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Public Consultations
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish his Department's collation and assessment of responses to all the Government's public consultations. [69780]
Mr. Meale:
My Department follows the Cabinet Office guidance, "How to Conduct Written Consultation Exercises". A list of respondents is placed in the Libraries of both Houses and copies of responses are placed in the Departments' libraries, except where the respondent has asked that their response remains confidential. Where possible, a summary of responses is produced and made public.
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Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if there will be tenant representation on the housing steering group on best value. [69736]
Mr. Raynsford:
The official level Best Value in Housing Steering Group that we established last year to examine the application of best value to housing has two tenant representatives from TAROE--the tenants' and residents' organisations of England. This is underpinned by a tenants' sounding board focus group comprised of local authority and housing association tenant representatives.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what action the Government are taking to ensure the implementation of the ban on furs entering the EU under Regulation 3254/91; [70009]
(3) if (a) Russia, (b) Canada and (c) the USA have ratified the agreement on humane trapping standards for animals caught in leghold traps; and what is the deadline for ratification of the convention. [70007]
Mr. Meale
[holding answer 8 February 1999]: I understand that Canada and Russia have not yet ratified the agreement on humane trapping standards for animals caught in leghold traps agreed with the European Community in July 1997. I also understand that the USA has not ratified the agreed minute agreed with the European Community in December 1997. We will look for suitable opportunities to discuss with the Commission and EU Ministers what further progress can be made in pressing Canada, Russia and USA to ratify these agreements.
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are responsible for ensuring implementation of the import ban on certain furs into the United Kingdom under Regulation 3254/91. In the case of all measures prohibiting the importation of goods, it is standard procedure for detailed written guidance to be issued to Customs officers as to the manner of regulating legitimate trade and the handling of illegal consignments. This practice was followed in the case of furs caught in leghold traps. I also understand that since the customs entry documents for virtually all commercial imports are processed electronically, and because all imported goods have a specific "commodity code" number which must be declared by importers on those documents, Customs officials are able to identify furs which may be prohibited from entering the United Kingdom under the Regulation.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which EU countries require individual businesses to register under the Groundwater Directive. [69782]
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Mr. Meale:
It is a requirement of the Groundwater Directive (80/68/EEC) that individual discharges to groundwater should be subject to prior authorisation. It is for Member States, in accordance with their treaty obligations, to transpose these requirements into national law. The Groundwater Regulations 1998 complete transposition of the Directive by requiring authorisation of the disposal of listed substances to land, as distinct from a register of businesses.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he plans to issue to farmers with regard to the necessity of registering with the Environment Agency under the groundwater regulations. [69783]
Mr. Meale:
The Groundwater Regulations 1998 provide that disposals, or tipping for the purpose of disposal to land of listed substances, require prior authorisation. Transitional arrangements provide that applications which relate to an activity substantially the same as one carried out by the applicant previously, and made prior to 1 April 1999 (when the main provisions in the Regulations come into force), will be deemed approved until finally disposed of the by Agency. My officials wrote on 21 December 1998, to draw attention to these arrangements, to those consulted on the draft regulations, including the National Farmers Union, Tenant Farmers Association and the Farming Union of Wales. Draft guidance will be published for consultation as soon as possible.
Ms Bridget Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many complaints have been received by his Department about (a) overcrowding, (b) standards of cleanliness and (c) punctuality on Connex South East trains for each quarter in 1998; and what are the latest available figures. [70110]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
So far in 1999 my department and the Franchising Director's office have received three complaints relating to overcrowding on Connex South East trains; four on the general standard of their trains including cleanliness and 21 on punctuality. The table provides the same information for each quarter in 1998.
(2) what action the Government are taking to press the Commission and EU Ministers to set a deadline for ratification of the humane trapping standards for animals caught in leghold traps; [70008]
| Overcrowding | Standard of the trains including cleanliness | Punctuality | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January-March | 29 | 12 | 65 |
| April-June | 7 | 5 | 20 |
| July-September | 7 | 9 | 21 |
| October-December | 14 | 17 | 101 |
| Total for 1998 | 57 | 43 | 207 |
Planning Permission
Mr. John M. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if, when a metropolitan borough council has stated in its UDP that a certain piece of land is designated for business use and suitable for general B1 purposes, it can subsequently grant planning permission to use this land for B1, B2 industry and B8 warehouse use without amendment to the UDP. [70057]
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Mr. Raynsford:
The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requires local planning authorities to determine applications for planning permission in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. It is for local authorities to decide whether material considerations justify granting a planning permission that is not in accordance with the plan.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and which are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner. [69906]
Mr. Meale:
All the executive NDPBs sponsored by DETR have a statutory base except the British Board of Agrement and the National Forest Company.
All the bodies are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, with the following exceptions:
The HATs and LPFA are subject to investigation by the Commissioner for Local Administrations (CLA)--the Local Government Ombudsman. The Environment Agency also comes within the remit of the CLA for matters concerning flood defence and land drainage.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings, (b) hold public meetings and (c) have lay or consumer representatives on their boards; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69961]
Mr. Meale:
(a) None of the advisory non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings.
(b) The following advisory non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department hold public meetings:
10 Feb 1999 : Column: 242
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) the minutes of meetings, (b) the agendas of meetings and documents for those meetings and (c) a register of members' interests; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69835]
Mr. Meale:
(a) The following advisory non- departmental bodies sponsored by my Department publish the minutes of their meetings on the internet or make them available in paper form or do both:
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) the minutes of meetings, (b) the agendas of meetings and documents for those meetings and (c) a register of members' interests; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69949]
Mr. Meale:
(a) The following executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department publish the minutes of their meetings on the internet or make them available in paper form or do both:
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None of these items is published under a statutory requirement.
No information has been supplied on Regional Development Agencies as they are not yet operational and are still in the process of making decisions on these matters.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings, (b) hold public meetings, (c) have lay or consumer representatives on their boards and (d) operate some form of appeal or complaints procedure; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69984]
Mr. Meale:
(a) The following executive non- departmental bodies sponsored by my Department admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings:
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The Audit Commission, the British Board of Agrement (BBA), the five Housing Action Trusts (HATs), the London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA), the London Regional Passengers' Committee, the National Forest Company (NFC).
The NFC will be brought within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration by means of an Order in Council due to go before the Privy Council later this month.
Advisory Committee on Packaging, Disabled Passengers' Transport Advisory Committee, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, UK Round Table on Sustainable Development.
(c) The following advisory non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department have lay or consumer representatives on their boards:
Committee on Chemicals and Materials for Use in Public Water Supplies and Swimming Pools, Disabled Passengers' Transport Advisory Committee, Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, Sustainable Development Education Panel, UK Round Table on Sustainable Development.
None of these matters is subject to a statutory requirement.
Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment, Committee on Chemicals and Materials for Use in Public Water Supplies and Swimming Pools, Export Action Group for Building Materials, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, Sustainable Development Education Panel, UK Round Table on Sustainable Development.
(b) The following advisory non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department publish the agendas of meetings and documents for their meetings:
Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment Export Action Group for Building Materials, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, Sustainable Development Education Panel, UK Round Table on Sustainable Development.
(c) The following advisory non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department publish a register of members' interests or have it available on request:
Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances, Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment, Advisory Committee on Packaging, Building Regulations Advisory Committee, Committee on Chemicals and Materials for Use in Public Water Supplies and Swimming Pools, Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards, Government Panel on Sustainable Development, Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council, Property Advisory Group, Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, Sustainable Development Education Panel, UK Round Table on Sustainable Development, Water Regulations Advisory Committee. All advisory NDPBs have or should shortly have a register of interests in place.
None of these items is published under a statutory requirement.
Countryside Commission, English Nature, Environment Agency, Health and Safety Commission, Health and Safety Executive, Housing Action Trusts (Castle Vale, Liverpool, North Hull, Stonebridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest), Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Local Government Commission for England, London Regional Passengers' Committee.
(b) The following executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department publish the agendas of meetings and documents for their meetings:
Countryside Commission, English Nature, Environment Agency 1 , Health and Safety Commission, Health and Safety Executive, Housing Action Trusts (Castle Vale, Liverpool, North Hull,
Stonebridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest), Joint Nature Conservation Committee, London Regional Passengers' Committee.
1 Agendas only
(c) The following executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department publish a register of members' interests:
Audit Commission, British Board of Agrement, Commission for the New Towns, Countryside Commission, Docklands Light Railway, English Nature, English Partnerships, Environment Agency, Health and Safety Commission, Housing Action Trusts (Castle Vale, Liverpool, North Hull, Stonebridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest), Housing Corporation, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Local Government Commission for England, Local Government Residuary Body (England), National Forest Company, Rural Development Commission.
All executive NDPBs have or should shortly have a register of interests in place.
Countryside Commission, Housing Action Trusts (Castle Vale, Liverpool, North Hull, Stonebridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest), London Regional Passengers' Committee.
(b) The following executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department hold public meetings:
Commission for the New Towns, Countryside Commission, Docklands Light Railway, English Nature, English Partnerships, Environment Agency, Health and Safety Commission, Housing Action Trusts (Castle Vale, Liverpool, North Hull, Stonebridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest), Local Government Commission for England, Local Government Residuary Body (England), Traffic Director for London.
(c) The following executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department have lay or consumer representatives on their boards:
Health and Safety Commission, Housing Action Trusts (Castle Vale, Liverpool, North Hull, Stonebridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest), Housing Corporation, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, London Pensions Fund Authority, London Regional Passengers' Committee.
(d) The following executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department operate some form of appeal or complaints procedure:
Audit Commission, Commission for the New Towns, Countryside Commission, Docklands Light Railway, English Nature, English Partnerships, Environment Agency, General Lighthouse Authorities (Northern Lighthouse Board, Trinity House) Health and Safety Commission, Health and Safety Executive, Housing
Action Trusts (Castle Vale, Liverpool, North Hull, Stonebridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest), Housing Corporation, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Local Government Commission for England, London Pensions Fund Authority, London Regional Passengers' Committee, Rural Development Commission, Traffic Director for London.
None of these matters is subject to a statutory requirement.
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