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Passive Smoking
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals he is now evaluating to encourage the leisure industry to protect workers and customers from the effects of passive smoking; [29221]
- (2) what steps he is taking to guarantee a smoke-free atmosphere for those who work in the leisure industry.[29222]
Sir Paul Beresford: The Government's view is that passive smoking can best be addressed by voluntary means. The Department of the Environment has issued a code of practice for owners and managers of public places, providing practical guidance on implementing suitable policies on smoking. The code emphasises that such policies should protect both the public and non-smoking employees from passive smoking. The Health and Safety Executive has issued guidance to employers calling on them to adopt smoking policies to protect workers from the effects of environmental tobacco smoke.
The recently published results of a survey commissioned by the Department of the Environment show the leisure industry to be lagging behind in establishing effective smoking policies. The Government are currently considering how best to target advice and publicity campaigns further to encourage progress in these areas.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with representatives of the workers in the licensed and restaurant trade regarding the dangers of passive smoking incurred by their workers in the leisure industry. [29230]
Sir Paul Beresford:
I have held no discussions with representatives of workers in the licensed and restaurant trade on this subject.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he proposes to give to the Office of Water Services with regard to the implications of the habitats directive to review licences and consent which could damage special protection areas and special areas of conservation; and how this will be reflected in its next price review. [29256]
Mr. Clappison:
The review of abstraction licences and discharge consents in the light of the habitats directive is a matter for the Environment Agency. The conduct of periodic price reviews is a matter for the Director General of Water Services.
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Mr. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what duty there is on Ofwat to further nature conservation. [29257]
Mr. Clappison:
Section 3(2) of the Water Industry Act 1991 places a duty on the Director General of Water Services, in formulating or considering any proposals relating to the functions of a water or sewerage undertaker, to exercise his powers so as to further the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty and the conservation of flora, fauna and geological of physiographical features of special interest.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new measures the water companies propose to implement as result of their new duty to promote the efficient use of water. [29271]
Mr. Clappison:
The measures water companies are taking to promote the efficient use of water amongst their customers are the responsibility of the water companies themselves. The Director General of Water Services is considering how he should use his powers to impose this requirement on water undertakers.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what action the water regulator is taking to ensure that the leakage targets which companies have set themselves are reasonable; [29320]
Mr. Clappison:
The Director General of Water Services is involved in discussions with the water companies about their targets and the measures they are taking to reduce leakage.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what democratic accountability he proposes for the new structure of the integrated Government office in Yorkshire and Humberside. [29659]
Sir Paul Beresford:
As head of the Government office for Yorkshire and Humberside, the regional director remains accountable to each of my right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretaries of State for Education and Employment and for Transport and to me for the delivery of our particular policies and programmes.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it a requirement for the operators of integrated pollution control processes to advertise applications or variations of an authorisation in the national and relevant local press. [28477]
Mr. Clappison:
Operators of processes falling under integrated pollution control have been required to advertise applications for, and variations of, authorisations in the relevant local press since the inception of the
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regime in 1991. Such operators have additionally, since 1 April 1996, been required to advertise applications and variations in the London Gazette.
Mr. Pickthall:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to bring forward legislation to abolish crown immunity from planning controls. [29269]
Sir Paul Beresford:
We intend to remove crown exemption from the planning system as soon as a suitable legislative opportunity arises.
Ms Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the regional planning guidance for Yorkshire and Humberside was subject to environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment"; if he will publish the appraisal; what alternative courses of action from those set out in the guidance were considered in the environmental appraisal; how the guidance was modified by the results of the environmental appraisal; and what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the guidance. [29490]
Sir Paul Beresford:
The process of preparing regional planning guidance generally followed the principles set out in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment". The final guidance included numerous modifications to the original advice reflecting the views expressed by environmental organisations and others. It draws heavily on published national policy. A central theme of the guidance is the need to attain the objective of sustainability. I do not intend to publish a separate environmental appraisal in addition to the material already published.
The guidance asks that development plans prepared by local authorities be subject to environment appraisal to ensure that planning policies and proposals are consistent with the principles of sustainable development set out in the guidance. The arrangements for monitoring and review and the means whereby a cross-section of organisations and interests in the region can contribute to the process is currently the subject of discussions between the Government office and local planning authorities.
Ms Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the "Water: Increasing Customer Choice" consultation paper was subject to an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment"; if he will publish the appraisal; what alternative courses of action from those set out in the "Water: Increasing Customer Choice" consultation paper were considered in the environmental appraisal; how the paper was modified by the results of the environmental appraisal; and what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the paper. [29491]
Mr. Clappison:
The consultation paper is about customer choice between suppliers of drinking water. Inter alia, possible environmental aspects were taken into account in developing the proposals; they take for granted
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that there would be no change in the environmental standards and performance required--that is, with respect to abstraction requirements and the handling of wastes arising in the treatment process--see in particular paragraphs 4.34 and 4.36.
Ms Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the environmental appraisal conducted in accordance with guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" for the forthcoming Government response to the report of the United Kingdom biodiversity steering group. [29492]
Mr. Clappison:
The United Kingdom steering group took account of the guidance set out in the booklet, "Policy Appraisal and the Environment", in preparing the costed action plans for key species and habitats contained in the group's report. The Government's response to the report, published on 15 May 1996, accepts the order of costs involved as a best estimate at this time by leading scientists and economists in this field. As more detailed implementation plans are drawn up the costs and benefits may well become clearer. If these differ significantly from the group's estimates, they will be referred to the UK biodiversity group.
(2) how Ofwat will ensure that a consistent and coherent approach is adopted to water leakage by all water companies. [29321]
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