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Water and Sewerage Companies (Investment)
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been invested in the water and sewerage systems by each water and sewerage company in each year since 1987. [11195]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 29 July 1997]: Information on water and sewerage companies' investment since privatisation in 1989 is available in the report on the financial performance and capital investment of the water companies in England and Wales published annually by the Office of Water Services. The annual "Waterfacts", published by the Water Services Association, has shown figures for capital expenditure by water and sewerage companies and, before privatisation, by water authorities. Copies of both these publications are in the Library. Expenditure by water authorities included sums spent on some functions, including pollution control, flood protection and land drainage, which in 1989 were transferred to the National Rivers Authority.
Hybrid Wolves
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what conditions his Department places upon the breeding and keeping of hybrid wolf dogs; [11095]
- (2) what regulations are in place to monitor the selling of hybrid wolf dogs; [11099]
(3) what assessment he has made of the impact on public safety of the keeping of hybrid wolf dogs in residential areas; [11100]
(4) what studies his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the breeding of hybrid wolf dogs.[11101]
Angela Eagle: The keeping of wolf hybrids is controlled under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. Under the Act, a licence is required to keep such animals. The issuing of licences and the day-to-day administration of the Act are the responsibility of the relevant local authority.
A licence can be issued only if a local authority is satisfied that it would not be against the public interest on grounds of safety or nuisance; that the applicant is a suitable person to hold a licence; that the proposed accommodation ensures that the animal will not escape, and is suitable from an animal welfare point of view. In issuing licences, local authorities may require restrictions
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on the movement of the animal from the premises specified in the licence, and impose any other condition which they consider appropriate.
The 1976 Act contains no provisions relating to the breeding or sale of wolf hybrids, and the Department has not undertaken any studies into their breeding. However, in replying to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 9 July 1997, Official Report, column 496, I indicated that the Department will be considering whether further guidance under the Act is required.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce statutory time limits for the planning process; and if he will make a statement. [11070]
Mr. Raynsford:
Article 20 of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 already specifies the time periods within which planning decisions should be taken and we have no plans to amend this aspect of the legislation. The responses to my Department's recent consultation paper on development plans confirmed the difficulty of setting a statutory timetable for the development plan process which would be appropriate to all authorities. However, certain parts of the process are already subject to time limits and we are considering the scope for extending this. We are also looking at the possibility of requiring authorities publicly to set target timetables for the adoption of their plans, for which they would be accountable locally.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he proposes to improve the procedures involved in taking planning decisions. [11069]
Mr. Raynsford:
We are currently considering what steps might be taken to speed up the planning process and will be announcing our conclusions in due course.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the number of changes of use that occur within use categories in planning terms. [10880]
Mr. Raynsford:
Under section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, changes of use within individual use classes are not development, do not require planning permission and are therefore not recorded.
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Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will allow objectors the right of appeal in planning matters. [10879]
Mr. Raynsford:
We have no plans to extend the right of appeal to third parties in planning cases. It is for elected local authorities to act in the general public interest when determining planning applications. Planning legislation already provides extensive opportunities for members of the public and interested organisations to comment on both draft development plans and individual planning applications.
Mr. Levitt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take measures to increase the quantity of waste silage wrap which goes for recycling. [11148]
Angela Eagle:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) on Monday 28 July 1997, Official Report, column 48. In addition, we are looking to see what further measures could be taken to increase the quantity of waste silage wrap which is recycled.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to (a) prevent the destruction and (b) encourage and improve maintenance of dry stone walls in England and Wales. [11153]
Angela Eagle:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Ms Jackson) on 9 July 1997, Official Report, column 495. Responsibility for dry stone walling in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Sir Sydney Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many council estates have benefited from the estates renewal challenge fund. [10928]
Angela Eagle
[holding answer 28 July 1997]: Sixty-nine estates have received £316 million of funding under rounds 1 and 2 of the estates renewal challenge fund.
Mr. Tyler:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list, by year, the number of applications for consent to release organisms genetically modified for ampicillin resistance that have been (a) granted and (b) rejected for the purposes of (i) field testing and (ii) marketing. [10975]
Angela Eagle
[holding answer 28 July 1997]: Since the coming into force of the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992, (i) seven applications to field test genetically modified organisms with the ampicillin-resistance gene, whether the gene be functional or not, have been granted a consent and, (ii) no applications for consent to market GMOs with
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ampicillin-resistance gene have been received in Great Britain. The numbers by year for the field testing are as follows:
| Year | Granted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | (32)1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | (32)1+1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 |
| 1997 | (32)1+1 | 0 |
Applications marked (32) had a functional ampicillin resistance gene.
Methyl Bromide
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to tighten controls on the use of methyl bromide. [10967]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 28 July 1997]: EC regulation 3093/94 places a freeze on the production and consumption of methyl bromide at 1991 levels from 1995, and requires a further 25 per cent. cut from 1998. The Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer requires all developed countries to phase out methyl bromide by 2010, with cuts of 25 per cent. in 2001 and 50 per cent. in 2005.
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