Previous Section Index Home Page


LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

House Repossessions (Hampshire)

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many house repossessions there were in (a) England, (b) Hampshire and (c) each local authority area in Hampshire, for each year from 1979 to date. [116641]

Jane Kennedy: The information is not available in the form requested. However, the table shows the number of warrants of possession executed. The information is available from 1990 onwards and can be provided only on the basis of individual county courts and not by individual local authority.

28 Mar 2000 : Column: 77W

Possession warrants executed in the county courts of Hampshire and for England and Wales during the period 1990-99

County court1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
Aldershot and Farnham251416428316555347211183247166
Andover2765614937528044(4)--(4)--
Basingstoke1362371932197011798115181205
Portsmouth622736560520454466488490842717
Southampton122494545421401347303314234327
Winchester32757036685256293735
Hampshire1,1902,0231,8571,5611,5851,3811,2361,1751,5411,450
England and Wales41,77961,13962,43951,33349,22251,09648,58749,86559,70171,256

(4) Closed


28 Mar 2000 : Column: 79W

Public Trust Office

Mr. Colman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he will announce future arrangements for the Public Trust Office. [116123]

Jane Kennedy: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Ms King) on 8 February 2000, Official Report, column 132W.

DEFENCE

Rover Class Tankers

Mr. DuncanSmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to replace the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's Rover class tankers. [116451]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 27 March 2000]: We are currently considering options on how best to provide the Replenishment At Sea capability currently provided by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's Rover class tankers, which are due to leave service in 2007.

Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to fit (a) roll bars or (b) other anti-crash features to the Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD; and if he will make a statement. [116030]

Dr. Moonie: The cab of the Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD meets accepted European Safety Standards (ECE 29) set for roof crush, rear crush and front impact. There is no evidence to suggest that it is an unstable vehicle and there are no plans to fit roll bars to it. As I indicated in my earlier response on 7 March 2000, Official Report, column 648W, a modification programme to bring all MK1 vehicles up to full compliance with the Construction and Use Regulations has begun and will include the fitting of an anti-lock braking system (ABS). No other anti-crash features are planned and the vehicle is considered safe in all regards.

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 March 2000, Official Report, column 649W, what assessment his Department

28 Mar 2000 : Column: 80W

has made of evidence sworn by 24684328 Lance Corporal Seers RLC at Kupres, Bosnia-Herzogovina on 14 January 1998 in respect of the Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD braking system. [116031]

Dr. Moonie: The evidence referred to was given to a Board of Inquiry which investigated a fatal road traffic accident in Bosnia in July 1997. In respect of all the evidence considered by the Inquiry on the braking system fitted to the Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD, recommendations were made to review the driver training procedures for the vehicle, and to introduce an additional check in regard to the pawl lever on the Jacob's Brake--the engine brake system which is complementary to the service braking system. The recommendations have been acted upon.

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 March 2000, Official Report, column 649W, for what reason the two Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD vehicles were returned to BVD Ashchurch for repair by 6 Transport Squadron during Operation Lodestar in August 1996. [116032]

Dr. Moonie: Departmental records show that, in total, three Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD vehicles were returned to the UK for repair in 1996. All three vehicles were returned between January and July 1996 for repair following road traffic accidents while operating in Bosnia. It has not been possible to identify any Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD vehicles being returned to the Base Vehicle Depot (BVD) Ashchurch in August 1996.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Staff Age Profiles

Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state (a) the number and percentage of staff in his Department who are over the age of (i) 45 years and (ii) 55 years and (b) the average age of his staff. [115409]

Mr. Morley: At the end of 1999 the numbers and percentage of staff aged over 45 years and 55 years and the average age of staff in my Department and its Agencies was as follows:

28 Mar 2000 : Column: 79W

Age 45+ Age 55+
Department/AgencyNumberPercentageNumberPercentageAverage age
Core--MAFF2,501367721139
Pesticides Safety Directorate35168437
Veterinary Medicines Directorate4638191642
Veterinary Laboratories Agency416361431340
Farming and Rural Conservation Agency2093248738
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science19638691440
Meat Hygiene Service509341651141
Central Science Laboratory1522631536

28 Mar 2000 : Column: 79W

Fisheries (Minimum Landing Sizes)

Mr. Moss: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from fishing organisations regarding the impact of the changes to minimum landing sizes for various species of fish; and what assessment he has made of the effect on fish stocks. [116093]

28 Mar 2000 : Column: 80W

Mr. Morley: Under the revised EU Technical Conservation Regulation which came into effect on 1 January this year, Minimum Landing Sizes for brill, dab, witch, flounder, turbot and lemon sole were ended. Some fishermen's organisations have asked for their restoration. We are currently considering this with the industry in the UK Fisheries Conservation Group.

28 Mar 2000 : Column: 81W

I have made clear that, if the industry so wishes, I would be prepared to reinstate some or all of these Minimum Landing Sizes on a national basis and seek to persuade the EU to restore them.

It is too early to assess the impact of the changes in the EU rules.

Waste Incineration Directive

Mr. Gill: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning the potential impact of the Waste Incineration Directive upon farmers; and if he will make a statement. [116248]

Mr. Morley: I have received representations about the implications for farmers of this Directive, for which the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has lead responsibility, from the National Farmers Union, the Countryside Alliance and the National Pig Association.

Harbour Grants

Mr. Moss: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what harbour grants were granted for each of the last five years broken down by amount and location; when harbour grants were discontinued; and how many schemes were pending at that juncture. [116108]

Mr. Morley: The table shows awards of national harbour grant made in England over the last five financial years.

The Harbour Grant Scheme was closed to new applications in England on 21 May 1999. At the time the scheme closed, there were 10 projects which had been formally approved, plus a further 22 projects where applications had been submitted. All these projects are being considered for payment of grant.

National Harbour Grant Scheme
Amount of grant awarded by year and location (5)

Location£
1994-95
Appledore50,000
Bridlington7,900
Broadstairs5,340
Newlyn20,000
Polperro1,550
Queenborough18,000
Ramsgate84,500
West Mersea7,900
Total for year195,190
1995-96
Appledore2,250
Cadgwith Cove8,300
Hull108,800
Looe28,530
Mevagissey2,300
Newlyn5,500
North Shields172,800
Scarborough256,700
Scarborough22,400
Scarborough49,300
Wells19,500
Total for year676,380
1996-97
Flamborough2,760
Mevagissey9,400
Mudeford2,850
Padstow22,600
Ramsgate4,500
Sennen Cove5,500
Total for year47,610
1997-98
Cadgwith Cove14,100
Hartlepool470,500
Ilfracombe10,150
Mevagissey96,750
North Shields43,000
Polperro35,000
Rye14,000
Scarborough77,000
Seahouses14,600
Total for year755,100
1998-99
Amble373,000
Bridlington2,250
Grimsby169,200
Polperro2,300
Sunderland122,100
Total for year668,850

(5) Actual payments were not necessarily made in the same year as the award


28 Mar 2000 : Column: 82W


Next Section Index Home Page