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ENVIRONMENT
Water Supplies
16. Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has to ensure that the water companies take steps to guarantee uninterrupted water supplies this summer. [25688]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: Under the Water Industry Act 1991 the Secretary of State--or the Director General of Water Services--may make enforcement orders requiring a company to take specific actions in order to secure compliance with any statutory or other requirement enforceable under the Act. One such duty, under section 37, is that water companies must develop and maintain an efficient and economical system of water supply within their area and make supplies available to persons who demand them.
20. Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to monitor the future availability of water supplies. [25692]
Mr. Jones: My Department commissioned a series of reports from the National Rivers Authority on the water resource situation and prospects for supplies in England and Wales. A further report, from the Environment Agency, is expected to be published on 1 May.
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what voluntary leakage reduction target each water company has set over the next five and 10 years; [27164]
- (2) if he will publish water company leakage rates on a quarterly basis at times of water shortage. [27165]
Mr. Clappison: The water service companies' current targets for reducing leakage are summarised in the table. The Director General of Water Services is involved in on-going discussions with companies about the adequacy and consistency of these targets. There are not plans to publish leakage rates quarterly.
30 Apr 1996 : Column: 423
| Water Service Company Leakage Targets | |
|---|---|
| Anglian Water | Aim to reduce leakage to around 10 per cent. by the year 2000 |
| Dwr Cymru | Aim to achieve a reduction of over a third by the year 2000 |
| Northumbrian Water | Aim to reduce leakage to 15 per cent. in the coming years |
| North West Water | Aim to reduce leakage to 22 per cent. by the year 2000 |
| Severn Trent Water | Aim to reduce leakage to 12 per cent. over the next five years |
| Southern Water | Aim to reduce levels to 10 per cent. by the year 2000 |
| South West Water | Aim to reduce leakage to 15 per cent. by the year 2000 |
| Thames Water | Aim to halve leakage by 2005 |
| Wessex Water(4) | Aim to achieve 15 per cent. leakage by the 2005 |
| Yorkshire Water | Aim to reduce leakage to 60Ml/d by 1998 and to 20 per cent. in the longer term |
Source:
Water Services Association April 1996.
(4) October 1995.
Mrs. Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional investment each water company approved in the past six months to respond to the present shortage of rainfall. [27167]
Mr. Clappison: During the latter part of 1995 and the first four months of 1996, the privatised water and sewerage companies have announced additional investment of more than £400 million in developing water resources and improving the distribution network. Figures for individual companies are as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Anglian Water | 10 |
| Dwr Cymru | 10 |
| Northumbrian Water | 3 |
| North West Water | 53 |
| Severn Trent Water | 100 |
| Southern Water | 32 |
| South West Water | 20 |
| Thames Water | 35 |
| Yorkshire Water | 171 |
| Wessex Water | 5 |
Unified Business Rate
17. Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact on small businesses of his policy to give transitional relief on the unified business rate. [25689]
Mr. Gummer: In 1995-96, the transitional arrangements benefited 815,000 small business premises compared with 315,000 large properties. This represents a saving to small businesses of nearly £380 million. Over the period 1995 to 2000, small businesses are expected to benefit by about £1.35 billion from transition.
30 Apr 1996 : Column: 424
District Auditor Service
18. Mr. Khabra: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Controller of the Audit Commission on the district auditor service. [25690]
Mr. Curry: No such discussions have been held, but Ministers meet the chairman and members of the commission informally from time to time.
21. Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met local authority leaders to discuss Government contribution to local authority spending. [25693]
Mr. Curry: I last met local authority leaders specifically to discuss the financing of local authority revenue expenditure on 15 January. My most recent meeting with chairmen of the local authority associations was on 23 April.
Local Authority Spending
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the percentage increase in expenditure by local authorities between 1992-93 and the 1996-97 budgeted figures. [25691]
Sir Paul Beresford: The increase in local authority budgeted expenditure from 1992-93 to 1996-97 is estimated at 9.3 per cent.
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to change the basis on which local authorities are authorised to make grants to (a) sporting and (b) other bodies; and if he will make a statement. [26046]
Sir Paul Beresford: We have no plans to change the basis on which local authorities are authorised to make such grants.
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement of the rules governing the use of funds paid to a company by a local authority for the provision of services, with particular reference to the use of such funds to prepare bids to provide similar services for other local authorities. [27447]
Sir Paul Beresford: Where a company carries out work for a local authority it is for that company to determine how it uses the income from the contract.
Rural White Paper
22. Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of the rural White Paper have been sold to date. [25694]
Mr. Gummer: Since the publication of the White Paper, "Rural England" in October 1995, some 7,200 copies have been sold.
Local Education Authorities
23. Ms Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received concerning the allocation of funds to local education authorities. [25695]
30 Apr 1996 : Column: 425
Sir Paul Beresford: The Secretary of State received 143 written representations from local education authorities and, with ministerial colleagues, met delegations from 44 local education authorities during the formal consultation period.
Capital Challenge
24. Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what submissions he has received from local authority leaders concerning capital challenge. [25696]
Mr. Curry: Two hundred and twelve responses have been received from local authorities and local authority associations and 36 have been received from other bodies.
Good Landlord Registration Scheme
25. Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to promote a good landlords registration scheme. [25697]
Mr. Clappison: We believe that a compulsory national registration scheme would impose an unnecessary regulatory burden on landlords and local authorities, and unnecessary costs. Research shows that the majority of tenants have a good relationship with their landlord.
We actively encourage local authorities through the housing investment programme to work with private landlords to make the most effective use of the local housing stock and to provide good quality accommodation. We believe authorities should have the flexibility to develop initiatives which best meet local needs and problems.
Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers to take action against landlords who provide accommodation which does not meet fitness standards. Proposals in the Housing Bill will strengthen local authorities' powers to deal with the particular problems in houses in multiple occupation.
26. Sir John Hannam:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to help local authorities deal with anti-social tenants. [25698]
Mr. Curry:
The Government have included in the Housing Bill a substantial package of measures to help local authorities to deal more effectively with anti-social tenants. We have also issued guidance to all local authorities to help them make better use of the court system when evicting troublemakers.
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