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NDPBs (Scotland)

Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the non-departmental public bodies responsible to him

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which have duties relating to Scotland, indicating their budget and staffing in Scotland, the number of Scottish board members and their emoluments. [137487]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The following executive NDPBs sponsored by my Department have duties relating to Scotland: the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Northern Lighthouse Board.

The remaining information is not all held centrally in the form requested, but information on expenditure, staffing, board members and levels of remuneration is published annually in the Cabinet Office publication, "Public Bodies". Copies of "Public Bodies 1999" have been placed in the library of the House and "Public Bodies 2000" is due to be published next month. Information on board membership and remuneration can also be downloaded from the Cabinet Office's Public Appointments Directory website, "www.cabinet-office.gov.uk".

Trichloroethylene

Mr. Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his policy is on listing Trichloroethylene as a Category II carcinogen under the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 1994. [137392]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 9 November 2000]: Trichloroethylene is listed as a Category 3 carcinogen in the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 1994. These regulations implement an EC single market directive, and negotiations are in progress which could result in a change to the classification from 3 to 2. The United Kingdom's final position on the full set of proposals is not yet settled.

Number Plates

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to lay regulations bringing in the new style of number plate for motor vehicles; and what the reason is for the delay in laying the regulations. [137532]

Mr. Hill [holding answer 9 November 2000]: It is anticipated that new number plate regulations will be laid before Parliament early in the new year. The delay in laying these regulations has arisen as a result of the need to revise the draft regulations following public consultation in August 1999 and January this year. In accordance with EC Directive 98/34/EC, as amended by Directive 98/48/EC, we have submitted the revised regulations to the European Commission. The regulations may be made after the end of the three-month consultation period with the Commission, which expires on 22 January 2001.

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason details of the font to be used on the new style of number plates for motor vehicles announced in March have not been released to manufacturers of number plates. [137533]

Mr. Hill [holding answer 9 November 2000]: Details of the font to be used on the new style number plates, to be introduced from the revised date of 1 September 2001, were included in the Department's original consultation letter issued on 5 August 1999. This was sent to over

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180 organisations and was placed on the Department's website. Copies have also been available from the Department on request.

Mobile Phone Masts

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the planning law relating to mobile phone masts. [138024]

Ms Beverley Hughes: A consultation exercise seeking views on possible changes to the planning laws relating to mobile phone masts and associated guidance ended on 31 October 2000. The Department is currently analysing the responses. We shall announce any changes as soon as practicable.

Drainage

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to encourage the use of sustainable urban drainage systems in new housing developments. [138002]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS), which deal with rainwater as near its source as possible, are recognised as assisting in the control of both the quantity and quality of run-off from developed areas, as well as contributing to amenity, biodiversity and good design. My Department is actively encouraging the development of sustainable drainage systems for housing and other developments in a number of ways. Indeed, the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin), gave the keynote message at a conference on SUDs earlier this month.

We consulted earlier this year on new Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG) 25 "Development and flood risk", which refers to the need for local planning authorities to consider the run-off implications of proposed development and encourage more sustainable drainage systems. This guidance is likely to be confirmed and strengthened when the final version of PPG 25 is issued shortly.

We are currently also revising PPG 23 "Planning and pollution control". The new version will recognise the potential contribution of SUDS and we hope to consult on a draft next year.

We are currently consulting on the Review of Part H of the Building Regulations. This includes a recommendation that infiltration drainage be provided, in most situations, to absorb rainwater from buildings within the site.

The Highways Agency, in consultation with the devolved Administrations is developing advice for inclusion in the "Design Manual for Roads and Bridges" on "Vegetative Treatment Systems for Highway Runoff". This is expected to be published next year.

We and other interested parties, including the water industry and house-builders, have also supported research projects in this area, leading to the production of design manuals and a forthcoming best practice manual. We will continue to support research necessary to assist in overcoming any perceived barriers to the implementation of SUDS on a more widespread basis.

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Area Cost Adjustment

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what changes he plans to make to the calculation of the area cost adjustment for local authorities in the south-east; and if he will make a statement. [138005]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Ministers have not yet taken a decision on whether to update the area cost adjustment to reflect the data from the 1999 New Earnings Survey. An announcement will be made in due course.

Farnborough Airfield

Mr. Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received about the removal of trees on hills near Farnborough Airfield. [137970]

Ms Beverley Hughes [holding answer 10 November 2000]: My right hon. Friend received some 125 representations that he should call in for his own determination the planning application for the development of Farnborough Airfield for civil aviation. Of these 25 specifically mentioned the removal of trees and/or the re-profiling of Miles Hill and Eelmoor Hill West, while the other 80 referred more generally to the environmental impact of the planning application. We gave careful consideration to the issues raised by the application but concluded that it did not raise issues which would justify my right hon. Friend's intervention.

Flood Plains

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what advice he gives to local authorities on the desirability of building new houses on flood plains. [138058]

Ms Beverley Hughes: In addition to the general guidance at present in Circular 30/92, which is to be updated in PPG25, guidance on housing is given in PPG3 "Housing", published in March 2000. This requires local authorities to assess the suitability of land for housing against a range of physical and environmental constraints, including flood risk, and the fact that such risks may increase as a result of climate change.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he gives to local authorities considering a planning application to build on flood plains. [138057]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Guidance is at present given in DOE Circular 30/92, "Development and Flood Risk". This requires local planning authorities to take flood risk considerations into account in determining planning applications. They should also take into account the results of surveys of flood defence issues prepared by the Environment Agency under section 105 of the Water Resources Act 1991, and the views of the Environment Agency on individual applications. This guidance is currently being revised and strengthened in Planning Policy Guidance Note 25. A consultation draft was published in April 2000 and the final text is expected to be published in December.

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Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a map showing the flood plain of the Ouseburn/Jesmond Dene, Newcastle upon Tyne, and the location and date of (a) flooding of property and (b) storm sewer overflows in the last 10 years. [138022]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Indicative flood plain maps prepared by the Environment Agency were distributed to all local authorities in 1999. These are currently being revised and the Agency intend to place them on their website in December in a form that will enable searches by postcode. While the Environment Agency could supply the current flood plain map, my hon. Friend may wish to await publication of the revised maps in December.

My Department does not hold records of flooding of property and storm sewer overflows. Operational flood matters are for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Environment Agency and other drainage authorities. I would expect the information to be available from one or more of the local authorities, the Environment Agency and the sewerage undertaker for the area.

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