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Building Research Establishment
Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which consultancy group has been appointed to advise him on the privatisation of the Building Research Establishment; what are its terms of reference; when it will report; and which organisations are being consulted. [4809]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 30 November 1995, Official Report, column 799, in which I stated that PA Consulting had been appointed to advise on the options for transferring the Building Research Establishment to the private
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sector. I also refer her to the answer which my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State (Sir P. Beresford) gave to the hon. Member for Greenwich on 21 November 1995, Official Report, column 93, indicating that he had placed in the Library a copy of the specification issued to all the consultants invited to tender.
The consultants have been asked to report by 31 January 1996. They are at present finalising a list of organisations whom they propose to consult. I shall write to the hon. Member when their list is complete.
Hedgerows
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to issue guidance to local authorities with regard to a hedgerow evaluation system against which the most important hedges could be evaluated and retained under the Environment Act 1995; and if he will make a statement on how he proposes local authorities fund the administration of such hedgerow schemes. [5029]
Mr. Clappison: Before introducing a scheme for the protection of important hedgerows under the Environment Act 1995, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is required to consult all interested bodies, including those representing local authorities, on the detailed arrangements. As part of that exercise, we shall consult on the criteria to be used by local authorities in order to identify those important hedgerows which should be retained on the grounds of their historical importance or their values to the wildlife or landscape of an area; and on a system for evaluating hedges against these criteria. Before reaching decisions on the overall level of the local government finance settlement for 1996-97, the Secretary of State has taken into consideration any new financial burdens on local authorities, as well as potential efficiency savings.
Single Regeneration Budget
Mr. Thomason: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the single regeneration budget; when he will be announcing the
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results of the second bidding round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund; and if he will make a statement. [5596]
Mr. Curry: The single regeneration budget is making an unprecedented contribution to local regeneration. Resources for the single regeneration budget for 1996-97 and the two subsequent years will total nearly £3.8 billion. Of that total, over £1.3 billion will go to support schemes approved under the challenge fund. The remainder will support on-going initiatives and existing commitments under programmes taken into the single regeneration budget including English Partnerships, urban development corporations, housing action trusts, city challenge and estate action.
Round 1 of the challenge fund, under which some 200 schemes were approved, started in April 1995. These schemes stand to attract, over their lifetime of up to seven years, some £1.1 billion in challenge fund support, and some £2.5 billion in private sector investment.
Round 2 of the challenge fund built on the success of round 1 and has attracted a wide range of high quality bids. We have decided to approve 172 bids. Many of those were unsuccessful in round 1 and were greatly improved and successfully resubmitted by local partnerships for round 2. On initial estimates, the successful bids should attract over their lifetime over £1 billion in challenge fund support, and some £2.5 billion in private sector investment. Details of the successful individual bids will be published tomorrow, and will be placed in the Library of the House and circulated to hon. Members.
Taken together, the schemes approved under rounds 1 and 2 of the challenge fund should create or safeguard 500,000 jobs, support over 80,000 new businesses, complete or improve nearly 170,000 homes and support over 20,000 voluntary and community groups. Over a third of these schemes are specifically directed towards ethnic minority communities.
Following the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement, provision totalling £250 million has been made for third and fourth rounds of the challenge fund. The third round will operate on the same lines as round 2. It will be launched next year for schemes starting from April 1997, with planned resources of £50 million in 1997-98 and £150 million in 1998-99. Resources for later years will be determined in the light of subsequent public expenditure settlements.
Mr. Matthew Banks:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the waste strategy for England and Wales. [5657]
Mr. Gummer:
The waste White Paper, "Making Waste Work: A strategy for sustainable waste management in England and Wales", will be published on 12 December. It builds on the ideas set out in the sustainable development strategy, published in January 1994. The strategy aims to improve the way we manage our waste. Only by taking responsibility for the waste we produce can we ensure that our environment is protected both now and for future generations.
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Copies will be available in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Matthew Banks:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to issue a further draft of statutory guidance to the Environment Agency on its objectives, including the contribution it is to make towards the achievement of sustainable development. [5658]
Mr. Clappison:
Together with my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is today issuing for consultation a draft of the statutory guidance which we must give to the Environment Agency about its objectives and about the contribution which it can make towards achieving the goal of sustainable development. To put that guidance in context, we are also issuing a more general document which restates the principles of sustainable development and offers a commentary on the duty which the agency has to take account of likely costs and benefits, including those to the environment.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many wind farms currently operate in the United Kingdom; and how many are planned over the next three years. [4715]
Mr. Page:
I have been asked to reply.
At 30 September 1995, 37 wind projects, including 28 wind farms, were operating in the United Kingdom through contracts made under the first two renewables non-fossil fuel obligation orders for England and Wales, the first Northern Ireland NFFO order and the first Scottish renewables order--SRO. Up to three more wind farms are likely to become operational under NI-NFFO 1. The second NI-NFFO order has yet to be made. It is too early to estimate how many more wind farms under SRO-1 will become operational.
Of the 31 wind farm contracts made under NFFO 3 for England and Wales, about 20 are expected bo be commissioned; none is yet operating. In addition, 24 smaller wind projects under 1.6 MW DNC were offered NFFO contracts, none of which has yet been commissioned.
I announced in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) on 2 November 1995, Official Report, columns 441-44, the proposals for a fourth NFFO order for England and Wales for a further 400 to 500 MW of renewables-generated electricity. As part of these proposals, the Government are considering separate bands for new generating stations including one for wind power split into two bands catering for large wind farms and for small cluster/single machines. The order is expected to be made in 1997. Also on 2 November 1995 I announced proposals for a second Scottish renewables order for 70 to 80 MW of renewables-generated electricity. As part of these proposals, the Government are considering four separate bands for generating stations including one for wind power. The order is expected to be made in 1996.
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Ms Harman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated as to the effectiveness of occupational health programmes in the workplace leading to (i) greater productivity, (ii) less sick leave, (iii) higher rates of retention of staff and (iv) better working relationships; and if he will make a statement. [3753]
Mr. Horam:
Health promotion is one aspect of occupational health which falls to the Department. The Department of Health set up the workplace task force which evaluated the available research on health promotion programmes in the workplace. As a result, last month the Department published a resource pack for employers and will shortly be setting up a workplace health advisory team which will assist small and medium-sized firms to provide health promotion in the workplace.
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