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Lead Water Mains
Mr. Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to promote the replacement of the remaining lead water mains. [19282]
Angela Eagle: Many lead pipes owned by water supplies will need to be replaced to comply with the new mandatory standard of 10 g/1 for lead in drinking water, which will be introduced by the EC Drinking Water Directive when it is adopted. Political agreement to the new Directive was achieved in October 1997.
Planning Appeals
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when it became
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automatic for planning appeals for proposed developments involving more than 150 houses or flats to be called in for his own determination. [19037]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 4 December 1997]: Planning appeals for proposed developments involving 150 or more houses are recovered for determination by my right hon. Friend under criteria set out in paragraph 36 of the Government's response to the Fifth Report from the Environment Committee, Session 1985-86 (Cmnd. 43). This was published in December 1986.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations the Government has received about the identified demand and planned provision for new homes in East Sussex. [19291]
Mr. Raynsford:
I have been asked to reply.
Since the East Sussex Structure Plan Review was placed on formal deposit in October 1996, we have received written representations from three local environmental protection groups and two individual residents objecting to the level of housing provision proposed in the Plan.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he received notification of the new structure plan accepted by Gloucestershire County Council; if he intends to accept the reduced figure in respect of the building of new houses between 1991 and 2011 in the plan; and if he will make a statement. [19118]
Mr. Caborn:
The Secretary of State has not yet received the deposit draft of the Gloucestershire Structure plan which I understand the County intends to publish on 12 January, although he received a copy of the consultation draft published in May 1996.
It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the content of the plan because of the Secretary of State's formal role on planning matters.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his oral statement of 2 December 1997, Official Report, columns 157-64, if he will provide a breakdown of the £130 million for the transitional costs of local government reorganisation; and what criteria will determine the allocation of that transitional relief. [19457]
Mr. Raynsford:
Initial bids from all authorities eligible to participate under the Local Government Reorganisation Costs Scheme for 1998-99 have now been received and are currently being evaluated. Details of initial maximum amounts of Supplementary Credit Approvals to be allocated will be announced shortly before Christmas.
Particular priority under the 1998-99 scheme will be given to eligible costs incurred by those authorities reorganising in 1998. The criteria of eligibility under the scheme cover expenditure in all areas where transitional
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costs are expected to occur: staff and consultancy, redundancy and compensation, accommodation, information technology and other costs.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he proposes to make changes to the planning policy guidelines on out-of-town supermarkets. [19295]
Mr. Raynsford:
The Government, in its response to the Fourth Report from the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment on Shopping Centres (Cm 3729), has endorsed the planning policy guidance in PPG6: Town Centres and Retail Developments. The only
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further clarification that we wish to make is that proposals for extensions to existing out-of-centre supermarkets, and other developments covered by PPG6, should be subject to the same tests as other out-of-town developments.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency will give a substantive reply to the letter of 12 August from the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire. [19468]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
A substantive reply was sent on 3 December. The Chief Executive has apologised for the unacceptable delay in replying.