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Water Charges
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the increase or decrease in real terms since privatisation in water charges. [21493]
Mr. Robert B. Jones:
Between 1989-90, the year of privatisation, and 1996-97, average domestic water and sewerage charges in England and Wales increased by 35 per cent. in real terms. Since privatisation, the water
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industry has invested over £18 billion and in 1994 the Director General of Water Services allowed for investment of £24 billion over the 10-year period to 2005.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning guidance he has issued which relates to applications in respect of prison ships; what considerations are material to such applications; and if he will make a statement. [21413]
Sir Paul Beresford:
Planning guidance is issued to local planning authorities for them to take into account, inter alia, in decisions on planning applications. In the case of the proposed temporary mooring of a prison ship in Portland harbour, Dorset, the local planning authority accepts that planning permission is not required. Proposals by the Prison Service for shore-based facilities to serve the ship, which are Crown development, fall to be dealt with under the procedures set out in DOE Circular 18/84.
Mr. Mullin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to extending the life of the Tyne and Wear development corporation; and if he will make a statement. [21420]
Mr. Curry:
I refer to my reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury, (Mr. Baldry), then the Under-Secretary of State in this Department, on 22 April 1994 Official Report column 680.
Mr. George Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department has issued in respect of decisions by planning inquiries which might bind an incoming Government. [21575]
Sir Paul Beresford:
The Secretary of State has a statutory responsibility to decide any planning case before him taking into account all material considerations, including the inquiry report. Guidance for an incoming Government on this issue does not therefore arise.
Mr. Ainger:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the results so far of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's marine nature conservation review; [21579]
(3) which marine regions of Great Britain have been assessed for their marine nature conservation importance by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's nature conservation review. [21581]
Mr. Clappison:
The two major review publications--the rationale and methods volume and the first of the regional reports series, MNCR sector 6: inlets in eastern
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England--are in the Library already. I have arranged for a list of the 160 limited circulation reports also to be placed in the Library.
By March 1998, if work in hand is completed, approximately 60 per cent. of the inshore coastal area of Great Britain will have been described and assessed. After the marine nature conservation review team finishes its work in March 1998, information collected by country nature conservation agencies and others using the review techniques will continue to be added to the MNCR database by the joint nature conservation committee, and will therefore be available to assist in management of marine resources.
Assessments of marine conservation importance have been made or are in draft for the Shetland voes, south-east Scotland and north-east England, marine inlets in eastern England, marine inlets in south-west Britain, Liverpool bay and the Solway Firth and the Scottish lagoons. Assessments for Orkney, Cardigan bay and north Wales and the Scottish sea lochs will also be undertaken.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to respond to the second annual report of the United Kingdom Round Table on Sustainable Development published on 12 March. [21592]
Mr. Clappison:
We announced in "This Common Inheritance" annual report 1997 that we would publish a response to this report within three months.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if housing associations publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and in each case whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21685]
Mr. Clappison:
Registered social landlord are required by statute to provide a copy of their audited annual accounts to the Housing Corporation which holds them available for inspection. All other requirements are non-statutory. The main ones are:
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the statutory basis of housing associations; and if they (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21768]
Mr. Clappison:
Registered social landlords are independent non-profit making bodies, of which two-thirds are charities. There is no statutory requirement
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to admit members of the public to board or committee meetings, nor is there a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if housing associations are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21765]
Mr. Clappison:
Registered social landlords are not subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, the Audit Commission, or the National Audit Office. However, the Housing Corporation, which has a statutory responsibility to regulate all registered social landlords is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner and scrutiny by the National Audit Office. Furthermore, under powers granted in the Housing Act 1996, the Audit Commission may undertake value for money studies for, and provide advice on audit matters to, the Housing Corporation.
The corporation's statutory duties include the requirement to publish information about the performance of registered social landlords in the form of performance indicators.
There are no statutory provisions for open government which apply to registered social landlords.
Registered social landlords are eligible to apply for charter mark awards, and last year nine received awards.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for copies of his Department's newsletter, "Environment News", to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. [21597]
Mr. Clappison:
The latest copy of "Windoe", the Departmental newsletter and successor to "Environment World", has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent on the current
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energy conservation advertising campaign; how many calls have been received by the contact number; and what is the average cost per call to date. [21786]
Mr. Clappison:
I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what briefings have been requested by his Department from the Irish side of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat since 1 January 1990. [17701]
Sir Patrick Mayhew:
This information is not available. It is, however, open to both sides of the secretariat to seek or offer briefings on subjects relevant to the operation of the Anglo-Irish agreement.
(2) what proportion of the British coast is due to be assessed by the time the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's marine nature conservation review ends in March 1998; and what steps his Department will take to ensure that the rest of the British coast will be assessed for its marine nature conservation importance; [21580]
The tenants guarantee, which requires registered social landlords to keep their tenants informed about their housing management performance.
Housing Corporation performance standards, under which associations are required to conduct their affairs in an open and accountable way, disseminating widely information about their housing provision and activities.
The National Housing Federation's code of governance, which requires board members to declare conflicts of interest and registered social landlords to maintain records of interests of board members and senior staff and to make them available for public inspection.
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