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Mobile Telephone Masts
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the planning requirements as regards the siting of mobile telephone masts. [95679]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The provisions of Part 24 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (GPDO) which govern the installation of mobile telephone masts were amended earlier this year by SI 1999 No. 1661. Guidance on these changes is contained in DETR Circular 04/99 which complements Planning Policy Guidance note 8 (revised) (PPG8) on telecommunications. In December 1998 the Department issued for consultation a draft circular prepared jointly with the Department of Health on land use planning and electromagnetic fields. We are currently considering the responses received.
26 Oct 1999 : Column: 800
Mr. Cash:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the levels of spending on consumer protection per head of population in (a) Staffordshire and (b) each other county of England (i) in the current year and (ii) in each of the last three years. [94016]
Dr. Howells:
I have been asked to reply.
The figures requested are contained in the following table. Expenditure per head has been calculated by dividing the total expenditure on consumer protection for each county (excluding those abolished during local government reorganisation), as collected by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, by the total population of the county. The population data used are the latest available, namely for mid 1997.
Total expenditure figures for the financial years 1996-97 and 1997-98 are actual out-turns; those for 1998-99 are provisional out-turns; and the 1999-2000 figures are budget estimates.
Figures reflect the changes in local authority boundaries that came into effect in 1998-99.
(4) These figures relate to spending by the authority prior to boundary changes as a result of Local Government reorganisation.
26 Oct 1999 : Column: 801
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
European Commissioners
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the amount paid to each European commissioner who resigned earlier this year (a) arising from their resignation and (b) over the period to the appointment of the new Commission. [94807]
Mr. Vaz: Commissioners' terms and conditions of service are set down in the 1967 Council Regulation 422/67, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the current state of investigations into former EU commissioners in respect of possible fraud or misconduct. [94808]
Mr. Vaz: The Council has commenced proceedings in the European Court of Justice against Mr. Bangemann, a former Commissioner, under Article 213 (2) of the Treaty. This matter is sub judice.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of each of the proposed reforms to the EU Commission put forward by the Commissioner for Administrative Reform. [94809]
Mr. Vaz: We fully support the process of reform in the new Commission. We welcome the progress already made; and in particular, the adoption of a new Code of Conduct covering Commissioners' behaviour, a re- organisation of Directorates General and a reorganisation of senior jobs (which are now filled according to merit rather than on the basis of a quota system). We welcome the Commission's intention to publish a White Paper on reform early next year.
Paul Van Buitenen
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the European Commission about the position of EU employee Paul van Buitenen; and if he will make a statement. [94810]
26 Oct 1999 : Column: 802
Mr. Vaz:
We have not made any representations on this matter. We welcome the Commission's intention to bring forward proposals for such guidelines and procedures as part of its package of reform.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the official positions in the European Communities currently held by contributors to the Corpus Juris document. [95229]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
I have been asked to reply.
The research study "Corpus Juris: introducing penal provisions for the purposes of the financial interests of the European Union" was published in April 1997. It was written by a group of experts from the Association of European Lawyers for the Protection of the Financial Interests of the Community (ALPFIEC). Although the experts worked under the aegis of the Directorate General for Financial Control (DGXX) of the European Commission, they were independent of the Commission and held academic appointments which are listed in the publication. Information on any official positions currently held by the authors of the study is not available.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures have been taken to reorganise his Department's workload in accordance with the Working Time Directive; and if he will make a statement. [95399]
Mr. Battle:
The Department constantly reviews its workload to take account of changing demands and priorities. Guidance issued to staff and managers requires line managers to re-prioritise the work on their staff to ensure that working hours comply fully with the Working Time Directive and Regulations.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's staff are exempt from the Working Time Directive. [95401]
Mr. Battle:
All staff are subject to the provisions of the Working Time Directive and Regulations.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost to his Department to date of implementing the working time regulations; what additional paperwork has been required; and what checks are undertaken internally. [95403]
Mr. Battle:
No additional financial costs have been incurred so far. Staff who have opted to waive their rights to a maximum 48 hour week are required to keep records of the hours they work. Guidance for staff and managers on the application of the Working Time Directive and Regulations have been circulated to staff. Line Managers are required to ensure that the working hours of their staff comply fully with the Working Time Directive and Regulations.
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