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DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Accounts
Mr. Bennett: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the accounts for the Duchy of Lancaster will be laid in the Library. [11003]
Dr. David Clark: I am pleased to inform my hon. Friend that the accounts of the Duchy of Lancaster for the year ended 31 March 1997 have been laid in the Libraries of the House today.
Quangos
Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to extend the democratic accountability of quangos in England. [11002]
Dr. David Clark: As part of its programme to clean up politics, the Government are determined that all unelected public bodies should be fully answerable for what they do. They should conduct their business so that they are both efficient, effective and economical in providing their expert advice and services to the public and to Government, and accessible, responsive and transparent to the public whom they ultimately serve. The White Papers on Scotland and Wales show that this democratic approach is central to the Government's plans for devolution. Our purpose is the same for public bodies which operate on a United Kingdom or Great Britain basis, those covering England alone and those serving England and Wales.
I propose in the autumn to issue a discussion paper considering how democratic oversight of those bodies might best be enhanced, not least through the full implementation of the recommendations of the Nolan committee. In the light of consultation, I shall bring forward proposals in the forthcoming White Paper on better Government.
Members' Interests
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will ensure that (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department refuse requests from hon. members to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings relating to interests held by those Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8066]
Dr. David Clark
[pursuant to his reply 17 July 1997, 332]: The first report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) recognised the value of enabling Members to retain interests outside the House, provided these were properly declared, both in the Register of Members' Interests and on other occasions. Subject to these requirements, and to the rules of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, Members are free to seek meetings with Ministers and officials, who will consider such requests alongside the many other approaches from individuals and organisations concerned to press their own interests or those of others.
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Employment Advertisements
Ms Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how often since 1992 his Department or its predecessor departments have been responsible for employment advertisements which contained age restrictions upon those who could apply. [9511]
Angela Eagle: The recruitment and employment of staff is the responsibility of each individual body--quango--which seek to attract applicants from diverse backgrounds. The Department, for its part, is keen, wherever possible, to encourage equality of opportunity within non-departmental public bodies. The information requested is not held by my Department.
Air Quality (Brent Cross)
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the impact on air quality standards of increased traffic flows arising from the proposed extension of Brent Cross shopping centre; and if he will make a statement. [9186]
Angela Eagle: Estimating the impacts of individual new developments on air quality is primarily a local matter, in which the Secretary of State is not involved.
The effects of air pollution are, in appropriate cases, capable of being taken into account by a planning authority as a material consideration in relation to a planning application. The weight to be given to such considerations is for the judgment of the decision maker.
I understand that in this case an environmental appraisal, covering air quality, was carried out by those applying for planning permission. I also understand that the local authority is currently considering the conclusions of that appraisal and monitoring air quality in the area.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what are the total capital receipts for each local authority in Hampshire arising from the sale of council houses since 1979; [9316]
Mr. Raynsford:
Figures for (a) total capital receipts arising from the sale of council houses and flats between 1980-81 and 1996-97 and (b) housing capital receipts set aside between 1990-91 and 1995-96 are set out for each local authority in Hampshire in the table.
The first column includes all receipts from the sales of council dwellings, including--since 1990-91--those which could be used to finance capital expenditure as well as those which had to be set aside. The distinction between usable and set-aside receipts is not relevant before 1990-91.
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(2) how much of the capital receipts from council houses sales since 1979 has been used to avert borrowing; and how much remains in local authority accounts for each local authority in Hampshire, [9401]
| £000 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Receipts from sale of council dwellings, 1980-81 to 1996-97 | Receipts set aside from sales of housing revenue account assets 1990-91 to 1995-96 | |
| Basingstoke and Deane | (8) 197,539 | 82,221 |
| East Hampshire | 94,801 | 41,142 |
| Eastleigh | (1) 81,755 | 37,480 |
| Fareham | (2) 29,442 | 3,077 |
| Gosport | 38,425 | 6,573 |
| Hart | 43,051 | 18,080 |
| Havant | 72,892 | 26,819 |
| New Forest | (1) 59,209 | 8,032 |
| Portsmouth | 129,642 | 13,618 |
| Rushmoor | 116,116 | 53,140 |
| Southampton | (2) 87,729 | 14,313 |
| Test vally | 75,667 | 11,762 |
| Winchester | (1) 51,872 | 7,949 |
Source:
Quarterly housing return (PIB), Housing revenue account subsidy claim form.
Note:
No figures are available for receipts from the sale of council houses prior to 1 April 1980. Figures in brackets indicate incomplete data, showing the number of quarters missing during the period. Figures for set-aside receipts in 1996-97 are not yet available.
We are in the process of consulting the Local Government Association and local authorities on the Govnerment's capital receipts initiative. The final decision about the basis on which resources are to be distributed to individual authorities will be made when that consultation process is complete.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of the capital receipts from council house sales since 1979 has been used to avert borrowing; and how much remains in local authority bank accounts in each local authority in the United Kingdom. [9771]
Mr. Raynsford:
A table showing (a) the total capital receipts arising from the sale of council houses and flats between 1979-80 and 1995-96, and (b) housing capital receipts set-aside between 1990-91 and 1995-96 for each English local authority has been placed in the Library of the House. The totals for authorities in England are respectively (a) £24.6 billion, and (b) £5.3 billion.
The first figure includes all receipts from the sales of council dwellings, including--since 1990-91--those which could be used to finance capital expenditure as well as those which had to be set aside. The distinction between usable and set-aside receipts is not relevant before 1990-91.
No figures are available for receipts from the sale of council houses prior to 1 April 1980. Figures for set-aside receipts in 1996-97 are not yet available.
Information is not available on the amount of set-aside housing receipts that authorities have used to avert borrowing, nor on the amount remaining in local authority accounts.
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We are in the process of consulting the Local Government Association and local authorities on the Government's capital receipts initiative. The final decision about the basis on which resources are to be distributed to individual authorities will be made when that consultation process is complete.
Information relating to local authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is respectively the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals his Department has for the development of foyer schemes; and if he will make a statement. [9177]
Mr. Raynsford:
Foyer schemes are one of a range of solutions to help homeless and unemployed young people. There are already a large number of such schemes in operation with more in development or being planned. Large sums of public money have already been invested in foyer schemes through, for example, capital and revenue grants payable by the Housing Corporation. Further schemes may qualify for support and for additional resources released under the capital receipts initiative. It will be for prospective foyer developers and individual local authorities to identify local needs and priorities when considering the case for a foyer scheme.
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