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Wind Farms
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review policy guidance concerning wind farms.[1475]
Mr. Raynsford: Planning policy guidance on wind energy developments is contained in Planning Policy Guidance note 22, "Renewable Energy". The Government have no immediate plans to revise that guidance.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has in respect of planning guidance for wind farms in areas of outstanding natural beauty. [1310]
Mr. Raynsford: Planning policy guidance on wind energy developments, including developments in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is contained in Planning Policy Guidance note 22, "Renewable Energy". Further advice on Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty is given in the recently issued revised Planning Policy Guidance note 7, "The Countryside--Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development". The Government have no immediate plans to revise either guidance note.
Water Abstraction (Rivers)
Mr. Ancram:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his policy on the abstraction of water from rivers; and what steps he is taking to protect vulnerable rivers from damage from lower flows of water as a consequence of abstraction. [1282]
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Angela Eagle:
Abstraction of water from rivers is subject to licensing requirements, set out in Chapter II of the Water Resources Act 1991 and administered by the Environment Agency. The Government announced on 19 May 1997 its intention to review the water abstraction licensing system, with a key aim of ensuring that the needs of the environment are given due weight.
The Environment Agency currently has targets to alleviate low flows in 36 kilometres of rivers in 1997-98 and in a further 32 kilometres in 1998-99.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will meet representatives of the States of Jersey to discuss the report they commissioned from Professor Sir John Knill and Dr. Mike Romerill concerning the disposal of radioactive waste in the Hurd Deep. [1436]
Angela Eagle:
It is for the States of Jersey to decide whether they wish to approach the United Kingdom Government on this matter. Officials of United Kingdom Departments meet representatives of the States of Jersey for briefing on a regular basis.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the levels of costs to (a) firms and (b) universities of making funding proposals under the Partners in Technology Programme in 1996; and what steps he intends to take to reduce costs to applicants for the 1997 programme. [1430]
Mr. Raynsford:
From a small survey of applicants to the Partners in Technology scheme it has been estimated that the average cost to firms and universities of preparing a proposal in the 1996 round was about £5,000. I am conscious of the need to minimise such costs and my Department has been consulting on the appropriate guidance to issue to applicants.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many planning schemes in respect of which he has used his call-in powers were awaiting a decision on 5 May; and what plans he has to review the call-in procedure. [1473]
Mr. Raynsford:
On 5 May, 42 called-in planning applications in England were awaiting decision. The Government will keep the call-in procedure under review as part of the ongoing process of monitoring the planning system.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish the report commissioned from the Living Earth Foundation into the effectiveness of the BRE best practice programme. [1432]
Angela Eagle:
The Department commissioned PREST, (Policy Research Engineering, Science and Technology Institute at the University of Manchester), to carry out an
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independent review of the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme. The review, which was completed in 1996, concluded that the programme is an effective means of generating energy savings; comprehensively covers UK industry and buildings stock; and is well managed. The report on the review is scheduled for publication in the next few weeks and a copy will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made for each metropolitan borough of the money available from (a) housing capital receipts and (b) other capital receipts to finance a housing programme. [1506]
Mr. Raynsford:
Local authorities have usable capital receipts which are available for any capital purpose (including housing). The accumulated and unspent usable capital receipts held by each metropolitan borough as at 31 March 1996 are set out in the table below. The table also shows the total of housing receipts set aside by these authorities between 1990-91 and 1995-96. However, individual authorities may have used these set aside receipts to repay debt or in lieu of further borrowing, however, and so may no longer retain them in the form of cash and investments.
Sources:
1995-96 Capital Outturn Returns.
HRA subsidy claim forms.
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Council House Sales
Mr. Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the value of the set-aside receipts from the sale of council houses (a) in total and (b) since 1990 for (i) England, (ii) Manchester and (iii) Trafford. [1633]
Mr. Raynsford: Between 1990-91 and 1995-96, the value of housing receipts set aside from the sale of local authority housing and associated land in England was £5,283 million. The corresponding figure for Manchester was £63.0 million and for Trafford £10.3 million. However, individual authorities may have used these receipts to repay debt or in lieu of further borrowing and so may no longer retain them in the form of cash and investments. No information is available on the value of receipts set aside before 1990-91.
Former British Local Properties
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what plans he has to assist Leicester Housing Association to improve the ex-British Coal properties under its ownership in North Nottinghamshire; [1818]
- (2) if he plans to remove the embargo on the application of social housing grants to the improvement of former British Coal properties. [1817]
Mr. Raynsford: We have no immediate plans to remove the bar on the application of social housing grant to the improvement of former British Coal properties, although we intend to look again at this issue. Any reconsideration of the policy will, however, need to take into account the wider issues of using grant to pay for repairs or improvements to stock transferred to housing associations from ex public sector landlords, and will need to ensure that any such expenditure represents good value for money.
Earth Summit (New York)
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he plans to put before the Earth summit II in New York in June; and if he will make a statement. [1749]
Angela Eagle:
We are working with our partners in the European Union to ensure that the meeting results in a renewal of the Rio objectives, and in particular for advances on climate change, forests, fresh water, oceans and energy.
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