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Safety Regulations (Riverside Sites)
Mr. John Cryer:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the nature and basis of the statutory regulations relating to safety in connection with repair or construction work on bridges and other structures over tidal water on the River Thames upstream of Gravesend,
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with particular reference to those applying to the specification of safety boats and the qualifications of their crews. [Transferred] [85306]
Mr. Meale:
The safety of construction and repair workers at riverside sites, is covered by the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996. They include measures to prevent falls, minimise the risk of drowning and to provide rescue equipment (but do not specify what type). The Regulations require the safe transport of workers by water, any vessel used shall be suitably constructed and properly maintained, under the control of competent person and not be overloaded. An inspector would take these factors into account when visiting a site.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency can advise on appropriate standards for rescue and work boats which are used only on inland waters, but there are no specific merchant shipping regulations laying down standards for such boats or qualifications of those manning them.
The Port of London Authority (PLA) require boats carrying goods or up to 12 passengers to be licensed and operated by licensed watermen. The PLA is not empowered to insist on this for boats used solely as rescue boats, but can only advise. The most suitable craft for individual circumstances is best determined through a properly conducted risk assessment.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if local authorities that opt for area-based committees will be permitted to delegate executive functions to them under his proposals for local government reform. [85381]
Ms Armstrong:
Having regard to the responses received to our Paper "Local leadership, local choice" (Command Paper 4298), we are considering how any legislation for new forms of local governance can allow decisions to be devolved to local areas whilst ensuring there will be clear corporate executive accountability in each council.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 18 May 1999, Official Report, column 290, concerning the London concessionary fares scheme, if he will table amendments in the House of Lords to extend the reserve scheme to include surface rail services. [85445]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Greater London Authority Bill will provide adequate powers for London local authorities to deal satisfactorily with the provision of concessions on London rail services. We have always made clear that our general aim for the Greater London Authority Bill is to transfer existing responsibilities to the Mayor, rather than attempt major revisions of legislation affecting London going beyond the policies outlined in the White Paper. The creation of a new statutory reserve scheme including surface rail would not be compatible with that aim.
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Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Canary Wharf Developments restores the bridge between Canary Wharf and South Keys. [85458]
Mr. Caborn:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State understands that the British Waterways Board is currently liaising with Canary Wharf Developments and various groups on the South Quay with the aim of putting in place a temporary footbridge while the existing bridge between Canary Wharf and South Quay is not in use.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what estimate he has made of the amount of available brownfield land suitable for housing development; [85449]
(3) what is his current estimate of the amount of available brownfield land suitable for retail development. [85457]
Mr. Raynsford:
Provisional results from the National Land Use Database were published on 20 May. These show an estimate of 33,000 hectares of previously developed vacant and derelict land across England. Some 4,800 hectares of this land was allocated in local plans or had planning permission for housing, about 4,500 hectares for mixed use and around 13,400 for other uses. In total, just over 12,000 hectares of vacant and derelict land either had planning permission or were allocated in the local plan for housing or were judged suitable for housing. Suitability was not assessed for retail or industrial development.
The National Land Use Database also included sites currently in use but allocated in local plans for redevelopment or with planning permission for housing; other sites expected to become available for redevelopment; and sites occupied by vacant commercial buildings. Such sites accounted for an estimated 23,000 hectares, of which over 5,000 hectares were allocated for redevelopment in plans or had planning permission for housing and a total of over 14,000 hectares were judged suitable for housing.
A copy of the DETR/Government Statistical Service Bulletin has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to receive the report from the Urban Task Force. [85455]
Mr. Caborn:
The Deputy Prime Minister hopes to receive the final draft of the Task Force's report in the next few days. It will then be prepared for publication, which will be by the end of June.
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Mr. Sutcliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to strengthen the rules in relation to car insurance and the abuse of cover notes. [85309]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Increasing use of electronic delivery of services in the insurance industry is making abuse of cover notes more difficult. As the Government move to electronic direct relicensing of vehicles, including use of the Association of British Insurers planned motor insurance database, such abuse should be virtually eliminated because enforcement authorities will be able to have access to insurance information on-line in real time.
Anybody who had the misfortune to be the victim in an accident involving a driver abusing a cover note should be reassured that compensation would be paid by the Motor Insurers Bureau under the terms of the Uninsured Drivers Agreement.
Mr. Sutcliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to eliminate fraud through the abuse of road tax discs. [85308]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Vehicle excise duty (VED) fraud can take a number of forms. The display of fraudulent tax discs is a serious matter which is dealt with solely by the police. There is no evidence to suggest that the practice is widespread. Where vehicles are used or kept unlicensed on the public road, the detection role is carried out by the police, who pass offence reports to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for enforcement action.
My Department has introduced a number of new initiatives aimed at reducing the level of vehicle excise duty evasion. These include measures to improve the quality of the vehicle register and to make it more difficult for motorists to drop out of the licensing system. The national scheme to wheelclamp and impound unlicensed vehicles continues to be successful in encouraging motorists to relicense their vehicles. A pilot scheme to use camera technology for automating the detection process is to begin shortly.
Charlotte Atkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the recently completed consultation exercise on the best value in housing framework. [85628]
Ms Armstrong:
On 21 January 1999 we published the consultation paper "Best Value in Housing Framework". This explained the framework within which local housing authorities will need to operate in obtaining best value in housing taking into account key housing aspects such as the relationship between best value and the Housing Investment Programme; the important role of tenants and residents; and the operation and establishment of the Housing Inspectorate.
The consultation paper flowed from the work of the Best Value in Housing Steering Group which brings together representatives from my Department; the Local Government Association; the Chartered Institute of
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Housing; the Audit Commission; the Housing Corporation; the National Housing Federation; and TAROE--the Tenants and Residents Organisations of England. Consultation ended on 16 April 1999. We received 268 responses from across a wide range of local authorities, tenants organisations and housing professional bodies which will help inform the content of the final guidance.
I am pleased to announce that the consultation shows that there is strong support for the principles of best value in housing as set out in the consultation paper and, in particular, for the involvement of tenants and residents. There is also strong support for a protocol setting out the working relationships between the key organisations involved in assessing housing performance at the local level and compliance with the duty of best value. The consultation paper has been instrumental in raising awareness of best value among local authorities and others. Many local authority respondents indicated that they have found it a useful guide in helping them to prepare for best value.
In supporting the principles, a number of respondents raised resource, staffing and budgetary concerns relating to the implementation of best value. We accept that there are likely to be some compliance costs in areas such as best value reviews and performance plans. However, the intended purpose of the best value provisions is to secure continuous improvements in the way in which local government exercises its functions. The improved efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources which result is expected to deliver cost savings as well as improvements in service delivery. To ensure efficiency, best value will be underpinned by rigorous audit, inspection and enforcement provisions. These will include the audit of the local authority performance plans as well as their accounts, which will include the costs of conducting reviews and preparing plans. The clear signal from the consultation is that we should proceed to work up a final set of guidance on the application of best value to housing. We aim to publish this towards the end of the year. The timing reflects the need to take account of the statutory arrangements to be put in place for best value.
In taking this work forward, through the Best Value in Housing Steering Group and others, we shall also want to take account of the detailed comments of respondents to the consultation exercise; further emerging lessons from the best value pilots; the read across to the work of the Housing Corporation in applying best value to registered social landlords; and the arrangements being developed by the Audit Commission for the operation and establishment of the Housing Inspectorate. Meanwhile, it is important that all local authorities, if they have not already done so, start planning ahead for best value. The new duty of best value, as laid down in Part I of the Local Government Bill, is expected to apply as from 1 April 2000.
I am placing a list of the respondents, excluding any who requested confidentiality, in the House Library together with a report providing an analysis of the responses. The list and specific responses are available in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions Library, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE, telephone 0171 890 3039.
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(2) what estimate he has made of the amount of available brownfield land suitable for industrial development; [85450]
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