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Gas and Electricity (Standards of Performance
Scheme)
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate (a) the savings to gas consumers in pounds sterling and (b) the reduction in carbon emissions since 1994, if a scheme equivalent to the standards of performance scheme for electricity consumers had been introduced for gas consumers. [18872]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: It is not possible to make meaningful estimates, since they would depend on hypothetical assumptions about a series of factors, including the types of project run by gas companies under a standards of performance scheme, the level of consumers' take-up of project schemes, the costs of individual projects, and other factors.
Cryptosporidium
Mr. Boateng:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many incidents of cryptosporidum in the water supply have been notified to him in the past 12 months; and in which water company areas. [18911]
10 Mar 1997 : Column: 75
Mr. Clappison:
Water companies in England and Wales are required to report all incidents in which drinking water quality might be affected. All incidents are investigated by the drinking water inspectorate. Most incidents are relatively minor happenings.
The most significant risk to drinking water quality is the presence of cryptosporidium oocysts. On cryptosporidium, the notification to the inspectorate can relate either to the detection of cryptosporidium oocysts in treated water or to an increase of the illness cryptosporidiosis in the community or both. The transmission of the illness occurs in a number of ways and often through contact with animals. One recent outbreak of cryptosporidiosis was found to be associated with the failure of a milk pasteurisation plant.
| Water company area | Date | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Water | 29 May 1996 | Littlehempston | Concluded |
| Cambridge Water | 30 May 1996 | Duxford/Linton | Concluded |
| South West Water | 27 June 1996 | Crown Hill WTW | Concluded |
| Mid Kent Water | |||
| Southern Water | 3 July 1996 | Burham WTW | Concluded |
| Yorkshire Water | 17 October 1996 | Elvington WTW (raw water only) | Under investigation |
| Northumbrian Water | 22 October 1996 | Lumley WTW | Under investigation |
| Yorkshire Water | 21 February 1997 | Pately Bridge | Under Investigation |
| Water company area | Date | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire Water | 21 March 1996 | Tophill Low | Under investigation |
| Anglian Water | 12 February 1997 | Bedford area | Under investigation |
| Three Valleys Water | 26 February 1997 | Luton/Dunstable | Under investigation |
| Water company area | Date | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| North West Water | 29 April 1996 | The Wirral | Under investigation |
| Portsmouth Water | 18 November 1996 | Itchen WTW | Under investigation |
| Three Valleys Water | 2 March 1997 | Clay Lane WTW | Under investigation |
10 Mar 1997 : Column: 76
Salisbury Bypass
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has received from English Nature concerning the proposed Salisbury bypass. [19097]
Sir Paul Beresford: The Highways Agency report on the scope for realigning the section of the route across the sensitive area of the River Avon floodpath south of Salisbury, which incorporates advice from English Nature and others, has recently been submitted to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport. They will consider English Nature's views as part of their consideration of the Highways Agency's report.
Council Leaseholders
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which London local authorities have adopted the exchange sales scheme for council leaseholders who have unmortgageable properties. [18431]
Mr. Clappison: Six London authorities have reported to us that they have adopted the exchange sales scheme: the London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Croydon, Hammersmith and Fulham, Sutton, and the City of Westminster.
Willenhall Shopping Precinct Project
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the policy of English Partnerships in respect of negotiations with Coventry city council regarding the Willenhall shopping precinct project; [18889]
- (2) what are the reasons for the delays in the negotiations between English Partnerships and those partners involved in the Willenhall shopping precinct project; [18890]
(3) if he will commission an urgent inquiry into the manner in which English Partnerships has handled negotiations with those partners involved in the Willenhall shopping precinct project. [18891]
Sir Paul Beresford: English Partnerships received an application from a private developer, Bellway Urban Renewal, in July 1996 for funding of £1.7 million towards a proposal it had developed with Coventry city council and the Coventry and East Mercia Co-operative Society for the development of Willenhall shopping precinct. The agency has been consistently supportive of the project and has submitted it to close and careful appraisal to ensure the best value for money, as it does for every other part of its programme. English Partnerships has now confirmed its offer to Bellway Urban Renewal, and a press conference and start on site, both involving the city council, are scheduled for Monday 10 March. English Partnerships has a strong working relationship with Coventry city council, spanning a wide range of projects of which this is a key component.
The time scale is customary for a project of this size and complexity, which has required negotiation with a number of parties, including the local community.
10 Mar 1997 : Column: 77
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the way English Partnerships conducts negotiations on the projects it is involved with. [18892]
Sir Paul Beresford:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is completely satisfied with the way in which English Partnerships operates its development programme. Before committing any resources, English Partnerships submits all potential projects to close appraisal in order to ensure that the agency follows the latest best practice and achieves the best possible value for public money at its disposal. The basis of this appraisal is described in the agency's published "Investment Guide" and "Community Investment Guide".
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many answers to parliamentary questions by Ministers in his Department in the last 12 months have exceeded the advisory cost limit; and if he will make a statement. [19345]
Sir Paul Beresford:
Where the cost of answering a particular parliamentary question is estimated to exceed £450, it is my Department's general practice to make clear in replying that an answer could be given only by incurring disproportionate cost. Given the large number of questions tabled, it would be unreasonable for my Department to calculate systematically the exact cost of answering every single parliamentary question.
Mr. Frank Cook:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. Hargreaves), of 20 February, Official Report, column 677, if he will (a) list and (b) make a statement on the regeneration schemes to be brought forward by the Teesside development corporation. [19232]
Sir Paul Beresford:
The increase in funding for the Teesside development corporation in 1996-97 was a result of bringing forward part of the grant in aid already allocated to the development corporation for 1997-98. There was no extra public funding involved. The corporation was offered the possibility of earlier availability of funding as part of a wider readjustment of the single regeneration budget, of which urban development corporations now form a part. Adjustments of this sort are part of the routine financial management of the SRB.
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