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Public Inquiry Reports
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when was the last occasion on which his Department did not publish the report of an inspector following a public inquiry.[14170]
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Ms Glenda Jackson
[holding answer 3 November 1997]: The Government have never failed to publish an Inspectors Report following a Public Inquiry into Local Highway Authority Orders.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what compensation payments would have been required to have been made, and to whom, had the decision to proceed with the Birmingham Northern Relief Road not been taken. [13778]
Ms Glenda Jackson
[holding answer 3 November 1997]: As Section 1(4) of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 requires, the Birmingham Northern Relief Road Concession Agreement makes provision in certain circumstances for compensation payments to the Concessionaire. Under the Agreement signed in February 1992 by the previous Government the detailed provisions about compensation payments were agreed to be commercially confidential.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what compensation payments are payable to the Government in the event that Midland Expressway Ltd. decide to withdraw from the concession agreement to construct and operate the Birmingham Northern Relief Road. [13777]
Ms Glenda Jackson
[holding answer 3 November 1997]: As Section 1(5) of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 requires, the Birmingham Northern Relief Road Concession Agreement makes provision in certain circumstances for compensation payments to the Government. Under the Agreement signed in February 1992 by the previous Government the detailed provisions about compensation payments were agreed to be commercially confidential.
Mr. Watts:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his policy (a) to return to a needs-based capital approvals allocation system and (b) that any increased capital allocation will be made to local authorities via basic credit approvals. [14196]
Mr. Raynsford:
The Government are carrying out a Comprehensive Spending Review, a root and branch review of public spending in all Government Departments. Conclusions will emerge in new spending plans and in new policies reflecting the Government's priorities next year. In parallel with this, we have set up a review to look at the future arrangements for local authority finance, in close collaboration with local government and representative organisations. This will include consideration of capital allocation systems and options for local authority support for capital expenditure. We will be consulting widely from late Autumn on particular aspects of the system and plan to issue a White Paper in the Spring on our policies for local government in England, including finance, best value and democratic renewal.
In 1998-99 we have agreed that the HIP allocations will be based on 50 per cent. on need, whereas previously it had been intended that 100 per cent. of the allocation would be subject to ministerial discretion. We have also
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agreed that the allocation of Supplementary Credit Approvals under our Capital Receipts Initiative should be made on the basis of 66 per cent. reflecting need.
Mr. Rowe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the likely date for completion of the channel tunnel rail link; and if he will make a statement. [14555]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Under the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Development Agreement, the construction of the CTRL is the responsibility of London and Continental Railways Ltd. I understand from LCR that they expect to complete the CTRL during 2003.
Mr. Rowe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to make the first payment to London and Continental Railways under the agreement under the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996. [14551]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government's contract with LCR provides for the first instalment of capital grant to be paid when LCR have completed 68 per cent. of the CTRL by value. I understand from LCR that they expect the first instalment of grant will fall due during 2001.
Mr. Rowe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the difference between the actual passenger numbers on Eurostar in 1996-97 and the Government's estimate for that period when it was handed over to London and Continental Railways. [14552]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
In the 1996 calendar year Eurostar carried 4.9 million passengers on the London-Paris/Brussels routes and in the first nine months of 1997 they have carried 4.54 million passengers. This represents a 20 per cent. increase on the same period for 1996. The previous Government made no estimates of future Eurostar patronage at the time of transfer of the business to London and Continental Railways.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to extent Part M of the Building Regulations. [14497]
Mr. Raynsford:
I plan to make a statement shortly on the extension of Part M of the Building Regulations to new dwellings.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many homes have been constructed in each of the last five years that do not meet the standards set out for accessibility by disabled people under the terms of the changes proposed in 1995 to Part M of the Building Regulations. [14498]
Mr. Raynsford:
It is not possible to give a full assessment of how many homes do, or do not, meet the standards of accessibility proposed in 1995 as it is not possible to quantify homes constructed in the private sector which have incorporated accessibility for disabled people on a voluntary basis. As a broad indication, however, a comparison can be made between total housing completions in Great Britain and homes
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completed by Housing Associations, or registered social landlords, where Housing Corporation Housing Development Scheme Standards will have applied. Those standards provide accessibility for disabled people comparable to the changes proposed to the Building Regulations in 1995. The relevant figures for the last five years are:
| Total completions (thousands) | Housing Association completions (thousands) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 171.9 | 26.3 |
| 1993 | 178.5 | 35.4 |
| 1994 | 186.0 | 36.7 |
| 1995 | 190.7 | 38.4 |
| 1996 | 179.0 | 31.5 |
| 1997 (Q1, 2 and 3) | 133.9 | 20.2 |
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the average waiting time for social housing for people requiring a home built to wheelchair standards. [14500]
Mr. Raynsford: Information on average waiting times for social housing is not collected centrally.
In 1991, the former Department of the Environment carried out research into access into local authority housing. The research included a very small number of applicants requiring a home built to wheelchair standards. Their average waiting time was 21 months.
However, the research did not cover access to housing association accommodation. Since 1988, housing associations have been key providers of homes built to wheelchair standards.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the percentage of homes to be constructed using the capital receipts that will (a) be accessible to disabled people and (b) meet wheelchair standards under the terms of the extension proposed in 1995 of Part M of the Building Regulations. [14499]
Mr. Raynsford:
It is not possible to estimate the percentage of homes constructed using capital receipts that will be accessible to disabled people as the use made of capital receipts is at the discretion of local authorities. However, where local authorities choose to use capital receipts to support registered social landlords normal Housing Corporation Development Scheme Standards will apply. Those standards provide accessibility for disabled people comparable with the 1995 proposals for extending Part M of the Building Regulations to new dwellings, including accessibility for wheelchair users for the purposes of visitability.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for the future of London Underground. [14701]
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Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government are considering a wide range of options for public-private partnerships for London Underground, while ruling out wholesale privatisation. The options being considered were detailed in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody), Official Report, 3 November 1997 column 67.
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