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Noise Control

Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the total expenditure of UK local authorities on noise control in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [127651]

Ms Beverley Hughes: This information is not centrally available.

Millennium Dome

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions his Department has had with parties other than Dome Europe and Legacy plc and their affiliates concerning the future use of the Dome since the final shortlist was announced. [127822]

Ms Armstrong: Since the final shortlist announcement neither my Department nor the competition team has had any discussions about the future use of the Dome site with any parties interested in purchasing it other than the two bidders. The Competition Team has received a small

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number of new expressions of interest, but has made it clear that no new bids can be accepted into the competition process at this advanced stage.

Energy (Office Buildings)

Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect of the freehold tenant relationship on energy use in office buildings. [127453]

Mr. Raynsford: None. However, in 1998 my Department's Property Advisory Group published a report "Sustainable Development and Buildings" commending the use of all-inclusive occupation agreements in commercial buildings as a means of reducing energy consumption. Under such arrangements, the landlord provides a comprehensive range of services besides letting the property--for example, energy, insurance, repairs and maintenance--for an all-inclusive charge. The Property Advisory Group saw these as giving landlord and tenant a mutual interest in reducing occupation costs, including energy costs.

Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the increase in energy consumption in commercial buildings, including the office sector, in the last 15 years for which figures are available. [127452]

Mrs. Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 June 2000, Official Report, column 313W.

Heathrow Airport (Night Flights)

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will call for a report from the British Airports Authority listing all flights with airline designation, departure point and departure time from that point, arriving at Heathrow Airport before 6 am each day and the approximate time of each arrival. [127665]

Mr. Mullin: I will write to my hon. Friend.

Wandsworth School Planning Application

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will make a decision on the planning application by the London Borough of Wandsworth for a new secondary school on the site of Wandsworth School, Sutherland Grove, London SW18. [127732]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The Secretary of State has today issued a decision to the London Borough of Wandsworth refusing Conservation Area Consent for their application to demolish buildings on this site.

Aviation Agreements

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what recent representations he has received on the liberalisation of the London-US transatlantic aviation agreement through Heathrow; and if he will make a statement; [127246]

(2) if he will make a statement on the Open Skies agreements between EU countries and the US; and what progress has been made in securing a similar agreement between the UK and the US. [127247]

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Mr. Mullin: I have received representations on matters relating to the liberalisation of the UK/US aviation market from all sectors of the UK aviation industry, from consumer interests and from other sources.

A number of EU countries have concluded Open Skies agreements with the US. The UK's goal is a liberalised aviation agreement which goes further than the US template and secures access for UK carriers to the US domestic market.

Inland Waterways

Mr. Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish the report on the inland waterways referred to in the White Paper, A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone; and if he will make a statement. [128006]

Mr. Prescott: The report, entitled "Waterways for Tomorrow", will be published tomorrow. Copies will be available from the House of Commons Library and the Vote Office on Tuesday 27 June.

"Waterways for Tomorrow" takes a comprehensive look at the inland waterways of England and Wales and sets out our proposals for their future. We intend to promote the inland waterways and encourage a modern, integrated and sustainable approach to their use. We want to protect and conserve the waterways as an important part of the country's national heritage while, at the same time, encouraging their best and, where appropriate, innovative use, maximising the opportunities they offer for leisure and recreation; as a catalyst for urban and rural regeneration; for education; and for freight transport.

We believe that the measures set out in "Waterways for Tomorrow" will pave the way for a new, revitalised inland waterways system which can be fully, imaginatively and adventurously used by all. This is good news for the environment, the community and the economy.

GM Crops

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account was taken of the outbreak of rhizomania disease at Sunnymead Farm in Essex when permission was granted to hold a GM crop trial there; what contact he has had with MAFF regarding the outbreak of this disease at this site; and if he will make a statement. [127595]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 23 June 2000]: Rhizomania is a disease of sugar beet and its presence on a farm has no implications for trials of GM maize under the farm-scale evaluation programme. MAFF apply controls on farms affected by the disease to limit its spread. These include the adoption of routine hygiene measures by people visiting the farm.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the circumstances in which the Government have a duty to make public the location of crop sites accidentally sown with GM-contaminated seeds. [126817]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 19 June 2000]: A request for this information to be released could be made under the Environmental Information Regulations 1992 (as amended by the Environmental Information (Amendment) Regulations 1998), which place a statutory obligation on

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relevant persons who hold specified information relating to the environment to make that information available to every person who requests it. The statutory obligation is subject to a number of exceptions as set out in the regulations. My Department does not, however, hold information on the location of the sites sown with GM-contaminated seeds.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

13. Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug dealers and traffickers have been released on the Home Detention Curfew Scheme. [126131]

Mr. Boateng: As of 31 May 2000, the number of prisoners convicted of the following drugs-related offences have been placed on the Home Detention Curfew scheme:

122 convicted of production;

1,156 convicted of supply;

1,476 convicted of possession with intent; and

222 convicted of unlawful import or export.

16.

Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child sex offenders have been released on the Home Detention Curfew Scheme. [126134]

Mr. Boateng: As of 31 May 2000, two prisoners subject to the Sex Offenders Act 1997 have been released in this way. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has previously informed the House that both successfully completed their curfew period and have not been known to reoffend since.

The Government amendment to the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill will mean that sex offenders subject to the 1997 Act will be excluded from the home detention curfew scheme altogether.

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

14. Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [126132]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 has been widely hailed as one of the most progressive pieces of legislation in the criminal justice field for many decades, and good progress is being made with its implementation .

17. Mr. Darvill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to encourage local partnerships to make use of the Orders made available to them in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [126135]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Tackling disorderly behaviour is among the Government's highest priorities, and I have therefore taken special steps to promote the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders. An action group was set up under Lord Warner to consider issues relating to their use, 10 regional seminars were held to promote best practice, and guidance in the form of model partnership agreements will be issued later this month.

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