| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Homelessness
Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 February 1999, Official Report, column 445, what consultation is taking place regarding further assistance and protection for homeless people; what representations he has received on the restoration of a duty
1 Mar 1999 : Column: 520
to fund permanent housing; when he plans to complete his consideration of the further steps to be taken referred to in his answer; and if he will make a statement. [73526]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 26 February 1999]: The Government have received representations from Shelter about making changes to the homelessness legislation which we are considering carefully. The Government intend to consult very widely on any proposals for strengthening the assistance and protection available to homeless people which it brings forward. No date has been set for completion of consideration of the steps that might be taken.
Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what strategy he has to meet the need for social housing over the next 20 years; and if he will make a statement. [73517]
Mr. Raynsford
[holding answer 26 February 1999]: Our aim is to offer everyone the opportunity of a decent home and so promote social cohesion, well-being and self-dependence. The provision of good quality, efficiently managed social housing plays an important part in meeting that aim.
We are making available an extra £5 billion for housing over the life of this Parliament, giving local authorities increased scope to invest in new social housing where this best reflects local needs and priorities, and boosting the Housing Corporation's support for new social housing relative to the last Government's spending plans.
However, the overall number of new social houses built is not a full or satisfactory measure of a successful housing strategy. Decisions on investment have to strike a balance between the need for new social housing and the requirement to invest in improvements to the existing social and private sector stock. They must also take proper account of the demand for social housing, which varies greatly between regions and even between local neighbourhoods. It is important, therefore, that investment decisions reflect local circumstances. The policies we are putting in place following the Comprehensive Spending Review are designed to ensure that investment decisions are based on robust local assessments of housing need, reflected in housing strategies drawn up by local authorities in partnership with their communities.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the revenue support grant for Gloucestershire for the last five years for which figures are available; and what revenue support grant he is providing for 1999-2000. [73140]
1 Mar 1999 : Column: 521
Ms Armstrong
[holding answer 26 February 1999]: The information requested is shown in the table:
| £ million | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-1995 | 1995-1996 | 1996-1997 | 1997-1998 | 1998-1999 | 1999-2000 | |
| Gloucestershire County Council | 122.009 | 116.893 | 114.407 | 121.930 | 125.861 | 128.611 |
| Cheltenham | 3.909 | 3.861 | 3.688 | 3.779 | 3.393 | 3.237 |
| Cotswold | 2.125 | 2.042 | 1.659 | 1.811 | 1.556 | 1.509 |
| Forest of Dean | 1.861 | 1.702 | 1.322 | 1.690 | 1.470 | 1.394 |
| Gloucester | 4.423 | 4.289 | 4.269 | 4.560 | 4.379 | 4.233 |
| Stroud | 2.098 | 1.920 | 1.515 | 1.736 | 1.462 | 1.306 |
| Tewkesbury | 2.510 | 2.318 | 1.902 | 2.015 | 1.499 | 1.450 |
| Gloucestershire Police | (8)-- | 9.589 | 9.004 | 9.280 | 9.455 | 9.105 |
(8) Gloucestershire Police Authority came into existence in April 1995. In 1994-95, police services were provided by the County Council.
Transport on Water Association
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations he has received recently from the Transport on Water Association regarding river transport to and from the Millennium Dome; and if he will make a statement; [73528]
- (2) what correspondence he has received from the Transport on Water Association since 1998; and if he will lay copies of the letters and his replies in the Library; [73530]
(3) when he first received a copy of the Transport On Water Association's study of the future of passenger services on the River Thames; and what assessment he has made of their recommendations. [73529]
Ms Glenda Jackson: My hon. Friend the Minister for London and Construction received a letter from the Chairman of the Transport on Water Association dated 27 July 1998 asking a number of questions about the Government's plan for encouraging new river transport services on the Thames, including services to the Millennium Dome. I replied on 28 September. As requested, I am placing copies of both letters in the Libraries of the House.
My Department first received a copy of the Association's proposals for a system of passenger transport on the Thames in 1994. These were taken into account, along with other studies and advice, in developing the Government's own proposals under our Thames 2000 initiative.
Planning Appeals
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of planning appeals dealt with by means of written representations since 1 May 1997 have conformed with the timescales required by the Written Representations Regulations 1987. [73403]
Mr. Raynsford:
The provision of information on planning appeals is the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. I have asked the Inspector's Chief Executive, Mr. Chris Shepley, to write to the hon. Member.
1 Mar 1999 : Column: 522
Letter from C. J. Shepley to Mr. Norman Baker, dated 1 March 1999:
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what evaluation his Department has made of proposals for the possible construction of a new railway station at Tufnell Park on the Barking to Gospel Oak line. [73160]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
This is a commercial matter for Railtrack. The construction of a new station at Tufnell Park is dependent on an approach from the train operating company and/or the local council. I am advised that to date no formal proposal has been received.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the proposals currently being considered by his Department for the re-opening of closed railway lines. [73159]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
No specific proposals are currently under consideration, but we announced on 25 February that the Franchising Director is taking forward a wide ranging consultation on the future development of rail services. Proposals for the re-opening of lines may also be submitted under the Rail Passenger Partnership Fund effective from 1 April. The Office of Passenger Rail Franchising will be publishing guidance for bidders shortly.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the environmental changes in Antarctica since the agreement of the Environmental Protocol. [73166]
Mr. Meacher:
The Environmental Protocol entered into force in January 1998, although the UK had implemented its provisions soon after its adoption in 1991. Operational procedures in Antarctica have changed considerably within the past few years to take on board the tough provisions of the Protocol, e.g., the regular use of Environmental Impact Assessments, rigorous waste
1 Mar 1999 : Column: 523
disposal standards, etc. All activities of British citizens in Antarctica, including the scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, are the subject of permits issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. An assessment of compliance with environmental standards is a routine part of permitting procedures. From our knowledge of the operations in Antarctica of other Treaty parties it is apparent that all, to a greater or lesser extent, have embraced the provisions of the Protocol.
Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey continually monitor conditions in Antarctica. Whilst the Environmental Protocol has strengthened the environmental protection of Antarctica from activities which are carried out there, changes to Antarctica's environment are occurring due to the impact of wider global events, e.g., pollution from industrial areas outside of Antarctica.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about planning appeals which have conformed with the timescales required by the Written Representations Regulations.
The Written Representations Regulations 1987 require parties to an appeal (including third parties) to comply with a number of timescales set out in the Regulations. These cover such things as the time when the LPA should notify other parties that they have received the appeal (within 5 days) and other timescales for submitting statements and responses. If these are all conformed to the date for the site visit, which would be set by the Inspectorate, could be in 8-10 weeks from the appeal start date.
In a significant number of cases, however, we are not placed to set the site visit in the 8th week because one or other of the parties fails to abide by the time limits (as provided for by the Regulation). Because of the number of stages (or time limits) involved we do not keep records of conformity in the procedural stages.
However the Inspectorate is set performance targets by the Minister. For Written Representation cases the timeliness target for this year is that in 80% of cases a decision should be issued within 18 weeks of the receipt of the appeal. So far since April 1998 we have achieved this target in every month.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |