You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page

Temporary Accommodation

Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of Start for the Environment what is the average annual cost to a local authority of keeping a family of four in (a) local authority accommodation and (b) temporary bed and breakfast accommodation. [1196]

Mr. Curry: The information requested is not available.

Coal Mining Accidents

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of (a) fatal and (b) serious reportable accidents per 100.000 manshifts recorded by companies contracted to the main deep coal mining operators. [1176]

Sir Paul Beresford: This information is not available. The Health and Safety Executive does not compile accident rates for comparing contractors to the main deep coal mine operators.

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of (a) fatal and (b) serious reportable accidents per 100.000 manshifts in the deep coal mining industry in the fist 10 months of (i) 1995 and (ii) 1994. [1174]

Sir Paul Beresford: The information is not yet available for 1995.

Information for 1994 is as follows:

Fatal Major injury
1 January 1994-31 December 19940.053.01


Health and Safety Laboratory

Mr. Marland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Health and Safety Executive has begun its review of the health and safety laboratory. [2401]

Sir Paul Beresford: Following the efficiency scrutiny of public sector research establishments and the Government response, Cm 2991, a prior options review of the health and safety laboratory is now under way. The review is being led by HSE's chief scientist, Dr. J. McQuaid. It is due to be completed by March 1996.

Empty Government Property

Mr. John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what targets have been set to reduce the number of empty Government homes. [2797]

Mr. Curry: The Government are determined to cut the number of empty homes, whether they are owned by local councils, housing associations, private individuals or Whitehall Departments. An empty home is a wasted asset.

Last year nearly 4,000 empty Government homes were brought back into use or sold. We are now building on the progress already made by setting targets for 1995-96 that aim to reduce the number of empty properties and the length of time that they remain empty.

The targets are as follows:

Department Total stock (1 April 1995) Empty (1 April 1995) Empty as percentage (1 April 1995) Target for percentage empty (1 April 1996) Target for percentage empty for more than six months that could be lived in or made habitable(1) (1 April 1996)
Department of Transport 3,511 1,028 29.7 (2)<25 <9
Home Office4,02345511.3<11<3
Scottish Office1,48116210.9----
(3)251(3)44(3)17.5(2) (3)<10(3)<3
Welsh Office2396225.9<3<3
Ministry of Defence 70,586 12,699 18 By 1 April 1996 to dispose of 1,500 homes By summer 1996 to dispose of 4,000 homes

Notes:

(1) Properties that "could be lived in or made habitable" includes all properties except:

(a) derelict properties that await demolition (e.g. to make way for road schemes); (b) those that are expected to be demolished in the near future where the expenditure required to make them habitable would be disproportionate to their expected life (e.g. where substantial investment would be required to connect essential services, such as water, sewage or electricity); (c) those that cannot be made accessible (e.g. due to adjacent construction work).

(2) The Department of Transport target for percentage empty that could be lived in or made habitable (as defined in note (3) above) is <15 per

cent. On the same basis, the target for Scottish Office is <3 per cent.

(4) Excludes NHS properties in England and Scotland. These are surveyed every two or three years. A survey in England is in progress now,

and when the results are available targets will be set to cover the period until the next surveys.

23 Nov 1995 : Column: 237

23 Nov 1995 : Column: 237

Central Manchester Development Corporation

Mr. Dover: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when Central Manchester development corporation will be wound up; and if he will make a statement. [2799]

Mr. Curry: Statutory orders will be laid before Parliament early next year to effect the wind up and dissolution of Central Manchester development corporation. Subject to parliamentary approval, the corporation will cease to act from 1 April 1996, except for the purpose of preparing its final accounts and report and winding up its affairs. The corporation will be dissolved on 1 July 1996.

Urban development corporations were set up, with finite lifetimes, to regenerate their designated areas. Since designation on 30 June 1988, Central Manchester development corporation has encouraged and grant aided private sector development and undertaken substantial environmental improvements, which have helped to stimulate new jobs and new life in the city.

By the end of its lifetime, the corporation expects to have reclaimed 39 hectares of land, created 194,000 sqm of commercial floor space, 2,730 housing units, 6,400 permanent jobs and attracted £370 million of private sector investment. The corporation has transformed large parts of the city, which will continue to benefit well into the next century.

Council Tax

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the effect of a 4 per cent. increase in council tax on (a) the total yield of council tax in Great Britain, (b) the total yield of council tax in England, (c) the average bill in England, (d) council tax benefit, (e) the retail prices index and (f) index linked benefits. [1478]

23 Nov 1995 : Column: 238

Mr. Gummer [holding answer 21 November 1995]: The information relating to Wales and Scotland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland.

If council taxes in England had increased in 1995-96 by an additional 4 per cent. compared with actual levels, the approximate effect is estimated as follows:


AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Research Establishments

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the forthcoming prior options reviews of MAFF research establishments. [2474]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: The Government announced on 29 September 1995 that all public sector research establishments would be subject to prior options reviews, and that a timetable would be made available shortly.

The Central Science Laboratory, Horticulture Research International and the Directorate of Fisheries Research will be reviewed immediately. The R and D conducted

23 Nov 1995 : Column: 239

by ADAS will be reviewed on the same timetable. The Veterinary Laboratories Agency will be reviewed between early next year and July 1996.

MAFF establishments will be reviewed alongside establishments parented or sponsored by other Government Departments which are carrying out work in similar or related fields.

Comments from interested parties would be welcome. These should be sent to:


Comments on the Central Science Laboratory, Horticulture Research International, the Directorate of Fisheries Research and ADAS research and development should be sent by 8 January 1996. Comments on the Veterinary Laboratories Agency should be sent by 1 April 1996.

Animal Species

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to make a report on his consultations with legal experts and scientists about Torry research and development projects, and the Bartlett-Davidson patent relating to patenting of DNA nucleotides sequencing for identification of animal species; and if he will make a statement. [59]

Mrs. Browning: I am still not in a position to make a statement.

Next Section Index Home Page