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Greater London Authority

Mr. Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made with the secondary legislation setting out detailed arrangements for the Greater London Authority elections. [108703]

Mr. Hill: I intend to lay a number of orders and the elections rules to give effect to the following decisions.

Early voting

I shall shortly be laying the necessary secondary legislation to allow voters who wish to vote in person, but cannot do so on 4 May, to vote early. The order will provide for voting in one or two locations in each borough on 27, 28 and 29 April 2000, between 7 am and 9 pm daily. The precise locations of early voting polling stations will be publicised locally and voters will complete ballot papers in the normal way. This will be a new option, and is in addition to postal and proxy voting, which will also be available.

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Elections rules

Consultation on the detailed elections rules is now complete and these will be laid shortly. As well as providing for all aspects of the running of the elections these will provide for the hours of polling to be between 7 am and 9 pm. They will also provide for the following levels of deposits and signatures for candidates.

Each Mayoral candidate will be required to gather 330 signatures--ten from each London borough and the City of London--in support of his or her candidacy. They will also be required to pay a deposit of £10,000, which would be forfeited if a candidate fails to obtain 5 per cent. of the vote.

Assembly candidates will not be required to collect signatures in support of their candidacies. In respect of deposits, there will be different arrangements for the different categories of candidate. Parties with a list of candidates, and independent candidates contesting London-wide list seats, will be required to pay a deposit of £5,000, which will be forfeited if they fail to obtain 2.5 per cent. of the vote.

Candidates contesting Assembly constituencies will pay a deposit of £1,000 which will be forfeited if they fail to obtain 5 per cent. of the vote.

Election expenses

Following consultation on the proposed limits for candidates' and third parties' election expenditure, I will lay a draft order shortly setting out the following maximum spending limits for the GLA elections:

£420,000 per mayoral candidate;

£35,000 per candidate contesting an assembly constituency;

£330,000 per party or independent candidate contesting the London-wide list.

£25,000 per third party supporting or opposing mayoral candidates;

£25,000 per third party supporting or opposing London-wide list candidates, including independent candidates; and

£1,800 per third party supporting or opposing assembly constituency candidates.

These limits will enable candidates and parties to fight effective campaigns, at either the London-wide or the constituency level.

Some political parties have expressed concern that candidates in GLA elections, in common with local elections generally, are not entitled to a free mailshot. We believe that a free London-wide mailing would be particularly vulnerable to abuse by unscrupulous candidates seeking to gain advertising at the tax payers expense for the cost of a deposit. Following the consultation exercise we have lowered the proposed limits to provide a more level playing field for less well resourced parties and independent candidates, and will allow parties with both a Mayoral candidate and a London-wide list to pay for a single election mailshot to every London household should they wish to.

The order is subject to affirmative resolution in each House of Parliament. If approved, the limits will come into force on the day after the day on which the order is made. Candidates' limits will cover any expenditure as defined in section 76 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

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Disqualification

An order will be laid in draft before each House of Parliament specifying the offices and appointments, the holders of which will be disqualified from being elected or being the Mayor or an Assembly member. This order supplements the disqualification arrangements already contained in section 21 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and other legislation.

We intend the GLA to be an inclusive authority, which works in partnership with other organisations on London's behalf. We are therefore keeping to a minimum those offices and appointments which a person will not be able to combine with membership of the GLA. The order will specify only those offices which are required to be or seen to be politically impartial; are with a body which will scrutinise the GLA or one of the functional bodies; or are with a body which may exercise a quasi-judicial role over the GLA or a functional body. I have today placed in the Library of the House a list of offices and appointments which will be designated in the order. Conflicts with public offices, whether of interest or of time pressures, will also be covered in the statutory guidance on ethical standards to which the Authority will be required to have regard. I intend to publish this guidance shortly.

Staff Bonuses

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies spent in total on extra bonuses above usual payments for staff working over the New Year period; what were the (a) maximum and (b) minimum bonuses paid; how many people received the (i) maximum and (ii) minimum payments; and if he will make a statement. [104666]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The total spent in DETR(Central), its agencies and associated bodies is not yet known as some payments have still to be processed. The figures in the table are provisional and are based on the additional costs incurred above the usual overtime and on call payments over the New Year period (31 December to 3 January):

	£
DETR(Central)	3,513.35
MCA	429.45
HSE	15,727.00
Total	19,669.80

About half of this relates to on call payments for staff on standby at home. Those staff who attended worked, in general, in emergency planning rooms, IT divisions, Press Office, Private Office and building maintenance and security divisions.

In addition to this, in DETR(C) some special bonuses will be paid to staff who made a particular contribution at this time. As at 31 January, four payments have been made totalling £1,400. The following agencies did not have any staff working over the New Year period: the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, the Rent Service, and the Vehicle Certification Agency.

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The information in respect of the following agencies could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost: the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Planning Inspectorate, Government Office, the Vehicle Inspectorate and the Highways Agency.

Bathing Water

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what measurements have been taken of discharges of materials harmful to bathing water quality from the River Ribble into the Irish sea over the last (a) 12 months, (b) 24 months and (c) 36 months; [106365]

(2) at what points along the River Ribble water quality has been tested; and what the results of these tests have been, for (a) the last 12 months, (b) the last 24 months and (c) the last 36 months. [106362]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: Water quality has been extensively tested at many points and at various times along the River Ribble and elsewhere as part of the comprehensive programme of studies into problems with compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive along the Fylde coast. The main purpose of the programme has been to determine the inputs of faecal contamination to the area, and their patterns of dispersion and impacts on bathing waters, in order to establish the need for further improvements to the sewerage infrastructure. Measurements have also been taken to develop a water quality model of the River Ribble and its estuary. I will arrange for the Environment Agency, North West Region to send my hon. Friend a copy of their report on these issues.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent measures the European Union authorities have requested to ensure compliance with mandatory EU bathing water standards along the Fylde coast. [106367]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: The EC Commission has not requested any measures additional to those under way by the Environment Agency and North West Water.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the reasons for the failure of North West Water's recent bathing water improvement schemes to raise the level of compliance with mandatory EU standards along the Fylde coast. [106364]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: Recently completed investment schemes have improved water quality in the Ribble Estuary, although these have not yet brought compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive along the Fylde coast. The Environment Agency considers that further improvements are required to treatment and storm water management at Wigan/ Skelmersdale and to stormwater management at Southport and combined sewer overflows in Preston to ensure compliance at Southport and Lytham with the EC Bathing Water Directive. The Agency is currently investigating the possibility that compliance problems in the Blackpool area are caused by contaminated groundwater from beneath the town.

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Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions have taken place with businesses in the North West about monitoring discharges into (a) the River Ribble and (b) the Irish sea. [106361]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Environment Agency has monitored each of the significant discharges in the area thought to impact on bathing water quality along the Fylde coast. The main focus of discussion has been on steps to reduce sewage discharges operated by North West Water but the Agency has been in contact with other dischargers where it appears that they may be implicated in the problems of compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assurances he has received from North West Water and the Environment Agency that the latest investment programme to improve bathing water quality along the Fylde coast will result in compliance with EU directive standards. [106368]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: The completed improvement schemes and further planned improvements are considered necessary to ensure compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive along the Fylde coast. Whether these works will be sufficient to ensure compliance or whether additional measures will be required will be clearer as the results of current investigations into the causes of failure become available and are assessed.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the possible contribution of animal and avian waste to bathing water quality along the Fylde coast. [106363]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Environment Agency's current assessment is that animal and avian waste is unlikely to make a significant contribution to the overall bacterial load, in terms of compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive. However, the Agency is undertaking further studies to refine this assessment.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent measures have been required of North West Water to ensure compliance with mandatory EU bathing water standards along the Fylde coast. [106366]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: Recent measures required of North West Water and completed in 1999 were the provision of ultra-violet disinfection in Southport, Hesketh Bank, Preesall and Preston sewage treatment works; a substantial increase in the stormwater storage associated with the Fylde tunnel; improved stormwater arrangements at Fairhaven/Lytham, Hesketh Bank, Harrowside and Preston works; and closure of the works at Hambledon with transfer of flows to Fleetwood.

Further works required as soon as possible include treatment enhancement and stormwater management at Southport and combined sewage overflows in Preston. All these measures are considered necessary to ensure bathing water compliance in the area.

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Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions his Department has had with the relevant EU authorities about water quality and beach pollution in the last 12 months. [106360]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: My Department has regular and frequent contact with the EC Commission to discuss bathing water quality including progress on improving compliance along the Fylde coast with the EC Bathing Water Directive.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment has been made of the possible impact on bathing water quality along the Fylde coast of (a) agricultural runoff and (b) discharges by businesses other than North West Water into the River Ribble. [106355]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Environment Agency estimate that the contamination load of agricultural runoff and other non-water company discharges into the River Ribble is small, in terms of compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive, compared to discharges by North West Water. But to determine whether contamination from animals can be significant in some circumstances, studies are being undertaken to discover the geographical origin of animal faeces, including the forensic examination of washed-up material to determine the diet of the producer animal; and bacterial "fingerprinting" to determine whether there are any types characteristic of particular animal species.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures of bathing water quality have been taken at (a) Blackpool, (b) Fleetwood and (c) Thornton Cleveleys in (i) the last 12 months, (ii) the last 24 months and (iii) the last 36 months. [106358]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: All bathing waters are measured 20 times between May and September each year against the quality requirements of the EC Bathing Water Directive. Results for the bathing waters at Blackpool, Fleetwood and Cleveleys over the past three years are as follows:

Number of samples passing the mandatory coliform bacteria standards (19 or more is a pass)

	1997	1998	1999
Blackpool South	11	15	16
Blackpool Central	16	14	15
Blackpool North	18	18	16
Fleetwood	16	20	20
Cleveleys	18	20	19

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initial assessment he has made of the impact on bathing water quality on the Fylde coast of the treatment plant at Fleetwood. [106359]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: The plant at Fleetwood, which treats sewage which was previously discharged untreated at several points close to the Fylde coast, was a necessary first stage of the bathing water quality improvement programme. Water quality

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monitoring studies by the Environment Agency show that the treated discharges from Fleetwood into the Lune Deeps have a negligible adverse impact on Fylde coast bathing waters.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions his Department has had with North West Water and the Environment Agency on enforcement of bathing water quality by the European Commission. [106356]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Department has regular and frequent contact with North West Water and the Environment Agency on measures to ensure bathing waters in the area achieve the required EU standards.

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the results are of the QSR for the Irish sea. [106357]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Quality Status Report for the Celtic Seas (which covers the Irish Sea) is being prepared by the OSPAR Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North East Atlantic. The Commission plans to publish it in June, along with the other four regional Quality Status Reports (on the Arctic, the North Sea and English Channel, the Bay of Biscay and the deep Atlantic) and the holistic Quality Status Report on the North East Atlantic as a whole.

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