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Anti-Social Behaviour Orders
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to collect information, broken down by sub-division within each police authority, on the number of anti-social behaviour orders issued. [133595]
Mr. Boateng: As from 1 June this year, magistrates courts will be keeping records of the number of anti-social behaviour orders they issue in a form which can be collated centrally on a quarterly basis. The information centrally available under this system will be able to be broken down by petty sessions area, but not in the way suggested by my hon. Friend.
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the notes of the meeting on 27 October 1997 between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for North Warwickshire, (Mr. O'Brien), my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Noth Hythe, (Mr. Howard) and the hon. Member for North Thanet. [133941]
Mr. Straw: I have placed a copy of the meeting notes in the Library today.
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Policing (Chorley)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the funding for policing in Chorley was in each of the last three years. [133848]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I have been advised by the Chief Constable that Lancashire operates a system of devolved financial management whereby budgets are given both to Divisional Commanders (to run their policing division) and to Departmental Heads.
Chorley is part of Southern Division, one of six policing divisions in Lancashire Constabulary.
That part of the total Southern Division budget allocated to Chorley in the last three years was:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 5.2 |
| 1999-2000 | 5.9 |
| 2000-01 | 6.1 |
These costs include police and support staff salaries and a proportion of other Divisional support costs.
The Chief Constable also tells me that a wide range of budgets/costs are incurred centrally such as those for Human Resources and Finance. In addition, there is a range of forcewide operational support functions such as an Intelligence Unit and an Operational Support Unit that
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support divisional activity. The Chief Constable estimates that when these matters are taken into account, total funding for Chorley over the last three years would be as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 8.8 |
| 1999-2000 | 10.0 |
| 2000-01 | 10.4 |
Imaging Systems
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made since 24 July on his Department's acquisition of (a) through-the-wall imaging systems and (b) life signs monitoring systems; and if he will make a statement. [131787]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Trials of cell monitoring equipment were carried out by the Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB) at Belmarsh Prison during 1999. The equipment failed after some time in situ and the trials were suspended. The Prison Service is reviewing this project and may ask PSDB to do further work.
Police Service (Former RUC Officers)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has taken to encourage police services (a) in England and Wales and (b) in London to recruit from ranks of former RUC officer and reservists; what retraining facilities are available; and how many former RUC officers and reservists have been recruited in the last 12 months. [133543]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) may apply to transfer to forces in England and Wales. Officers recruited through inter-force transfers to police forces in England and Wales, and the London area are generally excluded from calculating recruitment for the purposes of determining Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) grant entitlement. It has been agreed to make an exception to this in the case of RUC officers.
Members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve Force (RUCR) are not members of the RUC and are therefore not eligible to transfer to any police force in England and Wales. They may apply to join forces in England and Wales subject to meeting the normal entry requirements of the force to which they apply.
Retraining is a matter for individual forces. They must assess what training is required for any transferees joining their force, paying particular attention to local (force) procedures.
No information is collected centrally on the number of police officers from the RUC who have transferred to police forces in England and Wales or the number of former RUC reservists who have been recruited to forces in England and Wales.
Criminal Cases (Police Conduct)
Mr. Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is taken against constabularies that are reported as failing to comply with the Criminal
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Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 by withholding unused material from defence lawyers in criminal cases. [130537]
Mr. Charles Clarke [pursuant to his reply, 18 July 2000, Official Report, c. 164-65W]: The first paragraph of my reply should have read as follows:
- The Government are aware of concerns about the operation of the disclosure provisions of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996. Since the beginning of this year, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has received three letters from Members of Parliament and four from members of the public on this issue. Action is well under way to address these concerns.
SCOTLAND
RUC Officers and Reservists
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he has taken to encourage police services to recruit from ranks of former RUC officer and reservists, what retraining facilities are available; and how many former RUC officers and reservists have been recruited in the last 12 months. [133517]
Dr. Reid: This is a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Retirement Age
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress made with the French authorities on recognising a standard pilot retirement age of 65; and when he expects a solution will be reached. [134195]
Mr. Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 9 November 1999, Official Report, column 487W.
The French authorities have asked that the matter be raised with ICAO and we have been exploring with ICAO whether their age limit could be amended in line with that in JAR-OPS.
European Flag
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reasons underlie his policy of modifying regulations to allow the European flag to be flown without planning permission; what representations he has received on this issue; how many locations he expects will be affected; what manner of appeal locally will be possible; and if he will make a statement. [134184]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The UK is a member of the European Union. Our proposal would remove a layer of bureaucracy and make it easier for anyone who wants to fly the European Union flag to do so from any location where there is a flagstaff. Any national flags may already be flown without planning consent. The flying of the European Union flag would not be subject to planning restrictions therefore there would be no right of appeal. I have received four representations about this proposal, three from hon. Members and one from a member of the public.
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Environmental Health Officers
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of environmental health officers. [133866]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The Government give general grant funding to local authorities to enable them to meet their responsibilities, including environmental health. In the current Spending Review period from 2001-02 to 2003-04, standard spending assessments and Government grant to councils will increase in real terms by an average of over 3 per cent. a year. The Environment Protective and Cultural Services block settlement, which covers councils' responsibilities in this area, is the best for many years, with 1.8 per cent. real terms increases each year and 2.7 per cent. more in 2001-02 than previously planned.
At a local level, the extent of the funding for environmental health officers is, however, a matter for individual councils bearing in mind their statutory responsibilities, their priorities and the wishes of their electorate.
Waste Management
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment
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he has made of the need for new or extended waste management facilities to enable waste disposal authorities in London to meet the target for diverting waste from landfill by 2005. [134061]
Mr. Meacher: The Government have made no assessment of the likely need for new or extended waste facilities in London. Any requirements for new or extended waste facilities in London are a matter for London boroughs as the relevant waste planning authorities. Any proposals for facilities to handle municipal waste must be consistent with the Mayor's municipal waste management strategy. Prior to publication of that strategy, proposals must be consistent with the national waste strategy, "Waste Strategy 2000".
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list sites identified in the Unitary Development Plans of London boroughs for possible major waste management schemes. [134066]
Mr. Meacher: Three Unitary Development Plans, those for Hammersmith and Fulham, Kingston and Merton, have site specific proposals for waste schemes, although only one (Hammersmith and Fulham) is for a new facility. Two other UDP's, Bexley and Croydon, have policies indicating their preferred locations for such facilities. Details are as follows:
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| Borough and latest UDP stage | Sites identified for possible major waste schemes |
|---|---|
| Royal Borough Kingston upon Thames (Adopted March 1998) | Improvement of refuse transfer facilities at the Athelstan Road Depot. |
| Merton UDP (Deposit draft September 1999) | 23P Garth Road Depot Waste Treatment Facility (including buffer zone and environmental improvements). |
| Hammersmith and Fulham (Revised deposit June 2000) | Site 47 Imperial Road. Depot for waste recycling. |
| Croydon UDP (Adopted January 1997) | EP4 The development of large scale waste management facilities will only be appropriate in Purley Way North and South Industrial Areas. |
| Bexley UDP (Adopted July 1996) | Policy WS1 identifies four special industrial zones which could accommodate Waste facilities but not exclusively. One has subsequently been developed for the sludge incineration and the second one is subject to a current application with DTI. |
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Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the case for imposing maximum (a) size and (b) capacity limits on particular types of waste management facilities; and if he will make a statement. [134064]
Mr. Meacher: The size and capacity of waste management facilities must be considered on a site by site basis, taking account of the location, quantity and nature of material to be dealt with, transport issues and other considerations. Government do not therefore consider it appropriate to impose constraints on the size or capacity of facilities. However, "Waste Strategy 2000" states that energy from waste plant should be appropriately-sized so as not to crowd out recycling.
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers planning authorities have to impose a moratorium on specific waste management options. [134058]
Mr. Meacher: Local planning authorities do not have powers to impose a moratorium on specific types of waste management facility. All planning applications for
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development should be decided by the local planning authority in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In preparing their development plans, local planning authorities must have regard to Government policy and planning guidance, including that contained in "Waste Strategy 2000" and PPG10 "Planning and Waste Management".
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the waste disposal authorities in London that plan to let contracts for the transportation, treatment and disposal of their waste in the next two years. [134063]
Mr. Meacher: Waste disposal authorities are not required to notify my Department of the contracts they propose to let. However, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires waste authorities in London to provide the Mayor with certain information about existing and new waste contracts. I will ask the Mayor to write to the right hon. Member with the information they have to date.
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Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how he will ensure that the Mayor of London's municipal waste strategy conforms with the principles and objectives of the "Waste Strategy 2000". [134057]
Mr. Meacher: The Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires that in preparing the municipal waste management strategy, the Mayor shall have regard to the national waste strategy, which is currently "Waste Strategy 2000", published in May 2000.
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he will issue to waste disposal authorities in London that will tender for their waste contracts in the next 12 months in respect of (a) promoting the use of rail and water transport and (b) attainment of the landfill diversion targets of the EU Landfill Directive and the national waste strategy; and if he will publish such guidance. [134062]
Mr. Meacher: Published guidance on promoting the use of rail and water transport for waste is available in the Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9), the Strategic Guidance for London Planning Authorities (RPG3) and the Strategic Guidance for the River Thames (RPG3B/9B).
The Government have published guidance for local authorities on delivering best value for waste ("Waste Strategy Guidance Best Value and Waste Management" June 2000). We will shortly be publishing guidance to local authorities on developing Municipal Waste Management Strategies. We have no plans to issue further guidance on meeting landfill diversion targets or the national waste strategy.
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what co-operation he plans for work with the Mayor of London to safeguard and enhance use of the River Thames for the transportation of waste. [134065]
Mr. Meacher: Ministers and officials have frequent contact with the Mayor of London and his staff on a wide range of issues, including waste. However, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires the Mayor to produce a municipal waste management strategy for London. This shall have regard to the national waste strategy and be consistent with the Mayor's other strategies, which include spatial development and transport strategies. It should also have regard to the desirability of promoting and encouraging the use of the River Thames safely, in particular for the provision of passenger transport services and for the transportation of freight.
In preparing the Spatial Development Strategy the Mayor has to have regard to regional planning guidance issued by the Secretary of State. The draft Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) states a clear preference for the integration of sites of waste treatment and disposal with rail and water based transport systems wherever possible.
The Strategic Guidance for London Planning Authorities (RPG3) makes provision for boroughs to identify and safeguard suitable water or riverside sites for waste recycling, treatment and transfer facilities. This guidance remains extant until the final version of the
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Spatial Development Strategy is published. The Mayor should have regard to RPG in exercising his planning functions until that strategy has been published.
The Strategic Guidance for the River Thames (RPG3B/9B) requires local authorities to adopt policies in their development plans to encourage the use of the river for the transport of freight, including waste.
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects waste planning authorities to consider the need to provide for all forms of waste management, in line with the integrated approach required by "Waste Strategy 2000". [134060]
Mr. Meacher: Waste planning authorities should consider the need to make provision for all forms of waste management facilities when preparing or revising their waste development plans. The plans should take account of "Waste Strategy 2000", other relevant Government advice including national planning guidance in PPG10 "Planning and Waste Management" and the appropriate regional planning guidance.
Mr. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when "Waste Strategy 2000" became a material consideration for land-use planning purposes. [134059]
Mr. Meacher: "Waste Strategy 2000" became a material consideration for land-use planning purposes on its publication on 25 May 2000. Before that the draft waste strategy, "A Way with Waste" and the consultation paper "Less Waste More Value" published in July 1999 and June 1998, respectively were the relevant documents.
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