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Hazardous Waste
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, (1) pursuant to his answer of 12 January to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Evans), Official Report, columns 200-1, regarding the conducting of the investigation of shipments of hazardous waste from the United Kingdom to developing countries (a) how much civil service and consultant time the investigation has utilised so far, (b) how much civil servant and consultant time the investigation is expected to utilise in total, (c) which organisation other than his Department will be involved in the investigation, (d) what are the terms of reference of the investigation, (e) when and how the investigation was announced and (f) which United Kingdom and overseas organisations have been invited to submit evidence ;
(2) pursuant to his answer of 12 January to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Evans), Official Report, columns 200-1, regarding the report of the investigation of shipments of hazardous waste from the United Kingdom to developing countries (a) when the investigation will be complete, (b) how the investigation will make its report and (c) when the report will be made public ; (3) pursuant to his answer of 12 January to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Evans), Official Report, columns 200-1, regarding the scope of the investigation of shipments of hazardous waste from the United Kingdom to developing countries (a) which countries the investigators will visit and for how long, (b) how many hazardous waste recovery facilities the investigators will visit, (c) which United Kingdom organisations have been invited to submit evidence and (d) what criteria the investigation will use to evaluate whether recovery operations in non- OECD countries are environmentally sound.
Mr. Atkins : The investigation has utilised about 150 hours of civil service time, but no consultant time to date. The time which will be spent upon the investigation will depend upon the findings in the first stage of the inquiry, which is designed to obtain information about environmental standards in receiving countries. The Department will consult representative trade organisations for the industries mainly concerned as well as environmental interest groups.
The announcement of the investigation and its terms of reference, details of the reporting method and its availability and the United Kingdom organisations invited to submit evidence were detailed in my reply of 12 January 1994 to my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Evans), Official Report, columns 200-1. No specific invitations were issued to organisations to submit
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evidence, but I shall be glad to take account of any relevant information that United Kingdom or overseas organisations might send me.The first stage of the investigation will be completed in May 1994. The countries and hazardous waste facilities which will be investigated will depend upon the outcome of the first stage of the inquiry. The investigation will use the technical criteria established by the United Nations environment programme's expert group, the Basel convention technical working group on the environmentally sound management of wastes, when evaluating recovery operations in non-OECD countries.
Landfill
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the outcome of the meeting on 28 February between his Department and the waste industry to discuss compliance with the Environmental Protection Act 1990 relating to landfill.
Mr. Atkins : No meeting was held on 28 February between my Department and the waste industry.
Waste Disposal
Mr. Mills : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the cost of licences needed to dispose of waste as a result of EC directives ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : As the then Minister for the Environment and Countryside explained on 29 November 1993, Official Report, column 384, the Government intend to bring the waste management licensing provisions of part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 into force on 1 May 1994. Those provisions will reflect the requirements of relevant EC directives. We have consulted interested parties in stages since August 1992 on our detailed proposals. Building on that consultation, the Department circulated for comment a draft compliance cost assessment and invited comments from industry by 28 February. We have received nine responses from trade associations and individual companies.
On 10 August and 4 December 1992 consultation papers were issued on the charging scheme for waste management licensing which we propose to make under section 41 of the 1990 Act. All of the representations received in response to those consultation papers have been considered and details of the charging scheme which will come into force on 1 May 1994 will be announced as soon as possible.
Housing
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what have been the average percentage increases over the last three years in (a) registered fair rents in private unfurnished lettings, (b) house prices and (c) commercial rents.
Sir George Young : The latest available information on average yearly percentage increases in registered fair rents in private unfurnished lettings and house prices is given in the table.
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England (per cent.)
Year |Fair |House
|rents |prices
----------------------------
1990 |+16.8 |-1.8
1991 |+10.8 |-2.1
1992 |+13.3 |-4.6
1993 |n/a |-3.2
For information on commercial rents, I refer the hon. Member to the Valuation Office Agency.
Mr. Mills : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what communications he has received about the EC proposals for the disposal of waste and a licensing system from farmers and the National Farmers Union.
Mr. Atkins : My right hon. Friend's predecessor and other Ministers in the Department have received four letters from the National Farmers Union, and nine from hon. Members writing on behalf of farmers, about the new waste management licensing system and the EC framework directive on waste--91/156/EEC. My officials have also received correspondence, and have met the NFU.
The forthcoming waste management licensing regulations will retain the current exemption for agricultural waste when they come into force on 1 May 1994. However, in order to comply fully with the requirements of the EC framework directive on waste, it will be necessary to make subsequent provision for some types of agricultural waste to be treated as controlled waste. We have undertaken to issue a consultation paper on any such proposals for new controls over agricultural waste, before making any changes.
Council Tax
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will revise his practice notes for councils about the collection of the council tax.
Mr. Baldry : The Department's practice note, "Council Tax Administration", which deals with billing and collection of the tax in England and Wales, will be revised shortly to take into account some minor changes in secondary legislation which will come into effect on 1 April 1994.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to introducing legislation to compensate householders who are sent demands for council tax payments when the council tax has been paid.
Mr. Baldry : The sensible course in these circumstances is for the taxpayer to produce his receipt or proof of payment. If he cannot do so, and the authority remains of the view that he has not paid, such matters would, in England and Wales, eventually come before a magistrates court for a decision. The court has discretion to order costs to either party. These arrangements are fully adequate and we see no reason to change them.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make representations to local authority directors of finance to seek improvements in the accuracy of their council tax billing procedures.
Mr. Baldry : We have no evidence that such advice is necessary to authorities in England.
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Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to safeguard householders who receive erroneous bills for the council tax.
Mr. Baldry : In England and Wales, taxpayers may appeal to a valuation tribunal about disputed liabilities which cannot be resolved with the local authority.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the penalty for delaying payment of council tax for over six months.
Mr. Baldry : If an instalment of council tax remains unpaid, an authority may seek a liability order from a magistrates' court. This enables the authority to employ a range of recovery options, including attachment of the debtor's earnings, deductions from income support, and the levy of distress. An authority can recover from the debtor the costs of obtaining the liability order and the costs of levying distress. Within this framework we do not consider a specific financial penalty for non- payment is necessary.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of dealing with council tax valuation appeals.
Mr. Baldry : The estimated average cost of processing a council tax appeal in the current financial year in England is £115. This estimate includes Valuation Office Agency and valuation tribunal costs.
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many properties in each band (a) will and (b) will not attract council tax transitional relief in Pendle, Westminster, Wandsworth and Ribble Valley in 1994-95.
Mr. Baldry : This information is not held by the Department.
Toxic Waste
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce more stringent entry controls for foreign toxic waste.
Mr. Atkins : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering the need for additional provisions to implement the EC Waste Shipments Regulation, and will announce his conclusions in due course.
Council Tax
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the estimated savings to local authorities from the advance payment of council tax by appellants whose appeals have been delayed by the operation of the valuation appeals procedure.
Mr. Baldry : No such estimates have been made.
Living Over The Shop
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many successful schemes have been initiated under the living-over-the-shop scheme ; and how many of these have used the services of the living over the shop project at the university of York.
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Sir George Young : In 1992-93, 269 new homes were created as a result of the Department's flats-over-shops programme. Of the 132 local authorities who received supplementary credit approvals in respect of this, only one has acknowledged any significant involvement with the living-over- the-shop project. It is of course possible that others may also have had some contact with the LOTS project. In addition, schemes financed by the Housing Corporation created 223 new housing units in 1992-93. Other schemes have also gone ahead using the owner's own resources and other funding mechanisms.
Pennine Bridleway
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to complete the Pennine bridleway.
Mr. Atkins : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 21 January, Official report, column 869.
Paris Commission Policy
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on Government policy on compliance with the Paris Commission's policy agreed in June 1993.
Mr. Atkins : The Paris Commission is a meeting of representatives of the contracting parties to the 1974 Paris convention. A contracting party is bound only by the decisions and recommendations of the Commission that it accepts. It is United Kingdom policy to comply with those decisions and recommendations that we accept. At its June 1993 meeting, the Commission adopted the following decisions and recommendations :
a. Recommendation concerning the limitation of pollution from existing primary iron and steel production installations (PARCOM Recommendation 93/1) : adopted by a three-quarters majority (Belgium, Portugal and Spain entered reservations) ; the United Kingdom accepted this recommendation ;
b. Decision on the phasing-out of the use of hexachloroethane in the non- ferrous metal industry (PARCOM Decision 93/1) : adopted by a three-quarters majority (Germany and the United Kingdom entered reservations, as did the Commission of the European Communities) ; the United Kingdom reservation is because we have not completed the assessment of the cost of complying with the decision ;
c. Recommendation on further restrictions on the discharge of mercury from dentistry (PARCOM Recommendation 93/2) : adopted by a three-quarters majority (France, Portugal and Spain entered reservations) ; the United Kingdom accepted this recommendation ; d. Recommendation on the elaboration of national action plans and best environmental practice for the reduction of inputs to the environment of pesticides from agricultural use (PARCOM Recommendation 93/3) : adopted by a three-quarters majority (France and Portugal entered reservations) ; the United Kingdom accepted this recommendation ;
e. Recommendation on the phasing out of cationic detergents DTDMAC, DSDMAC and DHTDMAC in fabric softners (PARCOM Recommendation 93/4) : adopted by a three-quarters majority (the United Kingdom entered a reservation) ; the United Kingdom reservation was because evidence that available substitutes are less environmentally hazardous is not available except to the firms that have developed them, and because formal action is unnecessary, given the 90 per cent. reduction in usage in recent years ;
f. Recommendation concerning increases in radioactive discharges from nuclear reprocessing plants (PARCOM Recommendation 93/5) was adopted by a three-quarters majority (France and the United Kingdom entered reservations, as did the Commission of the European
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Communities ; Belgium entered a study reserve, which has now been withdrawn) ; the United Kingdom reservation was because the first limb of the recommendation made no progress beyond the commitment in the 1992 Action Plan, while the second limb both was too vague to provide a proper basis for a PARCOM recommendation and, insofar as it provided for a role for the Paris Commission in the decision process, was inappropriate.Radioactive Waste
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake or commission research into the effects of low-level radioactive waste in west Cumbria over the past 30 years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : Low-level radioactive waste in west Cumbria is managed and disposed of in accordance with strict regulatory requirements. The west Cumbrian environment has, over many years, been the subject of extensive research and monitoring programmes undertaken by the nuclear site operators, the regulatory authorities and Government Departments.
Homelessness
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the source of the calculation in the consultation paper, "Access to Local Authority and Housing Association Tenancies" that homelessness acceptances accounted for 45 per cent. of local authority lettings in 1992- 93 ; what is the source of the figure of 29 per cent. in the research report accompanying the consultation paper ; and what is the comparable figure from housing investment programme returns from local authorities.
Sir George Young : The percentage figure given in the consultation document is based on information provided by local authorities on their 1993 housing investment programme--HIP--returns ; it relates to the proportion of new lettings, that is total lettings less transfers of existing tenants and dwellings let through mutual exchanges or mobility arrangements, in 1992-93, both secure and non-secure, that were to homeless households.
The figure in the research report is based on a representative sample of new local authority secure tenancies over the period April to July 1991.
There are a number of differences between the two proportions, including the reference period and the coverage of the sample and the definition of new lettings.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total amount of central Government grant given to each urban programme authority in the years 1980-81, 1986-87 and 1993-94 at constant 1994 prices.
Mr. Baldry : The urban programme grant paid to current urban programme authorities is as follows :
Urban programme (UP) funding
£ million
Local authority |1980-81 |1986-87 |Estimated
|adjusted |Adjusted |1993-94
|outturn |outturn |outturn
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Midlands region
Derby |- |- |0.6
Leicester |5.9 |5.2 |2.4
Nottingham |5.3 |5.9 |2.4
London region
Haringey |- |- |1.0
Greenwich |- |- |0.7
Hammersmith/Fulham |5.1 |5.0 |1.1
Brent |0.5 |4.2 |1.4
Hackney |<1>23.9 |11.7 |2.0
Islington |- |10.2 |4.1
Kensington and Chelsea |- |- |0.8
Lambeth |13.9 |12.5 |4.1
Lewisham |- |- |1.0
Newham |- |- |1.4
Southwark |- |- |1.3
Tower Hamlets |0.5 |4.3 |1.9
Wandsworth |0.7 |4.6 |1.4
Merseyside task force
Halton |- |- |0.7
Knowsley |0.2 |4.0 |2.1
Liverpool |27.3 |25.0 |8.7
Sefton |- |- |0.7
St. Helens |- |- |0.8
Wirral |4.1 |4.7 |1.6
Northern region
Newcastle/Gateshead |20.0 |21.4 |7.7
Hartlepool |- |- |0.9
Langbaurgh |- |- |0.9
Middlesborough |4.2 |5.9 |2.3
North Tyneside |3.4 |4.2 |1.6
South Tyneside |3.9 |5.1 |2.4
Stockton |- |- |0.9
Sunderland |4.0 |4.8 |2.5
North West region
Blackburn |0.5 |4.1 |1.4
Bolton |3.2 |4.2 |1.7
Burnley |- |- |0.5
Manchester/Salford |27.1 |25.1 |9.7
Oldham |3.8 |4.0 |1.8
Preston |- |- |0.8
Rochdale |0.8 |4.0 |1.8
Wigan |- |- |1.2
South west region
Bristol |- |- |0.8
Plymouth |- |- |0.6
West Midlands region
Birmingham |26.8 |28.7 |10.0
Coventry |0.2 |4.1 |2.2
Dudley |- |- |0.7
Sandwell |1.3 |5.0 |2.2
Walsall |- |- |0.7
Wolverhampton |4.5 |6.3 |2.4
Wrekin |- |- |0.5
Yorkshire and Humberside region
Barnsley |- |- |0.9
Bradford |5.1 |3.8 |2.2
Doncaster |- |- |0.9
Hull |4.0 |5.0 |2.3
Kirklees |- |- |0.5
Leeds |5.5 |4.4 |2.6
Rotherham |- |- |1.1
Sheffield |5.3 |6.0 |2.9
<1> In 1980-81 the London Boroughs of Hackney and Islington were
treated as one UP authority.
Notes:
UP funding figures for 1980-81 and 1986-87 are actual outturn figures
adjusted by GDP deflator indices to constant 1994 prices. UP funding
figures for 1993-94 are forcast outturns. For all the three financial years
grant was paid at 75 per cent. of actual expenditure.
The blank spaces in the table mean that the authority was not a UP
authority in that financial year.
The UP partnerships of Newcastle/Gateshead and Manchester/Salford
have not been split because historic outturn data was not kept by
constituent authority.
Tenancies
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private sector tenancies were (a) available for rent and (b) in rented occupation in each year from 1979.
Sir George Young : The Department compiles estimates on the number of private rented dwellings. These are published in the quarterly and annual publication "Housing and Construction Statistics". The information requested about tenancies is not collected by the Department.
Mr. Cann : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made on the number of residents of Ipswich affected by Government clawback of council tax transitional relief ; what is the maximum resultant increase in council tax involved ; if he will urgently review the decision to clawback the relief ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Transitional relief grant will fall to be repaid only where taxes are uncollected. The amount to be repaid, and any consequent effect on council taxes, is entirely dependent on the collection performance of Ipswich borough council.
Sheep Dip
Dr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 22 February, Official Report, column 113, regarding representations from EU bodies about sheep dip, what was the purpose and content of the formal inquiry ; and what was Her Majesty's Government's response.
Mr. Atkins : Correspondence between the United Kingdom and the European Commission is treated in confidence.
Crime Prevention
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether funding is available from his Department for local authorities to establish closed circuit television camera systems to combat crime.
Mr. Baldry : There is no specific funding for this purpose. General funds are made available by the Department to local authorities each year in the revenue support grant settlement and authorities may use these
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funds to establish CCTV systems. The regeneration plans of several city challenge partnerships have included CCTV schemes in their crime reduction-prevention strategies.Bed-and-breakfast Accommodation
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of bed-and-breakfast provision for each housing department in 1993.
Sir George Young : [holding answer 22 February 1994] : I have today placed in the Library a table giving figures on the net costs of housing homeless households in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in 1992-93, the latest period for which data are available, as reported by local authorities on their revenue outturn return.
Renovation Grants
Ms Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the total amount given in renovation grants including (a) improvement, (b) intermediate and (c) repair each year since 1988-89 ; and what is the latest available information for each authority in the north- west ;
(2) what was the total amount of renovation grants including (a) improvement, (b) intermediate and (c) repair for each year since 1988-89 ; and what is the latest available information on the amounts of grant made in each year by the local authorities in the north west region.
Sir George Young : [holding answer 3 March 1994] : Information about house renovation grants for England as a whole is shown in the quarterly publication "Housing and Construction Statistics". Information about payments under the Housing Act 1985 (including improvement, intermediate and repair grants) is shown separately from those under the new grants system set up by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
Figures for each year appear in the issues and tables listed. Copies of these publications are in the Library.
Year |Table |Issue -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1988-89 to 1989-90 |2.18 (1985 Act) |December 1991, Part 2 1990-91 to 1992-93 |2.18 (1985 Act) |September 1993, Part 2 1990-91 to 1992-93 |2.17 (1989 Act) |September 1993, Part 2 1993-94<1> |2.18 (1985 Act) |September 1993, Part 2 1993-94<1> |2.17 (1989 Act) |September 1993, Part 2 <1> 1993-94 data in the above publications are provisional and cover the second and third quarters of 1993 only.
Latest available figures on the total amounts of renovation grants made available in each local authority area in the north-west region from financial year 1988-89 to 1992-93, and the first six months of 1993-94, are shown in the table.
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Total renovation grant payments
Total amount of grant
Local authority<1> |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |<2>1993-94
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blackburn |2,260,253 |2,522,674 |1,505,573 |3,402,386 |4,087,794 |827,226
Blackpool |798,009 |585,865 |400,557 |674,914 |1,160,064 |241,169
Bolton |(<3>)2,841,059 |(<1>)797,161 |(<1>)314,465 |3,113,500 |4,640,974 |740,276
Burnley |1,101,255 |(<3>)556,222 |1,350,625 |1,223,346 |1,701,789 |586,344
Bury |(<3>)1,273,642 |(<1>)403,705 |1,185,074 |1,279,178 |1,324,193 |832,270
Chester |(<3>)664,416 |(<3>)761,559 |1,020,059 |1,151,406 |1,038,590 |895,265
Chorley |870,985 |1,369,583 |688,667 |1,069,056 |1,357,754 |1,012,729
Congleton |478,949 |426,836 |(<3>)196,982 |237,626 |637,517 |192,134
Crewe and Nantwich |651,911 |599,893 |462,755 |480,300 |485,642 |187,769
Ellesmere Port and Neston |- |(<3>)471,234 |313,895 |580,712 |895,265 |349,689
Fylde |626,594 |(<3>)462,374 |290,733 |914,470 |1,243,085 |320,472
Halton |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hyndburn |(<1>)219,275 |- |(<2>)1,124,166 |(<3>)1,751,382 |3,045,915 |473,381
Knowsley |570,298 |548,229 |178,757 |715,275 |687,872 |(<1>)302,507
Lancaster |865,198 |972,750 |543,804 |1,412,370 |1,494,955 |345,016
Liverpool |8,938,088 |(<2>)5,363,067 |(<3>)5,020,835 |(<3>)1,165,408 |4,558,024 |2,729,335
Macclesfield |(<1>)306,912 |883,057 |(<2>)285,927 |(<1>)67,726 |(<3>)813,865 |492,361
Manchester |(<2>)3,190,212 |4,328,167 |3,033,834 |2,635,914 |5,492,761 |3,256,720
Oldham |1,350,494 |439,785 |556,660 |2,981,426 |4,712,175 |477,607
Pendle |618,201 |1,286,545 |1,078,515 |1,183,159 |1,560,541 |620,199
Preston |1,613,011 |- |(<3>)2,172,959 |(<3>)2,111,234 |(<3>)1,128,914 |608,813
Ribble Valley |155,081 |155,600 |238,118 |229,627 |503,309 |40,783
Rochdale |(<3>)2,744,416 |1,400,234 |1,303,758 |(<3>)1,664,339 |2,975,424 |353,614
Rossendale |715,299 |(<3>)477,217 |662,675 |864,256 |1,464,297 |644,358
St. Helens |1,276,005 |1,186,369 |1,952,806 |(<2>)1,556,258 |(<2>)1,684,739 |2,399,728
Salford |- |2,951,871 |1,798,893 |2,313,054 |2,789,027 |1,332,961
Sefton |(<1>)382,036 |- |- |(<1>)430,503 |(<1>)378,394 |-
South Ribble |458,764 |427,236 |492,338 |1,075,967 |1,119,365 |378,908
Stockport |2,917,404 |2,719,685 |1,604,521 |3,141,931 |3,530,594 |897,567
Tameside |2,609,551 |1,641,745 |(<2>)463,201 |3,086,376 |2,261,016 |314,325
Trafford |1,959,462 |(<3>)1,281,704 |1,671,240 |(<3>)903,465 |(<2>)1,294,825 |-
Vale Royal |637,886 |710,173 |309,574 |321,266 |101,743 |75,911
Warrington |1,416,559 |- |(<3>)1,072,923 |- |1,591,678 |627,790
West Lancashire |943,983 |880,903 |959,142 |798,580 |941,701 |687,705
Wigan |2,337,466 |1,851,928 |1,359,576 |2,175,538 |1,716,072 |1,092,650
Wirral |4,861,354 |(<3>)3,892,751 |4,114,634 |3,640,721 |6,310,628 |3,717,939
Wyre |(<3>)232,059 |(<2>)194,951 |294,040 |651,475 |741,303 |545,945
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
North West<3> |65,475,000 |61,119,000 |47,036,000 |57,424,000 |75,489,000 |31,042,000
<1> As reported to the Department by the local authorities on the quarterly statistical return P1D.
No allowance is made for non-response by individual local authorities.
-=No returns received for that year
(<1>)=One return received for that year
(<2>)=Two returns received for that year
(<3>)=Three returns received for that year
<2> The figures for 1993-94 are for the first six months of the financial year.
<3> The figures for the North West as a whole include Departmental estimates for missing returns.
Therefore this total is greater than the sum of values for individual local authorities.
Marine Aggregates Industry
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what responsibility his Department has for promoting the interests of the marine aggregates industry.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 4 March 1994] : My Department has sponsorship responsibility for the construction products and materials industries generally, and including the marine aggregates industry. It provides a first point of contact for the products and materials sectors ; acts as the link between Government and the industry ; speaks for the industry in Government ; and co-ordinates action on environmental issues that affect the products and materials sectors of the industry. My Department also co-ordinates the Government view procedure which is a prerequisite for the licensing of extraction.
Livera Foods plc
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much public money was made available for the establishment of Livera Foods plc in Preston Farm, Stockton on Tees ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 4 March 1994] : Details of financial transactions between the Department, sponsored bodies, and private companies are commercially confidential, and I therefore cannot give details of grant, if any, given to Livera Foods.
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NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
8. Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the progress of the setting up of the national lottery.
Mr. Brooke : The director general is currently assessing the eight applications for the main section 5 licence to operate the national lottery. I understand that he hopes to be able to make an announcement of the successful applicant in May of this year and formally grant the licence in July.
Play Services
17. Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what efforts have been made by his Department for ensuring the future provision of local play services following any reorganisation of local government.
Mr. Sproat : My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State receives copies of each report prepared by the Local Government Commission and comments, as appropriate, in relation to his areas of responsibility which include children's play.
Sinn Fein (Broadcasting)
22. Lady Olga Maitland : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to review his broadcasting restrictions on the Sinn Fein/IRA.
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Mr. Brooke : The restrictions remain under review in the light of further developments.
Business Sponsorship
23. Mr. Peter Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he is taking to promote business sponsorship of the arts.
Mr. Brooke : The Government seek to promote a partnership approach to arts funding by developing a network of sources of support, nationally and locally. Over the last 20 years, business sponsorship has made an increasingly important contribution to our expanding arts economy. In 1976- 77 business support amounted to about £500,000. By 1992-93 that figure had increased to at least £57.7 million. The Government's own business sponsorship incentive scheme--BSIS--has done much to encourage this welcome trend. Since its inception in 1984, the scheme has attracted £69.2 million in new money to the arts. In recognition of the importance of business sponsorship and of the success of the BSIS I shall increase the scheme's budget for next year by £300,000 to a record £4.8 million. This will enable a new ABSA office to be established to serve the midlands. I will also be modifying the scheme for business sponsors in Wales to allow Welsh arts organisations to make more effective use of it.
Speke Hall
24. Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he is taking to secure the future of Speke hall in the Liverpool, Garston, constituency.
Mr. Sproat : Speke hall is owned by the National Trust. The hall has been grade I listed by the Secretary of State ; the moated site in which it stands is a scheduled monument ; and its garden is grade II listed in the "National Register of Historic Gardens of Special Interest in England". Since 1987 English Heritage has provided over £200,000 in grant aid towards repairs to Speke hall.
Film Exports
25. Mr. Purchase : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what contribution the export of United Kingdom-produced films made to the United Kingdom's annual balance of trade in the last financial year for which records are available.
Mr. Brooke : Export earnings by United Kingdom film companies reached £371 million in 1992, the last year for which figures are available. Some £182 million of this total was earned from the provision of production services, with the remaining £189 million having come from overseas royalties.
Albert Memorial
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about the policy of his Department towards the repair and refurbishment of the Albert memorial.
Mr. Brooke : The restoration of the Albert memorial will start this year. The work will make the memorial sound for at least 60 years and will comprise repair of the ironwork, the lead cladding, the stonework, statues and decorations together with the provision of a visitor centre.
Column 52
BBC Charter
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many representations he has received regarding the operation of the BBC's regional policy during his review of the BBC's charter in the last 12 months ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : During 1993, I received 44 letters about the BBC's regional policy. In 1993, I also received some 2,800 responses to the Government's consultation document about the future of the BBC. A small number mentioned the BBC's regional policy, or the English regions, and 85 letters from organisations commented on the BBC's programmes and services for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Parliamentary Broadcasting
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has made to the BBC concerning the sound of broadcasting of Parliament on FM ; and what response he has had.
Mr. Brooke : None. This is a matter for the BBC.
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