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Water Reservoirs

Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of reservoir capacity is currently full in each water company area; and what is was (a) six months ago and (b) a year ago. [27166]

Mr. Clappison: Storage as a percentage of capacity as at 1 April 1996, 1 October 1995 and 1 April 1995 in the major reservoirs or groups of reservoirs in each of the Environment Agency areas in England and Wales and which serve water companies is given in the following table:

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 335

Reservoir	Storage, percentage of capacity
	1 April 1996	1 October 1995	1 April 1995
North West
Northern Command Zone group	78	13	99
Vyrnwy	64	26	97
Northumbria
Teesdale group	77	31	99
Kielder	96	82	97
Severn Trent
Clywedog	86	43	97
Derwent Valley group	54	36	100
Yorkshire
Washburn group	70	24	98
Bradford Supply group	59	15	98
Anglian
Grafham	94	72	95
Rutland	92	61	91
Thames
London Group	94	66	97
Farmoor group	99	76	97
Southern
Bewl	99	69	99
Ardingly	100	46	100
Wessex
Clatworthy	100	30	100
Bristol West group	95	44	99
South West
Colliford	63	47	97
Roadford	37	26	96
Wimbleball	78	30	100
Stithians	99	27	96
Welsh
Celyn and Brenig group	72	48	100
Brianne	100	48	100
South Wales group	94	19	99
Elan Valley group	98	34	95

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29 Apr 1996 : Column: 337

Rating Appeals

Ms Armstrong: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in total and by each valuation office the number of appeals that have been received against the 1995 rating; how many have been resolved; how many remain outstanding; and when he estimates that this process will be completed. [27306]

Sir Paul Beresford: I am placing in the Library a table which sets out, in total and by each office of the Valuation Office agency in England, the number of valid proposals to alter the 1995 rating lists which were received by 31 March 1996, the number settled and the number outstanding. We expect that all these outstanding appeals will be settled by the end of 1997. Appeals against entries in the 1995 rating lists may still be made up until 31 March 2001. Further appeals may be made thereafter in cases where lists have been altered, for example following decisions of valuation tribunals, the Lands Tribunal or the High Court. I cannot therefore estimate when all appeals against the 1995 list will have been settled.

Ms Armstrong: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in total and by each Valuation Office region the number of valid proposals to alter the valuation list which were lodged (a) before 30 November 1993, (b) between 1 December 1993 and 30 November 1994, (c) between 1 December 1994 and

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 338

30 November 1995 and (d) since December 1995; and what is the number in each category which have still to be settled. [27307]

Sir Paul Beresford: In the periods 1 April to 30 November 1993--the "initial appeal period"-- 1 December 1993 to 30 November 1994, 1 December 1994 to 30 November 1995 and 1 December 1995 to 31 March 1996 the Valuation Office agency received, respectively, 864,316, 89,440, 93,213 and 83,220 banding proposals in respect of dwellings in England.

Statistics are held on proposals made during the initial appeal period, and the total made cumulatively since 1 April 1993. The tables show, by Valuation Office region and in total, the last available figures for proposals received and outstanding and the age of those yet to be resolved.

Proposals received and outstanding as at 31 March 1996

	Initial Appeal Period (1/4/93-30/11/93)		Cumulative (1/4/93-31/12/96)
VOA region	Valid proposals received	Number outstanding	Valid proposals received	Number outstanding
Central	156,848	307	193,972	9,783
East	160,456	400	199,953	10,400
London	140,034	404	173,370	7,056
North	108,644	191	130,901	5,238
South	204,766	657	252,733	12,242
West	93,568	51	115,777	5,252
Total	864,316	2,010	1,066,706	49,971

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 337

Age of unresolved valid banding proposals as at 31 January 1996

VOA region	Under 3 months	Between 3 and 6 months	Between 6 and 12 months	Between 12 and 18 months	Between 18 and 24 months	Over 24 months	Total
Central	3,135	2,884	3,243	898	455	535	11,150
East	3,191	2,884	3,569	1,012	513	829	11,998
London	2,285	1,182	2,415	520	219	955	8,576
North	1,751	1,572	1,823	436	215	358	6,155
South	3,815	3,608	5,123	2,031	956	1,273	16,806
West	1,742	1,483	1,835	607	166	115	5,948
Total	15,919	14,613	18,008	5,504	2,524	4,065	60,633

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29 Apr 1996 : Column: 339

Groundwater

Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current percentage level of maximum groundwater in each of the water company areas; and what it was (a) six months ago and (b) one year ago. [27099]

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 340

Mr. Clappison: Groundwater levels as a percentage of the maximum historically recorded for the month in question at index sites on the major aquifers used for public water supply in England and Wales are given in the following table, grouped according to Environment Agency area and also showing the aquifer type:

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 339

Site	Aquifer(1)	Percentage of historic maximum level for month
		March 1996	October 1995	March 1995
Anglian
Washpit Farm (Norfolk)	C	86	94	98
Redlands Hall (Hertfordshire)	C	78	74	100
Keelby Grange (N. Lincolnshire)	C	34	70	95
New Red Lion (S. Lincolnshire)	LL	63	47	88
Northumbrian
Rushyford (Durham)	ML	99	99	99
Skirwith (Cumbria)	S	99	100	100
Southern
Westdean (E. Sussex)	C	35	35	88
Compton House (W. Sussex)	C	60	52	90
Little Bucket Farm (Kent)	C	72	84	100
Chilgrove House (W. Sussex)	C	66	46	88
Severn Trent
Alstonfield (N. Derbyshire)	CL	86	87	93
South West
Lime Kiln Way (Dorset)	C	100	101	100
Bussels (E. Devon)	S	96	98	98
Thames
The Holt (Hertfordshire)	C	95	98	86
Therfield Rectory (Hertfordshire)	C	82	83	94
Rockley (Wiltshire)	C	95	95	100
Ampney Crucis (Gloucestershire)	MJ	99	97	99
Wessex
Ashton Farm (Dorset)	C	99	93	99
West Woodyates Manor (Dorset)	C	85	64	89
Welsh
Llanfair D. C. (Clwyd)	S	99	99	100
Yorkshire
Dalton Holme (E. Riding)	C	59	56	87
Wetwang (E. Riding)	C	65	87	73
Peggy Ellerton (W. Riding)	ML	92	93	94

(1) Aquifer codes: C = Chalk and Upper Greensand; CL = Carboniferous Limestone; LL = Lincolnshire Limestone; MJ = Middle Jurassic limestones; ML = Magnesian Limestone; S = Permo-Triassic sandstones.

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 339

Energy Efficiency

Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list central Government expenditure on energy efficiency by all Departments and programmes for 1995-96. [27237]

Mr. Clappison: The information of 1995-96 is not yet available, but will be requested from individual Departments later this year. I expect shortly to publish figures for 1994-95.

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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Jury Service

Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many representations he received in each of the last four years complaining about the procedure for selecting for and excusing from jury service. [26451]

Mr. Jonathan Evans: The question concerns a specific

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 341

operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. David Nicholson, dated 29 April 1996:

The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question on the number of complaints that have been received about the procedure for jury selection and excusal.
The Court Service does not collate information about this specific area of complaint centrally and to obtain a precise figure would incur a disproportionate cost.

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