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Radioactive Substances
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviornment, Transport and the Regions what action has been taken to reduce discharges of the radioactive substance technetium 99 from the Sellafield reprocessing plant. [13023]
Angela Eagle: Under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 all discharges of radioactivity from the Sellafield site are authorised by the Enviornment Agency. British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) has applied to the Environment Agency to vary its discharge authorisations for the Sellafield site. The application includes a reduction in the maximum permitted levels of technetium-99 discharges to sea.
In July, BNFL provided additional information to the Environment Agency in support of its application in respect of its aerial discharges. The Environment Agency is considering the additional information.
My Department has received requests for the application to be called in by the Secretary of State for his own determination. These requests are being considered.
The Government are committed to ensuring the best practicable means are used to limit radioactive discharges. Indeed, the Government agreed to comply within a request to demonstrate to the OSPAR Commission how the UK is meeting the obligations of the OSPAR Convention with respect to reducing discharges and eliminating any pollution from discharges of technetium-99 from Sellafield to the Irish Sea.
Mr. McGrady:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to implement the objectives of the OSPAR Convention in respect of (a) protection from the harmful effects of ionising radiation, (b) prevention of marine
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pollution caused by radioactive discharges and emissions and (c) continuous reduction of discharges of radioactive substances. [13024]
Angela Eagle:
Discussions are continuing within OSPAR, in which UK officials are involved, on the form of an objective with regard to radioactive substances and a strategy to achieve that objective. This will form part of the conclusions of the OSPAR Ministerial Meeting being held next summer. In the meantime, the UK is continuing to comply with all its international obligations on the protection of the environment, the public and workers from harmful effects of ionising radiation.
The UK is also continuing to develop and use the Best Available Techniques to prevent pollution of the marine environment from inputs of radioactive substances. We indicated at the OSPAR meeting in September our wish to make progress on the question of reducing nuclear discharges to the marine environment and to work with our OSPAR colleagues to find a way of committing all countries to this action.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) on what evidence his Department's projections of the increase in the number of households by the year 2016 are based; [13028]
Mr. Raynsford:
Descriptions of the methodology and main statistical assumptions underlying the household projections to 2016 are set out in the annexes to "Projections of Households in England in 2016", published by the Stationery Office in March 1995. A copy of this publication is in the Library of the House.
My Department has received many representations about the accuracy of the household projections and they have been subject to considerable scrutiny since their publication. Much of this work has been published, for example by the Environment Committee in evidence for its report on Housing Need in 1996. Further discussion of the household projections was given in the Green Paper, "Household growth: where shall we live?" which was published last November and the Government are currently considering the responses to that consultation. I am satisfied that the projections were the best that could be made with the available data and that they accurately reflect recent trends.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement concerning the extent of planning controls over the installation of telephone kiosks, with particular reference to security implications in the neighbourhood of potential terrorist targets. [13120]
Mr. Raynsford:
The installation of telephone kiosks under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 is subject to a prior approval procedure, whereby operators must give the local planning authority the opportunity to say whether they
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wish to approve, within 28 days, details of the siting and appearance of the installation. An authority may refuse such approval, if they consider this to be justified. Architectural Liaison Officers (or Crime Prevention Design Advisers in the Metropolitan area) are available in police forces to give advice on crime prevention through environmental design. Such advice may include specific and detailed suggestions about the design of buildings, or general advice about estate design or the siting of particular features.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to alter the arrangements for stationing of salvage tugs around the United Kingdom coastline; and if he will make a statement. [13147]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Three Government-funded vessels are on station to provide emergency towage primarily for the Dover Strait, North-West Scotland and the South-West Approaches. The current contracts expire on 31 March 1998. The future provision of emergency towing vessels is being considered as part of the Department's Comprehensive Spending Review. A decision will be announced as soon as possible.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which district council draft development plans the Government office for the eastern region has commented on since 1 May. [13126]
Mr. Raynsford:
Since 1 May the Government Office for Eastern Region has commented on the following local plans:
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which draft county structure plans the Government Office for the Eastern region has responded to since 1 May. [13125]
Mr. Raynsford:
The Government Office for Eastern Region commented on the pre-deposit consultation draft of the Replacement Essex Structure Plan in July 1997.
Dan Norris:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress the Government have made on banning the supply of asbestos products. [13169]
Angela Eagle:
The Health and Safety Commission has advised Ministers on a mechanism and timetable for introducing a domestic ban on the import, supply and use of asbestos products. I will be making an announcement in the near future on how the Government intend to proceed.
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Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the consultation paper on the statutory right to roam will be published. [13127]
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received concerning English Nature's proposal to de-notify the Thame and Hatfield moors SSSI site (a) in favour of the proposal and (b) against the proposal. [13145]
Angela Eagle:
The Secretary of State has received 120 representations against English Nature's proposals to de-notify parts of Thorne and Hatfield Moors Sites of Special Scientific Interest. There have been no letters of support to date.
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the SSSI sites reviewed by English Nature in each year from 1990 indicating which had the SSSI status removed as a result of the review. [13143]
Angela Eagle:
Since the creation of English Nature in 1991, officers have made over 10,000 visits to SSSIs. As a result of these visits, English Nature had de-notified 14 entire SSSIs comprising 11 notified solely under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, and three notified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
(2) what representations he has received concerning the accuracy of the projected increase in the number of households by the year 2016. [13067]
Colchester: parts of the pre-consultation draft.
South Cambridgeshire, Suffolk Coastal: pre-deposit consultation.
East Cambridgeshire, Norfolk Waste Plan, South Norfolk: deposited plans.
Basildon, Epping Forest, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, St. Edmundsbury, Tendring, Thurrock: proposed modifications to deposited plans following public local inquiries.
| 1949 Act | 1981 Act | Area (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 0 | 0 | -- |
| 1992-93 | 5 | 0 | 291 |
| 1993-94 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 1994-95 | 3 | 3 | 169 |
| 1995-96 | 0 | 0 | -- |
| 1996-97 | 0 | 0 | -- |
| 1997-98 (so far) | 1 | 0 | 10 |
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