Previous Section Index Home Page


Area Costs Adjustment

Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals he has to take into account local wage rates in respect of area costs adjustment allocation; [38480]

Sir Paul Beresford: My right hon. Friend set up an independent review of the area cost adjustment, chaired by Professor Elliott of the university of Aberdeen. The review reported earlier this month. The findings of the review had the benefit of substantial research

23 Jul 1996 : Column: 306

commissioned to the specifications of the review team, together with research submitted in representations from local authority associations and groupings.

The review recommends that the area cost adjustment should be based on the results of an analysis of the reasons for the variations in earnings reported by the labour force survey. The analysis distinguishes the extent to which variations are accounted for by geographical location, as distinct from other factors.

I have received a number of representations about the results of the review, both asking that its findings be implemented, and asking that they be rejected.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest have been lost or damaged since 1981. [38316]

Mr. Clappison: Statistical information on damage to SSSIs in Great Britain is set out in the annual reports of the former Nature Conservancy Council. Since 1 April 1991 similar details for England, Scotland and Wales are contained in the annual reports of the country agencies and, for Great Britain, in that of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Copies of annual reports are in the Library.

Mr. Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest have been compulsory purchased using a nature conservation order since 1981. [38317]

Mr. Clappison: None. The Secretary of State confirmed one such compulsory purchase order over land within Somerset, but following further discussions with the landowner the compulsory purchase order was not implemented.

Asbestos Cement Roof Slates

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he collates regarding the use of asbestos cement roof slates with special reference to (a) their current availability and commercial use, (b) the use of a permanent form of marking of the slates as containing asbestos and (c) the source of production; and if he will make a statement. [38809]

Mr. Clappison: No information on the current availability, commercial use or source of production of asbestos cement roof slates is collated by my Department. However, it is estimated that asbestos cement products, including roof slates and profiled sheeting, account for 40 per cent. of the asbestos fibre currently used in the UK. The marking of asbestos products is covered by the Asbestos Products (Safety) Regulations 1985, as amended. These regulations require that asbestos and all products containing the mineral should be marked as such using a specified label. The label may be printed directly on the product, attached to it or attached to its packaging.

Council Houses

Mr. Brian David Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been (a) sold and (b) built in the last 10 years. [38475]

23 Jul 1996 : Column: 307

Mr. Clappison: Between January 1986 and December 1995, almost 810,000 local authority and new town homes were sold for owner-occupation in England. In addition, there were more than 230,000 sales to housing associations and other types of ownership.

It is estimated that 94,000 dwellings were built by local authorities and new towns in England during this period.

Small Businesses

Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the impact of (a) his policies and (b) the work of his Department in helping small businesses in the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors the impact and the statistical results of such monitoring. [39145]

Sir Paul Beresford: The Government recognise the crucial role played by small firms in the UK economy and aim to help them by providing sound economic conditions--keeping inflation and interest rates low; reducing legislative administration and taxation burdens; and, where appropriate, provide direct assistance in the form of specialist advice and support and easing access to finance.

My Department assists the development of small businesses through sponsorship of the construction industry and the Rural Development Commission and by its responsibility for regeneration, energy efficiency and environmental technology. In other areas, such as planning, environmental protection, and health and safety our concern is to ensure that regulation does not impose unnecessary burdens on business. Further details of my Department's activities in these areas can be found in "Your Business Matters: The Government's Response", the third competitiveness White Paper and the Department of the Environment's annual report; these documents are available in the House of Commons Library.

Housing Associations

Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give directions to the Housing Corporation to ensure that in the operation of sections 4 and 5, of schedule 1 to the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993, or any amending legislation, housing associations do not discriminate on the grounds of nationality, race or colour. [38911]

Mr. Clappison: We shall shortly be discussing with the Housing Corporation the guidance to be issued to housing associations about access to accommodation. We envisage that the guidance will continue to expect associations to comply with, and endorse, the Commission for Racial Equality's code of practice in rented housing. We also expect that guidance will cover the issue of discrimination when dealing with approaches from people whom they consider may be asylum seekers. Housing associations will be expected to comply with the corporation's guidance.

Link Road Inquiry (Leicester)

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional time Leicestershire county council asked for to enable it to respond to the exchange

23 Jul 1996 : Column: 308

land problem raised by the Secretary of State in the Leicester A46-A47 link road public inquiry. [38990]

Sir Paul Beresford: None.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Dr. Michael Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from private cars as a result of increasing fuel duty by 5 per cent. in real terms over the next 10 years. [38797]

Mr. Clappison: The Government's long-term strategy of increasing road fuel duties by an average of at least 5 per cent. each year in real terms forms part of the United Kingdom's climate change programme and is expected to deliver annual savings of about 3 million tonnes of carbon by 2000 as a result of lower carbon dioxide emissions from all road transport. That is equivalent to about 2 per cent. of total 1990 UK carbon dioxide emissions. Estimates of the carbon savings attributable to private cars and forecasts beyond 2000 are not available.

English Partnerships

Mr. Merchant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when English Partnerships will publish its annual report and accounts for 1995-96. [38843]

Mr. Curry: I am today laying copies of English Partnerships' annual report and accounts in the House and copies will also be available in the Library.

Rents

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average rent paid for a (a) council, (b) housing association and (c) privately rented home in (i) York and (ii) England in each year since 1979 in (1) cash terms and (2) current prices. [38927]

Mr. Clappison: the available information is given in the tables.

In the private rented sector, comprehensive information on average rents is not available for individual local authority districts. Such information was first collected for housing associations in 1992.

(i) Average rents in York, 1983-84 to 1994-95 (1) Cash
£ per week

Financial year:Local authority rentsYear(61)Housing association rents
1983-8410.19----
1984-8510.54----
1985-8611.32----
1986-8711.89----
1987-8813.28----
1988-8914.16----
1989-9015.23----
1990-9121.01----
1991-9223.36199228.08
1992-9326.52199331.45
1993-9429.52199434.94
1994-9532.42199537.03


23 Jul 1996 : Column: 309

(2) Current prices (1994-95 prices)(62)
£ per week

Financial yearLocal authority rentsYear(61)Housing association rents
1983-8417.51----
1984-8517.24----
1985-8617.56----
1986-8717.90----
1987-8818.98----
1988-8918.97----
1989-9019.07----
1990-9124.36----
1991-9225.49199230.64
1992-9327.81199332.98
1993-9430.07199435.60
1994-9532.42199537.03

(61) Housing association rents are at 31 March. First collected by the Housing Corporation 31 March 1992.

(62) Real terms figures are cash figures adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP market prices deflator.


(ii) Average rents in England, 1979-1980 to 1994-95 (1) Cash
£ per week

Financial yearLocal authority rentsCalendar year(63)Housing association rents(64)Private sector rents(64)
1979-806.491979n/an/a
1980-818.191980n/an/a
1981-8211.531981n/an/a
1982-8313.581982n/an/a
1983-8414.031983n/an/a
1984-8514.7919841616
1985-8615.6319851718
1986-8716.4819862023
1987-8817.4019872426
1988-8919.0119882329
1989-9020.8619892231
1990-9123.9219902743
1991-9227.5919913051
1992-9330.8419923755
1993-9433.7019933868
1994-9535.791994-954369

(63) The Family Expenditure Survey changed from a calendar to a financial year basis in 1994.

(64) These figures are from the Family Expenditure Survey and are subject to sampling variability. They cover all types of tenancy, i.e. both assured and non-assured tenancies.


(2) Current prices (1994-95 prices)(65)
£ per week

Financial yearLocal authority rentsCalendar year(66)Housing association rents(67)Private sector rents(67)
1979-8016.221979n/an/a
1980-8117.301980n/an/a
1981-8222.201981n/an/a
1982-8324.411982n/an/a
1983-8424.101983n/an/a
1984-8524.1919842627
1985-8624.2419852629
1986-8724.8119863134
1987-8824.8719873538
1988-8925.4719883240
1989-9026.1219892940
1990-9127.7319903250
1991-9230.1019913357
1992-9332.3419923958
1993-9434.3319933969
1994-9535.791994-954369

(65) Real terms figures are cash figures adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP market prices deflator.

(66) The Family Expenditure Survey changed from a calendar to a financial year basis in 1994.

(67) These figures are from the Family Expenditure Survey and are subject to sampling variability. They over all types of tenancy, i.e. both assured and non-assured tenancies.


23 Jul 1996 : Column: 310


Next Section Index Home Page