged or prosecuted as a consequence of taking decisions in relation to the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 ;
(2) how many councillors in England have been surcharged or prosecuted as a consequence of taking decisions in relation to the Local Government Act 1988.
Mr. Gummer : None, to my knowledge. The Department does not keep records of such actions.
Direct Labour Organisations
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the total number of contracts awarded to English local authority direct service or labour organisations which have not been subject to the issuing of a section 19A or 19B notice, alleging anti-competitive behaviour under the terms of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 ; and on how many occasions such actions were taken ;
(2) what was the total number of contracts awarded to English local authority direct service or labour organisations which have not been subject to the issuing of a section 13 or 14 notice, alleging anti- competitive behaviour under the terms of the Local Government Act 1988 ; and on how many occasions such actions have been taken.
Mr. Gummer : To date, 55 notices and 28 directions relating to anti- competitive behaviour have been issued under sections 19A and 19B of the 1980 Act or sections 13 and 14 of the 1988 Act. Information on the total number of contracts is not held centrally.
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Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many local authority direct service or labour organisations, operating contracts in England under the terms of the Local Government Act 1988, have achieved the required rate of return since 1988 ;
(2) how many local authority direct service or labour organisations, operating contracts in England under the terms of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, have achieved the required rate of return since 1988.
Mr. Gummer : For the financial year 1990-91, my Department recorded just over 2,000 accounts for direct service or labour organisations under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and Local Government Act 1988, 1,670 of these accounts--83.5 per cent.--recorded that the DLO or DSO had met the statutory financial objective. For 1991-92, 2,260 accounts were recorded of which 1925--85.2 per cent.--recorded that the financial objectives had been met. Information on accounts for 1992-93 is not yet complete. Information on accounts for 1988-89 and 1989-90 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the authorities that have been challenged by his Department in relation to their internal arrangements for establishing client-contractor splits in order to meet the requirements of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and the Local Government Act 1988.
Mr. Gummer : To date, none of the statutory notices or directions given to local authorities under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 or the Local Government Act 1988 has concerned internal arrangements for establishing client-contractor splits.
Mineral Planning
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to conclude his consultations on changes to mineral planning guidance note 3 ; when he expects to announce any changes to MPG 3 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 25 March Official Report, columns 714-15, that we intended to proceed to consultation on revised planning guidelines as soon as possible. This is still our intention.
Departmental Files
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many files marked "not for National Audit Office eyes" are held by his Department.
Mr. Gummer : The only category of files not available for NAO view are those which relate to relations between the Department and the NAO and the Public Accounts Committee. This is fully in accordance with the standing agreement between the Treasury and the NAO. This applies to 214 files out of 1.4 million.
Docklands Light Railway
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what Government contribution will be made towards the joint venture proposals for the extension to the
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docklands light railway to Lewisham, announced in his Budget speech ; and what help Ministers will give in assembling the private finance needed for the project.Mr. Baldry : No Government grant or subsidy will be made towards the costs of the extension to Lewisham of the docklands light railway. The joint venture will be taken forward by the London Docklands development corporation--owners of the railway--and Docklands Light Railway Ltd. My Department's private finance unit will provide advise and expertise where necessary to support their work.
Climate Change Convention
Mr. Booth : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about ratification by the United Kingdom of the climate change convention.
Mr. Yeo : The United Kingdom's instrument of ratification will be deposited with the United Nations very shortly. This will fulfil our commitment to ratify the framework convention of climate change by the end of this year.
Following the Budget statement by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and in particular the commitment to future real terms increases in transport fuel duties, we now have in place all the elements to complete the United Kingdom's national programme under the convention. The programme, which includes measures aimed at returning United Kingdom emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2000, will be published early in the new year. Publication of this programme will put the United Kingdom at the forefront of global efforts to implement the convention, which was signed by the Prime Minister at the Earth summit in Rio last year.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
English Industrial Estates Corporation
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total budget allocated by his Department to the English Industrial Estates Corporation for expenditure in 1992-93 in (a) the northern region and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole.
Mr. Sainsbury : Total capital expenditure by English Estates in the northern region in 1992-93 was £17.5 million out of a total capital expenditure in England of £54.3 million.
Press and Publicity Officers
Mrlicity officers are currently employed in his Department ; and how many were employed in (a) 1985 and (b) 1979.
Mr. Eggar : The Department's information division employs 19 press officers and 24 publicity officers. The figures do not include administrative support staff. Comparable details for 1985 and 1979 are not available.
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Advertising
Mr. Grocott : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much his Department spends annually on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising and (c) press advertising ; and what were the corresponding figures for 1985 and 1979.
Mr. Eggar : The details are as follows :
£000's
|1979-80|1985-86|1992-93
-------------------------------------------------------
Television advertising |20 |2,212 |-
Radio advertising |5 |- |1
Press advertising |1,529 |2,805 |1,138
The figures relate to centrally managed budgets and include expenditure by the former Department of Energy.
Regional Assistance
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount spent by his Department on (a) regional enterprise grants (b) enterprise initiative schemes, (c) regional development grants and (d) regional selective assistance in 1992-93 in (i) the northern region and (ii) the United Kingdom as a whole.
Mr. Sainsbury : The total amount spent by my Department on these schemes in 1992-93 is set out below together with the amount spent in the northern region.
DTI expenditure in 1992-93
£ million
|Northern region |Total expenditure
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regional enterprise grants |1.5 |5.8
Enterprise initiative (including the
SMART and SPUR schemes) |2.4 |58.6
Regional development grants |8.3 |11.0
Regional selective assistance |28.1 |71.1
Expenditure on the enterprise initiative covers the whole of the United Kingdom whereas DTI expenditure on the other three schemes was paid in support of projects in England only.
Angling Products
Mr. William Ross : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of the manufacture of angling products in the United Kingdom in each of the last three years, the number of persons employed in such manufacture, the number of persons engaged in the sale of angling products in the United Kingdom, and the value of the retail sales of such products in those years ; and if he will divide his figures into income for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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