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ENVIRONMENT

Inhabited Bridge (London)

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with (a) developers and (b) other interested parties concerning proposals to build an inhabited bridge across the Thames in central London. [28710]

Mr. Gummer: As Minister for London, I have had numerous discussions about the idea that an inhabited bridge across the Thames could once again be built in London.

It is the Government's policy to encourage ideas which can help bring new life and activity back to the River Thames corridor, an aspiration which is clearly very widely shared.

The idea of a new inhabited bridge in London deserves wide consideration. I have therefore particularly welcomed the initiative by the Royal Academy to stage a major public exhibition in September which will explore the long European tradition of inhabited bridges. I have also welcomed its announcement of an architectural ideas competition, the results of which will form apart of the exhibition, and have agreed to be a member of its judging

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panel for this competition. It is to be hoped that the Royal Academy's exhibition and competition will enable the possibilities to be more thoroughly aired and debated among Londoners and all those with an interest in the future of London.

In view of my involvement in the matter, I will take no part in any decision, relating to an inhabited bridge, which may subsequently need to be taken in the name of the Secretary of State for the Environment. Any such decision will be taken by my right hon. friend the Minister for Construction, Planning and Energy Conservation.

Performance Bonds

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's policy on the use of performance bonds; in what circumstances they are used; what was the total sum paid by bond in each of the last five years; and if his Department requires bonds from businesses with fewer than (a) 100, (b) 50 and (c) 20 employees. [29419]

Sir Paul Beresford: This Department does not have a formal policy on the use of performance bonds but takes direction from published guidance notes issued by HM Treasury, copies of which are available in the Libraries of both Houses. Each major project is judged on

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its merits, including whether or not the use of performance bonds would be appropriate. The decision to include the requirement for a performance bond will be made independent of the size of the contractors concerned. There have been no cases of performance bonds being enforced by this Department in the last five years.

Goods and Services

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much his Department paid to the private sector for goods and services in 1995-96. [29458]

Sir Paul Beresford: The information requested is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost.

Small Firms

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many firms with fewer than (a) 100, (b) 50, (c) 20 and (d) 10 employees were used by his Department in each of the last five years. [29443]

Sir Paul Beresford: This information is not held centrally and is obtainable only at disproportionate cost.

Essex County Council

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he proposes to synchronise the elections of Essex county council with those of the vesting day of the two new continuing unitary authorities of Southend and Essex. [29858]

Sir Paul Beresford: It is our policy to require fresh elections for each continuing unitary authority in the year before reorganisation, to ensure that planning and implementation of unitary functions is done on the basis of a fresh mandate. For reorganisations, including Southend and Thurrock, being planned for 1998, this will entail elections in May 1997, which will take place on the same day as the county council elections for the rest of Essex.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has to extend the life of the existing Essex county council to 1 April 1998. [29856]

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Sir Paul Beresford: My right hon. Friend has no such general powers.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if county councillors can be elected from (a) Southend and (b) Thurrock, to Essex county council at the election scheduled for May 1997. [29857]

Sir Paul Beresford: My Department has recently consulted on a draft order under the Local Government Act 1992 which would convert the existing Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock borough councils into unitary authorities. The order would, among other things, suspend Essex county council elections for county divisions in the areas of Thurrock and Southend which would otherwise take place in May 1997. Instead, the terms of office of the existing councillors would be extended until 1 April 1998, when the two districts would become unitary. We are currently considering representations on the draft order.

Council of Europe Meetings

Mr. Terry Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings of, or organised by, the Council of Europe since January 1995 have been attended by Ministers or officials of his Department; and if he will make a statement. [29354]

Sir Paul Beresford [holding answer 17 May 1996]: Since January 1995, officials from my Department have attended 25 meetings of, or organised by, the Council of Europe. These meetings covered various aspects of the Department's responsibilities.

Scientists and Engineers

Mr. Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 11 March, Official Report, column 422, if the information he provided includes professional scientists and engineers working in Department of Environment agencies; and how many professional scientists and engineers of each category were employed in each grade in each of the agencies from 1991 to the current year. [29918]

Sir Paul Beresford: The previous question referred to staff in the headquarters division of the Department and therefore did not cover the agencies; this information is provided in the following tables:

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Building research establishment

	1991		1992		1993		1994		1995		1996
Grade	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers
Grade 3	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	1	0
Grade 4	1	0	1	0	2	0	2	0	2	0	2	0
Grade 5	3	1	3	1	3	1	3	1	4	1	4	0
Grade	20	3	21	2	20	2	21	3	21	3	19	5
Grade 7	71	10	74	12	75	11	75	12	78	12	76	11
SEO and equivalent	89	16	99	17	93	19	91	20	89	22	103	22
HEO and equivalent	89	13	92	15	91	17	78	17	73	16	71	17
EO and equivalent	46	15	49	13	48	11	52	14	43	12	30	9
AO and equivalent	21	0	18	0	13	0	12	0	10	0	7	0
AA and equivalent	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

The Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre

Grade	1992		1993		1994		1995		1996
	Science	Engineers	Science	Engineers	Science	Engineers	Science	Engineers	Science	Engineers
Grade 7	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
HEO and equivalent	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	1

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The buying agency

Grade	1992		1993		1994		1995
	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers
Grade 7	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	1
HEO and equivalent	0	1	0	1	0	3	0	3

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The security facilities executive

	1994		1995
Grade	Scientists	Engineers	Scientists	Engineers
Grade 6	0	1	0	1
Grade 7	0	2	0	2
SEO and equivalent	1	7	1	8
HEO and equivalent	1	4	1	4
EO and equivalent	0	16	0	16
AO and equivalent	0	2	0	2
AA and equivalent	0	0	0	0

East Yorkshire Council

Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average amount of standard spending assessment per person in East Yorkshire unitary council in 1996-97. [29827]

Sir Paul Beresford: The standard spending assessment per person in 1996-97 for the east riding of Yorkshire council is £668.03.

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