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Planning

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to streamline the procedure governing planning appeals. [128139]

Mr. Raynsford: My right hon. Friend has today laid before Parliament four Statutory Instruments to improve the handling of planning appeals under each of the three main procedures, written representations, hearings and inquiries these are: the Town and Country Planning (Appeals) (Written Representations Procedure) Regulations 2000; the Town and Country Planning (Hearings Procedure) (England) Rules 2000, the Town and Country Planning (Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2000 and the Town and Country Planning Appeals (Determination by Inspectors) (Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2000. My right hon. Friend has also laid before Parliament a related amendment to the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995.

A Departmental circular (DETR 5/2000), "Planning Appeals: Procedures (including inquiries into called-in planning applications)", is being issued today to accompany the new Statutory Instruments and copies have been placed in the House Libraries. This Circular (which replaces Circular DOE 15/96) explains the new procedures governing written representations, hearings and inquiries (including inquiries into called-in planning applications). The changes implement the conclusions of a consultation exercise announced by the then Minister for Planning, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn), on 31 March last year.

The new arrangements, due to come into operation on 1 August 2000, are a key component of our "Modernising Planning" programme. I am determined to improve the service offered to business, householders and other users of the appeal system. The changes being introduced will improve the speed and efficiency of the system without impairing the quality, fairness or openness of the process or people's ability to participate.

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We have already set tough targets for the Planning Inspectorate to turn round appeals more quickly and they have made a good deal of progress in improving their own performance. However, improving service to the benefit of all concerned is not just the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. All parties to the appeals process have a responsibility to meet the deadlines set and to co-operate with the Inspectorate in agreeing dates offered for hearings and inquiries. In future, representations received after due dates will normally be disregarded. We shall be carefully monitoring the impact of the changes and will review their effectiveness after about a year to help us decide whether any further action is needed.

Incinerators

Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much public subsidy (a) was spent in each of the last three years and (b) his Department forecasts will be spent in the current financial year on the construction of incinerators; and if he will list the incinerator projects and the amount of public subsidy in each case. [126759]

Mrs. Liddell: I have been asked to reply.

The payments made from the fossil fuel levy for electricity generated by the combustion of waste in England and Wales in the financial years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 to which I understand the hon. Member's question refers was £30 million, £31 million and £10 million respectively. These payments represent 26 per cent., 28 per cent. and 24 per cent. respectively of the total payments made for electricity generated from renewable sources of energy. The estimate for the financial year 2000-01 is £12 million (15 per cent. of the total). Projects are located at Edmonton, Coventry, Byker, Isle of Wight, Nottingham, Lewisham, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Stoke, Tyseley, Cleveland and Sheffield and more are expected to commission in due course. The payments received by each are commercially confidential. All of these projects offer substantial new opportunities for the recovery of metals and ash for recycling.

PRIME MINISTER

Formal Meetings

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to record and make public details of all formal meetings in the course of his official duties; and if he will make a statement. [125999]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 15 June 2000]: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and analysis. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists. In order to preserve confidentiality, it is not the normal practice of government to release details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies. This is in line with the practice adopted by successive governments.

Okinawa Summit

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received in respect of the G8 summit in Okinawa; and what responses he has made. [127572]

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The Prime Minister: I have received many representations in respect of the Okinawa Summit. These have come from international organisations, including the World bank and World Health Organisation; individual non-G8 members, including Nigeria and South Africa; NGOs, such as Greenpeace, Oxfam and Jubilee 2000; and hon. Members and members of the public. These have covered a range of global issues including debt relief, development, education, health and the global environment. I have also discussed the issues directly with some Heads of Government and NGO leaders; and responded in writing to others. Other interlocutors have received responses from Ministers and senior officials. There has also been direct dialogue on Summit themes between officials responsible for preparing the Summit and representatives of Commonwealth Governments and UK NGOs.

Strategic Communications Unit

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) special advisers, (b) permanent civil servants and (c) temporary civil servants are employed in the Strategic Communications Unit. [127425]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 23 June 2000]: Two special advisers and nine permanent civil servants are currently employed in the Strategic Communications Unit. One of the permanent civil servants is employed on a short-term secondment to the Unit.

Council of Europe

Mr. Ernie Ross: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the latest Information Bulletin on the activities of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union covering the period November 1999 to April. [128096]

The Prime Minister: I have done so today.

Cabinet Committees

Mr. Maxton: To ask the Prime Minister what the membership is of each Cabinet Committee. [128095]

The Prime Minister: I have placed a copy of the current list of Cabinet Committees, their membership and terms of reference in the Library of the House. Details will also be updated on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk).

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Shipbuilding

Mr. Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the schemes which provide financial help for the shipbuilding industry; how much financial support has been contributed to these schemes by the Government since May 1997; and if he will list the beneficiaries of the assistance. [127830]

Mr. Alan Johnson: Assistance to the shipbuilding industry is provided through the Shipbuilding Intervention Fund (SIF); the Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme (HSCGS); and through the Innovation Budget.

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Grant assistance under SIF has been: Financial Year 1997-98 £7.01 million; Financial Year 1998-99 £10.54 million and in Financial Year 1999-2000 £3.99 million.

The HSCGS is based upon offering long-term loans at a fixed rate of interest of 7½ per cent. DTI pays out subsidy or receives income depending on the relationship of market rates to that fixed rate. The net cost to/receipts by the DTI of the Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme have been: in Financial Year 1997-98 the Department received £223,000; in Financial Year 1998-99 the Department paid out £1,960,000 and in Financial Year 1999-2000 the Department received £1,991,000.

Since May 1997, DTI has supported two competitiveness projects under the Innovation Budget. The first, a study of the policies of the Dutch shipbuilding industry in June 1999, had a DTI contribution of £20,000 and the second, completed in September 1999, was to assist the shipyards to benchmark their production and other business processes. That grant was for £94,245.

Details of the SIF grants and HSCGS loans are confidential to the individual recipient companies. The recipient of both Innovation Budget competitiveness grants was the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association, the industry's trade association.

Engineering

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations were represented at the meeting on 23 May to discuss the work of the Hawley Review Group; and what was the outcome of the meeting. [127736]

Mr. Alan Johnson: The following organisations were represented at the meeting on 23 May:













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