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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 21 March 2000
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
M25
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much compensation has been paid and is expected to be paid to householders following the widening of the M25 between junctions 8 and 9. [112543]
Mr. Hill [holding answer 2 March 2000]: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Nutt to Mr. Crispin Blunt, dated 21 March 2000:
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your question about the compensation levels paid and expected to be paid following widening of the M25 between junctions 8 and 9.
Compensation under part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 is awarded for the effects of the full M25 8 - 10 widening scheme, which include the provision of road lighting. The estimate of £20M provided last week in reply to your Parliamentary Question 111815 relates to the full 8 - 10 scheme and we do not hold detailed information in the form you require.
We are however, able to give an indication only as to the levels of compensation already paid to residents living between junctions 8 and 9. This is in the region of £7.052M paid to around 680 claimants, giving an average settlement so far of some £10,300.
Of those, around 500 claimants live near the porous asphalt section between Leatherhead and Ashtead and have received in the region of £5.9M, an average settlement of £11,508 per claim.
The compensation still to be paid for the outstanding claims should be in the region of £5.2M. This makes an indicative total in the region of £12.25M for the 8 - 9 section.
Liquid and Gas Spills
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many reported incidents involving liquid and gas spills caused by hose failures there have been in the United Kingdom in the last five years for which figures are available; what was the cost of cleaning up each incident and who met the cost in each case; what the estimated cost was of the (a) environmental damage and (b) property damage caused by each incident; and how many people sustained injuries in each incident. [114220]
Mr. Meacher
[holding answer 13 March 2000]: Incidents involving liquid and gas spills are reported to HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. From April 1996 to date (a period of just under four years), there were 69 incidents defined as "Dangerous occurrences" and "chemical transfer" (including transfer by hose, pipeline or vehicles). Dangerous occurrences include the release of 100kg or more of flammable liquid, or 10kg of a
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flammable gas or vapour. Information that would allow us to ascertain how many were caused by hose failures and the number of people sustaining injuries is not always recorded or readily available in all cases.
Ms Atherton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the incidence of Mundic in housing. [115193]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
My Department has an on-going programme of research into the better understanding of the deterioration mechanism which affects housing constructed using mundic aggregate. The work is developing methods of testing and assessment to enable the maximum number of houses to be safely accepted by mortgage lenders for obtaining mortgages. Initial recommendations were made in 1994 and 1997 from which the Council of Mortgage Lenders agreed to mortgage about 80 per cent. of houses that had previously been blighted. Further recommendations covering a proportion of the remaining houses will be made in the next few months.
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to ensure that company car drivers pay their own insurance. [115221]
Mr. Hill:
None. The law requires the user of a vehicle to have valid insurance cover. It does not require that he pay for it himself.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the public inquiry in Gloucestershire concerning the transport strategy for the region. [115027]
Ms Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 16 March 2000]: The Public Examination of the draft revised Regional Planning Guidance for the South West prepared by the South West Regional Planning Conference, is currently taking place in Exeter. The draft Guidance includes a draft Regional Transport Strategy, which will be examined on 30 and 31 March. The final version of the Guidance including the Regional Transport Strategy, will be issued by the Secretary of State next winter in the light of the advice of the Panel for the Public Examination and following consultation on any significant changes.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what investigation he has carried out into the use of carbon monoxide detectors in homes; and if he will make a statement. [115028]
Mr. Meacher
[holding answer 16 March 2000]: My Department, with the Health and Safety Executive and the Department of Trade and Industry commissioned the Building Research Establishment to investigate the optimal siting of electrical carbon monoxide (CO) detectors/alarms in domestic premises. The summary report of this work entitled "Evaluation of carbon
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monoxide detectors in domestic premises" was published in 1999 by HSE. In partnership with some members of the gas industry we are also currently supporting further research work by BG Technology on the sensitivity and long term reliability of electrical carbon monoxide detectors.
The role of these detectors/alarms is being addressed in the HSE's fundamental review of the health and safety regime for the installation and use of gas. Currently responses to a discussion document are being evaluated and Ministers should receive a report this Summer.
My Department's view is that carbon monoxide detectors/alarms have a role to play in reducing risks from carbon monoxide but the need to properly maintain combustion appliances is paramount.
Mr. Bennett:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to issue for consultation a revised draft Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (Sport and Recreation). [115376]
Mr. Raynsford:
I hope to publish a consultation draft soon.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much London Transport has spent on external consultants to date in relation to the public-private partnership for London Underground, stating both (a) actual and (b) budgeted costs. [115420]
Mr. Hill:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Thomas) on 21 December 1999, Official Report, column 525W. I will provide an up-dated figure in due course, in line with the commitment we have given to the House.
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the transparency of the decision-making process of those authorities which have experimented with the cabinet-style arrangements envisaged by the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [115491]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
We have made no general assessment of experimental arrangements. However, any such experiments have been carried out within the existing statutory framework which was not designed to deliver the transparency of decision-making which will be put in place by our proposals in the Local Government Bill.
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will take to ensure transparency in the decision-making process of the cabinet-style arrangements envisaged by the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [115489]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The arrangements we are proposing in Part II of the Local Government Bill
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and draft guidance are designed to ensure transparent and inclusive decision-making. These new arrangements involve:
Ms Beverley Hughes:
We have received very many helpful and constructive responses to the consultative draft guidance and regulations on new constitutions for councils. We are currently analysing these responses in detail and will consider them all carefully when revising the drafts for further consultation.
an inclusive process of formulating a council's policy framework and budget, which will be the responsibility of the full council in public;
publicly known individuals--the executive--being personally responsible for implementing this framework and budget;
accurate recording of decisions and their reasons, and timely publication of these and of the background and factual papers available to the decision-maker(s); and
powerful overview and scrutiny committees, meeting in public:
to discuss and make recommendations on the development of policies; and
to hold each executive member to account for what he or she has done and is planning to do.
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the responses to the Consultative Draft Guidance and Regulations with respect to the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [115490]
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