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Green-field Sites

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the proposal by the Civic Trust to introduce a levy of 10 per cent. on the value of green-field sites with planning permission; and if he will make a statement. [24465]

Mr. Caborn: We want to stimulate a debate about the scope for using economic instruments to help achieve our planning objectives and we will take further account of the Civic Trust's proposal in that context. It is likely to be one of the items discussed when my hon. Friend the Minister for London and Construction meets the Director of the Civic Trust next week.

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he will take to protect green-field sites in the North East of Chelmsford and the A12 corridor. [25291]

Mr. Caborn: The Government wish to see as much new development as possible allocated to urban areas and existing settlements, and maximum use made of previously developed sites. Any proposals for the development of green-field sites in Essex are, initially, for the local planning authorities to consider. When examining such proposals they, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, should he become involved, will have regard to national policies and the protection of the countryside, and to the need for new development to be suitable and environmentally acceptable.

Cleaner Vehicles Task Force

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the (a) name of, (b) occupation of and (c) organisation represented by each of the members of the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force; and if he will make a statement. [24467]

Dr. Strang: The Cleaner Vehicles Task Force aims to create a new partnership between Government and the private sector to promote environmentally friendly vehicles that people and businesses will want to buy and drive. The task force's members are:

	Name	Occupation	Organisation
Co-Chair	Gavin Strang	Minister for Transport	DETR
Co-Chair	Ian McAllister	President	SMMT
		Chairman and Managing Director	Ford UK
	John Battle	Minister for Science, Energy and Industry	DTI
	Sir Robert May	Government Chief Scientist	OST
	Walter Hasselkus	Chairman and Chief Executive	Rover Group
	Keith Taylor	Chairman and Chief Executive	Esso UK
	Neil Johnson	Chief Executive	RAC
	David Lea	Assistant General Secretary	TUC
	Nigel Haigh	Director	IEEP
	Michael Gwilt	Chief Executive	Arriva Group
	David Green	Director-General	FTA
	Mike Parker	Chief Executive	Nexus
	Mike Baunton	Managing Director	Varity Perkins

26 Jan 1998 : Column: 10

Environmental Sustainability

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to what extent environmental sustainability is included as a quality factor under the new best value replacement to compulsory competitive tendering for local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [24458]

Ms Armstrong: It will generally be for local authorities to decide how to reflect environmental sustainability in their performance targets for the different services under the proposed best value regime, following consultation with the local community and in the light of their progress in drawing up Local Agenda 21 strategies.

Home Zone Sign

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the use of the home zone sign in other European member states in reducing traffic casualties; and if he will make a statement. [24468]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The effectiveness of the "home zone" signs used in some EU member states depends on drivers observing very low speed limits (and being conditioned to give way to pedestrians). My Department has been working with local authorities on schemes and studies to reduce vehicle speeds in residential streets and shopping areas. Our experience in this country so far has been that signs by themselves do not reduce vehicle speeds to 20mph or below, and that other self-enforcing measures are needed. We have no plans at present to change primary legislation to introduce home zones but we think there is scope within the current legislation for further speed reducing measures to be applied.

Coastguard (Wales)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on coastguard provision in Wales (a) currently and (b) after 2001; and if he will list in each case those stations that will be permanently manned. [24479]

Ms Glenda Jackson: There are three permanently staffed Coastguard centres in Wales, located at Swansea, Milford Haven and Holyhead.

There are no plans to change Her Majesty's Coastguard provision in Wales, including the 11 Sector Managers and 47 auxiliary stations, after 2001, with the exception of an increase in the staff complement at Holyhead Coastguard station for the control of the additional radio aerials, following the proposed closure of the Liverpool Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre in 2000. A proposed five year strategy for the service was announced on 17 November 1997, Official Report, column 9-10, and a consultation document was issued on 20 January copies of which have gone to all coastal MPs and the House Library.

Planning (Amble Sewerage Scheme)

Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to call in the planning application for the Amble sewerage scheme. [24784]

26 Jan 1998 : Column: 11

Mr. Raynsford: This application has not been referred to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State and he has received no representations about the proposals.

Greenhouse Gas Reductions

Mr. Kenneth Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what specific policy decisions have so far been taken by the Government to deliver the new commitments to the reduction of greenhouse gases that he gave in Tokyo on behalf of the Government. [24707]

Mr. Meacher: The Kyoto Protocol set a legally-binding target for the European Union of an 8 per cent. overall reduction in the emissions of six greenhouse gases between 2008 and 2012, compared with 1990. Under our Presidency of the European Union we aim to share out this target between Member States, and to take forward proposals for common and co-ordinated policies and measures. Our priority within the UK will then be to ensure that we achieve our legally binding target.

We have already taken action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The Chancellor announced in the July Budget, that the real increase in fuel duty would be raised to 6 per cent., a year. Later this year we will be consulting on a programme of policies and measures to meet our legally binding target and launch a national debate on moving towards our domestic aim of a 20 per cent. cut in emissions.

Unitary Development Plan (Newcastle)

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he proposes to answer the letter about the City of Newcastle upon Tyne Unitary Development Plan sent to him by the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central. [24657]

Mr. Raynsford: I replied to my hon. Friend's letter on 14 January.

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to make modifications to the Revised Unitary Development Plan published by the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. [24656]

Mr. Raynsford: None. Following very careful consideration of all the relevant issues considered by the Inspector to the UDP Inquiry, the Secretary of State decided not to object to the proposals to delete land from the Green Belt for the Northern Development Area. I understand that Newcastle City Council resolved to adopt their plan on 21 January.

Key factors which were taken into account in reaching this decision included the City Council's proposal to accommodate 76 per cent. of its housing requirements within the existing built up area and the fact that the Inspector accepted that further development in the built up area would lead to town cramming. In addition, the Inspector found that a continuation of population dispersal from Newcastle to Northumberland and North Tyneside would be less sustainable than the proposed development which lies less than 5km from the city centre and can be readily linked to the public transport network.

26 Jan 1998 : Column: 12

Northern Development Area

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will request the SRB partnership for the Graingertown area of Newcastle upon Tyne city centre to report to him on the effect of the proposed Northern Development Area on office redevelopment prospects. [24658]

Mr. Raynsford: It would not be appropriate for the Secretary of State to do so in view of his quasi-judicial role in the planning system. However, there are well-established procedures in place which allow individuals and organisations to make full representations on development proposals at all stages of the planning process. I understand that the issues of the effect of the proposed Northern Development Area on development elsewhere in the local authority area have already been examined in public before an independent planning inspector in the context of Newcastle upon Tyne Unitary Development Plan Public Inquiry.

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