| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to reduce the rate support grant to local authorities. [18236]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: Revenue support grant funds the difference between local authorities' standard spending assessments and what they can expect to receive from council taxes, non-domestic rates and from other grants. The relative levels of these components are considered annually by the Government as part of the public expenditure round.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce his capping principles for 1995 96 and the list of authorities which he intends to cap.
Mr. Gummer: My capping principles for 1995 96 are as follows: (i) for police authorities:
any increase of more than 2.5 per cent. over the1994 95 base budget is an excessive increase if it gives rise to a 1995 96 budget requirement over SSA;
any increase of more than 1.5 per cent. over the 1994 95 base budget is an excessive increase if it gives rise to a 1995 96 budget requirement over 5 per cent. above SSA;
any increase of more than 0.5 per cent. over the 1994 95 base budget is an excessive increase if it gives rise to a 1995 96 budget requirement over 10 per cent. above SSA;
Column 1049
(ii) for inner London boroughs and the metropolitan county fire and civil defence authorities:any increase of more than 2 per cent. over the 1994 95 base budget is an excessive increase if it gives rise to a 1995 96 budget requirement over SSA;
any increase of more than 1.25 per cent. over the1994 95 base budget is an excessive increase if it gives rise to a 1995 96 budget requirement over 5 per cent. above SSA;
any increase of more than 0.5 per cent. over the 1994 95 base budget is an excessive increase if it gives rise to a 1995 96 budget requirement over 10 per cent. above SSA;
(iii) for all other authorities:
any increase of more than 0.5 per cent. over the 1994 95 base budget is an excessive increase if it gives rise to a 1995 96 budget requirement over SSA;
(iv) for all authorities:
any 1995 96 budget requirement more than 12.5 per cent. above SSA is excessive save that an authority will not be designated if: (a) its 1994 95 SSA was reduced by 10 per cent. or more purely as a result of the 1993 SSA review and its 1995 96 budget requirement is a cash freeze or reduction on its1994 95 base budget;
(b) its 1995 96 budget requirement is 30 per cent. or less above SSA and is a cash freeze or reduction on its 1994 95 base budget; (c) its 1995 96 budget requirement is 60 per cent. or less above SSA and is at least 5 per cent. below its 1994 95 base budget; (d) its 1995 96 budget requirement is at least 10 per cent. below its 1994 95 base budget.
with the general proviso that:
no authority is to be designated if its budget requirement is £10,000 or less above the limit implied by these principles.
In accordance with sections 54 and 56 of the Local Government Act 1992, I have decided to designate the authorities listed. The amount given in brackets after each authority is the amount which I am proposing should be the maximum amount calculated by each authority as its budget requirement for 1995 96--in the case of billing authorities, the amount is gross of local precepts:
Devon county council--£592.046 million
Gloucestershire county council--£300.714 million
Shropshire county council--£239.364 million
Somerset county council--£262.321 million
Sheffield city council--£392.763 million
Newcastle upon Tyne city council--£233.991 million
Barnsley metropolitan borough council--£150.626 million
Norwich city council--£16.378 million
Lincolnshire police authority--£58.577 million
South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority--£32.934 million I have placed in the Library of the House a table which gives further details.
Authorities which have been designated for council tax capping now have a period of 28 days, starting today, in which to inform us whether or not they accept their proposed cap. It they accept, the cap is confirmed by notice and the authority can set a revised lower budget and lower council tax bills forthwith. The exception is South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority which has been designated at the budget it originally set and therefore does not have to reduce its budget nor incur rebilling costs. If an authority challenges, it must propose an alternative together with its reasons for doing so. At this stage, authorities have the opportunity to meet us to explain that case. Once we have considered all the available information, we shall propose final caps which will be included in an order, a draft of which is debated
Column 1050
by the House of Commons. If the draft order is approved, final caps are set by notice and revised budgets and council tax levels must then be set by the authorities concerned.Gloucestershire County Council
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is Gloucestershire county council's total debt for the latest year for which figures are available; and what were the figures for each of the previous 10 years. [17373]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The information is as follows:
Outstanding debt at end of year<1> Year |£ million ------------------------------ 1983-84 |23.9 1984-85 |23.8 1985-86 |45.9 1986-87 |53.4 1987-88 |66.8 1988-89 |92.4 1989-90 |104.4 1990-91 |121.1 1991-92 |124.5 1992-93 |129.9 1993-94 |136.3 Sources: <1> 1983-90 CIPFA capital expenditure and debt financing statistics. 1990-94 Total external debt, borrowing and lending surveys and the Public Works Loans Board.
Internet
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the Internet electronic addresses of (a) his Department and (b) each Minister in his Department; and if he will make a statement on his Department's approach to the information superhighway. [17738]
Sir Paul Beresford: DOE is currently evaluating the Internet for electronic communications and has not established formal e-mail addresses for the Department centrally or Ministers individually. A fully advanced office support system project is, however, now under way and will, among other things, provide full electronic mail links across all areas of the Department and the ability to communicate via external networks, during the next three years.
Officials have been asked to investigate the feasibility of publishing a range of departmental information through the Internet. No firm decision has yet been taken by the Department to use this service.
Construction Industry
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer from the Chancellor of the Exchequer of 27 March, Official Report , column 432 , what is his Department's view on whether value for money in public procurement and the efficient contribution of the construction industry to the economy is best served by a single exclusive register for public sector work. [17726]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: Sir Michael Latham, in his review "Constructing the Team", recommended that there should be single lists of contractors and consultants
Column 1051
seeking public sector work. He further recommended that these be based upon the contractor management information systems and the consultants register, databases managed by the Department of the Environment. Two working groups acting under the auspices of the Construction Industry Board are considering Sir Michael's recommendations. One is considering consultants, the other contractors. Both working groups are due to report later this year. In tandem with the two working groups, the Department of the Environment has set in hand a consultancy project with Capita Management Consultancy Ltd., which is considering, among other things, the costs and benefits which would accrue to both the public and private sector, in having a single list for contractors and consultants for public sector work. The consultants are due to report at the end of April this year.Local Authorities (Overtime)
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on total overtime payments made by local authorities; and if he will list the total amount paid by each local authority in the most recent year the information is available. [18063]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The information is not available centrally.
Research Projects
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report , column 229 , to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes), if he will list for the remaining regional government offices the research projects contracted for, the titles of the projects, their estimated cost and to which company or organisation they have been awarded. [17492]
Sir Paul Beresford [holding answer 31 March 1995]: The following contracts have been let on behalf of the government offices listed, since their establishment in April 1994:
Government Office for the North East
None
Government Office for the North West
None
Government Office for Yorkshire and Humberside
|Estimated Cost
Title |£ |Contractor
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research and |41,000 |Leeds Metropolitan
evaluation advice unit | university
Analysis of TEC |4,700 |BPI group
corporate plans
Regional economic |13,000 |Leeds Metropolitan
review | university
Market it yourself |10,000 |Collingwood Court and
tool-kit-for use by |Associates Ltd.
community and
voluntary organisations
Government Office for Merseyside
|Estimated Cost
Title |£ |Contractor
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mapping exercise into |17,299 |Kate Smith
womens' networks, self-help
groups and information
points.
Government Office for the West Midlands
|Estimated Cost
Title |£ |Contractor
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Travel patterns in the west |37,000 |ECOTOEC Ltd.
midlands
Integrated regional office |23,221 |Cooper Simms
consultancy study |Associates Ltd.
Government Office for the East Midlands
|Estimated Cost
Title |£ |Contractor
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research into the strategic |9,655 |Pieda plc
and operational aspects of
planning the delivery of
modern apprenticeships
Research into the position of |15,639 |Institute of
women in the economy and |Manpower
labour market in the east |Studies
|midlands
Research into TECs in the |9,655 |Pieda plc
east midlands in influencing
the delivery and provision of
higher level skills, education
and training
Research into the extent of |10,239 |University of
management skills in the east |Warwick
midlands and possible future
management skill
requirements
Government Office for the Eastern Region
None.
Government Office for the South West
|Estimated Cost
Title |£ |Contractor
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National education and |11,000 |Prism Research
training targets in the south |(in collaboration
west |with the SW
|TECS)
Competitiveness: a regional |21,000 |K P M G
management economic and | Consulting
labour market assessment
Fair play for women- |18,000 |M Ball
mapping of women's
networks in the south-west
and research into their level
of effectiveness
Government Office for the South East
|Estimated Cost
Title |£ |Contractor
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Household survey of progress |10,000 |Hampshire TEC
towards lifetime targets
Customer survey |20,000 |Surrey TEC
Career aspirations of |4,490 |The Basingstoke
adolescent girls |Consortium
Delivery of fair play for |4,500 |Reading Borough
women-Research into |Council
Muslim women's Borough
experience in the labour
market
Technical vocational |5,252 |Denman
education initiative research | Associates
Funding strategies for |1,234 |Innovation
high-tech businesses |Resources
|(George Deacon)
"South-east Fact File" Update |3,000 |Ancer Ltd
Motor Exhaust Pollution
Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the addition of involatile ethers on motor exhaust pollution. [17769]
Mr. Atkins: The environmental case for the addition of involatile ethers such as MTBE, ETBE or TAME to petrol as oxygenating agents in not yet clear. The Government will continue to keep their use under review, and will be participating fully in the setting of standards for vehicle emissions and 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.
Walton Bridge
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call in the planning application by Surrey county council to replace Walton bridge. [17775]
Sir Paul Beresford: We are considering representations that the application should be called in for decision by my right hon. Friend. I shall write to the hon. Member when the decision on call-in has been made.
North Sea
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will detail the progress being made to fulfil United Kingdom commitments to a 50 per cent. reduction in pollution levels of pesticides and heavy metals going into the North sea. [17476]
Mr. Atkins: A comprehensive progress report on the implementation of all the commitments made at the third international conference on the protection of the North sea, including that to achieve significant reductions--of 50 per cent. or more--of inputs to the North sea of certain listed hazardous substances, is being prepared jointly by the North sea states, and will be published for the fourth North sea conference in June. A copy will be placed in the Library. Allowing for the difficulties of assessment and comparison, this report will show that the United Kingdom has reduced, by about 50 per cent. or more,
Column 1054
inputs of 12 of the 16 pesticides, and seven of the eight heavy metals, in the list. Other reductions have also been achieved.Waste Management
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the guidance on the regulations for the dismantling and metals recycling industry forthwith, and extend the date for registration for exemption from waste management licensing until 1 May 1995. [18428]
Mr. Atkins: Exemptions from waste management licensing for the recovery of scrap metal are provided in the Waste Management licensing (Amendment etc.) Regulations 1995 which came into force on 1 April 1995. The effect of regulations 3(7) and (8) is to provide a six-month transitional period, to 1 October 1995, during which businesses may register exemptions. We have provided guidance on the regulations in DOE circular 6/95. Copies of the circular have been placed in the Library of the House.
Water Charges
Dr. Goodson-Wickes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the basis of charging for water in England and Wales after March 2000 when the use of rateable value will no longer be possible. [18809]
Mr. Gummer: It is for water companies to decide the basis on which they should calculate the bills of individual customers, although the Director General of Water Services has powers to prevent preferential and discriminatory charging of individuals and classes of customer. Companies may not, however, use rateable values after 31 March 2000, and there are limitations on access to information about the council tax banding of individual properties.
The Government believe that metering is in the long term the best basis for paying for water in many circumstances. It is fair and equitable in that it relates charges directly to the amount of water used. It gives customers some control over their bills. Payment by amount used encourages customers to use only water they need and in dry areas it is important that we should develop patterns of water use that are sustainable in the longer term. The Government therefore believe that companies should extend the availability of meters as far as is reasonable. Compulsory transfer to meters for existing domestic customers in existing premises should not generally be necessary.
For practical reasons, wide extension of the use of meters will take considerable time to achieve. Meanwhile, companies will need an alternative basis of charging for many properties. The Secretary of State for Wales and I have considered the representations we have received from the water industry that information about council valuation bands would be a suitable basis for charging for water. We have looked carefully at the evidence which has been put forward. We have concluded that a change to a system based on council tax banding would not be satisfactory. Such a charging system would not necessarily be more equitable than any other unmeasured basis and its introduction would give rise to widespread and arbitrary changes in bills, including the possibility of substantial increases in charges for many of those least
Column 1055
able to pay. Further changes would also have to follow as customers moved to charging by metered consumption. We do not therefore intend to allow access to this information.Companies will, however, need an alternative to metering as the basis of charging after 31 March 2000. The Secretary of State for Wales and I have therefore decided that the best course would be to allow the use of rateable values after that date. The necessary changes to the legislation will be made in due course.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Food and Drink Statistics
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the United Kingdom food and drink deficit or surplus (a) in total and (b) with other countries of the EU for each year from 1990 to 1994. [14929]
Mr. Jack [Pursuant to his reply, 22 March 1995, co. 232.]: Imports and exports of food, feed and drink as recorded in the overseas trade statistics in the years 1990 to 1994 are shown in £ million in the table:
£ million
|January-
|September
|1993 |1994
|1990 |1991 |1992 |provisional|provisional
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total:
Imports |12,298 |12,262 |13,406 |13,841 |10,868
Exports |6,352 |6,827 |7,521 |8,053 |6,435
Crude trade gap |5,946 |5,435 |5,886 |5,789 |4,433
EU:
Imports |8,030 |8,019 |8,862 |8,381 |6,510
Exports |3,632 |4,293 |4,736 |4,730 |3,885
Crude trade gap |4,398 |3,726 |4,127 |3,651 |2,625
Note:
Because of differences in valuation principles, the crude trade gap overstates the
contribution of food, feed and drink to the deficit on visible trade in the balance of
payment statistics by about 15 per cent.
Source:
Central Statistical Office.
Live Exports
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of whether calves kept in lorries while waiting for loading on to an aeroplane can be adequately watered. [16979]
Mrs. Browning [holding answer 3 April 1995]: It is possible, depending on the circumstances, for calves to be satisfactorily fed with liquid feed while on a lorry. The circumstances have not to date arisen where this has been necessary while waiting for loading on to an aeroplane.
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the welfare of calves being exported by aeroplanes from Coventry airport; how many calves have departed from Coventry airport in each month since September 1994; and how many calf fatalities there were in each month which occured (i) during loading; (ii) on board the aircraft and (iii) during unloading. [16973]
Mrs. Browning [holding answer 3 April 1995]: Information about flights from Coventry with calves is as follows:
Column 1055
1994 1995
|October |November |December |January |February |March (to 29th)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flights |None |33 |71 |3 |31 |51
Calves |None |6,296 |13,535 |291 |3,102 |4,946
No calf fatalities have been reported during loading or unloading, or while the calves were on board the aircraft.
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there is a Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food veterinary surgeon present atall loadings of calves on to aeroplanes art Coventryairport. [16975]
Mrs. Browning [holding answer 3 April 1995]: All loading of calves on to planes at Coventry airport are supervised by an inspector or a veterinary inspector from the Ministry.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the legal opinion published on 30 March by the RSPCA and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, which argues that the Government could lawfully prohibit the export of veal calves for rearing in veal crates. [18769]
Column 1056
Mr. Waldegrave: The legal opinion published by the RSPCA and IFAW on 30 March is a complex document which merits thorough examination. I shall consider it carefully alongside the other legal advice I have received.
Meat Hygiene Service
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people will be transferred from local authorities to the Meat Hygiene Service; and what is the total estimated cost of this operation. [17017]
Mrs. Browning: A total of 753 staff are expected to transfer to the Meat Hygiene Service from local authorities. External consultants were employed to carry out this exercise which has been completed at a cost of £85,000.
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the difference in charges for meat inspection per hour between each local authority and
Column 1057
the Meat Hygiene Service. [17618]Mrs. Browning: A comparison between existing local authorities authority charges for meat inspection and the proposed standard charges by the Meat Hygiene Service was given in the cost compliance assessment which was tabled with the Meat (Hygiene, Inspection and Examinations for Residues) (Charges) Regulations 1995.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Atkinson) on 29 March, Official Report , columns 653 54.
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many people will be employed by the Meat Hygiene Service; and what will be their total annual salary; [17016] (2) what will be the number of senior management staff within the Meat Hygiene Service; and what is their estimated total annual salary. [17024]
Mrs. Browning: The Meat Hygiene Service expects to employ 947 staff at an estimated total annual salary for 1995 96 of £26.5 million. It will employ 11 senior managers at an estimated total annual salary of £476,000.
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the total number of Meat Hygiene Service (a) official veterinary surgeons and (b) Meat Hygiene Inspectors; and what will be their estimated salaries. [17219]
Mrs. Browning: The Meat Hygiene Service expects to employ 47 official veterinary surgeons and 835 meat hygiene inspectors. In addition, veterinary services and relief cover for meat inspection will be obtained through contract. I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 3 April to hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Dr. Strang) in respect of MHS salaries.
Abattoirs
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans the Minister has to monitor the capacity of abattoirs in the United Kingdom. [17019]
Mrs. Browning: The Department has no plans to collect this information centrally. Information on the capacity of British abattoirs is contained in the Meat and Livestock Commission's annual publication entitled "The Abattoir Industry in Great Britain", available from the MLC, ISBN 0904650.33.2.
Intergovernmental Panel on the Oceans
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the letter from the Prime Minister to hon. Member for Linlithgow of 9 March, what progress has been made on the establishment of an intergovernmental panel on the oceans. [17199]
Mr. Jack: The Government share concerns about the depletion of fish stocks and the wider problems of the marine environment. We are reviewing the adequacy of existing mechanisms for fisheries management and will be taking soundings internationally about the possible value of a new initiative such as the establishment of an intergovernmental panel on the oceans.
Internet
Mr. Allen: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the Internet electronic mail addresses of (a) his Department and (b) each
Column 1058
Minister in his Department; and if he will make a statement on his Department's approach to the information superhighway. [17740]Mr. Jack: As a result of its participation in the CCTA Government information service pilot project, MAFF is aware of the potential offered by electronic networks such as the Internet for the rapid and cost- effective dissemination of public information, and some of the wider opportunities that might be available to the Department through access to Internet services such as the world wide web. The Department is reviewing the options for developing the use of these services further by expanding the range of information on MAFF services, activities and publications accessible to Internet users, and for providing direct access to Internet services for MAFF staff. This work will include looking into the provision of a dedicated MAFF service on the Internet, together with full consideration of the security issues.
We shall also be considering how e-mail access to all parts of the Department, including Ministers' offices, can be increased. The current structure of the Internet electronic mail address for MAFF divisions is:
a.n.other@div.maff.gov.uk
At present, the gateway for public inquirers using e-mail is through the MAFF helpline service on:
helpline@inf.maff.gov.uk
Sheep Dips
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement onthe development and use of non- organophosphorous sheep dips. [17392]
Mrs Browning: Flumethrin-based non-organophos-phorous sheep dips are already authorised for use in the United Kingdom. Decisions on whether to use these products is the responsibility of the individual sheep farmer in the light of their particular circumstances, including the alternatives available and the health status of their flock. The development and marketing of non-organophosphorous dips is a matter for the commercial judgment of the manufacturers concerned. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate will do all it can to complete the assessment of any applications for marketing authorisations for such products as quickly as possible.
| Next Section
| Home Page |