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Vessels (Port State Inspections)
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many vessels were subject to a port state inspection at (a) Flotta and (b) Sullom Voe in (i) 1996 and (ii) 1 January to 31 October 1997; and in each case what percentage of the total number of vessels were inspected. [17609]
Ms Glenda Jackson [holding answer 25 November 1997]: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Marine Safety Agency to write to the hon. and learned Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. James Wallace, dated 1 December 1997:
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of vessels subject to port state inspection at (a) Flotta and (b) Sullom Voe in (i) 1996 and (ii) 1 January to 31 October 1997 and, in each case, what percentage of the total number of individual ships visiting the ports were inspected.
Port state inspection was carried out in Flotta on one vessel in 1996, and on three vessels in the period 1 January to 31 October 1997. This represents, respectively, one percent, and five percent of the number of individual ships visiting the port. In Sullom Voe, twenty one vessels were inspected in 1996, and seven in the period 1 January to 31 October 1997, which represents sixteen percent and six percent, respectively, of the number of individual ships visiting during those periods.
The selection of vessels for inspection takes account of their age, the safety record of the flag of registration, how recently the ship was inspected with Europe and the outcome, and inspection effort is directed to obtain the greatest impact.
Water Quality (Fylde Coast)
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what (a) studies and (b) investigations the Environment Agency (i) has carried out and (ii) plans to carry out to determine the reasons for the failure of the waters off the Fylde Coast to meet the standards required under the European Community Bathing Water Directive in the last five years. [17878]
Angela Eagle:
Additional monitoring and investigations have been undertaken by the Environment Agency since completion of the Fylde Coast bathing water improvement scheme. These include checking the performance of the scheme, the integrity of the local sewerage network and investigations into additional sources of microbiological contamination. Further information on these investigations, which are not yet concluded, is available from the Agency.
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Mr. Jack:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list (a) the powers available to him to tackle coastal pollution and (b) the occasions on which those powers have been used in respect of the Fylde Coast in the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [17877]
Angela Eagle:
The Secretary of State has wide powers under the Water Resources Act 1991 relating to water pollution. In respect of bathing waters on the Fylde Coast, the effect of The Bathing Waters (Classification) Regulations 1991 (SI 1991 No. 1597) and the associated Direction and Notice is to require the Environment Agency to exercise its powers to ensure, as far as is practicable, that the Bathing Water Directive quality standards are met.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussion (a) his Department and (b) the Environment Agency have had with North West Water on the failure of the waters off the Fylde Coast to meet the requirements of the European community Bathing Waters Directive. [17879]
Angela Eagle:
Performance of the Fylde Coast bathing waters has been the subject of considerable discussion between the Department, the Environment Agency and North West Water, and this will continue. Improving compliance with the Bathing Water Directive is a high priority for the Government.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how health and safety issues arising from the year 2000 computer problem are being addressed by his Department. [18026]
Angela Eagle:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has commissioned research into the safety-critical aspects of date discontinuity problems associated with the year 2000 computer problem and the research will be published shortly. HSE has also established a committee within government to ensure that the results of this research and other experience can be shared with enforcing authorities and used as a basis of advice to dutyholders who may have safety-critical systems. Further guidance will be published next year. Health and Safety inspectors will remind dutyholders of their legal responsibilities to make sure that control systems are safe and will take enforcement action where the risks and circumstances justify it.
Mr. Tom King:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in what ways his Department's objective of reducing commuting is reflected in planning guidance. [18303]
Mr. Raynsford:
Existing Planning Policy Guidance on Transport (PPG13) and Planning Policy Guidance on Town Centres and Retail Developments (PPG6) encourage local authorities to locate major generators of travel demand in existing centres which are highly accessible by means other than the private care, and to strengthen existing local centres in both urban and rural areas which offer a wide range of everyday community, shopping and employment opportunities, in order to reduce the need to travel.
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The Government regards the closer integration of transport and land-use planning as an important part of its current wide-ranging review of transport policy. The White Paper on integrated transport is due in the spring.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what would have been the effect in 1997-98 on (a) the standard spending assessment and (b) the revenue support grant for (i) each class of authority and (ii) each local authority in England, had the indicator for shared and non-permanent accommodation been removed from the social index used in the calculation of SSAs, assuming that the national aggregate finance had remained at the current level. [17963]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 28 November 1997]: Figures showing the effect in 1997-98 on standard spending assessments (SSAs) of removing the shared and non-permanent accommodation indicator from the Social Index are not readily available. Figures showing the effect of the same change in 1996-97 are given for each class of authority and each local authority in England in the "Standard Spending Assessments Sub-Group Report for 1997-98", published by the Department of the Environment in 1996, a copy of which is in the Library.
It is not possible to quantify the effect of the change on revenue support grant (RSG), because the total amount of RSG available depends upon, among other things, the amount of the SSA Reduction Grant payable for the relevant year. This, in turn, depends upon the decisions made on the arrangements for the payment of SSA Reduction Grant and the pattern of SSA changes in the relevant year.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what would have been the change in (a) standard spending assessment and (b) revenue support grant in 1997-98 for (i) each local authority in London and (ii) London as a whole, had the resident population been used as the client group in the 'All Other Services' SSA, assuming that the national aggregate external finance had remained at the current level. [17962]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 28 November 1997]: Figures showing the effect in 1997-98 on standard spending assessments (SSAs) of using the resident population as the client group for the purpose of adjusting for extra costs due to population density, population sparsity and varying socio-economic characteristics in the 'All Other Services' SSA are given for each local authority in London, and for London as a whole, in the "Standard Spending Assessments Sub-Group Report for 1998-99". A copy of this document is in the Library.
It is not possible to quantify the effect of the change on Revenue Support Grant (RSG), because the total amount of RSG available depends upon, among other things, the amount of the SSA Reduction Grant payment for the relevant year. This, in turn, depends upon the decisions made on the arrangements for the payment of SSA Reduction Grant and the pattern of SSA changes in the relevant year.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the
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standard spending assessment in 1997-98, for (a) the City of Westminster, (b) the London Borough of Islington and (c) the London Borough of Southwark, indicating for each the (i) density of population, (ii) proportion of people from ethnic minorities, (iii) proportion of people living in over-crowded accommodation, (iv) proportion of people aged over 85 years and (v) proportion of elderly people living alone. [17971]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 28 November 1997]: Information for the City of Westminster, the London Borough of Islington and the London Borough of Southwark on the Standard Spending Assessments for 1997-98, the proportion of people likely to be from ethnic minorities and the proportion of people living in overcrowded accommodation is available in the "Standard Spelling Assessment Handbook 1997-98", published by the Department of the Environment. A copy of this document is in the Library.
Information for the same three authorities on the density of population, the proportion of people aged over 85 years and the proportion of elderly people living along is also available in the Library.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what changes to the standard spending assessment formula methodology he is assessing for implementation in 1998-99; and if he will indicate for each option its potential financial impact on each class of local authority in England expressed (a) as the net change in its standard spending assessment and (b) as the net change in its standing spending assessment divided by (i) the aggregate number of Band D equivalent dwellings and (ii) chargeable dwellings, as used for council tax setting in 1997-98, for that class of authority. [17972]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 28 November 1997]: We shall announce shortly our proposals for changes to the Standard Spending Assessments (SSA) formula methodology for implementation in 1998-99. In reaching our decisions, we have had regard particularly to the possible changes discussed this year with the Local Government Association. A report on these discussions, including illustrations of the effect of possible changes on SSAs, is given in the "Standard Spending Assessments Sub-Group Report for 1998-99", a copy of which is in the Library.
Figures for each class of authority in England of the aggregate number of Band D dwellings and the number of chargeable dwellings, as used for council tax-setting in 1997-98, are also available in the Library.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the submissions his Department has received on the 1998-99 local authority settlements; and if he will summarise their main recommendations and indicate the date on which they were received. [17969]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 28 November 1997]: My right hon. Friend has received a large number of submissions from the local authority associations, local authorities and others, including, for example, considerable correspondence during the SSA sub-group's consideration of SSAs for 1998-99. It would be disproportionately expensive to cover all submissions
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received on this issue. We have been carefully considering all submissions as we take decisions on our proposals for local government revenue expenditure in the coming financial year. We will be announcing the provisional settlement next week and local authorities and others will have the opportunity to comment on our proposals in the consultation process that will follow.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what would have been the effect in 1997-98 on the (a) standard spending assessment and (b) revenue support grant for each (i) class of authority and (ii) local authority in England had the share of SSA for additional educational needs changed in line with changes in numbers of income support claimants, assuming the national aggregate external finance had remained at the current level. [17967]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 28 November 1997]: Figures showing the effect in 1997-98 on Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs) of changing the share of SSA for additional educational needs in line with changes in numbers of income support claimants are not readily available. Figures showing the effect of the same change in 1996-97 are given for each class of authority and each local authority in England in the "Standard Spending Assessments Sub-Group Report for 1997-98", published by the Department of the Environment in 1996. A copy of this document is in the Library.
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