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Best Value
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the total cost of preparation of best value performance plans by local authorities. [107178]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The costs of preparing best value performance plans depend on a wide variety of local factors, including authorities' current management assignments. Any such costs are expected to be offset by efficiency improvements, and will be monitored by my Department.
School Playing Fields
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will produce a planning guidance note to establish what constitutes (a) brownfield and (b) greenfield sites in respect of a land disposal involving a combination of buildings and used ground and playing fields and undeveloped ground. [107154]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
Our draft revision of the planning policy guidance on housing (PPG3), published in March 1999, contains a definition for the purposes of development. The final version of PPG3 will be published
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shortly. Guidance on the disposal of open space with recreational value is set out in PPG 17 on Sport and Recreation.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review current legislation on development on playing fields. [107171]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
None. Planning Policy Guidance note 17 "Sport and Recreation" already emphasises the special significance of playing fields and that they should normally be protected. The Town and Country Planning (Playing Fields) (England) Direction 1998 requires referral to the Secretary of State of planning applications for development of local authority-owned playing fields or those currently, or in the previous five years, in educational use, where Sport England has objected but the local planning authority is minded to grant permission. The Secretary of State then has the opportunity to call in the application for his own determination.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that playing fields and green spaces in urban areas are not designated as brownfield sites for the purpose of housing and other development proposals. [107170]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
Planning Policy Guidance note 17 "Sport and Recreation" emphasises the special significance of playing fields and that they should normally be protected. Forthcoming Planning Policy Guidance note 3 "Housing" will emphasise that local planning authorities should have clear policies for the protection of open spaces and playing fields.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will instruct the shadow Strategic Rail Authority to discuss with the Association of Train Operating Companies the coverage of the National Routing Guide. [107596]
Mr. Hill:
The Association of Train Operating Companies are currently undertaking a thorough review of National Routing Guide. The shadow Strategic Rail Authority is a statutory consultee in this process and will ensure that passenger benefits are protected and extended where appropriate.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many responses he received on his consultation for the new edition of the Highway Code. [107657]
Mr. Hill:
260 responses were received to the consultation on the new edition of the Highway Code.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many cases of computer (a) fraud, including fraudulent use of computer chips and (b) theft his Department has recorded in the last five years. [106216]
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Ms Beverley Hughes:
Over the past five years there have not been any recorded cases of fraudulent use of computer chips, but the forty-seven reported incidents of theft include eight occasions when memory chips or like components were taken.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions in each of the past five years computer systems in his Department have been illegally accessed (a) within and (b) outside his Department. [106229]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
In the past five years there have been two known instances of illegal access to computer systems in my Department and its predecessors. Both occurred in 1995, one from within and the other from outside.
Mr. Clapham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the research into call centres by the Health and Safety Executive will be completed; and if the findings will be published. [107763]
Mr. Meacher:
The Health and Safety Executive has asked the Health and Safety Laboratory to investigate the health risks associated with call centre working practices and to report by the end of 2000. The findings will inform published best practice guidance and decisions by the Health and Safety Executive on whether further action should be taken.
Mr. Clapham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the research being undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive into working practices at call centres will (a) monitor the compliance of centres with the 1989 Noise at Work Regulations and (b) assess the level of hearing loss and tinnitus among call handlers. [107762]
Mr. Meacher:
The research aims to identify and measure associated psychological and physical health risks (including from noise) and explore factors which may ameliorate them. The responsibility for monitoring compliance with the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 in call centres rests with local authorities.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his Department's policy on neighbourhood councils. [107381]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The Government welcome initiatives to involve citizens in the local decisions that will affect their daily lives. It has on numerous occasions made clear its support for parish councils and area committees.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those discussions that his Department had with the National Association of Local Councils over the last year. [107382]
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Ms Beverley Hughes:
Ministers and officials from this Department have had, on a range of occasions, discussions with the National Association of Local Councils over the last year at which a number of topics were discussed.
Mrs. Betty Williams:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made in considering permitting repeater signs to be allowed so as to reinforce the 30 mph speed limit; and if he will make a statement. [107760]
Mr. Hill:
We are currently conducting a review of speed policy in which the issue of speed limit signing generally is being considered. The review is expected to report its findings shortly.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Prime Minister how many people have been recruited to the Civil Service since 1 May 1997; and how many have left the Civil Service since that date. [105975]
The Prime Minister:
Information on entrants and leavers to the Civil Service are available on a financial year basis. This shows that in the period 1 April 1997 to 1 April 1999 55,950 people joined the non-industrial Civil Service and 66,512 people left it.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister what tape recordings are (a) routinely and (b) exceptionally made in 10 Downing Street. [107481]
The Prime Minister:
Tape recordings of press briefings and Prime Ministerial interviews are made as and when appropriate.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Prime Minister if the European Commission document, "Reforming the Commission", will come before the Council of Ministers for discussion on approval; and what steps he will take to ensure it is implemented. [107492]
The Prime Minister:
We expect there to be discussion of the proposals for Commission reform at the General Affairs Council on 14 February. We also expect the Council to outline its support and make clear the importance it attaches to the process of reforming the Commission.
Mr. Dobbin:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the work of the Social Exclusion Unit. [107435]
The Prime Minister:
I established the Social Exclusion Unit in December 1997. Since then it has produced reports and action plans on school exclusion and
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truancy, rough sleeping, poor neighbourhoods, teenage pregnancy and 16-18-year-olds not in education, employment or training.
The Unit was set up on a time-limited basis and its success was reviewed in the summer of 1999. I announced the results of this review in December 1999.
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