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Birds
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to reverse the decline of previously common hedgerow, woodland and farmland species of bird life.[12497]
Angela Eagle:
The Government have taken positive steps to help reverse the decline in common hedgerow, woodland and farmland bird species. They include:
27 Oct 1997 : Column: 716
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he had made of the advantages and disadvantages of Railtrack retaining its exemption from planning controls with particular reference to radio aerial masts. [12531]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
My Department is aware of concerns which have been expressed about the use of permitted development rights by statutory undertakers such as Railtrack. Last year we commissioned research to establish the extent to which statutory undertakers rely on permitted development rights and to consider whether any changes are needed. The research project is now complete and we are considering the findings.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the (a) purpose and (b) annual budget of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. [12527]
Angela Eagle:
The purpose of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is to promote improvements in health and safety by collecting and disseminating available technical, scientific and economic information, of relevance to health and safety, throughout the Community and more widely.
The annual budget for the agency for 1997 is 4 million ecu, around £2.9 million.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to reduce the number of deaths and serious accidents at work; and if he will make a statement on the factors underlying recent increases in work-related casualties. [12479]
Angela Eagle:
The Government share concern about the recent increase in workplace accidents. The reasons for the increase are not straightforward and the Health and Safety Commission is conducting further analysis to identify the main causes and influences. The HSC's plan of work for 1997-98 sets out what the Health and Safety Commission and Health and Safety Executive are doing to promote health and safety. But the main responsibility lies with employers and others in industry--they have a legal obligation to manage health and safety properly and they need to do better.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many (a) employees and (b) self-employed people (i) were killed or (ii) received major injuries at the workplace in each year since 1993. [12809]
Angela Eagle:
The table shows the total number of fatal and major injuries to employees and self employed people reported to enforcing authorities between 1992-93 and 1996-97--years commencing 1 April.
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A biodiversity steering group report, published in December 1995, contained costed action plans for bird species, including the song thrush and skylark, and costed habitat action plans for cereal field margins, lowland wet grassland and other important bird habitats. Further costed action plans for other important bird habitats and song bird species are being prepared.
The Government are working with conservation and farming organisations to improve the efficiency and targeting of agri-environmental schemes which encourage environmentally sensitive farming.
MAFF has commissioned research into the relationship between farming practices over the last 20 years and populations of farmland birds. MAFF also funds research on establishment and maintenance of hedgerows and has large programmes to support agri-environment schemes and to help promote minimisation of the use of pesticides.
A comprehensive literature review, recently published, considered the possible indirect effect of pesticides on farmland birds. Further research is planned in this area.
An approval system is in place for new pesticides, and existing pesticides are subject to an EU review programme. Older pesticides are therefore reviewed against modern standards.
A pesticide's forum, including agricultural, environmental, food and other groups, has recently published an action plan for the responsible use of pesticides.
A group has been set up to recommend ways of strengthening the Hedgerow Regulations 1997, so that they give better protection for hedgerows. The group is working towards making its recommendations by the end of December this year.
| Year | Employees | Self-employed |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal injuries | ||
| 1992-93 | 276 | 63 |
| 1993-94 | 245 | 51 |
| 1994-95 | 191 | 81 |
| 1995-96 | 209 | 49 |
| 1996-97(25) | 210 | 77 |
| Major injuries | ||
| 1992-93 | 16,938 | 1,115 |
| 1993-94 | 16,705 | 1,274 |
| 1994-95 | 17,041 | 1,313 |
| 1995-96 | 16,568 | 1,166 |
| 1996-97(25) | (26)27,360 | (26)1,311 |
(25) Provisional. Finalised figures will be available in April 1998.
(26) Definition of major injury extended when The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 came into force on 1 April 1996.
Planning Applications
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many planning applications, by region, have been referred to the Sports Council for England under the terms of the General Development Procedure Order 1995 as amended with effect from 5 August 1996. [12707]
Mr. Raynsford: Between 5 August 1996 and 31 July 1997, 288 applications were referred to the English Sports Council as a statutory consultee. The English Sports Council has provided the following breakdown of this total, based on their regions:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| East | 42 |
| East Midlands | 42 |
| Greater London | 34 |
| North | 20 |
| North-West | 49 |
| South | 25 |
| South-East | 11 |
| South-West | 34 |
| West Midlands | 17 |
| Yorkshire | 14 |
Planning Legislation
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the operation of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 and the Town and Country Planning (Demolition-Description of Buildings) Direction 1995; and if he will make a statement. [12706]
Mr. Raynsford: There are no immediate plans for a review of the operation of either the order or the direction. However, we keep under consideration the need for amendments to these documents in the light of representations received on various issues. Any changes which we proposed introducing to either the permitted development order or the demolition direction would be the subject of consultation.
Energy and Environmental Education
Mr. Stunell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his
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Department has to review its relationship with non-governmental organisations involved in energy and environmental education. [12545]
Angela Eagle:
We propose to develop the constructive relationship we have with the many non-governmental organisations involved in energy and environmental education. In particular we look forward to improving co-ordination of initiatives through the panel on sustainable development education which we are setting up.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the suitability of PVC for use in construction of publicly funded buildings. [12594]
Mr. Raynsford:
One of the potential problems with the use of PVC materials in construction is the possibility of rapid fire spread, and guidance is given on this aspect in Approved Document B (Fire Safety) to the Building Regulations 1991. These regulations make no distinction between publicly funded buildings and any other buildings.
In the case of fire, building regulations are intended to ensure that a reasonable standard of safety is provided. The protection of property, including the building itself, may require additional measures which are the responsibility of either the building owner or insurers to specify on an individual basis and would be dependent on the particular risk associated with the proposed use of the building.
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