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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Divorce (Pensions)

Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Government intend to commence section 166 of the Pensions Act 1995 concerning the courts' treatment of pensions on divorce. [34664]

Mr. Streeter: It remains the Government's intention that applications for orders under section 166 of the Pensions Act 1995 will be able to be made where the petition for divorce is presented to the court on or after 1 July 1996.

The regulations and accompanying rules of court will come into force on 1 August 1996 to allow the judiciary, the legal profession and the pensions industry sufficient time to become familiar with the requirements before being asked to consider such applications.

The policy on the content of the regulations under section 166 of the Pensions Act 1995 has been agreed and a summary of the proposals is available in the Library. The regulations will be laid shortly. Separate legislative vehicles will be provided for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Mental Health

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement setting out his conclusions on those aspects of the Law Commission report on mentally incapacitated adults about which decisions have already been taken on which further consultation is not deemed necessary. [34118]

Mr. Streeter: The Government have indicated that they do not intend to legislate on the basis of the Law Commission's proposals in their current form. Given the importance and sensitivity of this subject, the Government do not believe it is appropriate to make final decisions in this area until full public consultation has been completed.

ENVIRONMENT

Global Warming

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his assessment of the report published by the intergovernmental panel on climate change on global warming; and if he will make a statement. [33558]

Mr. Clappison: The intergovernmental panel on climate change second assessment report is the most comprehensive and authoritative review of climate change ever undertaken and provides an excellent basis for developing policy further under the framework convention on climate change.

The key conclusions--that the balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate, that there will be far-reaching effects on natural systems and human society for many generations to come and that major reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases will

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be necessary eventually to limit future global temperature rise--show that action by the international community is now urgent.

In fulfilment of its commitments made under the climate change convention, the United Kingdom is well on target to return its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. The United Kingdom is pressing developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 5 to 10 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010 at the forthcoming negotiations to strengthen commitments under the convention.

Asbestos

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will institute a total ban on the use of all asbestos in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [33634]

Mr. Clappison: The United Kingdom takes the view that prohibitions on the marketing and use of asbestos should be based on agreements within the European Union. The Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992 and the Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 implement directive 91/659/EEC and prohibit the use of many forms of asbestos. Efforts will continue within the United Kingdom to find suitable alternatives to the remaining uses of asbestos, and to encourage the use of substitute products, but a total ban will not be instituted without EU agreement.

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what campaigns the Health and Safety Executive plans to instigate to warn of the dangers of asbestos dust. [33636]

Sir Paul Beresford: In autumn this year, the Health and Safety Executive is planning to launch a campaign on managing asbestos in workplace buildings under the umbrella of the wider "Good Health is Good Business" campaign. This builds on HSE's asbestos awareness campaign which was launched in February 1995.

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has brought forward for converted European Union action on asbestos; and if he will make a statement. [33629]

Mr. Clappison: The United Kingdom has not brought forward any proposals for "concerted European Union action on asbestos", but our officials continue to play an active part in EU negotiations, and to promote awareness and understanding in EU discussion of asbestos issues.

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences for asbestos removal have been granted in each of the last 10 years; how many inspections relating to those with such licences have taken place in each year; and how many licences have been revoked each year. [33632]

Sir Paul Beresford: The number of asbestos removal licences granted under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 in each of the last 10 years and the number of licences that have been revoked each year is given in the table.

The information in the table also shows the number of visits each year to companies or contractors licensed at that time under these regulations.

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Licences granted(4)		Licences revoked		Visits
Year	Number	Year	Number	Year	Number
1985	1,588	1985	1	1985	2,709
1986	936	1986	2	1986	1,654
1987	487	1987	2	1987	941
1988	1,082	1988	1	1988	533
1989	483	1989	4	1989	677
1990	430	1990	0	1990	401
1991	483	1991	0	1991	385
1992	306	1992	0	1992	373
1993	288	1993	0	1993	399
1994	346	1994	3	1994	805
1995	276	1995	0	1995	735

(4) Includes both new licences and renewals of existing licences.

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of asbestos used in the United Kingdom (a) last year and (b) over the past decade. [33633]

Mr. Clappison: This information is not available in the required form. The use of asbestos may be estimated from import figures, although imported unmanufactured asbestos may be made into products which are subsequently exported. Therefore, an accurate figure for asbestos usage in the United Kingdom cannot be given. The figures for imports of unmanufactured asbestos which are available from 1987 to 1994 are listed in the table. No figures are yet available for imports last year.

Imports of unmanufactured asbestos into the United Kingdom from 1987

Year	Import (thousand tonnes)
1987	23.7
1988	24.3
1989	19.7
1990	16.0
1991	11.2
1992	10.3
1993	9.7
1994	11.5

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many reports he has received relating to leaks in masks used in association with the removal of asbestos in the last three years; what research he has commissioned into achieving better standards for such masks; and if he will make a statement. [33635]

Sir Paul Beresford: I have received no such reports. However, the Health and Safety Executive has kept this matter under review and will shortly publish the results of research into the field performance of respirators used for asbestos removal work.

It is the responsibility of manufacturers of respiratory protective equipment to carry out research to improve the standards of their products.

Coal Authority Property

Mr. Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what staff resources are currently being deployed by English Partnerships in preparing for the

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acquisition of the Coal Authority's property portfolio; and what is English Partnerships' estimate of remaining staff time to complete these preparations; [33643]

(2) what timetable has been agreed by English Partnerships for the acquisition of the Coal Authority portfolio. [33642]

Sir Paul Beresford: English Partnerships is seeking to complete the transfer of a large portfolio of coalfield sites from British Coal at the earliest possible date, subject to the completion of a full due diligence study and an investigation of the title for each of the sites. The portfolio will combine sites that have little or no development potential with more marketable assets, to achieve a balanced package. British Coal is currently considering English Partnerships' proposals. By 31 May, English Partnerships had deployed some 700 staff days in preparing for the transfer of the portfolio. It is not possible to estimate the remaining staff time that will be required to complete the preparations.

Mr. Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial resources English Partnerships has earmarked for the development of the site at Green lane, Featherstone. [33644]

Sir Paul Beresford: The former colliery site at Green lane, Featherstone is currently owned by British Coal. It is intended that British Coal will transfer the land to English Partnerships as part of the proposed transfer of a large portfolio of coalfield sites. English Partnerships has conducted a feasibility study for the redevelopment of the site and has devised a strategy for the reclamation and servicing work. English Partnerships is currently undertaking a full scheme appraisal which must be satisfactorily completed before it commits any resources.

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