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Water Resources Directive
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what responses he has made to date to the
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EU draft framework directive on water resources issued in February. [40407]
Mr. Clappison: In December 1995 the Environment Council adopted a set of conclusions on European Community water policy which, amongst other things, invited the European Commission to present a communication on the subject. The communication was issued on 21 February, and the Commission proposes to bring forward a framework directive on water resources in due course. The Government submitted an explanatory memorandum to the European Scrutiny Committee on 16 April.
Environment Agency
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports the Environment Agency has produced to date on the state of the British environment; and what role his Department has in distributing the Environment Agency's reports. [40479]
Mr. Clappison: The Environment Agency published in April 1996 a report entitled "The Environment of England and Wales; a Snapshot". An online version of the report has been placed recently on the agency's Internet web site, and this updates the printed version. Copies of the report were placed in the Library of the House. My Department has no role in distributing Environment Agency reports.
AEA Technology
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what environmental protection guarantees are in place in respect of the sale of AEA Technology. [40341]
Mr. Clappison: I expect AEA Technology to continue to bid for environmental research and services tendered by the Department and to maintain the quality and integrity of work which made AEAT a substantial and long standing contractor in the past. AEA Technology activities will be subject to the same regulatory standards of environmental safety as any other private company. This will principally involve controls pursuant to the Radioactive Substances Act, the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Water Resources Act 1991 and the Environment Act 1995.
Intergovernmental Conference
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what submissions his Department has made to the intergovernmental conference on transparency in regard to environmental policy and information disclosure; and what plans he has for future submissions. [40589]
Mr. Clappison: The United Kingdom has made no submissions on transparency to the intergovernmental conference.
The IGC discussions have not altered the Department's policy of openness which accords with the Government's code of practice on access to Government information, published in 1994.
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The Department will not be making submissions to the intergovernmental conference.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in the procedure of appointments to sponsored bodies since recommendations were put to the Directors Forum on Sponsored Bodies in September last year. [40651]
Sir Paul Beresford:
Revised procedures have been introduced in the Department of the Environment which fulfil the relevant recommendations of the first report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and comply with the code of practice and guidance issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. It will now be the normal practice to advertise vacancies on the boards
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of executive non-departmental public bodies, to interview candidates before appointment and to involve an independent person in the selection process.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what matters of environmental concern were discussed at the European Commission meeting of 9 October; and what were the reasons for the withdrawal from the agenda of deliberation on the planned water quality framework directive. [40647]
Mr. Clappison:
The agenda for the weekly Commission meeting is a matter for the Commission rather than for my Department; any decision not to discuss the proposed water quality framework directive is therefore an internal one for the Commission..
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