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Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local government contracts subject to compulsory competitive tendering have been awarded (a) in-house and (b) to private companies. [33286]
Sir Paul Beresford: Information is not held centrally by the Department but the latest Local Government Management Board survey shows that the private sector currently has 24.8 per cent. of contracts by value, in-house teams have 73.3 per cent. and the other 1.7 per cent. are held by a management buy-out companies or joint venture companies.
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many decisions by his Department were challenged by way of judicial review in each Session since 1991-92; and if he will list in how many cases (a) the Department's decision was upheld by the court, (b) the court found for the applicant, (c) the Department submitted to the judgment and (d) the Department appealed successfully against the judicial review decision. [33566]
Sir Paul Beresford: Information is not held centrally in a form which would enable the Secretary of State to answer this question without incurring disproportionate cost.
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Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in each Session since 1991-92 legislation has been introduced into Parliament by his Department, with the purpose of (a) removing the effects of a judicial review decision or (b) implementing a judicial review decision; and if he will list the relevant legislative provisions. [33585]
Sir Paul Beresford: There has been one instance in which legislation has been introduced into Parliament with the purpose of partially reversing a decision of the court in a case of judicial review against a local authority. This was the case of R. v. London borough of Ealing ex parte Lewis, where it was held that the local housing authority did not have power to include certain expenditure on sheltered accommodation in its housing revenue account. Sections 126 and 127 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 were introduced to change this effect of the decision. Parallel provisions were introduced for Scotland in sections 149 and 150 of that Act.
There have been no instances of legislation introduced to implement a judicial review decision.
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many core posts there were in the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in (i) 1994-95 and (ii) 1995-96; and how many are projected for 1996-97. [33320]
Mr. Clappison: The average number of permanent posts and fixed-term appointments assigned to the JNCC in the financial years in question is:
1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | |
---|---|---|---|
Permanent | 53 | 49 | 43 |
Fixed term | 44 | 34 | 34 |
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list (a) the mineral sites on the first lists of sites prepared by all mineral planning authorities in compliance with mineral planning guidance note 14 where the sites are wholly or partly within sites of special scientific interest and (b) the names of the sites of special scientific interest concerned. [33529]
Sir Paul Beresford: This information is not held centrally. It can be obtained from individual mineral planning authorities who are statutorily responsible for preparing the first lists of mineral sites in their areas.
Mr. Thomason: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with preparing a strategy for environmental education. [33900]
Mr. Gummer: I commissioned Jennifer Jones, a secondee to my Department, to carry out a review of education, training and awareness about the environment. She prepared a report which made a range of recommendations to the key players in environmental education. We have drawn up a strategy for environmental
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education on the basis of this report which takes account of the recommendations in it, and provides a framework within which to consider how they should be taken forward.
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We shall consider how to respond to the detailed recommendations in the report in the context of implementing the strategy for environmental education.
Mr. Dover: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to lay before Parliament a draft of the guidance that Ministers are required to give to the Environment Agency under section 4 of the Environment Act 1955. [33973]
Mr. Gummer: With my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, I am today laying before the House a draft of the guidance which Ministers are required under section 4 of the Environment Act 1995 to give to the Environment Agency on its objectives, including the contribution it is to make towards the achievement of sustainable development.
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