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Housing Waiting Lists
Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current numbers on local authority housing waiting lists, broken down by local authority, as registered on the 1994 housing investment programme returns from local authorities.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The information requested on the numbers of households on local authority housing waiting lists at 1 April 1994 can be found in section B of the "1994 HIP1 All Items Prints", a copy of which is in the Library.
Oxygenated Petrol
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has carried out into oxygenated petrol; what plans for research into the environmental suitability of oxygenated petrol he has; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Atkins: The environmental case for oxygenated fuel is not yet clear. The Government will keep it under review. We are participating fully in the setting of standards for fuel formulation at a European level, in particular in the light of the forthcoming report from the European tripartite initiative on future engine and fuel technologies.
Redundancy Compensation
Sir David Steel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the reasons for the differences between the proposed compensation package offered for staff made redundant in the current local government reorganisation and that offered in the 1986 package, with special reference to (a) maximum payments and (b) discretionary payments for those over 50 years.
Mr. Curry: Any compensation scheme must be tailored to the specific circumstances to which it applies, and should be viewed as a whole. We have provided a compensation package for the current reorganisation which in all the circumstances is fair to employees and affordable for the local authorities and taxpayers.
Construction Contracting
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Heating and Ventilating Contractors Association about the need for legislation on construction contracting in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The information is not available in the form requested. However, more than 60 letters have been received since September 1994 on this subject from members of the constructors liaison group of which the HVCA is a component part. Later today my right hon. Friend is meeting representatives of all sectors of the construction industry to discuss this and other issues arising from the Latham report.
Disabled People
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what discussions he has had with the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People regarding the effect of payments by councils in lieu of community care on local authorities' budgets; (2) what discussions he has had with the Minister of State for Social Security and Disabled People regarding increases in standard spending assessments to offset the costs on local authorities for disabled people not in care.
Mr. Robert B. Jones: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced in November her intention to allow local authorities to make direct payments to disabled people in lieu of services. My Department has discussed with the Department of Health the effects of this proposal on local authorities' budgets. As any powers to make direct payments will be permissive and will involve the same assessment procedures as now, I am satisfied that there will be no additional need for resources.
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Test Valley
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his inspector will report on the Test valley local plan.
Sir Paul Beresford: The provision of information on inspectors reports on objections to development plans is the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. I have asked the inspectorate's chief executive, Mr. Christopher Shepley, to write to the hon. Member. Letter from C. J. Shepley to Mr. Michael Colvin, dated 3 February 1995:
Parliamentary Question No. 1036: 2 February 1995--
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the Test Valley Borough Local Plan.
The long inquiry into objections to the Test Valley Borough Local Plan opened on 11 May 1993, and closed on 22 December 1993 after 100 inquiry sitting days and site visit days. Some 1,600 written objections were lodged in addition to those heard at the inquiry, which have to be examined by Inspectors and reported on with recommendations to the Council.
The report is expected to be issued to the Council in mid-February 1995. By using a second Inspector, this is several months in advance of the date by which the report would normally be expected given the scale of the inquiry and the large number of written objections to be considered.
In view of your interest I will arrange for you to be advised of the date of despatch of the report to the Council.
Ordnance Survey
Mr. Booth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the saving to public funds if the Ordnance Survey were privatised.
Mr. Atkins: The first review of Ordnance Survey's performance as an executive agency was carried out in 1994. It concluded that agency status had been a spur to significant improvements in performance. Consultants employed to look at options for the future status of Ordnance Survey assessed that it would continue to progress well with its current status and recommended that it should remain an executive agency for the time being. The consultants believed that privatisation offered potential benefits as well as disadvantages but found that various obstacles precluded any change of status in the immediate future. They were unable, at that time, to quantify the full costs of privatisation or subsequent savings to public funds. Government accepted these recommendations and OS will remain an agency for the next four years at least. In the meantime, I have tasked the chief executive of Ordnance Survey with investigating the obstacles to privatisation so that these costs and benefits can be established.
Housing Stock Transfers
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 25 January, Official Report , column 210 , if he will list the local authorities which have conducted a ballot on proposed large-scale voluntary transfer of their housing stock and, in each case, the number of tenants eligible to vote, the number of those participating and the number of those voting for and against the proposed transfer.
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Mr. Robert B. Jones: Since 1988, 64 local authorities have conducted tenant ballots on proposed large-scale voluntary transfers. These authorities are listed, with details of the number of properties involved, the rate of tenant participation in the ballot and the proportion of tenants voting for and against the proposal.
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The Department does not keep a central record of the number of tenants eligible to vote in each transfer, the actual number of votes cast or the actual numbers of tenants voting for and against each proposal.
Large scale voluntary transfers-successful ballot results
|Number of |Participation rate|Votes in favour |Votes against
Authority |dwellings |(per cent.) |(per cent.) |(per cent.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chiltern |4,650 |71 |85 |15
Newbury |7,053 |87 |82 |18
Sevenoaks |6,526 |80 |85 |15
Broadland |3,721 |84 |53 |47
East Dorset |2,245 |85 |84 |16
Medina |2,825 |84 |69 |31
Mid Sussex |4,426 |80 |77 |22
North Bedfordshire |7,472 |73 |72 |28
Rochester |8,029 |76 |60 |40
South Wight |2,119 |89 |91 |9
Swale |7,352 |80 |82 |18
Christchurch |1,621 |76 |54 |46
Ryedale |3,353 |83 |82 |18
South Buckinghamshire |3,319 |82 |75 |25
Suffolk Coastal |5,272 |78 |57 |43
Tonbridge and Malling |6,382 |76 |71 |29
Bromley |12,393 |76 |55 |45
Tunbridge Wells<1> |5,519 |80 |60 |40
|5,519 |81 |52 |48
Breckland |6,781 |81 |62 |38
East Cambridgeshire |4,266 |82 |70 |30
Surrey Heath |2,885 |78 |55 |45
West Dorset |5,279 |84 |65 |35
Epsom and Ewell |1,740 |75 |53 |47
Hambleton |4,268 |84 |66 |34
Hart |2,408 |81 |76 |24
Havant |3,561 |81 |51 |49
Hertsmere<2> |4,370 |81 |78 |12
|1,700 |89 |76 |24
Leominster |1,832 |84 |87 |13
Penwith |3,354 |89 |65 |35
South Ribble |3,445 |76 |77 |23
South Shropshire |1,500 |82 |69 |31
Mid Bedfordshire<2> |3,976 |80 |73 |27
North Dorset |2,881 |84 |55 |45
Thanet<2> |1,760 |91 |51 |49
Wychavon<2> |4,020 |76 |81 |19
|2,543 |75 |54 |46
Basingstoke and Deane<2> |4,850 |72 |52 |48
|4,850 |77 |60 |40
Windsor and Maidenhead<2> |3,250 |81 |60 |40
|3,250 |80 |54 |46
Vale of White Horse |5,028 |82 |67 |33
Maldon |2,050 |80 |83 |17
Malvern Hills |4,867 |80 |83 |17
Kennet |4,996 |83 |87 |13
Rushmoor |5,300 |75 |69 |31
<1> Held two consecutive ballots
<2> Proposed split transfer to two housing associations. Two ballots held.
Unsuccessful Ballot Results
|Number of |Participation rate|Votes in favour |Votes against
Authority |dwellings |(per cent.) |(per cent.) |(per cent.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rochford |2,343 |87 |7 |93
Salisbury |7,795 |77 |25 |75
Torbay |3,425 |59 |27 |73
Arun |3,569 |81 |25 |75
Brentwood |3,269 |88 |20 |80
Canterbury |6,228 |79 |25 |75
Redbridge |8,165 |73 |30 |70
Three Rivers |5,534 |86 |25 |75
Bournemouth |6,300 |84 |32 |68
North Kestevan |4,800 |85 |44 |56
South Holland |4,819 |80 |37 |63
Wokingham |3,431 |75 |30 |70
Hillingdon |14,500 |79 |20 |80
Kingston |6,432 |44 |39 |61
Woodspring |7,922 |75 |29 |71
Maidstone<1> |4,000 |81 |41 |59
|4,000 |84 |41 |59
Mendip |5,100 |79 |49 |51
Rother |3,733 |79 |45 |55
Westminster |674 |68 |31 |69
Poole<1> |1,400 |92 |73 |27
|4,000 |86 |39 |61
Mid Bedfordshire<1> |4,907 |78 |48 |52
Thanet<1> |4,850 |80 |37 |63
Cherwell<1> |3,274 |83 |37 |63
|3,692 |77 |43 |57
Castle Point |1,877 |81 |17 |83
<1> Proposed split transfer to two housing associations. Two ballots held.
River Quality
Mr. Booth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to maintain recent improvements in river quality in England and Wales.
Mr. Gummer: We have in hand a major programme for water quality improvement. Between 1989 and 2005 the water companies are spending an average of some £3 billion a year, much of it of benefit to water quality. The National Rivers Authority has since 1989 been able to bring a co-ordinated approach to discharge consenting and the other means it has of bringing about improvement. Other dischargers and farmers are taking steps that benefit water quality, much of it voluntary in response to codes of practice rather than regulation. The results are shown in the more than 15 per cent. net improvement in river quality that the NRA estimates took place between 1990 and 1993. These efforts will be continuing and we are going further than required by legislation, as is shown by the more than £500 million that water companies will be spending up to 2000 to bring about additional river quality improvement.
At the time of privatisation of the water industry in 1989, we provided a further mechanism for co-ordinating and prioritising improvement, in the form of statutory water quality objectives--SWQOs. Last May, the Government put in place the new classification system inter alia as the framework for SWQOs. We now intend to consult formally on proposals for a small set of SWQOs which will allow us to test the operation of the system on a pilot basis. The final details are being agreed with the NRA.
The proposals will specify the improvements to be achieved in each case and the timetable for achieving them. With the help of the NRA, I shall also identify the specific actions that will be needed, with a preliminary assessment of the likely costs and benefits. There will then be a three- month period within which any interested person or body may comment, including by offering further information on costs and benefits. I shall than decide whether and in what form to make the SWQO. In controversial cases, I may arrange for a local inquiry before reaching my decision.
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The implementation procedures, and practical operation of the statutory objectives in the initial limited pilot group of catchments will be assessed before any decision is made on whether SWQOs should be introduced on a wider basis. The Government are also considering the development of proposals for economic instruments for water pollution and abstraction. Our intention on both national water regulation, including SWQOs, and economic instruments will need to take into account the way in which water legislation is developing in the European Community.Construction Industry
Mr. Booth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to publish another state of the construction industry report.
Mr. Gummer: The latest state of the construction industry report, produced jointly by my Department and representatives of the construction industry, has just been completed. Copies have been placed in the Library.
Crown Estate Meeting
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 12 January, Official Report , column 174 , what was the purpose of the meeting held on 26 May 1994 at the Crown Estate between English Nature, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and the Crown Estate; and what conservation groups were invited to this meeting.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 1 February 1995]: The informal discussions were to identify the key issues regarding the current process for leasing the foreshore for wildfowling. Conservation groups were subsequently consulted.
Tidal Land (Conservation)
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conservation groups have been invited to participate in the Crown Estate's joint group on wildfowling and conservation on tidal land lease application procedures.
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Mr. Atkins [holding answer 1 February 1995]: English Nature is a member of the joint group. Voluntary bodies are being consulted on the new draft procedures, which it is hoped will be extended to all foreshore leases granted by the Crown Estate.
Special Advisers
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.
Mr. Gummer [holding answer 1 February 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Treasury on Monday 6 February 1995, Official Report, column 69.
Environmental Claims
Mr. Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environmental when he initiated a report by the National Consumer Council on the issue of environmental claims and related issues; when the findings will be made public; and what actions the Government will take to address the report findings.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 6 February 1995]: My Department and the Department of Trade and Industry are discussing with the National Consumer Council the detailed specification for a study into the effectiveness of controls over the making of environmental claims. The study should be concluded in the summer. We will decide nearer the time how best to make the findings known and what action might be needed to follow them up.
Planning Funds
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 2 February, Official Report, column 763 , what plans he has to restrict the use to which local authorities may put planning gain money to the geographical area of the consent in question; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Paul Beresford: We have no plans to introduce such restrictions.
PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 7 February.
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 7 February.
The Prime Minister: This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Constitutional Change
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Prime Minister what constitutional change he proposes should take place in the United Kingdom before the end of the century.
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The Prime Minister: Any proposals for constitutional change will be put before Parliament when it is appropriate to do so.
Staff Inquiry
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Prime Minister between what dates Ms Baxendale served on the Scott inquiry team; and if he will list the members and grades and originating departments of the current team.
The Prime Minister: Miss Presiley Baxendale QC has worked on Sir Richard Scott's inquiry from 18 January 1993 to 31 March 1994 inclusive, and from 2 May 1994 to 13 May 1994 inclusive and thereafter from time to time as the need arises.
The current members of the inquiry team are:
|Department
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christopher Muttukumaru |Treasury Solicitor's Department
(Grade 5)
David Price (Grade 5) |Department of Trade and
| Industry
Peter Edwards (Legal Officer) |Inland Revenue Solicitor's
| Office
Karen Wiseman (Grade 7 |Crown Prosecution Service
(Legal))
Catherine Southern (Grade 7 |Crown Prosecution Service
(Legal))
Christopher Stone (HEO) |Department of Trade and
| Industry
Mufassir Mohammed (EO) |Department of the Environment
Sonia Octave (AO) |Home Office
Joanne Bishop (AA) |Home Office
Velma Bernard (Personal |Department of Trade and
Secretary) | Industry
Wendy Moore (Personal |Department of Trade and
Secretary) | Industry
Downing Street Policy Unit
Mr. Mandelson: To ask the Prime Minister from what sources the head of the Downing street policy unit is paid; and if he will make a statement on the division of his role in relation to official and party matters.
The Prime Minister: The head of the Downing street policy unit is paid from the Cabinet Office other services vote as a special adviser. Like other special advisers, and like his predecessors under this and previous Administrations, he assists me with work which is partly governmental and partly political.
Coastal Protection
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Prime Minister what funds are available other than funds available through the Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the current financial year for coastal protection and repair.
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the replies given yesterday by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Official Report, column 85, and my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Official Report, column 12 .
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Deception Island
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Prime Minister what plans exist to clean up the site of the former British whaling station on Deception island.
Mr. David Hunt: I have been asked to reply.
Further work on the clean up of the former British station on Deception island is planned for 1996 97, subject to the allocation of funds and the co-operation of the other Antarctic treaty partners involved.
Pay Rises (Utilities)
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to establish a committee to examine utility directors' and chairmen's pay rises, pension contributions and share options.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 6 February 1995]: No. As I have previously made clear, private sector salaries and other remuneration are a matter for companies and their shareholders to decide, not the Government. We welcome the establishment of Sir Richard Greenbury's group, which will prepare a code of good practice on directors' pay and conditions, and the recent contribution made by the Institute of Directors.
Special Advisers
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 1 February 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury, Official Report, column 69 .
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Radioactive Waste Shipments
Ms Walley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the United Kingdom will be liable in the event of an accident resulting in radioactive contamination from the imminent shipment of vitrified high- level radioactive waste from France to Japan on a BNFL/PNTL ship.
Mr. Charles Wardle: If nuclear injury or damage occurs in the course of carriage of cargoes by PNTL in a country which is not a party to the Paris convention on nuclear liability, there is a possibility of claims against BNFL/PNTL, as the carrier.
Civil Servants
Mr. McAllion: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion and number of non-industrial civil servants in the departments and agencies for which he has responsibility are registered disabled and disabled as defined by the Cabinet Office document "Focus on Ability".
Mr. Ian Taylor: The figures for the Department, excluding the following executive agencies--Companies House, the Insolvency Service, the National Engineering Laboratory, the National Physical Laboratory, the
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National Weights and Measures Laboratory, the Patent Office and the Radiocommunications Agency--but including the Accounts Services Agency and the Laboratory of the Government Chemist are set out in the table. The figures include only those staff who have chosen to declare that they have a disability or long-term health condition.
|Total
|Registered |number of |Total
|disabled |Non-registered|disabled |number
|staff |disabled staff|staff |of staff
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number |52 |146 |198 |6,449
Per cent. of
total staff |0.8 |2.3 |3.1 |-
I have asked the chief executives of Companies House, the Insolvency Service, the National Engineering Laboratory, the National Physical Laboratory, the National Weights and Measures laboratory, the Patent Office and the Radiocommunications Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from David Durham to Mr. John McAllion, dated 7 February 1995:
You recently tabled the following Parliamentary Question: "To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what proportion and number of non- industrial civil servants in the departments and agencies for which he has responsibiliy are registered disabled and disabled as defined by the Cabinet Office document, Focus on Ability."
I am replying as Chief Executive of Companies House Executive Agency.
The figures are set out below, and include only those staff who have chosen to declare that they have a disability or long-term health condition.
|Total
|Registered |number of |Total
|disabled |Non-registered|disabled |number
|staff |disabled staff|staff |of staff
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number |14 |13 |27 |1,143
Per cent. of
total staff |1.23 |1.13 |2.36 |-
Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. John McAllion, dated
31 January 1995 :
The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of proportion of non-industrial civil servants in The Insolvency Service who have a disability.
The figures for the Insolvency Service are as set out below. These only include those staff who have chosen to declare that they have a disability or long term health condition.
|Total
|Registered |number of |Total
|disabled |Non-registered|disabled |number
|staff |disabled staff|staff |of staff
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number |19 |28 |47 |1,615
Percent of
total staff |1.18 |1.73 |2.91 |-
Notes: Figures are provided on a head count basis and exclude casual and industrial
staff.
Figures show the position on 25 January 1995.
Letter from W. Edgar to Mr. John McAllion, dated 31 January 1995:
Parliamentary Questions No. 129--
The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question relating to the proportion and number of non-industrial civil servants in the departments and agencies for which he has responsibility are registered disabled and disabled as defined by the Cabinet Office document, Focus on Ability. The following numbers apply to NEL
Registered disabled--2
Unregistered disabled--1
Total manpower at January 1995--252
Therefore disabled as a proportion--1.2 per cent.
I trust you will find the above information to be satisfactory for your purposes.
Letter from Dr. Peter Clapham to Mr. John McAllion, dated 31 January 1995:
I am writing in response to your question to the President of the Board of Trade regarding the proportion and number of non-industrial civil servants in the departments and agencies for which he has responsibility who are registered disabled and disabled as defined by the Cabinet Office document, Focus on Ability.
Details of staff currently employed by the National Physical Laboratory, who have chosen to declare their disability, are as follows:-
|Registered |Non-registered|Total |Total
|disabled |disabled |isabled |staff
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number |6 |26 |32 |651
Per cent. of
total staff |0.9 |4.0 |4.9 |-
The above figures are provided on a head count basis as at 25 January, and exclude industrial and casual staff.
I hope this provides the information you require.
Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. John McAllion, dated 31 January 1995:
The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question about staff with disabilities.
This Agency has no registered disabled among its 48 staff, although four members of staff (8.3 per cent.) have declared a level of disability.
Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. John McAllion, dated 7 February 1995:
Parliamentary Question 129--
The President of the Board has asked me to respond to your Question about non-industrial disabled staff.
The information requested is set out below. The figures include only those staff who have chosen to declare that they have a disability or long-term health condition.
|Total
|Registered |number of |Total
|disabled |Non-registered|disabled |number
|staff |disabled staff|staff |of staff
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Numbers |16 |12 |28 |891
Per cent. of
Total Staff |1.8 |1.35 |3.15 |-
Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. John McAllion, dated
7 February 1995:
Employment of Disabled People
I am replying on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency to your written question to the President of the Board of Trade about the employment of disabled people.
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what proportion and number of non-industrial civil servants in the Departments and Agencies for which he has responsibility are registered disabled and disabled as defined by the Cabinet Office document, Focus on Ability.
Of the 542 staff employed in the Agency on 1 January, there are two registered disabled staff and 14 other staff who have chosen to declare their disability. In total this represents 3 per cent. of Agency staff (0.4 per cent. registered disabled, 2.6 per cent. unregistered disabled staff who have chosen to declare their disability).
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