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Disabled Employees
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many registered disabled people are employed by his Department; and what percentage this is of the total figures. [30771]
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Sir Paul Beresford: The Department currently employs a total of 91 disabled people of whom 60 are registered and 31 are non-registered. This constitutes 2 per cent. of the total number of staff employed in the Department and its agencies.
Gloucestershire County Council
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the debt figure for Gloucestershire county council for each of the last 10 years. [30799]
Mr. Paul Beresford: The information for Gloucestershire county council is as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1985-86 | 45.9 |
| 1986-87 | 53.4 |
| 1987-88 | 66.8 |
| 1988-89 | 92.4 |
| 1989-90 | 104.4 |
| 1990-91 | 121.1 |
| 1991-92 | 124.5 |
| 1992-93 | 129.9 |
| 1993-94 | 136.3 |
| 1994-95 | 150.8 |
Sources:
(28) 1983-90 CIPFA Capital Expenditure and Debt Financing Statistics, 1990-95 Total external debt, borrowing and lending surveys and PWLB.
Performance Bonds
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 20 May, Official Report, columns 44-45, how many (a) unconditional on-demand bonds, (b) performance bonds, (c) parent company guarantees, (d) advance payment bonds and (e) retention bonds were required by his Department in the last five years. [31230]
Sir Paul Beresford: The information requested is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost.
Alport Dale
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding Forest Enterprise's proposals for Alport dale in the Peak District national park. [31158]
Mr. Clappison: We have received 11 representations concerning Forest Enterprise's harvesting and replanting proposals for Alport dale, including one petition.
Mrs. Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will intervene to prevent the extension of forestry plantation in Alport dale in the Peak District national park. [31159]
Mr. Clappison: I understand there are no plans to extend the woodlands at Alport dale.
Water Additives
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received from the
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drinking water inspectorate on the addition of aluminium sulphate to remove discolouration from drinking water supplies. [31137]
Mr. Clappison: The drinking water inspectorate has made no reports about the use of aluminium sulphate in drinking water treatment.
Aluminium compounds have long been established in most parts of the world as coagulants in water treatment and their use is considered unobjectional on health grounds.
Smoke Control
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many fuels are now authorised to be burnt in smoke-controlled areas. [31107]
Mr. Clappison: There are currently 47 fuels authorised for use in smoke control areas by the Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) Regulations 1991 and by subsequent amendments.
Mr. Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to deregulate smoke control legislation. [31104]
Mr. Clappison: As announced in "Cutting Red Tape" in January 1994, the Government intend to repeal certain sections of the Clean Air Act 1993, including section 4 which enables local authorities to approve the design and installation of industrial furnaces in order to ensure smokeless operation. These are no longer necessary in light of changes in fuel use and the provisions of the Environment Protection Act 1990.
Mr. Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many fuels currently on the market cannot be burnt in smoke controlled areas. [31105]
Mr. Clappison: The Department does not maintain a list of all such fuels. The use of a fuel, other than one authorised by the Secretary of State in the Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) Regulations 1991 and subsequent amendments, may constitute an offence under the Clean Air Act 1993. Some unauthorised fuel, such as coal and wood, may be used in smoke control areas when burnt in fireplaces exempted by order of the Secretary of State.
Waste Management, Plymouth
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authority will be responsible for all aspects of waste management after unitary status is granted to Plymouth. [31101]
Mr. Clappison: Once a shire district has become a unitary authority, it is both waste collection authority and waste disposal authority for its area. Waste regulation, however, is not a local authority function; instead it is exercised by the Environment Agency.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about local government auditors in Lancashire. [29773]
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Mr. Curry: I have had no such representations, although we receive representations about a range of audit issues in Lancashire, as in other parts of the country.
Song Birds
Mr. Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he is carrying out into song bird conservation and sparrowhawk predation; and if he will make a statement. [31194]
Mr. Clappison: The nature conservation agencies are participating in a number of studies and action plans related to the conservation of a variety of song bird, and other, species. Contracts with the British Trust for Ornithology support the breeding bird survey, common bird census, nest record card system, and the constant effort ringing scheme--which assesses annual productivity and survival. No specific work is presently being funded into predation by sparrowhawks. Earlier studies have indicated that this is not a significant factor causing decline in national song bird populations.
Fluoroaceteamid
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further research has been undertaken since 24 October 1995 into the use of the pesticide fluoroaceteamid on farming land in Kent in 1963 and the subsequent removal of contaminated soil from the farm. [29484]
Mr. Clappison [holding answer 14 May 1996]: None.
Concessionary Travel
Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the cost of complying with the Atkins v. Wrekin district council and Department of Transport decision by the advocate general of the European Court of Justice (a) in the current financial year, (b) in future years and (c) for each year between 1984 and 1995. [30134]
Mr. Norris: I have been asked to reply.
I refer to the reply by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Scottish Office to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 16 May, Official Report, columns 571-72.
TRANSPORT
Concessionary Travel
Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to amend the London Regional Transport Act 1984 and Transport Act 1985 to include men aged 60 years or over as a further eligible class of person for transport concessions following the Atkins v. Wrekin district council and Department of Transport case considered by the European Court. [30026]
Mr. Norris: I refer to my reply to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 10 May, Official Report, column 275.
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Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) in what circumstances men aged 60 to 65 years since December 1984 will be able to claim compensation from their local authority as a result of the Atkins v. Wrekin district council and Department of Transport case considered by the European Court; [30025]
- (2) if he will estimate the cost of complying with the Atkins v. Wrekin district council and Department of Transport case decision by the advocate general of the European Court of Justice (a) in the current financial year, (b) in future years and (c) for each year between 1984 and 1995. [30134]
Mr. Norris: I have been asked to reply.
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