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Websites

Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for jythe Environment, Transport and the Regions what his Department's policy is on (a) advertising and (b) acknowledging company sponsorship on the websites of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies; which companies (i) have placed advertisements and (ii) are acknowledged as sponsors on those websites; how much revenue has been received for each financial year since 1997 from such advertisements and sponsorship; and if that revenue has been retained within the budget of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies. [119546]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The DETR's policy for its main website complies with the Cabinet Office's framework policy and guidelines for the use, management and design of public sector websites. These form part of the e-government strategy (formerly known as the Government corporate IT strategy). Copies of this document are available from the Library of the House.

DETR's main website has not so far carried any advertising nor been sponsored by companies. Were we to accept sponsorship, it would be subject to the policy for other forms of publication, which is in line with the Cabinet Office note "Guidance for Departments on Sponsorship", May 1997. Copies of this document are also available from the Library of the House.

Above all, acknowledgement of any sponsorship would not imply any endorsement of the sponsor's goods or services, nor be open to misinterpretation as influencing policy making.

It will take longer to gather information requested in respect of the Department's Agencies and NDPBs. I will write to the hon. Member with this information and place a copy in the Library in due course.

Royal Train

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions since 1998 (a) the sleeping cars and (b) the rest of the Royal Train have been hired out to (i) Government departments and (ii) commercial undertakings; and if he will make a statement. [119852]

Mr. Hill: The Train has been used once for official Government business since 1998--for a function hosted by Mrs. Blair for the wives of the G8 Heads of Government on 16 May 1998. The Train, including sleeping cars, has not been hired out to any commercial

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undertakings during this period. The Train is available for use by Government departments and appropriate organisations, on a reimbursable basis.

Council Tax

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many properties in the Ribble Valley, Pendle, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Rossendale and Hyndburn are in council tax bands (a) A and (b) H; and what percentage of the total number of properties in each council area this represents. [119849]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The information requested is given in the table. The number of dwellings in bands A and H are as shown on the Valuation List for the authority on 15 October 1999.

	Band A		Band H
	Number	% of total	Number	% of total
Ribble Valley	3,022	13.2	181	0.8
Pendle	24,427	64.8	48	0.1
Blackburn with Darwen	36,692	62.8	63	0.1
Burnley	26,184	64.5	17	0.04
Rossendale	15,613	54.0	39	0.1
Hyndburn	21,624	61.3	12	0.03

Car Number Plates

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take steps to enable the Union Flag to be printed on car number plates; and if he will make a statement. [119774]

Mr. Hill: I refer the hon. Member to the announcement made by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State on 30 March, copies of which were placed in the Libraries of both Houses, on our proposed number plate regulations. These included the optional display of the GB national identifier on a blue background on the left edge of the plate, an option which dispenses with the need for "GB sticker" when travelling in Europe. We have no plans for other symbols to be included on number plates. People are free to decorate their vehicles with such flags, designs or messages they choose, providing they do not obscure their vision or the number plate.

Water Charges

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria water authorities may use when calculating water charges; and if he will make a statement. [119772]

Mr. Mullin: Except as provided otherwise, a water company, under section 142 of the Water Industry Act 1991, may fix charges by reference to such matters and may adopt such methods and principles for the calculation and imposition of the charges as appear to them to be appropriate. This discretion is governed by specific conditions set by the Director General of Water Services in companies' instruments of appointment, notably the price limits and a prohibition on undue discrimination and undue preference in charging.

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Provisions of the Water Industry Act 1999 now in force introduce additional restrictions on water companies' powers to set charges. All household charges must now be set out in charges schemes approved by the Director General, who must have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State. The 1999 Act also introduced new rights of choice for household customers in their method of charging and regulations protecting vulnerable groups against high measured charges. The Secretary of State's guidance, the texts of regulations made under the 1999 Act and other background on water charging policy is set out in "Water Industry Act 1999--Delivering the Government's Objectives" published on 3 February, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Nuclear Fuel (Transport)

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with British Nuclear Fuels in respect of its plans to increase the maximum speed of transportation of spent nuclear fuels on the railways. [120043]

Mr. Hill: Discussions take place between my officials and representatives of BNFL on a regular basis. On several of these occasions over the past few years the issue of the maximum speed of transportation of spent nuclear fuels on the railways has been raised. To date there has been no change in the speed limit, and such a change would only be permitted after agreement by all the appropriate safety regulators.

Wind Farms

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consents are necessary from his and other Government Departments and agencies for the construction and operation of an (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind farm; and if he will make a statement. [119924]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The position is:

(a) An onshore wind farm needs planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

(b) An offshore wind farm requires either an Order made by the relevant Secretary of State under the Transport and Works Act 1992, or navigation consent under Section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949 and a licence from the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food under the Food and Environmental Protection Act 1985 for the placing of materials in the sea or on the sea-bed. Wind farms within UK waters also require a licence from the Crown Estate Commissioners as owners of the sea-bed. Wind-energy developments with a capacity greater than 50MW also require consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Drinking Water Regulations

Mrs. Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to revise drinking water regulations in England, following the requirement to implement the new EC Drinking Water Directive by December 2003. [120067]

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Mr. Mullin: My Department has today issued a consultation paper setting out proposals to bring standards for drinking water supplied by English water companies into line with those set out in the new EC Drinking Water Directive. Responses are invited by 30 June 2000.

The quality of drinking water is a vital element of public health. Its overall quality in England and Wales is very high. Of the nearly three million tests carried out on drinking water in 1998, 99.78 per cent. met the required standard. The new regulations will revise and tighten standards to take account of the latest scientific and medical advice. The most important change proposed is a reduction from 50g/l to 10g/l by 2013 in the maximum permitted concentration of lead in drinking water. This change is in accordance with the latest World Health Organisation guidelines and is introduced primarily to protect unborn children and infants. Neuro toxic effects from exposure to excessive levels of lead are known to contribute to problems in learning and behaviour and to slightly lower IQs.

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