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Heathrow (Terminal 5)
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the public inquiry on Heathrow's proposed Terminal 5 to reach a decision. [77310]
Mr. Caborn: The public inquiry closed on 17 March and the Inspector has said that he expects to take up to two years to produce his report. The Secretary of State will need to give the report full consideration before reaching a decision.
Planning
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received from hon. Members concerning planning matters in 1999. [77309]
Mr. Raynsford: Comprehensive information is not available in the form requested and could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.
Green Belt (Leicestershire)
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many acres of Green Belt there were in Leicestershire at the latest available date. [77311]
Mr. Raynsford: There is no designated Green Belt land in Leicestershire.
Bengal Tigers
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment
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he made during his visit to India of the prospects for the future of the Bengal tigers and the steps India is taking to protect them. [75690]
Mr. Prescott:
During my visit to India I addressed the Millennium Tiger Conference and, as a guest of the Indian Government, visited Ranthambore Tiger Reserve where tiger numbers are slowly recovering as a result of positive protection and co-operation to meet the needs of local people.
I was impressed by the clear commitment to tiger conservation shown by the Indian Government and in particular, by Suresh Prabhu, the Indian Environment Minister, and Director of Project Tiger, Mr. P. K. Sen. However, in spite of their efforts, and those of many committed Indian officials, reserve wardens and NGOs, tigers in India still face serious threats. These are set down in the Millennium Tiger Conference's final communique and include the loss of habitat to large scale development projects; habitat degradation from livestock grazing and increased human population; and poaching to supply the continuing demand for tiger body parts.
The Conference agreed to address these by recommending that land use policies recognise the importance of tiger habitats and that revenues from Protected Areas be reinvested in tiger conservation. The meeting also emphasised the importance of improving legislation and strengthening enforcement. The Declaration calls for more effort from consumer countries in controlling domestic trade in tiger parts and derivatives, an issue that the CITES Tiger Missions, launched in London by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett), will pursue when visiting range states including India, and consuming countries such as Japan, in the early summer.
Whilst in India, I announced the UK's intention to join the Global Tiger Forum, together with a new grant of £50,000 to go towards enforcement work in India and an Indonesian project to protect the Sumatran tiger. This brings the UK's total contribution to tiger conservation to £200,000 over the past two years.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his discussion with Vice-President Gore about protecting the world's oceans. [75692]
Mr. Prescott:
During Vice-President Gore's visit to London on Saturday 30 January 1999, we discussed protection of oceans. I stressed to him the opportunity offered by this year's consideration of oceans and seas by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development to make progress both on the protection of the world's marine environments and the way in which the UN system handles the issue.
Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if the Housing Policy Green Paper will consult on proposals to help homeless people; and if he will make a statement; [77303]
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Mr. Raynsford:
The Housing Policy Green Paper will be published later this year. It will consult on a number of proposals to help meet our objective to offer everyone including homeless people the opportunity of a decent home.
As I indicated in my earlier reply to a Question from my hon. Friend on 1 March 1999, Official Report, columns 519-20, we intend to consult widely on any proposals for strengthening the assistance and protection available to homeless people but no date has been set for completion of the necessary consideration of the steps that might be taken in this respect.
Mr. Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if his Department, in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence, will carry out an audit of sites within the ownership of the Crown which could be made available for the temporary encampment of travellers over the period of Christmas 1999 and the millennium celebrations; [77478]
(3) what arrangements are in hand within his Department, the Home Office and the Welsh Office jointly to identify sites which could offer temporary provision for large gatherings of travellers over the period of Christmas 1999 and the millennium celebrations; [77476]
(4) what arrangements his Department and the Welsh Office have made to use (a) the National Gypsy Council and (b) other bodies to ensure that travelling families are made aware of facilities that the Government propose to make available to travellers over the period of Christmas 1999 and the millennium celebrations. [77475]
Mr. Raynsford:
There are over 300 authorised local authority Gypsy caravan sites in England and Wales although we know of none which would accommodate more than 150 caravans. My Department does not hold data on the capacity of privately owned Gypsy caravan sites. The Government have no plans to make Crown land available specifically for Gypsies and Travellers proposing to celebrate the millennium.
My Department and the Home Office have recently published joint good practice advice for local authorities and the police for managing unauthorised camping by travellers generally. The good practice was developed with the assistance of a number of groups representing Gypsy/Traveller interests, including the National Gypsy Council.
We want local authorities and the police to develop joint protocols to ensure proper and sensitive management of traveller encampments, including effective handling of any problems of crime and disorder which may arise particularly with large encampments. As part of this exercise, local authorities should be identifying acceptable stopping places for travellers.
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The Home Office are also undertaking a series of visits to local authorities to ensure their preparedness to deliver emergency planning responsibilities over the period of the millennium celebrations. Areas under consideration include the management of serious public disorder resulting from large gatherings of people, irrespective of whether Travellers are involved or not.
Mr. Sutcliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the request by the British Carpet Manufacturers Association for a delay in making a decision on the European Classifications of Floorcoverings for reaction to fire. [77298]
Mr. Raynsford:
The decision on the reaction to fire for floorcoverings was postponed in December 1998 to permit consultation with industry and will be tabled again in April 1999. In the meantime, I have met the British Carpet Manufacturers Association and they are aware that a further delay is unlikely to be supported by the European Commission or other Member States.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood), representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the annual cost of running the House of Commons in each of the last five years; and what was the cost excluding major new building work for the latest available period. [76937]
Mr. Kirkwood:
The administrative cost of running the House of Commons is given in the table.
(2) when he expects to publish the Housing Policy Green Paper; and if he will make a statement. [77304]
(2) how many authorised sites for travellers exist within England and Wales large enough to accommodate more than 150 caravans and several hundred people over the period of Christmas 1999 and the millennium celebrations; [77477]
| £000 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 |
| Administration | 62,738 | 65,302 | 68,190 | 68,290 | 72,878 |
| Works | 23,762 | 26,497 | 28,416 | 31,900 | 35,068 |
| Sub Total | 86,500 | 91,799 | 96,606 | 100,190 | 107,946 |
| Porticullis House | 7,662 | 6,292 | 15,633 | 30,002 | 37,281 |
| Total | 94,162 | 98,091 | 112,239 | 130,192 | 145,227 |
Figures are outturn figures. This excludes the cost of the pay and allowances of Members of Parliament.
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