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Planning

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how he intends to implement the amended EIA Directive for planning in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [51897]

Mr. Caborn: The Government have today issued draft Regulations to implement the requirements of the amending EIA Directive (97/11/EC) into the Town and Country Planning System in England and Wales. A copy of the draft Regulations has been placed in the Library.

The amending Directive does not bring fundamental changes to the existing system and we have taken the opportunity to consolidate, as well as amend, the existing provisions. The two previous consultation exercises on implementation of the Directive have brought support for the Government's approach, including the use of thresholds or criteria to assist planning authorities in deciding whether or not a development requires Environmental Impact Assessment. The level and application of these criteria have been set after consultation, but to ensure the maximum protection for the environment and the minimum burden on planning authorities and developers, the system will be reviewed after two years of operation.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Mr. Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the implications for housing and regeneration policy of the Chancellor's oral statement of 14 July 1998, Official Report, columns 187-211, on the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review. [51923]

21 Jul 1998 : Column: 469

Ms Armstrong: I am tomorrow placing in the Library of the House and in the Vote Office a statement outlining the changes to housing and regeneration policy resulting from the Review.

Service Charges

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will enable disputes over the reasonableness of service charges between landlords and long leaseholders where court proceedings began before 1 September 1997 to be transferred to leasehold valuation tribunals. [51925]

Ms Armstrong: Following consultation with interested parties, I have made a further Commencement Order under the Housing Act 1996 which will take effect on 11 August 1998. From that date, a court will have the discretion to allow service charge disputes which started before 1 September 1997 to be transferred to leasehold valuation tribunals, where the court considers the interests of justice would best be served.

WALES

Comprehensive Spending Review

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total sum to be allocated out of the Welsh budget to local authorities in Wales in each of the three years covered by the Comprehensive Spending Review. [51459]

Mr. Ron Davies: It is my intention to issue a consultation paper in September, the results of which will inform my decisions on the most appropriate way to allocate the Welsh budget. I have already met the Welsh Local Government Association and they will participate in the consultation process. I will announce the allocations later in the year.

Buses

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to promote the provision of bus services in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [51210]

Mr. Hain: The Government's integrated transport policy is based on the promotion of public transport, including bus services. We have already made an additional £2.25 million available to Welsh local authorities this year for new and enhanced bus services in rural areas. Further details were set out in the White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone" and will be included in the complementary transport policy statement for Wales.

DEFENCE

Chemical and Biological Defence Sector

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has made of the long-term effect on human health of short-term exposure to chlorine. [49991]

21 Jul 1998 : Column: 470

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:



    DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) has not carried out any formal assessment of the long term effects on human health of short term exposure to chlorine.


    CBD is aware, however, of the general toxicology and health effects of chlorine gas, as reported in the open literature, particularly in reaction to exposure occurring through industrial accidents.


    I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a list of the titles of the reports published in the Chemical Defence Establishment Technical Paper series which were produced as unclassified papers. [50022]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:



    I have arranged for a list of the unclassified Technical Paper series published by the Chemical Defence Establishment, the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment and DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector to be placed in the House library.


    I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent research has been carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to investigate whether short-term exposure to adamsite (DM) can cause long-term illnesses; when this research was carried out; and what were the results. [49987]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:



    DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) has not conducted research involving exposure to adamsite (DM) for over 30 years. No assessment of possible long term health effects resulting from short term exposure to adamsite has been made.


    I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has carried out to investigate the long-term human health effects of short-term exposure to 1-methoxycycloheptatriene (1-MCHT); when this research was carried out; and what were the conclusions. [49989]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

21 Jul 1998 : Column: 471

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:



    DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) conducted a small number of human volunteer trials involving eye only exposure to 1-methoxycycloheptatriene (1-MCHT) from 1984 to 1985.


    The trials involved 19 volunteers who were exposed for between 10 to 30 seconds to concentrations of 5.0 milligrammes per cubic metre of air. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the irritancy of the compound.


    No assessment has been made of possible long term effects of short term exposures to 1-MCHT.


    I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research contracts and agreements in universities are currently being funded by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment; what is the total value of these research projects; how many of these research projects are classified; and if he will list the universities at which these research projects are being funded. [49986]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:



    CBD currently funds 60 research contracts and agreements with universities. The total value of the research is approximately £5,900,000. None of the research projects are classified.


    The contracts and agreements are with the following universities:


    London


    Birmingham


    Sheffield


    Ulster


    Exeter


    Durham


    Oxford


    Bath


    Hertfordshire


    Dundee


    Plymouth


    Cambridge


    Bristol


    Southampton


    Newcastle-upon-Tyne


    Manchester


    St. Andrews


    Hull


    Warwick


    Huddersfield


    University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology


    University College of London.


    I hope this is helpful.

21 Jul 1998 : Column: 472

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has made of the effects of short-term exposure to phosgene. [50023]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:



    DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector is currently undertaking studies to determine the short term effects of exposure to phosgene. The studies are part of an ongoing research programme to develop medical countermeasures against chemical warfare agents. We would be happy to provide the results of this work when they are published in the open literature.

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to investigate whether short-term exposure to mustard gas can cause long-term illnesses; when this research was carried out; and what were the results. [49995]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:



    In the past, DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) has conducted trials, as part of its service volunteer programme, involving the chemical blister agent mustard. These studies were not intended to evaluate the long term effects of this agent following short term exposure.


    Assessments made by CBD concerning possible long term effects of exposure to mustard have been based on numerous epidemiological studies published in the open literature.


    I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the next inspection of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment by the Health and Safety Executive is planned to take place. [49988]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:



    The Health and Safety Executive does not publish a long term programme of its future inspections. DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) is not therefore aware of the date of its next inspection.

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