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Sheffield Development Corporation
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many of the jobs created in the Sheffield development corporation area, as part of developments which originated after the SDC came into existence as the planning authority for its area, were relocations of jobs from (a) within the SDC area and (b) outside the SDC area; [6080]
- (2) how many jobs have been created in the Sheffield development corporation area as part of developments which originated after the SDC came into existence as the planning authority for its area. [6081]
Sir Paul Beresford: By 31 March 1997, when Sheffield development corporation comes to the end of its lifetime, over 11,000 jobs will have been created in developments originating since the SDC became the planning authority.
Of these, some 300 result from relocations within the SDC area and over 8,000 are in businesses new to the area.
Mr. Betts:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he collates on the effect of development in the Sheffield development corporation area since its inception on existing development and jobs outside the SDC area. [6082]
28 Nov 1996 : Column: 330
Sir Paul Beresford:
The wider impact of Sheffield development corporation's activities on the local economy will be evaluated by consultants as part of a planned evaluation of the SDC and other urban development corporations.
Mr. Austin-Walker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the criteria and basis of the calculations for the distributable amount of non-domestic rates for 1997-98. [6086]
Sir Paul Beresford:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, East (Mr. Congdon) on 27 November, Official Report, columns 242-44.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of those employed by his Department in 1992-93 were women. [6434]
Sir Paul Beresford:
In September 1992, the proportion of women employed by my Department was 41 per cent.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what child care facilities his Department provides for its employees; what facilities were provided in 1992; and how many employees have used child care facilities in each year since 1992. [6464]
Sir Paul Beresford:
My Department currently provides workplace nursery places for its employees in Westminster, Bristol and at the Building Research Establishment. It provides holiday playscheme places in Westminster, Birmingham, Bristol, Bedford and at BRE. In 1992, it provided nursery places in Westminster and at BRE and holiday playscheme places in Westminster, Birmingham, Bristol, Bedford and at BRE. The number of employees using the facilities exceeded:
| Calendar year | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurseries | 21 | 31 | 46 | 52 | 57 |
| Playschemes | 54 | 48 | 82 | 104 | 103 |
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many women are currently employed by his Department at each civil service grade. [6438]
Sir Paul Beresford: The number of women currently employed by my Department and its executive agencies, the Building Research Establishment, the Planning Inspectorate and the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, at each civil service grade is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Grade 1 | -- |
| Grade 2 | 3 |
| Grade 3 | 3 |
| Grade 4 | -- |
| Grade 5 | 20 |
| Grade 6 | 34 |
| Grade 7 | 133 |
| SEO and equivalents | 207 |
| HEO and equivalents | 275 |
| EO and equivalents | 407 |
| AO and equivalents | 668 |
| AA and equivalents | 378 |
| Total | 2,128 |
28 Nov 1996 : Column: 331
Purchase Grant Scheme
Mr. Sykes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the outcome of the consultation exercise on proposed rural exemptions from the purchase grant scheme for housing association tenants is; and if he will make a statement. [7028]
Mr. Curry: In last year's rural White Paper, we announced plans to exclude small rural villages from the new purchase grant scheme for housing association tenants, using a population guideline of 3,000 people. This intention was confirmed in the debates on the Housing Bill. Some 20,000 settlements meeting this criterion were identified and, since June, we have been consulting local authorities, housing associations, rural groups and others on detailed proposed designations for every county and area of England. We indicated that we would also be prepared to consider special cases for the exclusion of other settlements above the guideline population.
We have had over 350 replies raising over 800 queries about the detail of the designations. Each query has been carefully considered. As a result, over 270 settlements with a population of under 3,000 have been added to the proposed exclusions, and my Department has replied to each such query individually.
In addition, around 200 of the queries concerned settlements where the population exceeded 3,000 but where a special case was made about the settlement concerned. I have accepted the cases made for Benson in Oxfordshire, and Bassingbourne cum Kneesworth and Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire where the villages are adjacent to military bases, and their combined population figures are misleading. Each special case was considered carefully, and my Department also gave a group of settlements with populations close to the 3,000 guideline a further opportunity to make a fuller case for exemption. Of these, I have accepted that Porthleven in Cornwall and Bromyard in Hereford and Worcester should be exempted because they have identified that there would be particular difficulty in providing replacement properties in these settlements.
I hope to be able to lay the orders making rural designations before both Houses in the new year.
My hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for housing in Wales has also consulted on a different approach to be used in Wales, and announced the outcome on 24 July 1996.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made on the financial management and policy review of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee. [7030]
28 Nov 1996 : Column: 332
Mr. Gummer:
The prior options stage of the financial management and policy review of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee has now been completed. Following consideration of the need for independent advice on radioactive waste management issues, and the appropriate mechanism for its provision, I and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales are agreed that the committee should continue to operate at least for another five years.
The Government remain committed to a policy of radioactive waste disposal, based on sound science, and taking into account costs and benefits. There remains a need for Government action to be guided by independent expert advice, specifically relating to radioactive waste management, that complements advice from other bodies, including the Environment Agencies.
The structure and method of operation of the committee will now be considered. The review should be completed early next year, at which stage its conclusions will be published.
Mr. Sykes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements the Government have made to fund the leasehold enfranchisement advisory service after the present grant ceases in December. [7032]
Mr. Clappison:
I am pleased to be able to announce that my Department has today written to the chief executive of the Leasehold Enfranchisement Advisory Service with an offer of Government support for the next three years.
During the passage of the Housing Bill earlier this year, there was general agreement on both sides of the House that LEAS has provided an extremely valuable service over the last three years in guiding both landlords and tenants through the complexities of the leasehold enfranchisement procedures.
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