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Bradford Metropolitan Council
Mr. Devlin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered the response by the City of Bradford metropolitan council to the notices served upon the authority on 3 October 1995 under section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement. [22703]
Sir Paul Beresford: My right hon. Friend has considered carefully the responses which the City of Bradford metropolitan council have made to the notice served on the authority for alleged anti-competitive behaviour. He has today given the authority a direction under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988 for anti-competitive behaviour.
After careful consideration, the Secretary of State remains of the opinion that the authority acted in an anti-competitive manner in awarding a contract for other catering work worth £112,516 to its in-house direct labour organisation. He considers that the authority required tenderers to have in place systems based on BS5750. He considers that the authority has not been able to demonstrate satisfactorily that the performance bond level was not too high. He is also of the belief that the authority did not consider a full analysis of the ways the contract could have been packaged and that such an analysis would have demonstrated the varying benefits to the authority from adopting different ways of tendering the work. He also notes that, contrary to the advice in paragraph 9 in the Department's circular 10/93, bidders were not allowed to bid for only parts of the contract.
The direction given to the City of Bradford metropolitan council requires the authority to retender the work so that new arrangements are in place by 1 August 1997. The authority will need to obtain the Secretary of State's permission if it is intended to award the work in-house and to consult the British Hospitality Association before drawing up the new contract specification.
Sir Sydney Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to revise the code of practice on the duty of care; and if he will make a statement. [22704]
21 Mar 1996 : Column: 275
Mr. Clappison:
Following public consultation, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, for Wales and for Scotland have today issued a revised duty of care code of practice under section 34 of part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
The code of practice gives practical guidance to all waste holders on how to discharge their responsibilities under the duty of care. It has been revised to take into account changes to waste management legislation since it was first published in 1991 and in order to provide specific guidance to the metal recycling industry.
The duty of care applies to any person who produces, imports, carries, keeps, treats or disposes of controlled waste. It obliges waste holders:
The code of practice is admissible as evidence in court in prosecutions for breach of the duty of care. Breach of the duty is an offence with a penalty of an unlimited fine if convicted on indictment.
As required by section 34(9) of the 1990 Act, a copy of the revised code of practice is being laid before the House and placed in the Library of the Houses.
Mr. Booth:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government will publish their response to the first report by the Environment Committee into the single regeneration budget. [22705]
Mr. Curry:
The Government are today publishing their response. Copies of the response have been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Leigh:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he is making to enable payment of the first instalments of grant under section 88A of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to recompense North Lincolnshire district council for the income forgone as a consequence of the transitional reduction of council taxes under the Local Government Changes for England (Council Tax) (Transitional Reduction) Regulations 1996--S.I. 1996 No. 176 as amended by S.I. 1996 No. 333. [22706]
Mr. Curry:
My right hon. Friend has already announced that some £2.182 million is to be paid to North Lincolnshire under section 88A of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. Parliamentary approval of this new expenditure is being sought in the 1996-97 main supply estimates for the local government and planning, England vote, class VI, vote 4. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure of £0.8 million on the first instalments of grant to the new North Lincolnshire district council will be met by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund.
21 Mar 1996 : Column: 276
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Lord President of the Council how many hon. Members who claim car mileage allowance as set out in his answer of 17 July 1995, Official Report, column 914, only claim one rate at each of the three dates. [19268]
Mr. Newton:
The Fees Office has advised me that the breakdown of the 478 Members who claimed only one rate at that date is as follows:
Mr. Newton:
The Fees Office has advised me that the costs of car travel expenses claimed for standard journeys in 1994-95 are as follows:
Dr. Goodson-Wickes:
To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the largest number of votes cast in a Division in the House since 1966. [20071]
Mr. Newton:
This information is not held in the form requested, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Sir Trevor Skeet:
To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will request the chairman of the Senior Salaries Review Body to present an interim report on hon. Members' salaries and pensions by 31 May if the report is to be published after that date. [21247]
Mr. Newton:
The chairman of the Senior Salaries Review Body has been asked to aim to complete the review in time to make recommendations at the end of June. It would not be reasonable to ask the SSRB to produce a report before then.
Mrs. Bridget Prentice:
To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition of children's art work in London to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [22433]
Mr. Michael J. Martin:
I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 24 June to Friday 28 June 1996.
21 Mar 1996 : Column: 277
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to reflections of life to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [22440]
Mr. Michael J. Martin:
I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 20 May to Friday 2 May 1996.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 14 March, Official Report, column 692, if Wilprint held the contract for the crested notepaper prior to February 1995; and what was the original agreed duration of the February 1995 contract. [22121]
Mr. Beith:
Wilprint held the contract prior to February 1995; the agreed duration of the current contract is from February 1995 to October 1996.
Parties to any waste transfer must complete, sign and keep a transfer note which provides a "cradle to grave" audit trail of the waste transferred.
to prevent the escape of waste in their control;
to transfer it only to someone who is legally authorised to accept it; and
to ensure that it is recovered or disposed of lawfully by others.
Dr. Jones:
To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his letter of 9 November, what was the total cost of car travel expenses claimed in 1994-95 by (a) hon. Members claiming only rate 3, (b) hon. Members claiming only rate 2 and (c) hon. Members claiming both rates 2 and 3. [19264]
a) 11 Members claimed rate 1
b) 150 Members claimed rate 2
c) 317 Members claimed rate 3.
(a) £4,207,741
(b) £761.731
(c) £1,169,171.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 21 March. [20525]
Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 21 March. [20526]
The Prime Minister: This morning, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
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