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Ministerial Accountability
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to paragraph K8.1 of the Scott report relating to ministerial accountability, what additional measures he proposes to ensure his Department's compliance with paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". [17308]
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Mr. Gummer
[holding answer 26 February 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the speech made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, on 26 February, Official Report, columns 589-604.
Mr. William O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received about the effect of proximity to high-voltage power cables on the value of houses. [17130]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated annual cost to employers of employees developing mesothelioma or lung cancer. [17224]
Sir Paul Beresford:
The information requested is not available.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated as to changes in the operation of Odden's Pump off the coast of Greenland. [17183]
Mr. Clappison
[holding answer 26 February 1996]: The European Commission has initiated a research study into changes in the Odden feature. A report on the first phase is expected in April.
Mr. Austin-Walker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken following the report of the Construction Industry Research and Information Association in 1989 on the problems of groundwater levels in London. [17507]
Sir Paul Beresford:
Following its report in 1989 CIRIA, undertook a two-year study of groundwater levels in the Whitehall area. Property Holdings then funded this research for another four years until 1995. The study concluded that there was a seasonal change in water levels but no evidence of any long-term rise in groundwater levels.
All Government buildings are inspected every three months. This enables problems of water penetration to be detected and cured at an early stage. No Government building is in imminent danger from rising groundwater as far as we are aware.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he plans to introduce immediately in response to the Biodiversity United Kingdom steering group report relating to the management of environmentally important United Kingdom habitats. [16807]
Mr. Clappison:
The Biodiversity steering group chaired by my Department, with members drawn from all sectors, was set up to advise the Government on individual costed action plans for selected species and
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habitats, a forward programme for improving biological recording and monitoring in the UK and a programme for improving public awareness and involvement in conserving biodiversity.
The group published its findings on 13 December 1995. "Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report" contains a number of proposals including costed action plans for 14 key habitats. It also recommends that costed action plans for a further 24 key habitats be produced within three years. Each of the habitat action plans contains proposals for the management of the habitat.
The Government are currently considering the advice and recommendations in the report and expect to publish their response in the spring of 1996.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to increase the number of marine nature reserves. [16808]
Mr. Clappison:
None in England. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is currently considering a proposal to designate the Menai straits as a marine nature reserve. Some 36 marine areas containing rare or endangered habitats and species have been identified as possible special areas of conservation under the habitats directive.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action will be taken to protect sensitive and nationally important United Kingdom habitats from the effects of air pollution. [16809]
Mr. Clappison:
The Government are taking a range of measures to improve air quality throughout the United Kingdom and planning to publish a consultation document on a national air quality strategy later this year which will build on existing national and EC legislation in this area.
The UK is also committed as a signatory to various protocols under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe convention on long-range transboundary air pollution to reducing emissions of a range of air pollutants which have harmful effects on health and the environment.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress has been made in the establishment of voluntary targets by water companies in controlling leakage; [17432]
(3) if he will list those water companies which have not established targets for the control of water leakage;[17478]
(4) if he will list those water companies which have published targets for the control of water leakage, together with the targets involved and the time scale over which they are to be achieved. [17433]
Mr. Clappison:
My answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mrs. Jackson) on 10 January, Official Report, column 210, indicated that all water
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companies supplied projections of water balances to the Director General of Water Services as part of his quinquennial review.
More recently, eight of the water service companies--Anglian Water, North West Water, Severn Trent Water, Southern Water, South West Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water and Yorkshire Water--have made announcements concerning their plans for tackling leakage. The director general is continuing discussions with the water companies on their current intentions.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the expenditure by water authorities and companies on the installation of water meters in domestic properties in (a) 1985, (b) 1990 and (c) 1995. [17387]
Mr. Clappison:
This information is not kept centrally.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those water companies which offer a choice to customers living in newly built homes about whether or not they pay for water and sewerage services by meter; and if he will list the choice offered in each case. [17411]
Mr. Clappison:
Customers living in new domestic properties served by the following companies are charged for water and sewerage services on a flat fee basis:
All other water companies charge customers living in new built homes on a metered basis.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his assessment of the number of sites of special scientific interest which could be damaged by water abstraction in 1996-97; [17357]
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Mr. Clappison:
English Nature is at present assessing, in consultation with the National Rivers Authority, 148 sites of special scientific interest in England which may be affected by water abstraction. A report is expected next month.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from English Nature on the impact of water abstraction on sites of special scientific interest and what response he has made. [17359]
Mr. Clappison:
In October 1992, English Nature submitted a response to the Department's consultation document "Using Water Wisely". In January this year, it made representations about Yorkshire Water's proposals for a drought order to take additional water from the River Derwent near York. The company requested postponement of a hearing on this order to enable further discussion to take place.
Mr. Fabricant:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the 1996-97 charging scheme for local authority air pollution control under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. [18261]
Mr. Clappison:
Charges to cover the costs of local enforcing authorities in regulating processes which are subject to part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 were introduced in April 1991.
With the approval of the Treasury, and following consultation with local authority associations and industry, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales have made a revised scheme specifying the scale of fees and charges to take effect from 1 April 1996. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is revising the parallel scheme for Scotland on the same basis, and will be making a separate announcement.
The main changes are that the standard application fee is increased by £25 to £1,015, the application fee for a former Alkali Act works is increased by £15 to £610, the substantial change fee is increased by £15 to £650, and the annual subsistence charge is increased by £20 to £625.
The scheme will be laid before both Houses and a copy placed in the Libraries.
(2) if he will list those water companies which have established, but not published, targets for the control of water leakage; [17434]
Customers of these companies may request to be charged on a measured basis if they are willing to pay for the installation of the meter.
Dwr Cymru
Northumbrian Water
Hartlepool Water
Portsmouth Water
Sutton Water
York Waterworks.
(2) what is his assessment of the number of sites of special scientific interest that were damaged by water abstraction in 1995-96. [17358]