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Parish Councils
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the threshold above which parish councils are subject to the Audit Accounting Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [73638]
Ms Armstrong: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 20 January 1999, Official Report, column 466.
Countryside Agency
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when (a) the Chairman and (b) members of the Countryside Agency will be appointed. [74337]
Mr. Meacher:
Shortly.
2 Mar 1999 : Column: 628
Mr. Stringer:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which local authority airport companies he regards as qualified to be freed from borrowing control. [74618]
Dr. Reid:
Following the issue of a consultation document and an invitation to qualified airport companies to apply to be freed from borrowing control, Manchester Airport plc, Newcastle International Airport Ltd., Leeds Bradford International Airport Ltd. and Norwich Airport Ltd. have applied. My right hon. Friend has considered their applications. He is satisfied that all four companies are financially sound and that they should be removed from borrowing control. He will therefore shortly lay before Parliament an Order making the necessary amendment to the Public Airport Companies (Capital Finance) Order 1996. Subject to Parliamentary approval the amending Order will take effect on 1 April.
Mr. Caton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he proposes to publish his strategy for sustainable distribution. [74620]
Dr. Reid:
I have today published our strategy for sustainable distribution, establishing a partnership between Government and industry to develop a world class distribution system for the next millennium, meeting industry's and consumers' needs while improving our environment and quality of life. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House and are available in the Vote Office.
Disability Discrimination Act 1995
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact on his Department's policies of the goods and services provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to be implemented in October 1999. [71267]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: We are acting to ensure that the Department's policies meet the needs of disabled people and that we comply with our legal requirements. The Department already takes positive steps to make it easier for disabled people to make use of its services. We shall continue to do so, not only by complying fully with the new duties in the Disability Discrimination Act but by aiming to exceed these requirements where we can.
In December 1998, the Department briefed all its senior management on "mainstreaming" which ensures that all new and existing policies and programmes are assessed for any adverse impact not only on disabled people, but on any minority or disadvantaged group. That includes the need to ensure that our policies and their outcomes comply with the law. Where necessary, we shall act to remove or reduce the adverse impact on these groups. The guidance, "Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment", which the Cabinet Office has issued to all Government Departments, was circulated at the same time.
2 Mar 1999 : Column: 629
In addition, the Government of Wales Act 1998 gives the National Assembly of Wales a duty to have regard to equality of opportunity for all people in the conduct of its business and in the exercise of its functions. The Assembly will have to report annually on what arrangements it has made to promote equality of opportunity in exercising its functions and how successful they have been. We have received advice from the National Assembly Advisory Group and the Standing Orders Commission on how these duties should be given effect and the Department is in contact with relevant statutory and voluntary bodies in Wales regarding the development of these arrangements.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the outstanding housing renovation grants in Wales on the basis of existing commitments made by local authorities at 31 March 1998, or the latest date at which the information is available. [71353]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The value of outstanding renovation grants at the end of September 1998 is estimated to be £98 millions: this relates to grants under both the 1989 Local Government and Housing Act and the 1996 Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the prospects for a Caergwrle bypass. [74187]
Mr. Hain:
The scheme is the joint responsibility of Flintshire and Wrexham councils and I had a meeting to discuss the way forward with my hon. Friend and a delegation last week.
Following the transfer of functions, any bid for Transport Grant support will be a matter for the National Assembly.
National Lottery
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of heritage projects for which National Lottery funding was applied for were rejected in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98 and (c) 1998-99 to date. [72176]
Mr. Chris Smith: The table shows applications rejected by the Heritage Lottery Fund (including those deemed ineligible) as a percentage of applications on which a decision was made (i.e. applications which were accepted or rejected) during the period. The figures do not take into account applications on which no decision has yet been taken.
The figures relate to the year in which the decision was made, which in some cases is different from the year in which the relevant applications were received.
2 Mar 1999 : Column: 630
| Year | % of heritage applications rejected |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 32 |
| 1997-98 | 35 |
| 1998-99 (to 16 February 1999) | 54 |
Libraries
Mr. Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the service provided by public libraries. [72104]
Mr. Alan Howarth [holding answer 1 March 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 1 March 1999, Official Report, column 532, to my hon. Friends the Members for Ilford, North (Ms Perham) and for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien).
HOME DEPARTMENT
Crime Statistics
Mr. Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were (a) reported and (b) solved in England and Wales involving false documentation (i) in relation to motor vehicles and (ii) not related to motor vehicles for the years (1) 1995, (2) 1996, (3) 1997 and (4) 1998. [73084]
Mr. Boateng: Recorded crimes which involve false documentation are included in fraud and forgery offences, but are not separately identifiable. Figures for all recorded fraud and forgery offences for 1995, 1996 and 1997 are as follows (1998 figures are not yet available):
| Year | Number of offences | Offences detected |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 133,016 | 65,935 |
| 1996 | 136,225 | 67,080 |
| 1997 | 134,398 | 64,555 |
Crimes involving false documentation in relation to motor vehicles are not included in the totals, as they were not notifiable to the Home Office before April 1998. However, the numbers of these crimes are being collected from 1 April 1998, and will be included in the statistical bulletin on notifiable offences which will be issued in October 1999.
EU Nationals
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many decisions to deport EU nationals were made on the grounds of (a) public policy, (b) public security and (c) public health during the period 1 February 1998 to date. [72868]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Between 1 February and 30 November 1998, some 135 European Union nationals were issued with a notice of intention to deport or recommended for deportation by a court. The precise reasons for initiating deportation action in these cases can only be obtained through the examination of individual case records and is therefore only available at disproportionate cost.
2 Mar 1999 : Column: 631
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the steps his Department is taking to outlaw prostitute contact cards in London telephone boxes. [73640]
Mr. Boateng:
The Home Office will shortly be issuing a consultation paper on new measures to tackle the problem of prostitutes cards in telephone boxes which will look at options for changing the law to enable those who put cards in telephone boxes to be dealt with more effectively.
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