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Bathing Water Directive
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of cost neutrality requirements on the revised European Union bathing water directive, with particular reference to water quality standards. [4273]
Mr. Clappison: The Department commissioned a report on a study of the cost implications of the proposed revision of the bathing water directive and a number of possible versions of the revision including water quality standards with a neutral cost benefit. Copies were placed in the House Library in February 1995.
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what numerical level of mandatory standard for faecal streptococcus bacteria the Government propose for inclusion in the revised European Union bathing water directive. [4274]
Mr. Clappison: Recent research suggests that mandatory standards for faecal streptococci indicating water quality broadly equivalent to the existing coliform bacteria standards would maintain a satisfactory level of health.
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviornment what plans he has to ensure the revision of the 1976 bathing water directive during the United Kingdom's presidency of the European Union in 1998. [4275]
Mr. Clappison: Priorities for the United Kingdom 1998 presidency will be formulated nearer the time.
Kirklees Metropolitan Council
Mrs. Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the level of funding from his Department for the provision of public services by Kirklees metropolitan council in 1996-97; and what were the equivalent figures in recent years. [5600]
Sir Paul Beresford: The main Government grants are revenue support grant and redistributed national non-domestic rates. Kirklees MBC received £222.623 million in 1996-97, £211.726 million 1995-96 and £211.844 million in 1994-95 from these sources.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for local government revenue spending in 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [6306]
Mr. Gummer: Every year, the Government announce the sum of money which local authorities are expected to spend--the total standard spending or TSS. Next year's
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figure is £45.66 billion, up 2.5 per cent. on last year, after adjusting for changes in function. This means an increase of £1.1 billion, and when the transitional costs of local government reorganisation are taken into account, represents a cash improvement of 2.4 per cent. TSS is planned to be £46.54 billion for 1998-99 and £47.29 billion for 1999-2000.
In allocating this sum between services for 1997-98, I have decided to give the main priority to education. My proposal is therefore that education spending should increase year on year by 3.6 per cent. after adjusting for the introduction of nursery vouchers. Councils must decide how much they actually spend on education, but I am sure that parents, governors and teachers will wish to ensure that education remains the top priority for authorities.
I propose that the level of aggregate external finance distributed to local authorities in 1997-98 should be £35.77 billion. After adjusting for changes in function, this represents an increase of some £530 million or 1.5 per cent. compared with this year's figure.
I also propose that the national non-domestic rate poundage for 1997-98 should rise to 45.8p, reflecting the annual increase in the retail prices index to September.
I propose to set the distributable amount of non-domestic rates at £12.03 billion. I propose that the total of Revenue support grant should be £18.69 billion. Special and specific grants within AEF will amount to £5.05 billion.
I shall announce shortly my proposals for the distribution of Government grants, including my proposals for changes in the standard spending assessment methodology. At the same time, I shall announce my capping intentions.
The Government have played their part by creating stable low inflation. It is essential that local and central Government continue to play their parts in restraining expenditure. My proposals for total standard spending, aggregate external finance and the non-domestic rate poundage represent a fair and balanced approach to funding the demands on local authority services in 1997-98.
This settlement will work for local authorities which look carefully at their spending priorities. If all councils take every opportunity to increase their cost efficiency in the delivery of services, then even in the climate of a tight settlement, the provision for next year will allow them to meet priority needs across the range of their functions.
Mr. Allason:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make it a statutory requirement on all local authorities to clearly identify statutory and discretionary expenditure in their annual budget. [6261]
Sir Paul Beresford:
None. It would be seen as a considerable burden by local authorities to be required to separate their total expenditure into discretionary and statutory components.
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Mr. Allason:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to study the impact on town centre retailing of free bus services provided by out-of-town retail sites. [6262]
Sir Paul Beresford:
I have no plans to commission research on this subject.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons private sector investment in the building of waste disposal facilities in Hampshire is not eligible for PFI support. [6258]
Sir Paul Beresford:
Adjustments to the revenue support grant/standard spending assessment system to assist PFI credit arrangements recognise that, where such arrangements represent an alternative to "traditional" capital expenditure, support would be justified comparable to that provided by the capital financing standard spending assessment. The costs of service contracts which fall outside the definition of such arrangements is envisaged as reflected in other elements of the SSA system.
Mr. Sykes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for implementing the new powers in the Housing Act 1996 which are available to local authorities for improving standards in houses in multiple occupation. [6541]
Mr. Clappison:
The Department has today issued a consultation paper inviting comments on a number of detailed provisions relating to the new policies with regard to houses in multiple occupation contained in the Housing Act 1996.
The Act contained an important package of measures to tackle poor standards of accommodation provided in houses in multiple occupation, including bedsits, hostels and some shared houses and houses converted into flats. The Government have been particularly concerned to ensure that these properties have adequate fire safety precautions. It is also important to ensure that strong powers are available to allow local authorities to deal effectively with the problem of the proliferation of hostels in resort areas.
Once the policy details set out in the consultation paper are finalised, implementation can begin early in the new year. I intend, subject to the responses we receive, that local authorities will be able to commence new registration schemes, fire safety checks and the new enforcement procedures in March next year. Implementation of the remaining parts of the package will follow as further details are settled.
The key proposals in the paper concern, first, the new form of registration schemes which local authorities may establish in their areas. Model registration schemes will be available which can be adopted by local authorities without further reference to the Department. These models specify the HMOs which will be subject to registration. These will be the larger HMO properties and will include some houses converted into self-contained flats which are predominantly let on rented tenancies and
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which are not converted by the 1985 or subsequent building regulations approval. Properties managed or controlled by specified landlords, such as registered social landlords, universities or health service bodies will be excluded. There are also proposals for the maximum level of fees payable by an HMO landlord. The average maximum fee is likely to be about £350 per HMO. Fees at half this level are also payable on renewal of registration after five years.
Local authorities will also be required to carry out a check on fire safety precautions in a specified category of HMOs which are regarded as most at risk. It is estimated that about 100,000 HMOs will be covered by this duty which will be phased in over a three-year period to give authorities enough time to check all the affected properties.
The paper also sets out proposals for modifying the procedures for serving enforcement notices which must be followed by authorities. Before taking formal enforcement action the authority must serve a "minded to" notice on the HMO landlord giving him the chance to make representations to the authority. If a formal notice is subsequently served, then the authority will have powers to charge for certain administrative costs up to a maximum of £300 per notice.
The proposed new duty on HMO landlords to keep their properties fit for the number of occupants will be introduced at a later date following approval by the Secretary of State of the national code of practice on HMO standards, on which work is currently underway.
I have placed a copy of the consultation paper in the Libraries of both Houses.
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