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Departmental Vehicles (Traffic Violations)

Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of traffic violations involving departmental vehicles, the nature of the violations, and the total amount of fines arising from those violations, in each year since 1986. [39309]

Sir Paul Beresford: The Department does not currently own vehicles, following the transfer of the Security Facilities Executive to the Office of Public Service. Disproportionate cost would be incurred in researching the relevant records of the Crown Suppliers, which has been closed down, and of the Property Services Agency, which was privatised.

Climate Change Conference

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent conference of contracting parties to the global convention on climate change held in Geneva; and if he will place in the Library a copy of his address to the conference. [39763]

Mr. Clappison: In Geneva, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State urged others to follow the UK lead in meeting current commitments; strongly supported the view that the recent findings of the intergovernmental panel on climate change constituted a clear scientific basis for urgent further action at the widest possible level; and reiterated his call for developed countries to agree, at the third conference in Japan in 1997, to aim to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to 10 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010.

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I have placed in the Library a copy of my right hon. Friend's address to the conference, together with a copy of the conference ministerial declaration, which addressed most of the same key issues.

Late Payments

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of each Government office's bills were paid late in 1994-95; and what proportion this was of the total; [39857]

(2) what percentage of each Government office's bills were paid late in 1994-95; and what proportion this was of the total. [39856]

Sir Paul Beresford: The information was not collected in this form in 1994-95 and could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many visits (i) he and (ii) his Ministers made to (a) the Newbury constituency and (b) other constituencies in the last 12 months. [39876]

Mr. Gummer: In the last 12 months I have made one visit to the Newbury constituency and the Minister for the Environment and Countryside has made two.

I will write to the hon. Member giving the information requested on visits to other constituencies in the last 12 months.

Metropolitan Authorities (Boundary Review)

Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the ward boundaries last were reviewed; and when they are due to be reviewed again in each of the metropolitan authorities. [39654]

Sir Paul Beresford: The last reviews of the ward boundaries of the metropolitan districts took place in the following years:

	Last review
Bolton	1978
Bury	1978
Manchester	1980
Oldham	1977
Rochdale	1979
Salford	1979
Stockport	1979
Tameside	1977
Trafford	1978
Wigan	1979
Knowsley	1980
Liverpool	1979
St. Helens	1979
Sefton	1977
Wirral	1979
Barnsley	1977
Doncaster	1978
Rotherham	1978
Sheffield	1979
Gateshead	1979
Newcastle upon Tyne	1979
North Tyneside	1979
South Tyneside	1979
Sunderland	1979
Birmingham	1979
Coventry	1979
Dudley	1979
Sandwell	1976
Solihull	1977
Walsall	1978
Wolverhampton	1979
Bradford	1979
Calderdale	1978
Kirklees	1979
Leeds	1979
Wakefield	1979

24 Jul 1996 : Column: 337

The Local Government Act 1992 provides that the Local Government Commission should, as far as reasonably practicable, conduct its own first periodic electoral review not less than 10 or more than 15 years after the Local Government Boundary Commission's review of the county in which the area is comprised. This does not apply where the Boundary Commission did not carry out a review of the county.

The Boundary Commission reviewed the electoral arrangements of West Midlands county council in 1981 and of Greater Manchester, Merseyside and West Yorkshire county councils in 1984. It did not review the electoral arrangements of South Yorkshire or Tyne and Wear county councils.

Housing Allocations

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will be taking into account the research his Department has commissioned from the university of Wales on housing allocations in the drafting of the new code of guidance on allocation which will accompany part UI of the Housing Bill, allocation of housing accommodation. [39622]

Mr. Clappison: Yes.

Mr. Sykes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to commence the provisions on housing allocations and homelessness contained in the Housing Bill; and if he will make a statement. [39913]

Mr. Curry: We intend that the new legislation should have full effect from early January 1997. During the summer and autumn of this year my officials will be preparing the draft secondary legislation and preliminary guidance associated with these provisions, in liaison with the local authority associations, other housing providers, the housing profession and the voluntary sector. We intend to have all the essential provisions in place well before full commencement, so that local authorities will have the proper opportunity to establish the arrangements necessary to ensure the smooth implementation of this important new legislation.

Cricket Stadium, Wakefield

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons his regional office in Leeds has issued an article 14 directive in respect of the outline

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planning application for a new stadium for Yorkshire county cricket in Wakefield; and if he will make a statement. [39653]

Sir Paul Beresford: An article 14 direction was issued to Wakefield metropolitan council on 23 July, preventing the council from granting planning permission for the proposed development at Denby Dale road, Wakefield, The Secretary of State is concerned that planning issues of more than local importance may arise from the proposal and he wishes to consider it having regard to his policy on calling in planning applications.

EU Ministers Meeting (Dublin)

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what matters were discussed at the EU Environment Ministers informal meeting in Dublin on 19 and 20 July; and if he will place in the Library copies of the papers tabled at the meeting. [39738]

Mr. Clappison: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment attended the recent meeting of Environment Ministers in Dublin. Their informal discussion concentrated on an exchange of views about waste management issues in the EU. With their agreement, I have placed in the Library a copy of the paper produced by the Irish presidency to inform that discussion.

Rural Sub-post Offices

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent guidelines his Department has published in respect of the uniform business rate relating to rural sub-post offices. [39798]

Sir Paul Beresford: On Wednesday 8 May we published a consultation paper setting out proposals for a new rate relief scheme for village shops. The proposals would help certain small general stores and post offices in rural villages. Qualifying business would see a reduction of at least 50 per cent. in their rates bills. Local authorities would be able to top this up to 100 per cent. and, in addition, would be able to grant relief to other rural shops and businesses which are of benefit to the community.

The consultation period has now ended. We shall consider carefully all comments received before reaching final decisions on the details of the scheme. We will then seek a suitable legislative opportunity to provide for the scheme.

Standard Spending Assessments (Devon)

Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he is undertaking into the effect of standard spending assessments on the county of Devon; and if he will make a statement. [39880]

Mr. Curry: We have commissioned a number of studies on local government finance and will have their findings as we prepare for next year's local government settlement. These cover the following areas: the area cost adjustment; the effects on local authority costs of sparsity and density of population; and the costs of personal social services for children and for the elderly in residential care.

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The findings are the subject of detailed discussions with interested parties, but the eventual decisions will necessarily apply to all local authorities.

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