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English Partnerships, Cockermouth

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what special circumstances arose in the case of the English Partnerships offices in Cockermouth which distinguish them from other offices in the department where valuations have been published in the last 10 years. [93234]

Mr. Meale: The North West Regional Development Agency, in keeping with its predecessor English Partnerships, does not publish valuations of individual properties. This information is commercial in confidence.

Lakeland Business Park

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the tenants of all premises on the Lakeland Business Park at Cockermouth. [93225]

Mr. Meale: Tenants of the premises on the Lakeland Business Park at Cockermouth are:


27 Jul 1999 : Column: 344


    Rannerdale Ltd.


    Kinlock Engineering Ltd.


    Sales Direct Ltd.


    Tagga Ltd.


    G. Beattie (T/A Alpha Design Arch. Services).

Shipping

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on which occasions since 1993 his Department has received written or oral approaches from the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Wells) on matters relating to shipping since 1993. [93241]

Ms Glenda Jackson: I understand that the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Wells) tabled one written Parliamentary Question on shipping, in September 1993.

Motorway Services

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he is taking in response to complaints about prices and standards of service at motorway service areas. [93360]

Ms Glenda Jackson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) on 13 July 1999, Official Report, column 127.

Belmont Stables, Mill Hill

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Inspector completed his report into Belmont Stables, Mill Hill; and when he expects to announce his decision. [93223]

Mr. Caborn: The Secretary of State received the Inspector's report in June and expects to announce his decision shortly.

Strategic Rail Authority

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has for Scottish representation on the proposed strategic rail authority. [91624]

Ms Glenda Jackson: A Scottish representative will be appointed as member of the Strategic Rail Authority.

Thames Water

Mr. Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will take to prevent Thames Water from requiring domestic water customers who have received planning permission for home extensions since 1990 to have a water meter; and if he will make a statement. [93544]

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Mr. Meale: I understand that, in response to pressure, Thames Water have today announced a change of policy on this issue. They will no longer impose meters in these circumstances.

Street Lighting

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of the budget of the Energy, Environment and Waste Directorate is allocated specifically to the promotion of energy-efficient street lighting on main trunk roads and motorways. [93359]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The Energy, Environment and Waste Directorate funds a number of programmes aimed at improving energy efficiency, including the efficiency of lighting. In particular the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme has supported a research and development project aimed at developing new energy control equipment for street lighting.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much has been spent by local authorities on the maintenance of existing street lighting outside built-up areas in the past financial year; [93349]

Ms Glenda Jackson: This information is not available centrally.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what were the values of the contracts awarded to each manufacturer who has supplied street lighting equipment to his Department and local authorities in the past financial year; [93344]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The Highways Agency, the executive agency responsible for trunk roads in England, does not award contracts directly to manufacturers of lighting equipment.

On new schemes, street lighting is installed by sub contracts working to a main contractor.

On existing roads, street lighting is installed and maintained by our managing agents. We do not keep, centrally, records of their expenditure.

Information on local authorities contracts is not kept centrally.

27 Jul 1999 : Column: 346

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much his Department has spent on the new and additional street lighting outside built-up areas in the past financial year; [93354]

Ms Glenda Jackson: This information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list Government initiatives currently underway to correct existing poorly designed and installed street lighting in rural and urban streets. [93356]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The Highways Agency are to issue advice on the renovation of street lighting schemes and although written for trunk roads and motorways it will be equally applicable to local authority roads. Some central Government funding is available to local authorities, for new street lighting schemes under the Private Finance Initiative. Where local authorities apply for this funding, proposals should be appraised in line with the Department's "New Approach to Appraisal" to ensure that the benefits and costs (including the environmental and safety benefits) are presented in a consistent way.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to promote the use of energy-efficient street lighting to local authorities. [93346]

Ms Glenda Jackson: The Department funds a number of programmes aimed at improving energy efficiency, including the efficiency of lighting. In particular the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme has supported a research and development project aimed at developing new energy efficient control equipment for street lighting. Some central Government funding is also available, to local authorities, for new street lighting schemes under the Private Finance Initiative. Where local authorities apply for this funding, proposals should be appraised in line with the Department's "New Approach to Appraisal" to ensure that the benefits and costs (including running costs) are presented in a consistent way.

Lighting Guidelines

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what evidence he has that local planning authorities, lighting professionals and members of the public follow the guidelines published in 1997 by his Department and the Countryside Commission in the report, Lighting in the Countryside: Towards Good Practice. [93357]

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Mr. Raynsford: My Department has not undertaken specific research on this subject. The Department receives correspondence on the general issue of the effects of lighting but is not aware of concerns that the guidance is not being followed.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how the report Lighting in the Countryside: Towards Good Practice, jointly published by his Department and the Countryside Commission in 1997, is made accessible to local authorities, professionals and members of the general public. [93358]

Mr. Raynsford: On publication, copies were sent to a wide range of bodies, including local planning authorities in England, relevant local authority organisations and other professional bodies including RICS and the RTPI. Local authorities may make copies available to people in their area. The report continues to be available for purchase from the Stationery Office.


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