| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Llanelleu Bridge
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the safety of pedestrians on the A4042 over Llanelleu Bridge, near Abergavenny. [2525]
Mr. Hain: The Department regularly reviews all sections of trunk road with regard to road safety. No traffic accidents have ever been recorded at this site.
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals his Department has to construct a pedestrian bridge alongside the Llanelleu Bridge, near Abergavenny. [2529]
Mr. Hain: Given the low level of pedestrian use, the provision of a footbridge is not justifiable in the light of information I have received on other priorities, but the Department has offered to joint fund up to 50 per cent. of the projected cost of such a bridge.
Workers Education Association
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about future financial support for the Workers Education Association. [3274]
Mr. Hain: Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, the North and South Wales districts of the Workers' Educational Association are further education institutions designated as eligible to receive funding support from the Further Education Funding Council for Wales. It is for the FEFCW to determine the allocation of funding to reach district of the WEA in Wales, though I value its important work.
Poverty
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to reduce poverty in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [3149]
17 Jun 1997 : Column: 144
Mr. Win Griffiths:
The Government are determined to tackle the underlying causes of poverty in Wales, working with local government, business and the voluntary sector. In addition to wider measures to reform the benefits system and our policies on welfare to work, which will address both youth and adult unemployment and target areas of high unemployment, developments will include encouragement of regeneration programmes for the communities in greatest need; a Bill to release capital receipts to allow the building of new houses and the rehabilitation of old ones; targeting areas of low educational achievement; new approaches to childcare; approaches to improving health which recognise the impact of poverty; and promoting the involvement of local communities in identifying their needs and developing strategies to address them.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what events were (a) sponsored and (b) publicised by his Department to mark World Environment Day on 5 June. [3821]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
At a ceremony held at the Welsh Office I marked World Environment Day by announcing the establishment of a Coastal Forum for Wales, and by presenting blue flags to be flown at nine beaches on the Welsh coastline to the local authorities which had successfully applied for these prestigious awards.
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what companies comprised the private consortium in the private finance initiative for the Red Barn development at Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny. [3931]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
The private consortium comprised of:
Bovis Crown Gap
Bovis Building Management
RCO Support Services Ltd.
Council House Sales
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total amount of council house sales receipts in (a) Wales and (b) the former Alyn and Deeside district council; and if he will make a statement.[3599]
Mr. Win Griffiths
[holding answer 16 June 1997]: The total amount of council house sales receipts for the former Alyn and Deeside district council, and for Wales as a whole, is given in the following table. The period covers the inception of the right-to-buy-scheme in 1981, up to the abolition of the former district and borough councils in 1996. Receipts covered by the new capital finance system, introduced on 1 April 1990, are shown separately.
17 Jun 1997 : Column: 145
We will consult shortly on proposals for the release of set-aside housing capital receipts.
| £ thousand | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Of which: | ||||
| 1 April 1981 to 31 March 1990 | 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1996 | Usable | Reserved (28) | |
| Alyn and | ||||
| Deeside | 11,600 | 7,618 | 3,047 | 4,571 |
| Wales | 662,242 | 323,764 | 123,220 | 200,544 |
(28) Under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, authorities are required to set aside a proportion of capital receipts as provision to meet credit liabilities ("the reserved part").
Food Poisoning
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much his Department has spent on research into food-poisoning in each of the last five years, broken down to show the funds dedicated to (a) E. coli, (b) campylobacter and (c) salmonella; [3610]
- (2) how much his Department has budgeted for research into food-poisoning in 1997-98, broken down to show the funds dedicated to (a) E. coli, (b) campylobacter and (c) salmonella. [3611]
Mr. Win Griffiths: The majority of research in this area is funded by the Department of my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The Welsh Office is, however, funding three concurrent studies to evaluate the detection and routine investigation of sporadic food poisoning in Wales and to identify possible risk factors for infection. Total funding of £128,000 is available with £53,000 budgeted to be spent in 1997-98.
Compulsory Competitive Tendering
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for allowing local government not to proceed with current compulsory competitive tendering. [3995]
Mr. Win Griffiths: My right hon. Friend announced on 2 June, Official Report, column 32-3 his proposals for extending the current moratorium on compulsory competitive tendering in Wales. The Welsh Office is consulting local government, private sector contractors and other interested parties on a proposed revised timetable for implementation.
It is important that the pressure for greater efficiencies is maintained while the Government's review of compulsory competitive tendering takes place and prior to the broader approach to achieving effectiveness and efficiency based on best value principles being introduced. My right hon. Friend has therefore asked Welsh councils to take a positive view on the benefits of voluntary competitive tendering and to conclude properly those tendering exercises which are nearing completion.
17 Jun 1997 : Column: 146
ENVIRONMENT AND THE REGIONS
Agricultural Waste
Mrs. Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to bring waste which arises on agricultural premises within the definition of controlled waste. [3075]
Angela Eagle: The Department of the Environment's Annual Report for 1997 (Cm 3607) set out the previous Government's plans for the next three years. The report stated in paragraph 6.35 that in 1997-98 the Department's plans included:
"(v) issue draft regulations on extending waste management controls to certain agricultural and mining/quarrying waste for public consultation."
New Forest
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what the controlling authority will be of the proposed New Forest Heritage Area; [3143]
- (2) when the New Forest Heritage Area boundaries will be formally approved; [3141]
(3) if he will make a statement on the statutory status of the New Forest Heritage Area. [3142]
Mr. Raynsford: The boundary of the New Heritage Forest has been delineated through the statutory local plan process and therefore has the force of section 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. I understand that the relevant local plans defining the Heritage Area have been adopted by the local planning authorities, but that the boundary in respect of two areas of land, in the Avon Valley and north of Totton, is being reviewed in the context of the emerging New Forest District Local Plan. For the purposes of the town and country planning legislation, the controlling authorities are the local planning authorities within whose administrative areas the Heritage Area lies. These authorities, together with other public bodies with particular responsibilities for the New Forest, are represented on the non-statutory New Forest Committee which has the purpose of assisting the co-ordination of their activities.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |