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Homes (Greater London)
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of (a) council and (b) housing association homes that will be required for the Greater London area in each of the years to 2000. [17982]
Mr. Clappison: There are no official projections of council homes or housing association homes required for the Greater London area in future years.
Social Housing (Lancashire)
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of new social homes required in each borough in Lancashire in each of the years to 2000. [18436]
Mr. Clappison: There are no official projections of social homes required in each borough in Lancashire for future years.
Countryside Commission
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the name of the national heritage adviser to the Countryside Commission; and what is his professional background. [18010]
Mr. Clappison: The National Heritage adviser to the Countryside Commission is Mr. Paul Walshe. His professional background is that of a landscape architect and an architect. He also has a postgraduate degree in environmental conservation.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which consultants were employed by the
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Countryside Commission to advise it on the crossing of the River Avon by the proposed Salisbury bypass; what were the terms of reference given to the consultants; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the consultants' report. [18012]
Mr. Clappison:
The consultants were Novell Tullett of Bristol, assisted by Christopher Taylor, who is a landscape historian and former head of the archaeological survey for the Royal Commission on historic monuments of England.
The terms of reference given to the consultants were as follows:
The consultants were also asked to advise on the impact of any alternative alignments put forward by the Highways Agency avoiding the East Harnham meadows site of special scientific interest.
I have made arrangements for a copy of the consultants' report to the commission to be placed in the Library.
Mr. Patrick Thompson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on aid and trade provision. [18277]
Dr. Liam Fox:
Given the success of British companies in winning business with ATP support, the ATP budget in Asia is under severe pressure. This is why companies were advised of a hold on new offers of ATP support in Asia last November.
I have now finalised the future allocation of aid resources following the Budget. The allocations for ATP in the next two years have been increased by 45 per cent. and 37 per cent. respectively, to £77.7 million in 1997-98 and £70.7 million in 1998-99. The 1999-2000 allocation is £49 million.
In Asia, these enhanced levels will allow ODA to meet contractual commitments; to support those projects on which offers of assistance have been made; and to proceed, subject to satisfactory appraisal, with identified projects for which appraisals are nearly complete or are close to approval. Further ahead, we shall fulfil our obligations under the concessionary finance arrangements signed with overseas Governments as aid programme resources allow. In practice, with the exception of the small number of projects mentioned above where appraisal is well advanced, no further offers of ATP in Asia are likely to be made for some time. However, ATP
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remains a significant element in the ODA aid effort, and the position will be reviewed again during this year's public expenditure round.
In Africa where demands are fewer, business can continue as usual within the resources allocated.
Companies seeking further information on ATP in either Asia or Africa should consult the ODA or Department of Trade and Industry.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which five companies were allocated the largest sums from the United Kingdom aid and trade budget between 1978 and 1994; how much cash was allocated during this period; and what percentage of the budget for this period their allocation represented. [18019]
Dr. Fox:
I refer the hon. member to the reply given by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right honourable Friend the hon. Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) to the hon. Member for York (Mr. Bayley) on 15 January 1996, Official Report, column 357.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of the Ivory Coast regarding measures taken against the Student Federation, Federation Estudiantine et Scolaire de Cote d'Ivoire. [17849]
Dr. Liam Fox:
The British embassy in Abidjan recently met senior Ivorian Government officials to discuss the legal status of FESCI and the measures taken against that organisation.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had in respect of the human rights situation in the Ivory Coast. [17850]
Dr. Fox:
My ministerial colleagues and I receive occasional representations from groups concerned with human rights in Cote d'lvoire. The British embassy in Abidjan closely monitors human rights and recently met senior Ivorian Government officials to discuss the issue. Foreign Office officials have also met visiting Ivorian parliamentary opposition leaders.
Mr. Richards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much direct funding Bron Dyffryn special school has been in receipt of from Her Majesty's Government during each of the last three years. [18288]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
None that I am aware of. Bron Dyffryn is a local education authority maintained special school funded by Denbighshire county council in accordance with the resource allocation formula contained in its local management of schools scheme.
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Mr. Sweeney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what performance targets he has set for the Planning Inspectorate Agency's work in Wales for the financial year 1997-98. [18600]
Mr. Gwilym Jones:
The key objectives for the agency in 1997-98 continue to be to preserve the impartiality and quality of the inspectorate's work while seeing further to improve its efficiency. I have set the following key targets for the agency's work in Wales:
"The appointed consultants will be required to undertake the following tasks:
an assessment of the character and importance of the landscape setting of Salisbury Cathedral in the Nadder and Avon Valleys, through which the proposed road runs;
an assessment of the impact of the proposals on this landscape, in particular in the vicinity of the East Harnham Meadows;
advise whether or not the measures proposed for landscaping will significantly ameliorate the impact of the proposal on the area and, if not, what, if any, further measures could be adopted."
Timeliness
(a) Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by written representations to be determined within 17 weeks;
(b) Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by hearings to be determined within 22 weeks;
(c) Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by inquiries to be determined within 30 weeks;
(d) To provide an inspector for local plan inquiries on request within 26 weeks of the end of the objection period and to deliver 90 per cent. of inspector's reports to local authorities by the dates agreed in service agreements.
Financial
(a) Unit costs of planning appeals decided by written representations not to exceed the target to be set for the Inspectorate by the Department of the Environment;
(b) Recover 90 per cent. of receipts due within eight weeks of the invoice date.
Efficiency
Contribute to the generation of an efficiency improvement in the Agency's use of running costs compared with 1996-97, in accordance with the target to be set for the inspectorate by the Department of the Environment.
Quality
To satisfy the advisory panel on standards and thus the Secretary of State, annually and following rigorous monitoring, that the quality of the Inspectorate's work is being maintained at a high standard with 99 per cent. of its case work, free from error.
Welsh Language
To respond in Welsh to all inquiries, written or oral, received in Welsh within the same time scales as allowed for responding to inquiries generally.
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