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Housing Benefit
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans she has to repeal those sections of the Local Government and Housing Act 1990 which require that housing benefit is paid from the housing revenue account of local authorities. [44946]
Mr. Raynsford: We are considering all aspects of housing finance as part of our Comprehensive Spending Review. We expect to announce conclusions from the Review in the summer.
Building Regulations
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if, in the case of housing development, only the building regulations in force at the time of submission of a planning application apply to the construction, irrespective of the date of construction; [44902]
- (2) if the Government plan to make Part M of the Building Regulations apply to all buildings constructed after the making of the regulations, irrespective of the date of the planning consent. [44903]
Mr. Raynsford [holding answer 8 June 1998]: I am aware of the cases in the hon. Member's constituency which have given rise to concern that housing developers may seek to use building control procedures to circumvent the changes I have announced that will apply Part M of the building regulations to new dwellings. I understand that two initial building control notices for a total of 12,000 houses will not now take effect. These related to land for which I understand there is no current prospect of planning permission for housing.
I share the hon. Member's concern that building control procedures should not be used to circumvent the new requirements for access and facilities for disabled people.
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The general position is that building work is subject to the requirements in force at the time the relevant building control notice is given.
I have previously announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Angela Smith) on 9 March 1998, Official Report, column 12, that I envisage an interval of one year between the publication of the new Part M requirements and the coming into effect of the Amendment Regulations. This would be to allow time for guidance to be developed in support of the new requirements and also to allow time for building workers to be trained in the new techniques that will be necessary.
Against that background, I am considering what steps to take to ensure an effective transfer to the new Part M requirements following the coming into force of the new regulations.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made into the impact of second homes on the supply of local housing. [44932]
Mr. Raynsford:
The Survey of English Housing conducted annually for my Department indicates that about 200,000 households with their main residence in England also own or rent a second home in England. That figure excludes households whose second home is the main residence of another household, and households with a second home which they intend to sell.
Local authorities should take account of second homes in their assessments of housing need. These assessments inform authorities' housing strategies (including empty homes strategies where they exist) and development plans.
Mr. Prior:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much council tax is currently raised from second-home owners. [44488]
Mr. Raynsford:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Housing gave to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. George) on 9 June 1998, Official Report, column 509.
Mr. Prior:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the impact of the 50 per cent. reduction in council tax for second-home owners. [44487]
Mr. Raynsford:
If a local authority has a high proportion of second homes that receive a 50 per cent. discount, and therefore a reduced tax base, it will receive more grant to compensate. Contrary to some of the concerns that have been expressed, the level of council tax bills paid by local residents will therefore not be affected unless the local authority is spending above the "standard spending" level fixed by Government as a basis for distributing grant. We have received a number of representations about the council tax and second/holiday homes. We are considering these and will set out our proposals in a White Paper this summer.
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Mr. Wyatt:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many staff have been made redundant by Kent County Council as a result of the creation of the new Medway Unitary Authority in the year 1997-98; and how many will be made redundant in 1998-99. [44213]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 8 June 1998]: I understand from Kent County Council that, as a result of local government reorganisation, 330 of their staff were made redundant in 1997-98 and fewer than 50 are expected to be made redundant in 1998-99.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many crashes occurred involving (a) road vehicles, (b) aircraft and (c) trains carrying radioactive material in the United Kingdom in 1997 and 1998 to date. [44986]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The numbers of such crashes notified to the Department are:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| (a) | |
| 1997 | 3 |
| 1998 | none to date |
| (b) | |
| 1997 | none |
| 1998 | none to date |
| (c) | |
| 1997 | none |
| 1998 | 3 to date |
In none of these crashes was there any loss of radioactive material from any package.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is the Government's policy not to limit the number of movements of radioactive material by air provided International Atomic Energy Agency standards are met. [44959]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 14 July 1997, Official Report, column 15.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures are currently in place to ensure the safe transportation of mixed oxide plutonium within the United Kingdom. [44724]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Mixed Oxide Fuel and plutonium, in common with all radioactive materials, are subject to the following regulations:
10 Jun 1998 : Column: 578
Road
The Radioactive Material (Road Transport) (Great Britain) Regulations 1996 (SI 1996 No. 1350).
The Radioactive Substances (Carriage by Road) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1983 (SR 1983 No. 344).
The Radioactive Substances (Carriage by Road) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1986 (SR 1986 No. 61).
Sea
The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants) Regulations 1990 (SI 1990 No. 2605); Merchant Shipping Notice No. M 1620, "The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants in Packaged Form on Ships".
Air
The Air Navigation (No. 2) Order 1995 SI No. 1970. The Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1994 SI No. 3187 and Amendment 1996 SI No. 3100.
Ports
The Dangerous Substances in Harbour Areas Regulations 1987 (SI 1987 No. 37).
Rail
The Packaging, Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Material by Rail Regulations (RAMRail) 1996 (SI 1996 No. 2090): Approved Requirements for the packaging, labelling and carriage of radioactive material by rail 1996 Edition. The Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) and Use of Transportable Pressure Receptacles Regulations (CDGCPL) 1996 (SI 1996 No. 2092).
Inland Waterways
British Waterways Board Terms and Conditions: Dangerous Goods BWB 1981, and Schedule of Dangerous Goods ("The Green Book") BWB 1981 (Class 7).
Merchant Seamen (Sickness)
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what legal requirements merchant shipping employees on sick leave were required to fulfil in June 1991 when returning to work offshore after instructions from their employer; [45033]
- (2) what legal requirements employers of merchant seamen were required to fulfil in June 1991 when instructing employees on sick leave to return to work offshore; [45034]
(3) if he will make a statement on amendments made since 1986 to Merchant Shipping Notice No. 1536 and Merchant Shipping Notice No. 1331 in respect of diseases of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum; [45035]
(4) what Health and Safety Executive regulations, relating to record keeping, were in force in May 1991 in respect of the transfer of sick merchant seamen to oil platforms in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea. [45037]
Ms Glenda Jackson: In terms of Merchant Shipping (Medical Examination) Regulations 1983, applicable in 1991, a seafarer cannot be employed on a ship covered by the Regulations unless he holds a valid medical fitness certificate. Under Merchant Shipping legislation, there are no specific or additional requirements relating to return to work after sick leave.
Merchant Shipping Notice M1536, which listed doctors approved by the Secretary of State to carry out seafarer medicals, and M1331, setting out the medical standards for seafarers, have both been updated. While the medical fitness standards have been kept under review by the Department's medical advisers, no change has been made in respect of diseases of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum.
There were no regulations relating to record keeping for the transfer of sick merchant seamen to oil platforms in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea, although
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the offshore Installations (Logbooks and Registration of Deaths) Regulations 1972 required a record to be kept of all persons arriving at or departing from an installation.
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