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Environment Agency
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to undertake a compliance cost assessment for the establishment of the new United Kingdom Environment Agency. [15587]
Mr. Clappison [holding answer 19 February 1996]: A compliance cost assessment for the establishment of the new environment agencies was prepared for the Environment Bill in 1995, as explained in the explanatory and financial memorandum to the Bill. I have today sent a copy of the assessment to the hon. Member.
Areas of Special Scientific Interest
Mr. Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 13 February, Official Report, when the consultation process will (a) begin and (b) end. [16038]
Mr. Clappison: The Wildlife Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Mr. Couchman) contains provision to extend the powers of the court to make restoration orders. It would not be appropriate for the Government to carry out consultations on their own proposals while the Bill is before Parliament.
Small and Medium Enterprises
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings his Department has had with organisations representing small firms since May 1995 to review the scope for simplifying the tendering procedure. [15683]
Sir Paul Beresford: My Department was represented at a meeting chaired by Treasury with small firm representatives on 27 November 1995, which explored the scope for simplification.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the outcome of his Department's review of measures taken to facilitate small firms' access to appropriate areas of Government procurement. [15684]
Sir Paul Beresford: My Department's new computerised procurement order system will be used to identify suppliers by size as part of the supplier base analysis programme promoted by the White Paper "Setting New Standards". The Department's new procurement guide will also highlight its support for the DTI policy on promoting the use of small and medium enterprises.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what actions his Department has taken to improve awareness amongst procurement staff of the potential benefits and pitfalls of purchasing from small and medium-sized enterprises. [15682]
Sir Paul Beresford: My Department has published details on the perceived advantages of using small firms in its purchasing guide, which has been issued to all its main procurement branches.
A representative of the Department of Trade and Industry small firms unit has also recently given a presentation on small and medium enterprises to DoE procurement staff.
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Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress his Department has made regarding establishing a contact point with responsibility for liaison with relevant business support organisations and taking forward SME-related public procurement initiatives. [15640]
Sir Paul Beresford:
This Department's contact point is identified in the DTI booklet "Tendering for Government Contracts".
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what work his Department has done to develop best practice on publication of departmental procurement guidance material relevant to small and medium-sized enterprise needs. [15681]
Sir Paul Beresford:
The DTI booklet "Think Big, Buy Small" has been advertised in procurement circulars which are distributed throughout my Department.
Members of my Department's procurement staff also recently took part in the filming of a forthcoming DTI video, which will promote the small firms initiative.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ensure that his Department identifies the size of its suppliers by the number of their employees. [15597]
Sir Paul Beresford:
This Department is developing an IT procurement order processing system with reporting packages that will be the basis of fuller management information on all its suppliers. That system will be available from this autumn.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each regulatory body for which he is responsible indicating for each the percentage of business people on the board. [15740]
Sir Paul Beresford:
My right hon. Friend currently appoints board members to three regulatory bodies: the Health and Safety Commission, the National Rivers Authority and the Environment Agency.
The Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974 states that the Health and Safety Commission shall consist of a chairman and not less than six, and not more than nine, members, and that as to three of those members--30 per cent. of the full board--the Secretary of State shall consult organisations representing employers. The board is currently at full strength.
Some 58 per cent. of the present members of the National Rivers Authority and 50 per cent. of the present members of the Environment Agency have past or present business interests, but they have been appointed in a personal capacity and not to represent those interests. The National Rivers Authority will cease operations on 31 March 1996.
My right hon. Friend also appoints the Director General of Water Services. He is supported by the Office of Water Services, a non-ministerial Government Department which does not have an appointed board.
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Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Thames groundwater pumping scheme was included in the privatisation of Thames Water. [15874]
Mr. Clappison:
The former Thames water authority's west Berkshire groundwater scheme, which includes assets such as pumping stations was transferred from the authority to the National Rivers Authority in accordance with an agreement made under schedule 2 to the Water Act 1989, which was approved by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for the Environment on 31 August 1989.
Mr. Peter Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial support will be available towards local housing authorities' expenditure on private sector housing renewal following enactment of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Bill. [16385]
Mr. Curry:
Clauses 91 and 134 of the Bill authorise the Secretary of State to make contributions to local housing authorities towards expenditure incurred by them under part I and clause 127 of the Bill.
Resources will continue to be distributed to local housing authorities in England as part of their annual housing investment programme allocation. However, from 1 April 1997, the allocations for private sector renewal and disabled facilities grants will be made as two separate allocations.
Disabled facilities grants will continue to be supported through specified capital grant to reimburse 60 per cent. actual eligible expenditure. A guideline allocation will be notified to local authorities and a supplementary credit approval up to the guideline allocation will also be provided.
All other expenditure under these provisions will be supported by a specific capital grant to reimburse 60 per cent. of expenditure up to a cash limit notified to each authority.
The Exchequer support for eligible expenditure incurred up to 31 March 1997 will be paid under the present arrangements.
Mr. Peter Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the current financial, management and policy review of English nature. [16386]
Mr. Clappison:
In response to the Government's requirement that all executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies be subjected to regular and detailed scrutiny at least every five years, my Department is conducting a financial management and policy review of English Nature.
The review will draw on work which has already been done on the study into the possible merger between English Nature and the Countryside Commission, the results of which were announced by my right hon. Friend
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the Secretary of State on 7 October 1994. The current review will encompass English Nature's organisation and structure; general and financial management; and systems of financial control. The scope for further contractorisation of English Nature's work will be specifically addressed by the review.
The review is due to be completed by mid-June 1996.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the Environment Agency's proposals for the membership of its regional environment protection advisory committees. [16387]
Mr. Clappison:
The agency has submitted, under section 12 of the Environment Act 1995, membership schemes for its regional environment protection advisory committees in England. At the same time, it has brought the schemes to the attention of persons likely to be interested in them, who may make representations or objections about the schemes to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment by 4 March. Any representations and objections received will be taken into account before a decision is taken on whether to approve the schemes.
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