| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Home Help Service
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce legislation to compel local authorities to privatise the home help service. [33792]
Sir Paul Beresford: There are no current plans to do so. Local authorities are required, however, to spend 85 per cent. of their 1996-97 special transitional grant for all community care services in the independent sector.
Construction Industry
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken during the past 12 months to encourage sustainable growth in the construction sector; by what criteria he measures the success of his policy; and how he assesses the performance of the construction sector over the past 12 months measured against his own objectives. [33775]
Mr. Clappison: The Government's overall economic objective is to promote sustained economic growth and rising prosperity by continuing to pursue economic polices based on low inflation and sound public finances. The construction industry will benefit from these policies as the wider economy continues to grow.
The position of the construction sector is assessed in regular "state of the industry" reports. I would also refer the hon. Member to the DOE information bulletins held in the House of Commons Library, which contain
25 Jun 1996 : Column: 77
information on the construction industry. The latest bulletins of interest are No. 238, covering industry output and employment in the first quarter of 1996, and No. 244, covering new construction orders in April 1996.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the relative level of activity in the construction sector over the past 10 years, taking 1985 as a base. [33744]
Mr. Clappison:
The level of the total volume of output in the construction industry relative to 1985 was as follows:
1985: 100.0
1986: 103.5
1987: 115.3
1988: 126.4
1989: 133.2
1990: 134.5
1991: 125.4
1992: 120.4
1993: 118.1
1994: 121.9
1995: 120.8
Bricks
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the total stock of new bricks standing available for use at the latest available date; and what was the corresponding figure 12 months earlier. [33748]
Mr. Clappison: At the end of April 1996, brick manufacturers reported 1.1 billion bricks in stock, equivalent to 16½ weeks supply at the current rate of deliveries. In April 1995, the total stock was 0.8 billion, equivalent to 12 weeks delivery at the lower rate of delivery applying then.
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate for the annual volume and value of bricks (a) imported into and (b) exported from the United Kingdom. [33752]
Mr. Clappison: The information on overseas trade is as follows:
| 1995 | Number (million) | Value (£ million) |
|---|---|---|
| Exports | 25.9 | 9.5 |
| Imports | 43.6 | 7.9 |
Further information is published by HMSO in the business monitor MM20 for trade with non-EC countries and in Business monitor MQ20 for trade with EC countries, copies of which are held in the House of Commons Library. The relevant tariff code for clay bricks is 690410000, which is part of SITC 662.41.
Local Authority Joint Tenancies
Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to (a) withdraw and (b) amend circular 7/96--"Local Authority Joint Tenancies"--published by his Department on 14 May; and if he will make a statement. [33902]
25 Jun 1996 : Column: 78
Mr. Clappison: My right hon. Friend has no plans to either amend or withdraw the circular.
Mr. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the wording and effect of circular 7/96--"Local Authority Joint Tenancies"--issued by his Department on 14 May. [33905]
Mr. Clappison: My Department has received three letters and several telephone calls about circular 7/96--"Local Authority Joint Tenancies".
Planning Policy
Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the revised edition of planning policy guidance paper 6. [33904]
Sir Paul Beresford: The revised version of PPG6 was published and announced on 20 June.
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to bring about a policy to encourage the internalising of external costs in assessing planning applications; and if he will make a statement. [33974]
Sir Paul Beresford: Section 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requires the local planning authority to determine planning applications in accordance with the development plan. Guidance on the contents of development plans is contained in planning policy guidance note 12, published in 1992. The guidance covers transport and other infrastructure; economic, social and environmental considerations; energy conservation; and other aspects of development control. This guidance, combined with other PPGs, is designed to ensure that local planning authorities take into account all external costs or impacts of development in assessing development proposals.
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Rowe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the aggregate bids for supplementary credit approvals submitted by the local authorities in (a) Berkshire, (b) Cambridgeshire, (c) Cheshire, (d) Devon, (e) Essex, (f) Hereford and Worcester, (g) Kent, (h) Lancashire, (i) Nottinghamshire and (j) Shropshire to meet the prospective transitional costs of proposed changes to local government structure for 1996-97. [34041]
Sir Paul Beresford: For the 1996-97 reorganisation costs scheme, authorities in Berkshire, Devon, Essex, Hereford and Worcester, and Nottinghamshire were invited in October 1995 to submit the bids on the basis that structural change orders for these reorganisations may be made with a reorganisation date of 1 April 1997 and in time to allow their bids to be considered. In the event, this was not the case. The aggregate bids submitted at that stage were:
25 Jun 1996 : Column: 79
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Berkshire | (5)16.341 |
| Devon | 19.699 |
| Essex | 4.671 |
| Hereford and Worcester | (6)1.465 |
| Nottinghamshire | 12.251 |
(5) Two authorities did not submit bids.
(6) Three authorities did not submit bids.
Bids were not invited from authorities in Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Kent, Lancashire and Shropshire because at that stage the final recommendations on the future of local government in those areas had not been received from the Local Government Commission for England.
Ordnance Survey Maps
Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons Ordnance Survey does not publish maps showing the new parliamentary boundaries; and if he will make a statement. [34089]
Sir Paul Beresford: Ordnance Survey plans to publish two maps covering the whole of Great Britain and showing the proposed new parliamentary boundaries together with the European parliamentary constituency boundaries. Publication is expected in September.
Government Regional Policy
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to appoint further Ministers to act as central co-ordinators of Government policy towards regions. [34360]
Housing Starts
Mr. Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out a regional breakdown of housing starts in (a) the first quarter of 1995 and (b) the first quarter of 1996. [34440]
Mr. Curry: The table shows the Department's estimates for total housebuilding starts by Government office regions within England:
| New dwellings started | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1996 | |
| Government office regions | March quarter | March quarter |
| North East | 1,605 | 1,727 |
| North West and Merseyside | 5,739 | 4,331 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 3,592 | 3,374 |
| East Midlands | 3,326 | 3,413 |
| West Midlands | 3,748 | 3,186 |
| Eastern | 5,095 | 4,393 |
| London | 3,113 | 2,403 |
| South East | 5,774 | 5,458 |
| South West | 4,148 | 3,544 |
| England | 36,140 | 31,829 |
Contaminated Land
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken since 1966 to monitor (a) the land in Smarden, Kent, contaminated by
25 Jun 1996 : Column: 80
the chemical fluoroacetamide in 1963 and (b) the Atlantic waters where topsoil from the contaminated land was deposited. [33544]
Mr. Clappison [holding answer 18 June 1996]: The central veterinary laboratory at Weybridge, now part of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, assisted with the investigation into the Smarden poisoning incident. The outcome of the investigation was published in the veterinary record on 19 April, 1969, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House. Given the amount of time that has elapsed, the files on the incident no longer exist. The only other work of which the CVL is aware was carried out on soil samples to decide when the land could be returned to normal agricultural use. It should be noted that fluoroacetamide biodegrades within a few months when in contact with soil.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |