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Environmental Protection

Mr. Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the cases where Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has used its powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to revoke an authorisation granted under part I of that Act or under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, together with the reasons for each such revocation. [18865]

Mr. Clappison: A total of 96 cases have been revoked. However, of these 93 have been at the instigation of the operator. The three cases revoked at Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's instigation are listed as follows:

CompanyDate issuedReason for revocation
A W Stokes and Sons (Drums) Ltd., West Bromwich28 November 1994Failed to effect improvement conditions in authorisation
Beacon Waste (Hanley Swan Incinerator), Hanley Castle, Worcester10 February 1995Failed to meet authorisation conditions. Company appealed successfully against revocation
Birds Commercial Metals Ltd., Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire1 March 1996Plant not built, therefore never operated

Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Greater Manchester Waste Regulation and Disposal Authority in regard to membership of his regional enviornment protection advisory committee; what reply he is sending; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement. [18947]

Mr. Clappison: The Greater Manchester Waste Regulation and Disposal Authority has nominated a councillor for membership of the Environment Agency's north-west regional environment protection advisory committee. The Secretary of State will shorly be taking a decision on the membership schemes proposed for the REPACs by the agency, but decisions on individual members are a matter for the agency itself.

Air Quality

Mr. Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities chosen to implement phase one of the air quality duties under part IV of the Environment Act 1995. [19202]

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Mr. Clappison: The 14 areas chosen for first phase implementation comprise the following authorities:


Sustainable Development

Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the outcome of the UK round table meeting on sustainable development on 22 February; and if he will make a statement. [19808]

Mr. Gummer: The UK round table met on 22 February, having published in January three initial reports--on freight transport, the domestic energy market, 1998 and beyond, and environmental management and audit. At the 22 February meeting, the round table agreed its first year annual report, which will be published shortly and to which the Government will respond formally. The meeting also discussed the Sea Empress oil spill, progress in the OECD ministerial environment committee and issues arising from the Newbury bypass.

Emergency Night Shelters

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of (a) the current number of people in emergency night shelters in London, (b) the impact on that number of the implementation of the Social Security (Persons from Abroad) Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations and (c) the current number of unoccupied places in the shelters. [19114]

Mr. Clappison [holding answer 5 March 1996]: Information is not held centrally about the numbers of people and of unoccupied places in emergency night

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shelters in London. The impact on the number of people using night shelters of the Social Security (Persons from Abroad) Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 1996 will depend on future inflows of people from abroad, the number of those people who choose to seek asylum, when they choose to do so, the lengths of time they choose to stay in this country, and the accommodation options open to them.

Ordnance Survey

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what performance targets have been set for the Ordnance Survey executive agency in the year 1996-97. [19341]

Sir Paul Beresford: The following performance targets have been set for Ordnance Survey in 1996-97:


These targets, some of which are being incrementally increased, are closely associated with the key corporate aims of Ordnance Survey and demonstrate the agency's continuing commitment to customers and to improved value for money for all its stakeholders.

PRIME MINISTER

Scott Inquiry

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the content of all briefings given by his press office on the subject of the Scott report since 15 February. [19283]

The Deputy Prime Minister: I have been asked to reply.

This would be neither customary nor practicable.

Hong Kong (Visit)

Mr. Byers: To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out his programme during his recent visit to Hong Kong. [19214]

The Deputy Prime Minister: I have been asked to reply.

It is not my right hon. Friend's normal practice to do so.

Mr. Byers: To ask the Prime Minister if all his engagements during his recent visit to Hong Kong related to public duty. [19215]

6 Mar 1996 : Column: 221

The Deputy Prime Minister: I have been asked to reply.

Yes.

Mobile Phones

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Prime Minister (1) on how many occasions car based and mobile phones allocated to the use of his office have been cloned; to which officers these phones had been allocated; and when this cloning was discovered, in each of the last five years; [18949]

The Deputy Prime Minister: I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend on 22 January, Official Report, column 45. I have nothing further to add.

Arms Exports

Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Prime Minister which Departments hold information relative to the financing by British banks, since 1980, using their customers' balances, of arms supplied to Iraq and Iran; which British banks were involved; what proportion of such financing went on the supply of Valmara 69 anti-personnel land mines; and if he will make a statement. [17934]

The Deputy Prime Minister [holding answer 29 February 1996]: I have been asked to reply.

Exports of lethal equipment including anti-personnel land mines from the United Kingdom to Iraq or Iran would require an export licence. No such licences have been issued since 1980. The financing by British banks of arms sales from other countries to Iraq and Iran would be a matter for Government Departments only if breaches of United Nations' sanctions were involved. Government Departments hold no evidence of such breaches by British banks. If the right hon. Member has any information regarding possible breaches of United Kingdom export controls or United Nations' sanctions, he should pass it to the relevant authorities.


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