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Rural Residents (Buses)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of rural residents who live more than half a mile from a bus route; and if he will make a statement. [18406]
Mr. Moss: No such estimate has been made.
Water Pollution
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what records of chemicals used or stored for industrial purposes are held by the Department of the Environment for use when investigating the cause of pollution incidents affecting watercourses. [18269]
Mr. Moss: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Environment and Heritage Service under its chief executive, Mr. Robert C. Martin. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Robert C. Martin to Mr. Roy Beggs, dated 6 March 1997:
10 Mar 1997 : Column: 60
Mr. John Marshall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the costs of policing Harryville on Saturday nights, including the costs of police manpower and any associated overtime. [18391]
Sir John Wheeler:
It is not yet possible to give figures for Saturday 22 February. However, it is estimated that typical costs for previous Saturdays have been in the region of £27,000, including the costs of police manpower and associated overtime costs.
Mr. Beggs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of new houses provided by (a) Northern Ireland Housing Executive and (b) voluntary housing associations have been constructed to meet the needs of disabled tenants in each of the last five years [18563]
Mr. Moss:
The number and percentage of new houses constructed to meet the needs of disabled tenants in each of the past five years is as follows:
As Chief Executive of Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), I am responsible for all operational aspects of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland's environmental policies.
I am therefore responding to the Parliamentary Question which you put down in the House of Commons on 28 February 1997 "to ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what records of chemicals used or stored for industrial purposes are held by DOE (NI) for use when investigating the cause of pollution incidents affecting watercourses."
The Chief Executive of this Department's Water Service has also contributed to this reply.
Within the United Kingdom the Government is committed to minimising any escape to water of those chemicals identified as especially hazardous, more commonly referred to as Red List substances. In Northern Ireland, my service is currently aware of 188 premises which use or store Red List substances and a detailed record is held for each sites. These records include Information on each substance, quantities stored, the purpose for which they are used and the measures in place to prevent pollution of waterways.
EHS also hold records of all agrochemical retailers in Northern Ireland registered under the BASIS agrochemical scheme and regularly inspects their stores to ensure that they pose a minimal water pollution risk. BASIS, as a voluntary scheme managed by the agrochemical manufacturers, which sets stringent standards for pollution prevention and general safety.
All industries which discharge either effluent to the public sewer or treated effluent to a watercourse must have the consent of this Department. In either case, strict limits are set on the type and maximum concentration of materials which can be discharged. The application form for Water Act consent requires that chemicals stored on premises are listed.
The Water Service has confirmed that they maintain records of all chemicals used in the course of its functional work and stored on its premises. The only other information held by Water Service about chemicals used or stored in premises is in respect of those premises where a discharge to a public sewerage network is subject to the consent of the Department, through the system of trade effluent consents. Those making application for such a consent are required to provide details of whatever chemicals are being used for any industrial process being conducted on their premises.
I trust you will find this reply helpful.
| Year | Number new build | To meet needs of disabled | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 953 | 319 | 33 |
| 1995 | 812 | 214 | 26 |
| 1994 | 969 | 349 | 36 |
| 1993 | 1,328 | 325 | 25 |
| 1992 | 873 | 303 | 35 |
| Total | 4,935 | 1,510 | 30 |
| Year | Number new build | To meet needs of disabled(23) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,389 | 644 | 46 |
| 1995 | 1,181 | 636 | 54 |
| 1994 | 1,001 | 586 | 58 |
| 1993 | 946 | 625 | 66 |
| 1992 | 1,229 | 555 | 45 |
| Total | 5,746 | 3,046 | 53 |
(23) In addition, unless it is inappropriate to do so, all new housing association bungalows, ground floor flats and flats served by lifts are designed to full mobility standard, i.e. to be convenient for ambulant disabled people to live in, including those who use wheelchairs but are not wheelchair bound or to facilitate disabled users. However, information on this stock is not held separately and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Housing Executive Estates (Lorry Parking)
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it the practice of the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland to inform recipients of haulage operators' licences that parking in bays or on grass areas within Housing Executive estates is prohibited and could lead to the withdrawal of the operator's licence.[18562]
Mr. Moss:
The Department does not consider it necessary to advise and warn licensed haulage operators specifically about parking of their vehicles in Northern Ireland Housing Executive estates.
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As a condition of their road freight operators licence, vehicles used under the licence must not be parked overnight on public roads, which would include parking bays provided within Housing Executive developments. Where the holder of a licence fails to comply with any condition of the licence, he shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000. The Department may also revoke or suspend an operator's licence where a condition of the licence has not been complied with.
Parking on grass areas is prohibited by the NIHE.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the official notice regarding the (i) opening for applications and (ii) closing of the countryside enhancement scheme appeared in the press in Northern Ireland; how many applications were received, from (a) each county and (b) each council district; to whom advance notice of the scheme was given and on what dates; when copies of the details of the scheme were made available to (1) farmers and (2) other bodies; and if he will place a copy of the details of the scheme in the Library. [18513]
Mr. Ancram
[holding answer 4 March 1997]: (i) A press release was issued on 27 January 1997 announcing the opening of the farm and countryside enhancement scheme and (ii) another press release was issued on 30 January 1997 announcing the closure.
(a) The following applications were received from each county:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Co. Antrim | 73 |
| Co. Down | 291 |
| Co. Londonderry | 535 |
| Co. Armagh | 674 |
| Co. Fermanagh | 866 |
| Co. Tyrone | 1,752 |
(b) The following applications were received from each district council:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Armagh | 295 |
| Craigavon | 58 |
| Limavady | 162 |
| Newry and Mourne | 535 |
| Omagh | 726 |
| Belfast | 3 |
| Dungannon | 418 |
| Lisburn | 74 |
| Newtonabbey | 34 |
| Strabane | 267 |
| Cookstown | 341 |
| Fermanagh | 855 |
| Londonderry | 106 |
| Magherafelt | 224 |
| Other District Councils | 31 |
Sixty-two applications were received and are being checked to find out the council area to which they belong. The Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association
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was informed on the afternoon of 27 January 1997 when the press release was being issued. Attempts were made to inform the Ulster Farmers Union, but it could not be contacted until the morning of 28 January 1997.
Details of the scheme was made available to farmers and other bodies on 28 January 1997. A leaflet with details of the scheme will be placed in the Library.
Dr. Hendron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the average cost to public funds of a road accident fatality. [18742]
Mr. Moss:
The average cost, based on Department of Transport estimates, is £812,010.
Dr. Hendron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be the cost of increasing the number of road safety officers from the present 12 to 17.[18741]
Mr. Moss:
The annual cost of increasing the number of road safety education officers from the planned 11 to the recommended 18 would be £176,323.
Dr. Hendron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of the report commissioned by his Department on road safety education. [18739]
Mr. Moss:
The cost of the research and report was £9,105.
Dr. Hendron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many road accident casualties resulted from (a) overloaded lorries and lorries with mechanical defects and (b) errors by drivers, riders and pedestrians and defiance of the laws on speeding, drink driving and seat belts. [18737]
Mr. Moss:
Road casualty accident figures provided by the RUC are as follows:
Dr. Hendron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the number of road safety officers is to be reduced from 12 to 10. [18740]
Mr. Moss:
I have decided, in the light of competing priorities for road safety funding, that the number of road safety education officers should be reduced from 13 to 11. Road safety remains a priority for the Government and the overall resources allocated to it, particularly for vehicle enforcement and accident remedial and traffic calming measures, continue to increase year on year.
10 Mar 1997 : Column: 63
Dr. Hendron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to achieve the code of good practice recommendation of one road safety officer per 50,000 population before 2000; and what additional resources he plans to devote to this aim. [18738]
Mr. Moss:
I have no such plans. Competing priorities for road safety funding combined with general pressure on all departmental spending, render such a recommended staffing level inappropriate.
(a) Accident casualties resulting from overloaded lorries and lorries with mechanical defects.
1993: 5
1994: 20
1995: 29
(b) Accident casualties caused by drivers, riders and pedestrians and defiance of the laws on speeding, drink driving and seatbelts.
1993: 21,691
1994: 23,518
1995: 22,499
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