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Social Landlords
Mr. Keith Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority (a) total central Government funding in 1997-98 for registered social landlords' housing programmes, (b) the total number of new lettings that this funding will generate, (a) the estimated number of new lettings that registered social landlords will be able to provide with funding received in 1997-98 from local government and (d) the estimated number of new lettings that would be needed in order to achieve a national target of 60,000 new lettings annually; and if he will make a statement. [14628]
Mr. Clappison:
The Housing Corporation will publish in April full details by local authority area of its expenditure allocations for 1997-98 and the number of new lettings which this will generate under the approval development programme. In the meantime I have arranged for a summary table of expenditure allocations by local authority area to be placed in the Library of the House. My Department does not produce estimates by local authority area of the number of new lettings which registered social landlords will be able to provide with funding received from local government of the number of
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new lettings which would be required in order to achieve a national figure of 60,000 new lettings annually. Over the decade 1991-92 to 2000-01 I expect new social lettings on current plans to be in the range of 58,000 to 60,000 per annum, in line with our estimates of housing need.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number and percentage of private sector properties for each district council in England which have been unoccupied for longer than six months. [14689]
Mr. Clappison:
Local authorities in England are requested to provide information on the number of private sector properties within the authority that are unoccupied, together with the number that have been vacant for more than 12 months. Data are not specifically collected on the numbers of properties unoccupied for more than six months.
The latest available figures relate to the position on 1 April 1996 and are given in the 1996 "HIP 1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library.
Mr. Harry Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has commissioned on fire risks in houses in multiple occupation; by which organisations the research is to be carried out; under what terms of reference; from whom evidence will be taken on this matter; and when the outcome of the research programme will be available to him [14814]
Mr. Clappison:
In December 1996, Entec (UK) Ltd. was awarded a research contract to undertake a study of the fire risk associated with different types of houses in multiple occupation--HMOSs. This contract followed a feasibility study carried out earlier in the year by the fire research station of the Building Research Establishment. The terms of reference for the research are to identify the factors which are most likely to cause fires in HMOSs, and those factors which increase or decrease the likelihood of death and injury arising from such fires. The initial stages of the research sought evidence from local authorities and others with an interest in HMOSs and fire safety. The main evidence will be gathered about from about 90 case studies in which the views of relevant fire brigades will be sought. Entec's report is expected in August this year.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the operation of the Environment Information Regulations 1992; how many applicants for information under the regulations over the past year have been refused the information requested; and if he will list the reasons for not providing the information in each available case. [14919]
Mr. Gummer:
This information is not normally held centrally, but from a recent review of the operation of the regulations within central Government Departments, non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies, it was ascertained that during the calendar year 1996 there were at last 25 refusals to supply information under the
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regulations. Where cited the reasons for refusal were discretionary exemption (7), mandatory exemption (3), information not environmental (1), request formulated in too general a manner (1), and information supplied in part (1).
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of private sector properties that fail to meet the current fitness standards and are occupied. [14690]
Mr. Clappison:
The latest available information is from the 1991 English house condition survey, which found 1,089,000 occupied private sector dwellings to be unfit under the current fitness standard. Results from the 1996 EHCS should be available later this year.
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what use his Department and its agencies make of postcodes for the collection of data and in formulas for the distribution of grants and awards; and when such usages were last reviewed. [14806]
Sir Paul Beresford:
Postcodes are used in connection with the collection of some data relating to housing and other functions. They are also used in connection with the collection of data by other Government Departments and agencies which are used in some formulae for the distribution of grants. The data used have been reconsidered whenever appropriate.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations govern the recovery of oil from oiled cuttings arising from offshore rig and platform activities by vacuum distillation. [14871]
Mr. Gummer
[holding answer 10 February 1997]: Vacuum distillation is one option for recovering oil from oiled cuttings. I understand that no such oil recovery occurs offshore, largely due to the size of the necessary recovery equipment. Where oiled cuttings are brought onshore for recovery distillation, such distillation is a process prescribed for control under the integrated pollution control regime established by part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call for a report from the Environment agency on the proposed use of petroleum coke in the Drax power station and the possible effects of emissions of varidium and nickel on the health of the local population in (a) Hull and the East Riding and (b) Scandinavia. [14882]
Mr. Clappison:
No. it is for the Environment Agency to decide these matters. It would be inappropriate for a Minister to intervene in the way proposed, since any decision the agency might make could subsequently come before the Secretary of State on appeal.
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Mrs. Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many (a) incinerators and (b) power stations have been tested for emissions by the Environment Agency in connection with the burning of cattle carcases or rendered remains of BSE beasts. [15407]
Mr. Clappison:
The Environment Agency has tested one incinerator and one tyre burning plant for the burning of rendered materials, four incinerators for burning tannery waste, one incinerator for burning over-30-months scheme cattle and one for burning BSE carcases. In addition, testing of burning rendered materials has taken place at the small test rigs operated by National Power and PowerGen. No power stations burn this type of material.
Mrs. Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions and where have (a) incinerators and (b) power stations failed to satisfy the Environment Agency with regard to emission levels in connection with the burning of BSE cattle. [15408]
Mr. Clappison:
On no occasion.
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the chairmanship and deputy chairmanship of the Housing Corporation. [15599]
Mr. Gummer:
I am delighted to announce that Peter Cooke, who is currently deputy chairman of the Housing Corporation, has agreed to take over as chairman of the corporation for six months from 1 April. This will provide proper continuity for the corporation at time of change. Mr. Cooke has a fund of relevant experience in banking and public administration, including nine years on the board of the corporation.
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