House of Commons Hansard Debates for 20 Jan 1994

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                                      |1994-95         |1995-96         |1996-97                          

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New homes for rent                    |37,600 to 46,000|28,700 to 35,100|23,800 to 29,200                 

                                                                                                          

Properties freed up by:                                                                                   

   Tenant's incentive scheme          |6,500 to  7,500 |6,500 to  7,500 |6,500 to  7,500                  

   Do-it-yourself shared ownership<1> |2,520 to  3,120 |4,200 to  4,920 |4,500 to  5,220                  

                                                                                                          

Total                                 |46,620 to 56,620|39,400 to 47,520|34,800 to 41,920                 

<1> 60 per cent. of total do-it-yourself shared ownership.

Electric Cars

Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance his Department has given to the PSA (Peugeot)/City of Coventry electric car project research into the viability of a pay-as-you-drive electric car hire system.

Mr. Atkins : None.

National House Building Council

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department makes to the National House Building Council.

Sir George Young : The National House Building Council receives no financial support from the Government other than through research contracts let to the NHBC through competitive tender. The NHBC is an independent body, and the Government have no general powers to intervene in its affairs. Officials from my Department sit as observers on the NHBC council and on its standards committee.

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the operation of the National House Building Council ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir George Young : In the past two years, the Department of the Environment has received representations concerning the National House Building Council in relation to 37 dwellings.

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will conduct a review into the operation of the complaints procedure adopted by the National House Building Council.

Sir George Young : The operation of its complaints procedure is a matter for the National House Building Council.

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Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes are covered by the Buildmark guarantee scheme operated by the National House Building Council in (a) England and (b) Wales.

Sir George Young : At the end of 1993 the total number of homes in England and Wales covered by the Buildmark guarantee scheme operated by the National House Building Council was approximately 1.53 million. Prior to 1986, the figures recorded for numbers of homes covered by the scheme did not differentiate between the member countries of the United Kingdom. It is thus not possible to give separate figures for homes under warranty in England and Wales.

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many building firms participate in the Buildmark guarantee scheme operated by the National House Building Council.

Sir George Young : On 31 December 1993 there were 20,832 building firms registered with the NHBC in England and Wales.

Oil Pollution, Bournemouth

Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the recent pollution by oil of Bournemouth's beaches ; and what plans he has to investigate responsibility for this.

Mr. Atkins : Oil pollution at the tideline was found on a stretch of beach from Hengistbury head to West cliff. Mudeford harbour beaches were also affected. The local authorities cleared the oil from the beaches and a number of oiled birds were taken away for cleaning. It was not possible to identify the source responsible and no further action is, therefore, planned.

Water Abstraction

Mrs. Gillan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to publish information on the volume of water abstracted from rivers and boreholes

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in England and Wales, and the limits in the relevant licences for such abstractions, under section 201 of the Water Industry Act 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Atkins : Aggregate figures, by the regions of the National Rivers Authority, are published annually in the digest of environmental protection and water statistics. Under section 204 of the Water Resources Act 1991 it is an offence to disclose, without its consent, information of this kind provided by an individual or business except, inter alia, under arrangements for the publication of information about water undertakers under section 201 of the Water Industry Act 1991. I am considering whether it would be appropriate to make such arrangements.

Public Bodies

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Mr. Atkins : The JNCC is composed of an independent chairman and three independent scientists appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment ; two representatives form each of the three country nature conservation bodies, one from the Countryside Commission and two non-voting representatives from Northern Ireland. The current membership of the Committee is :

Earl of Selborne--Independent Chairman

Professor John Harper--Independent Assessor

Professor John Knill--Independent Assessor

Professor Robert May--Independent Assessor

Lord Cranbrook--English Nature--Council Chairman

Dr. D. Shaw--English Nature

Mr. Magnus Magnusson--Scottish Natural Heritage--Council Chairman Professor G. Dunnett--Scottish Natural Heritage

Mr. Michael Griffiths--Countryside Council for Wales-- Council Chairman

Professor D. Bowen--Countryside Council for Wales

Sir John Johnson--Countryside Commission--Commission Chairman Dr. J. Faulkner--Northern Ireland Observer--Non-voting-- Dept. of the Environment for Northern Ireland

Professor P. Newbold--Northern Ireland Observer--Non-voting --Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, NI.

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the Black Country Limestone Advisory Committee.

Mr. Baldry : The Black Country Limestone Advisory Panel is chaired by Sir Edward Parkes, ScD, FIMechE, FEng, former vice-chancellor, university of Leeds. The other members are :

Professor D. I. Blockley, BEng, PhD, MICE, FIStructE, Professor and Head of Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol ; Professor J. B. Burland, DSc, FEng, FICE, MIStructE, Professor of Soil Mechanics in the Department of Civil Engineering, Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London ; Mr. O. Gregory, OBE, FRICS, CEng, FIMinE, retired consultant, Minerals Manager and Chartered Surveyor ;

Mr. D. A. D. Reeve, CBE, FEng, FICE, FIWES, FInstWPC, formerly a Member of and Chief Executive of the Severn Trent Water Authority ; Mr. J. Trustram- Eve, MSc(Econ), FRICS, formerly Joint Senior Partner and now Consultant to Grimley J. R. Eve, Chartered Surveyors.

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the London Pensions Fund Authority.

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Mr. Baldry : The members currently appointed to the London Pensions Fund Authority are :

Mr. C. J. Messer--Chairman

Mr. M. C. Roberts--Vice Chairman

Professor R. Franklin

Sir Nigel Althaus

Councillor A. King

Councillor E. D. Barkway

Councillor A. S. Lourie

Councillor S. Bullock

Ms C. Burton

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the London residuary body.

Mr. Baldry : The members currently appointed to the London residuary body are :

Sir Godfrey Taylor--Chairman

Mr. M. C. Roberts--Vice Chairman

Mr. W. J. Mackenzie

Mr. J. Wolkind

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the National Rivers Authority.

Mr. Atkins : The members are : Lord Crickhowell--Chairman Mrs. R. Blomfield-Smith

Mr. P. Brandt

Lady Digby, DBE, DL

Professor R. Edwards, CBE

Mr. E. Gallacher--Chief Executive

Lord Gregson, DL

Mr. D. Mitchell

Mrs. K. Morgan

Mr. J. H. M. Norris, CBE, DL

Mr. W. Rogers-Coltman, OBE

Mr. R. J. F. Taylor

Professor R. K. Turner

Mr. J. Wheatley, CBE

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the Nature Conservancy Council for England, English Nature.

Mr. Atkins : The currrent membership of English Nature is : Earl of Cranbrook--Chairman

Professor Jonathon Anderson

Ms Janet Barber

Professor Janet Kear

Mr. James Teacher

Mark Thomasin-Foster

Dr. Duncan Shaw

Mr. Alan Swindall

Miss Jane Kelly

Professor Chris Wilson

Earl Peel

Mr. Lindsay Waddell

Dr. Robert Chaplow

Mr. Nicholas Woolley

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the Rural Development Commission.

Mr. Atkins : The current members of the Rural Development Commission are as follows :

Chairman

Lord Shuttleworth

Deputy Chairman

Mr. Robin Thompson

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Members

Dame Anne Mueller

Professor Howard Newby

Dr. Barbara Marsh

Rt. Reverend Anthony Russell

Mr. Miles Middleton

Mr. Richard Best

Mr. David Fletcher

Mr. Andrew Stewart

Mrs. Jane Bradford

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment.

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