7 Jul 2000 : Column: 309W
Written Answers to Questions
Friday 7 July 2000
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Advertising
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997. [125689]
Ms Beverley Hughes [holding answer 12 June 2000]: The Department's financial year starts 1 April and the advertising spend from April to March for each financial year from 1994 is as follows:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 8,988,000 |
| 1995-96 | 9,293,000 |
| 1996-97 | 7,219,000 |
| 1997-98 | 6,500,000 |
| 1998-99 | 6,000,000 |
| 1999-2000 | 12,000,000 |
Note:
Figures exclude VAT
The figures for 1994-95 to 1996-97 show the combined spends of the then Departments of Transport and of the Environment.
Expenditure in 1999-2000 includes £3 million for the campaign to encourage voting in the GLA election and £4.6 million for the "Are You Doing Your Bit" campaign.
Liquid Petroleum Gas
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to promote the use of liquid petroleum gas in cars. [128276]
Mr. Hill: The Government have introduced a number of measures to promote the wider use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in recognition of the fuel's environmental benefits. The Energy Saving Trust's Powershift programme, which is funded by my Department, provides grants towards the additional cost of vehicles fuelled by LPG. Funding for this programme was increased to £10 million following the last Budget. LPG and other road gas fuels also benefit from a relatively low rate of fuel duty compared to petrol and diesel. From 1 March 2001, Vehicle Excise Duty for new cars will be graduated on the basis of CO 2 emissions. Under the new scheme, LPG cars will benefit both from a modest discount and from generally having lower CO 2 emissions than equivalent petrol cars. The Government are currently consulting on further tax discounts under the new company car tax regime, which comes into effect from 6 April 2002, for gas and electric cars.
7 Jul 2000 : Column: 310W
Exchange Flags Building (Liverpool)
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made in recovering the regeneration grant awarded to the Walton Group in respect of Exchange Flags Liverpool; and if he will make a statement. [128635]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Under section 175 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, the Secretary of State appointed the Urban Regeneration Agency ("English Partnerships") to act as his agent in respect of the agreement to pay a City Grant to the Walton Group for the refurbishment of the Exchange Flags building, Liverpool. In that capacity English Partnerships carried out a review of the project and are pressing for repayment of the grant.
Inquiries are in progress, and therefore it would be inappropriate for me to make any further statement at this time.
Homelessness
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what plans he has to introduce common arrangements for monitoring homelessness throughout the UK; [128896]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current arrangements for monitoring homelessness in England. [128895]
Mr. Raynsford: Local housing authorities in England make quarterly and annual returns to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions of data concerning their activities under the homelessness legislation. They also provide annually an estimate of the number of people sleeping rough in their area on any one night in June. The extent of the rough sleeping problem in England is monitored through single-night street counts, co-ordinated by local authorities and carried out in partnership with the local voluntary sector and volunteers. We are satisfied that these arrangements provide an effective means of monitoring homelessness in England. The Government currently have no plans to introduce common arrangements for monitoring homelessness throughout the UK.
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the arrangements for reviewing homelessness decisions made by local authorities under sections 202 and 203 of the Housing Act 1996; and if he will make a statement; [128905]
- (2) how many reviews were undertaken by authorities of decisions taken under section 202 of the Housing Act 1996 in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 in each local authority area. [128906]
Mr. Raynsford: We will consider the effectiveness of the current arrangements for local housing authorities' review of homelessness decisions when we take forward the proposals for reform of the homelessness legislation set out in the Housing Green Paper, "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all". Information about the number of reviews undertaken by local authorities is not held centrally.
7 Jul 2000 : Column: 311W
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to seek amendments to the provisions of Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 relating to intentional homelessness; and if he will make a statement. [128904]
Mr. Raynsford: The Housing Green Paper, "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all", sets out the Governments proposals for introducing more choice for existing and prospective tenants of social housing and for strengthening the protection available to homeless people. The Paper suggests that it may be possible to modify the rules of intentional homelessness if these proposals were adopted. The Government will consider responses to the Green Paper before deciding whether to take this forward, and would wish to discuss any proposals with representatives of local government, Shelter and others before introducing amending legislation.
Planning (South-east)
Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what proportion of the potential growth areas and long-term potential growth areas in the draft regional planning guidance for the south-east are at risk or likely to be at risk in the future from potential flooding; [129072]
- (2) what area of land in the south-east planning area (a) consists of flood plains and (b) is liable to tidal or coastal flooding according to the Environment Agency's indicative maps; [129071]
(3) what proportion of brownfield land available for development in the south-east planning area is at risk or likely to be at risk in the future from flooding. [129070]
Mr. Raynsford: Information about areas at risk from fluvial and other tidal or coastal flooding is based on best estimates and information about recorded events. It is provided in the form of maps held by the Environment Agency regional offices and supplied to local authorities.
Ministerial Code
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) on how many occasions since May 1997 Ministers in his Department have made a declaration of interest to their colleagues under circumstances envisaged in Paragraph 110 of the Ministerial Code; [129161]
- (2) if he will list the occasions since May 1997 on which Ministers in his Department have sought the advice of the permanent secretary under the circumstances envisaged in Paragraphs 118, 121 or 123 of the Ministerial Code. [129181]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Information relating to internal advice and consultation is not disclosed under Exemption II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
West Coast Main Line
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make improved timekeeping and extended boarding times on the Euston to Liverpool Lime Street line a condition for renewal of the West Coast main line franchise. [129601]
7 Jul 2000 : Column: 312W
Mr. Hill: The present franchise for the West Coast main line is not due to be replaced until 9 March 2012. When replacing franchises, the Franchising Director will be seeking to improve services to passengers and improvements in performance. Boarding times at stations are an operational matter for Train Operating Companies and it is not envisaged that they will be the subject of specific franchise requirements.
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received about making the level of on-board service a condition of franchise renewal for the West Coast main line. [129600]
Mr. Hill: The Secretary of State has not received any representations about making the level of on-board service a condition of franchise renewal for the West Coast Main Line. The present franchise for the West Coast Main Line is not due to be replaced until 9 March 2012. This franchise, in common with all the other passenger rail franchises, does not contain any provisions stipulating which on-board services must be provided. It is not envisaged that there will be any such provisions in any of the replacement franchises.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |