| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Quarries (Planning Permission)
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take action to prevent the reactivation of a dormant quarry planning permission near the village of Llanfyaydd, Flintshire. [16107]
19 Nov 1997 : Column: 188
Mr. Win Griffiths:
The Environment Act 1995 prevents the reactivation of a dormant site with an old planning permission for mineral working unless full modern planning conditions have been imposed. Advice on the procedures is provided in Mineral Planning Guidance note 14 "Environment Act 1995: Review of
19 Nov 1997 : Column: 189
Mineral Planning Permissions". Cae Rheinallt Quarry near Llanfynydd has been duly registered with Flintshire County Council under the provisions of the Act as a dormant site, and the principle of the existence of permission to quarry is not in question. To date, no application to determine conditions to control any future working have been received by the local authority.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to legislate to prevent the reactivation of dormant quarry planning permissions; and if he will make a statement. [16108]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
My right hon. Friend has no plans to legislate on this matter. The Planning and Compensation Act 1991 and the Environment Act 1995 introduced new requirements for initial and periodic reviews of old mineral permissions. The principle of their existence is not an issue, but provisions in the existing legislation will ensure that dormant quarry permissions cannot be reactivated without full modern planning conditions attached to protect the environment and amenity, and to ensure that suitable restoration and aftercare takes place.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy in respect of the faxing of press releases on the day of release to Opposition party spokesmen; what changes have been introduced since 1 May; and if he will make a statement. [16299]
Mr. Ron Davies:
There is no formal arrangement for faxing departmental press releases to Opposition party spokesmen on the day of release, but they are supplied on request. No changes have been made since 1 May.
Mr. Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will collate the information on the planning and management of cycleways, currently held by the new unitary authorities in Wales. [16510]
Mr. Hain:
I am keen to encourage the development of cycleways throughout Wales, but wish to await the outcome of the Government's consultation on integrated transport before re-assessing Welsh Office responsibilities in this area.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade which Minister briefed the Financial Times in respect of its September story on British entry into monetary union. [14005]
Mrs. Beckett:
To my knowledge, none.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure that gas appliances are safe and regularly maintained. [15160]
19 Nov 1997 : Column: 190
Mr. Nigel Giffiths:
A carbon monoxide safety awareness campaign is currently under way to warn as many households as possible in the country about the dangers of carbon monoxide, including the need to make sure that heating systems are serviced once a year by a qualified engineer.
Gas appliances made or sold in the UK including imports must comply with the Gas Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1995, which implement into UK law the Gas Appliances Directive, and this Department is in the process of considering the results of a formal consultation on proposed regulations to control the safety of second-hand gas appliances.
Gas safety legislation requires landlords to maintain in a safe condition, gas appliances that they own in let property. Failure to do so can result in unlimited fines and up to two years imprisonment.
Ms Stuart:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade which Ministers responsible for firework safety have visited (a) Liverpool, (b) Manchester, (c) Newcastle, (d) Glasgow, (e) Birmingham and (f) Leeds since 1979 to promote firework safety. [15615]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I understand that since 1993 no Minister responsible for firework safety has visited these cities to promote firework safety. I undertook to visit all these cities prior to this bonfire night to promote safety awareness.
Mr. John M. Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on her policy on the length of the firework season (a) in terms of retail availability of fireworks and (b) in terms of a possible permissible period for letting them off. [16340]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
The policy remains the same as that of my predecessor. However, a range of measures has been implemented to assist in tackling more dangerous fireworks and those used by hooligans. Details of these are in the House of Commons Library.
Mrs. May:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will publish the job specification for the Chairman of Action 2000. [16136]
Mrs. Roche:
The statement of his particular responsibilities is reproduced below:
19 Nov 1997 : Column: 191
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions mergers and acquisitions of (a) funeral directors, (b) crematoria and (c) funeral directors and crematoria have been referred to and investigated by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; in how many cases the Monopolies and Mergers Commission has recommended divestment; and if she will list the firms concerned. [16703]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
Two mergers involving funeral directors have been referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC).
The acquisition by The Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd. (CWS) of the Scottish funerals business of House of Fraser PLC was referred to the MMC on 4 June 1987. The MMC recommended divestment of four funeral undertaking businesses (in Aberdeen, Falkirk, Crieff and Perth) or divestment of all the businesses acquired from House of Fraser.
The acquisition by Service Corporation International (SCI) of Planstbrook Group plc. was referred to the MMC on 20 December 1994. The MMC's report was published on 25 May 1995. The MMC recommended divestment of individual funeral directors' businesses in ten specified areas.
No acquisitions of crematoria, or of funeral directors and crematoria, have been referred to the MMC.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contacts she has had with the Monopolies and Mergers Commission regarding the marketing and selling of pre-purchase funeral plans. [16706]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
My right hon. Friend has had no contact with the Monopolies and Mergers Commission regarding pre-paid funeral plans, nor a request from the MMC to discuss this.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations she has had with the Director General of Fair Trading regarding the marketing and selling of pre-purchase funeral plans. [16707]
19 Nov 1997 : Column: 192
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I have had a number of meetings with the Director General of Fair Trading regarding pre-paid funerals and have sought his views on a number of possible options for consumer protection. I share the Director General's concern to protect consumers who purchase their funerals in advance. I am discussing with my colleagues in the Treasury what speedy action might be taken to further protect consumers.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received regarding the maintenance of fair trade practices in the marketing and selling of pre-purchase funeral plans. [16708]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I have had a number of representations on fair trade practices in the marketing and selling of pre-paid funeral plans. I am considering these, and working on proposals with my Treasury colleagues to protect those consumers who purchase their funerals in advance.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received on the potential for trading links (a) between insurance companies and providers of funeral services and (b) between providers of funeral services and trading companies that are subsidiaries of registered charities to operate against the public interest and to the detriment of consumers. [16705]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
A number of representations have been received about the links between providers of funeral services and trading companies that are subsidiaries of registered charities. These have been passed to the Charity Commission. No representations have been received on links between insurance companies and providers of funeral services.
"(a) To appoint the other members of the Advisory Board. The choice of members will be your decision, but you will consider including representatives of:
CBI
FEI
CSSA
BBA
NCC
IEE
the Business Links
and you will consult the organisations concerned. In addition you may appoint up to seven additional members, drawn mainly from the private sector. Before you make any appointments you should consult the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
(b) To advise the Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the state of preparedness of the private sector--particularly in key sectors identified by them--and to make such contribution to their work on contingency planning as they may require.
(c) To advise the Secretary of State whether the DTI should offer funding to organisations other than the Company.
(d) To draw up, agree with the Secretary of State, and implement through the Company a costed programme of collective activities--Action 2000--to support businesses in the private sector in their efforts to tackle the century date problem.
(e) To appoint a Director, other board members and staff of the Company. The Director will be appointed after consulting the Secretary of State and after considering a number of candidates on a competitive basis.
(f) Expenditure on activities under the agreed costed programme will be disbursed by the CTI, on advice from you or the Director, acting on behalf of the Advisory Board."
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |