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ENVIRONMENT
Housing Stock
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which 10 district councils, placed in rank order, have the highest percentage of their housing stock built before 1900. [12467]
Mr. Clappison: The 10 district councils with the highest percentage of their housing stock built before 1919 are as follows:
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1. Hammersmith and Fulham | 74.2 |
| 2. Kensington and Chelsea | 70.7 |
| 3. Pendle | 67.2 |
| 4. Westminster | 62.6 |
| 5. Hyndburn | 61.7 |
| 6. Teeside | 60.8 |
| 7. Eden | 60.3 |
| 8. Camden | 58.5 |
| 9. Islington | 58.3 |
| 10. Burnley | 55.7 |
1. The figures relate to dwellings of all tenures as at April 1996. 2. 1919 is the earliest date for which the Department can provide reliable figures.
Sellafield
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce his decision on the planning application for a rocket, characterisation facility laboratory at Sellafield; and if he will make a statement. [12643]
24 Jan 1997 : Column: 757
Sir Paul Beresford:
The planning inspector's report of the inquiry, which was received by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 25 November, is currently being considered with a view to the decision being issued as soon as possible.
Dr. Strang:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what length of hedgerow has been lost in England each year since 1979. [12482]
Mr. Clappison:
The information is not available in the form requested. The Department commissioned two surveys into hedgerow changes covering the years from 1984 to 1990 and from 1990 to 1993. The latter survey indicated an average annual net loss of 18,100 km of hedges in England and Wales. The comparable annual figure for the previous survey period was 21,900 km. In these figures, the net "loss" of hedges refers to both removal of hedges and changes to other types of field boundary such as relict hedges and fences. No further research into hedgerow loss has been undertaken.
Mr. Stephen:
To ask the Secretary of state for the Environment if he will make a further statement on the sale of PSA Projects. [13204]
Mr. Gummer:
In December 1992 PSA Projects was sold to Tarmac Construction Ltd. Tarmac was paid £49.6 million as compensation for future losses and commercial risk, to provide funds for a pension fund contribution, investment and working capital. The Department retained £55 million of pre-sale trade debts which were all subsequently collected. In addition to the payment of £49.6 million, Tarmac received £10.5 million for net liabilities transferred with PSA Projects. Under the sale agreement, this sum was subject to pound-for-pound adjustment following the preparation of a completion statement which would provide details of PSA Projects net asset position at the point of sale.
Tarmac presented a completion statement in June 1993 but difficulties over agreeing adjustments to this resulted in the appointment of an independent expert in October 1995 to review the completion statement and make adjustments. The independent expert has now reported on the net asset position of the business at the point of sale. As a result, Tarmac will make an adjustmenting payment to Government of £19,921,177.00p. In addition Tarmac will pay Government interest totalling £2,612,611.98p.
Under the sale agreements, the Department's liability to meet the severance costs of staff who were employed in the business was limited to £39.5 million. This limit has been reached and all further costs are to be met by the purchaser.
In the event of the purchaser's bankruptcy in the first five years post sale that is to 1 December 1997, the Department has also guaranteed the redundancy entitlements of transferring staff. The maximum value of this contingent liability is now estimated to be £10.3 million.
24 Jan 1997 : Column: 758
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how his Department has used the "UK Indicators of Sustainable Development" in (a) the production of the Department's annual report, (b) monitoring progress towards meeting the objectives set out in the UK sustainable development strategy and (c) assessing the environmental implications of policy options; and what plans there are to extend their use in future within the Department. [12273]
Mr. Lang:
The "UK Indicators of Sustainable Development", published last March, and the information underlying those of most direct relevance to the responsibilities of the Department have been used to inform decisions about priorities for action and work programmes for the year ahead. This will be reflected in the annual White Paper on sustainable development and the Department's annual report, both of which will be published shortly. The data are also used as appropriate to inform consideration of the environmental implications of policy options.
Sir Michael Marshall:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent studies his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to assess the current levels of British private investment overseas; what assessment he has made of its impact on the United Kingdom economy; and if he will make a statement. [12569]
Mr. Lang:
Following a commitment given in the first Competitiveness White Paper (Cm 2563) my Department commissioned, in 1994, KPMG to undertake a study of UK outward investment with the remit to consider what further support the Government might offer overseas investors. The results of this study were published in May 1996.
My Department constantly monitors the levels of British overseas investment and, from time to time, evaluates relevant studies on this subject.
The Government believe that domestic firms and their employees gain from the freedom available to business to invest overseas. Direct investment can be an effective means of delivering goods and services to particular markets and in this way complements direct exports. Overall, the UK stands to benefit if firms are allowed to direct their resources to their most profitable use. The Government seek international agreement to liberalise regimes governing outward and inward foreign direct investment.
Mr. Hardy:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his current estimate of the stocks of coal held at (a) collieries and (b) power stations. [11852]
24 Jan 1997 : Column: 759
Mr. Page
[holding answer 23 January 1997]: The levels of stocks held by the coal and electricity generating industries at the end of October are as follows:
| thousand tonnes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Collieries | Power stations | |
| October 1996 | 4,862 | 9,590 |
Source:
Energy trends.
Power Stations (Petrol Coke)
Mr. Hardy: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to prevent the burning of petrol coke at power stations. [11851]
Mr. Page [holding answer 23 January 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 December 1996, Official Report, column 756.
Export Winners
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to issue the "Export Winners" report. [13143]
Mr. Nelson: The "Export Winners" report will be published today. It draws on interviews with 75 of the best United Kingdom exporting companies and highlights the key factors behind their success. I believe it will provide a valuable guide to export success, particularly for new or less experienced exporters.
I have placed copies of the report in the Library of the House.
Insurance Companies
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes he proposes to the legislation relating to insolvent non-life insurance companies. [13144]
Mr. Nelson: My Department issued a consultative document in December 1994 on proposals for dealing with insolvent non-life insurance companies. The proposals seek to provide a more satisfactory legal basis for dealing with the affairs of an insolvent non-life insurance company through a scheme of arrangement under section 425 of the Companies Act 1985, developed in a period of provisional liquidation. Responses to the consultative document generally supported a change in the law and I therefore propose to bring forward legislation, when parliamentary time permits. The principal features of the new arrangements would be:
- provision for an insolvent insurance company to apply to the court for a stay on proceedings against it by unsecured creditors while a scheme of arrangement is being drawn up;
- some modifications to the requirements of section 425 of the Companies Act 1985, for the purposes of schemes subject to the new provisions;
- provision for the insolvency practitioner overseeing an agreed scheme to have certain powers, in relation to fraudulent and wrongful trading and preferences and undervalues, which are not currently available to the administrators of section 425 schemes.
24 Jan 1997 : Column: 760
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