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Running Costs
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make changes to the running costs limit for Class VIII Vote 1 for 1997-98.[5473]
Mr. Hoon:
The running costs limit for Class VIII Vote 1 has been reduced by £73,000 from £427,754,000 to £427,681,000 to reflect a transfer to the Cabinet Office for editorial support for the hard copy publications functions of the Statutory Publications Office.
24 Jun 1997 : Column: 479
Town Centre Management Schemes
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to encourage town centre management schemes. [4010]
Mr. Raynsford: PPG 6 (Town Centres and Retail Developments) actively encourages local authorities to prepare town centre management initiatives. To help facilitate this the Government provide core funding for the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM), which has a lead role in the promotion of town centre management. The Government have also provided financial support for the ATCM research reports on "Town Improvement Zones" (undertaken by KPMG), "Managing urban open spaces", undertaken by Chesterton's, and "Town Centre Partnerships: a survey of good practice", undertaken by Hillier Parker and URBED.
Unfit Homes (Portsmouth)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) when he proposes to publish targets for the reduction in the number of unfit homes in Portsmouth; [4294]
- (2) what representations he has received from Portsmouth City Council concerning the number of unfit homes in Portsmouth; [4295]
(3) how many unfit homes there are in Portsmouth; and what plans he has to reduce their number. [4293]
Mr. Raynsford: My Department has received no representations from Portsmouth city council concerning the number of unfit homes in Portsmouth. Local authorities in England are asked to provide estimates of dwellings in their area which are unfit on the annual housing investment programme returns. Portsmouth's latest HIP return reported that, on 1 April 1996, 340 of its own dwellings and 5,300 private sector dwellings were unfit. Figures for other public sector bodies and housing associations were not provided. Local authorities are responsible for taking action to tackle unfit homes within their area, including the setting and publishing of any targets for reduction, within the context of their housing strategy and investment programmes.
Environmental Taskforce
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consultation he will undertake on his proposals for an environmental taskforce; and if he will consult with non-Governmental environmental organisations. [4480]
Angela Eagle:
The Government are committed to delivering the New Deal programme in partnership with other organisations in the voluntary, private and public sectors, including non-governmental environmental organisations, and will consult those organisations shortly.
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Mr. Kemp:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the time scale for the creation of regional development agencies. [4789]
Angela Eagle:
We propose to bring forward legislation in the autumn with a view to the agencies beginning operation on 1 April 1999.
Ms Hewitt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will issue guidelines to local authorities on how they should handle applications for local authority tenancies from individuals who have been convicted of sex offences against children; [4815]
Mr. Raynsford:
We recognise that this is a matter of great concern. It is being actively considered by my Department in close co-operation with other relevant Government Departments and the representatives of local authorities and housing professionals. Local housing authorities already have the power to decide which classes of person qualify or do not qualify to be included in their housing registers and whether to allocate tenancies to such persons. The Home Office is consulting other Government Departments, the police and other practitioners about guidance to be issued to the police on the management of the information acquired under the Sex Offenders Act 1997. The guidance will cover the disclosure of information to third parties. The representatives of local authorities and the housing profession are considering whether to issue separate advice on this matter to local authorities and will discuss this with my Department.
Sir Michael Spicer:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to lay down guidelines to ensure that housing estates are not built without pavements. [4611]
Mr. Raynsford:
General guidance relating to the design of residential roads and footpaths is set out in my Department's "Design Bulletin 32", issued in revised form in 1992. This advises that, when designing the layouts for new housing development, appropriate provision should be made for pedestrians. It will be a matter for local judgment about how this might best be achieved, taking account of local circumstances. The bulletin recognises that in some cases surfaces shared by pedestrians, cyclists and motorists may be appropriate provided they allow for safe use by all users.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the estimated total staffing level for the Environment Agency in 1996; what are his estimates for (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and
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(c) 1999; and what additional responsibilities the Environment Agency will be taking on during this period.[4729]
Angela Eagle:
The staffing level of the Environment Agency is a matter for the Agency. The Agency's 1997-98 Corporate Plan shows the following total staffing figures: 1996-97 budget 9,450; 1997-98 plan 9,300; 1998-99 plan 9,100; and 1999-2000 plan 8,950. The 1998-99 Corporate Plan is in the course of preparation. The Government would discuss any changes in responsibilities with the Agency and would expect to announce any major additions.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the results of research commissioned by the Environment Agency on bio-aerosol production of commercial composting sites will be available. [4598]
Angela Eagle:
The results of the research on bio-aerosol production at commercial composting sites, originally commissioned by the Department and now managed by the Environment Agency, are expected to be available early in the autumn.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide incentives to local authorities to examine the buildings of solar homes. [4597]
Angela Eagle:
Local planning authorities are required by "Planning Policy Guidance Note 22" to have regard to renewable energy--including solar energy. Detailed technical guidance is freely available from the DTI and my own Department on how to make the most of this energy source.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide Government funding for solar homes. [4600]
Angela Eagle:
In line with its manifesto commitment to undertake a new and strong drive to develop renewable energy sources, including solar energy, the Government have announced a review of policy in this area. The review includes considerations of what would be necessary and practicable to achieve 10 per cent. of UK's electricity needs from renewables by the year 2010 and how renewables can make an effective contribution to meeting requirements for future greenhouse gas reduction commitments. In the meantime, the Government's new and renewable energy programme, currently under way, will continue.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures are in place to ensure that proposals for future oil extraction in the Atlantic are compatible with the requirements of the European Habitats directive. [4727]
Angela Eagle:
The DTI carries out a full consultation with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee before offering any licences for oil extraction. Indeed, as a result
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of advice received from JNCC on the 17th licensing round that the Flannan Isles could be affected by certain blocks of licences, DTI withdrew those blocks from the round. Offers of licences are usually conditional upon the acceptance of special conditions to protect environmental sensitivities and the interests of users of the sea. This process is analogous to the requirements of article 6(2) and 6(3) of the Habitats Directive.
(2) if he will review the responsibilities and powers of local authorities where an individual who has been convicted of sex offences against children (a) moves into the authority's area and (b) applies for a local authority tenancy; and if he will make a statement. [4814]
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