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Whitley Incinerator, Coventry (Fire)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions have been reached by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's investigation into the fire at Whitley incinerator, Coventry, on 8 March; and if he will make a statement. [25922]

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Mr. Clappison [holding answer 22 April 1996]: The investigations into the incident at the Coventry and Solihull Waste Disposal Co. Ltd. incinerator on 8 March are still in progress. A detailed report from the operator is expected shortly, together with a report from Coventry Environmental Services, which has been investigating the health effects. These reports will be considered in order

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to determine whether there are any actions required to prevent or minimise similar incidents in the future. The investigation is likely to be complete by the end of May.

Shopping Development

Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the response he has received to his draft planning guidance on out-of-town shopping development. [26530]

Sir Paul Beresford: Over 500 responses were received.

Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to issue revised guidance on planning permission for out-of-town shopping development. [26529]

Sir Paul Beresford: We hope to do so before the summer recess.

Satellite Dishes

Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in which local authority districts in the south-west a satellite dish size of 90 cm is currently permitted without planning permission. [26339]

Sir Paul Beresford: A general planning permission, without the need for a planning application to the local planning authority, is granted by the Town and County Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 for the installation of satellite antennas, subject to certain restrictions including size limits. In the south-west of England, the size limit for installation on dwellinghouses and other buildings under 15 m high is 90 cm in Devon and Cornwall. The size is necessary for good reception in those counties. Elsewhere in the south west the permitted limit is 70 cm. Our recent consultation paper, "Planning and Telecommunications", proposes that satellite antennas of up to 90 cm should be permitted throughout England.

Orimulsion

Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if orimulsion will be included in the hazardous waste list. [25507]

Mr. Clappison: The list of hazardous waste was established by European Council Decision 94/904/EC. In the United Kingdom it is reproduced in the list set out in part I of schedule 2 to the Special Waste Regulations 1996 laid before Parliament on 1 April 1996. In my Department's view, orimulsion is not included in the list.

Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the functions of the toxic metals contained in orimulsion. [25508]

Mr. Clappison: Toxic metals contained in orimulsion have no function and are present as impurities.

Local Government Finance

Ms Armstrong: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each local authority's capital allocation, credit approvals and capital grants by (a) protective services, (b) single regeneration budget, (c) fire service, (d) Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (e) European regional development fund, (f) personal

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social services, (g) education, (h) housing, (i) transport, (j) other services and (k) total for the years 1996-97, 1995-96, 1994-95, 1993-94, plus the bids made by local authorities for 1996-97. [26778]

Sir Paul Beresford: A list has been placed in the Library of the House, giving annual capital guidelines and basic credit approvals for each local authority for the years 1993-94 to 1996-97, and total supplementary credit approvals and capital grants for each local authority for the years 1993-94 and 1994-95. The rest of the information requested is not available centrally; to collate it would be possible only at disproportionate cost.

Copyright

Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress his Department has made towards obtaining a photocopying licence from the Copyright Licensing Agency to ensure compliance with copyright law. [26716]

Sir Paul Beresford: The Department is undertaking a review to ensure compliance with copyright law. If necessary, a photocopying licence will then be sought.

Council Tax

Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will split band G of the council tax into narrower bands. [26781]

Sir Paul Beresford: My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the council tax payable by a band D household for each local authority area in Essex, excluding parish council precepts. [26877]

Sir Paul Beresford: The council tax payable by a band D household for each local authority area in Essex, excluding parish precepts is as listed.

1996-97 £
Basildon651.96
Braintree588.33
Brentwood583.38
Castle Point636.84
Chelmsford591.70
Colchester607.61
Epping Forest573.82
Harlow704.55
Maldon561.96
Rochford586.71
Southend on Sea573.00
Tendring583.94
Thurrock605.34
Uttlesford568.81

Council Housing Transfers

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce additions to the programme for housing transfers by councils in 1996-97; and if he will make a statement. [27241]

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Mr. Curry: I am pleased to announce that Cotswold district council has gained a place on the 1996 housing transfer programme. The authority aims, subject to the approval of its tenants, to transfer its stock of over 4,300 homes to Fosseway housing association by the end of March 1997.

The Government are committed to a continuing programme of transfers as a means of generating private finance to repair and improve the condition of social housing and to increase diversity and choice for tenants.

The inclusion of Cotswold raises the number of authorities on the 1996 programme to six, giving a revised programme of approximately 25,000 dwellings, valued at £223.6 million.

The 1995 transfer programme has been completed. Eleven authorities transferred almost 45,000 homes to housing associations, raising a total of £963 million in private sector funds.

TRANSPORT

Young Drivers (Accidents)

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatal accidents occurred during (a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995 involving drivers under 20 years of age; and if he will make a statement. [25159]

Mr. Norris: There were 428 fatal accidents in 1993 involving drivers under 20 years of age, and 426 in 1994. Information for 1995 will be available in July.

Rail Investment

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what major investment schemes which have been assessed as not meeting the commercial criteria but having wider benefits to the north-west are included in Railtrack's network management statement; and if he will make a statement. [26417]

Mr. Watts: Railtrack's network management statement sets out an illustrative list of investment schemes which include infrastructure renewal works in the Manchester area and the west coast main line route modernisation scheme. As the statement explains, in the restructured railway, it is for the Franchising Director, in consultation with train operating companies and Railtrack, to assess whether an infrastructure investment scheme meets the service standards and other criteria to enable Railtrack to take the project forward.

Union Railways

Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list total payments to date made by Union Railways to (a) consultants, (b) outside organisations and (c) individuals, indicating the name of the body involved and the services provided. [22238]

Mr. Watts [holding answer 22 March 1996]: This information is not available in the form requested. The following is a list of consultants who have either undertaken studies on behalf of Union Railways, or seconded persons to work in house with UR on the

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development of the CTRL project. The list excludes agencies that provided temporary secretaries, draughtmens and general office staff.


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The total aggregate payments made to the listed companies since Union Railways' creation in 1992 is as follows.

Aggregate payment excluding VAT
Year£ million
1992-9312.7
1993-9420.5
1994-9528.8
1995-96 (to date)10.7

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