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Fuel Poverty (Pensioners)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the proportion of pensioners living in fuel poverty aged (a) 65 to 69, (b) 70 to 79 and (c) 80 years and above, broken down by (i) Government offices of the regions, (ii) groups of authorities with similar characteristics and (iii) area types based on the English House Conditions Survey Data for (A) 1991 and (B) 1996. [136221]
Mr. Meacher: There are two main definitions of a fuel poor household:
(a) If, in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime, it would be required to spend more than 10 per cent. of all income (including Housing Benefit and Income Support for Mortgage Interest) on all household fuel use.
(b) If, in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime, it would be required to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income (excluding Housing Benefit and Income Support for Mortgage Interest) on all household fuel use.
The 1991 English House Conditions Survey (EHCS) was based on a smaller sample of homes, and collected
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less information on each, compared to the 1996 survey. As a result it is not possible to provide the information requested without undue expenditure, and indeed if at all. The information that is available is shown in the table and is based on the definition at (b) above.
| Household type | Percentage of households in fuel poverty | Total number of households (thousands) |
|---|---|---|
| Couple aged 60 or more | 44 | 3,096 |
| One person aged 60 or more | 80 | 2,840 |
(26) Based on the definition at (b) above.
Using data from the 1996 EHCS, the tables set out the breakdown of older fuel poor households by Government office region and also by type of location. In order to be statistically valid, some of the categories requested have been grouped together. A breakdown is not available on the basis of groups of local authorities which have similar characteristics.
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(27) Urban includes city centre and suburban residential homes. Rural includes rural residential and village centre homes.
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Green Ministers
Mr. Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the Second Annual Green Ministers' report. [138407]
Mr. Meacher: I am delighted to announce that "Greening Government: the 2nd Annual Report of the Green Ministers Committee" will be published tomorrow. It provides a comprehensive account of the work of Green Ministers over the past year, and sets out our future work programme. The report reflects Green Ministers' increasing focus on integrating sustainable development into Government policies, as well as our continuing efforts to improve the environmental performance of Government operations. There is a considerable amount of information at Department level to enable the reader to understand the progress each Department has made in all areas of our work.
Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Cross-loaded Timber (HGVs)
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will instruct the Road Transport Laboratory to undertake research into the safety of cross-loaded timber on commercial heavy goods vehicles; [136184]
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- (2) when he next expects to issue revised guidelines to road haulage contactors and their trade organisations about the safety requirements of cross-loaded timber on heavy goods vehicles; [136185]
(3) how many accidents have been reported in the last five years involving heavy goods vehicles carrying cross-loaded timber; [136186]
(4) what estimate he has made of the potential increase in the volume of timber to be transported from forests in the United Kingdom over the next five years; and how much of such timber he estimates will be carried on lorries using cross-loaded decks. [136187]
Mr. Hill: It is estimated that there will be a 13 per cent. increase in timber production over the next five years. It is not clear how much of that increase will be transported as cross-loaded timber.
There is no detailed statistical information available about accidents caused by insecure loading of cross-loaded timber.
My Department, in conjunction with those from the Health and Safety Executive, the Forestry Commission and the timber industry, are investigating whether it is safe to carry cross-loaded timber on goods vehicles. The findings of these investigations may result in specific research being commissioned.
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The conclusions drawn from investigations and any resultant research will be added to the revision of my Department's Code of Practice on the Safety of Loads on Goods Vehicles. The industry has also agreed to amend its own code of practice in line with any conclusions. The review of my Department's code will be widely consulted on and, when complete, will be publicised within the haulage industry generally, including the trade organisations. The timescale will depend on what research, if any, is carried out and is unlikely to run beyond the end of 2001.
Town Improvement Schemes
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, (1) pursuant to Cm 4917, if he will list the criteria for qualifying as a town improvement scheme; [138199]
- (2) what businesses are to be included under his proposals for a supplementary business rate for funding town improvement schemes; and what the rates will be; [138198]
(3) pursuant to Cm 4917, if he will list the criteria for a local tax reinvestment programme; and how he will evaluate successful regeneration. [138200]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Details of our proposals for a supplementary business rate and for a local tax reinvestment programme are contained in the Green Paper "Modernising Local Government Finance" (19 September 2000). The consultation period ends on 8 December.
Under our proposals, the supplementary rate would be limited to a maximum of 1 per cent. of the national rate per year, up to a ceiling of 5 per cent. The supplement could be raised from all non-domestic ratepayers in a smaller area such as a town centre, subject to agreement by a majority of the ratepayers affected, for use in ways agreed between the ratepayers and the council. The Green Paper suggests that this could be one way of funding town improvement schemes. The only criterion would be that use of the supplementary rate in this way would need to be agreed between a local council and its ratepayers.
Possible criteria for establishing and evaluating a local tax re-investment programme (LTRP) are included for consultation in Appendix 2 to Annex F of the Green Paper. A copy of this Appendix will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
City Growth Strategies
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what funding is to be available to RDAs to develop city growth strategies; and what the scope of these strategies will be. [138244]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Funding has been made available as part of the 2000 Spending Review. Regional Development Agencies and the Small Business Service will have a key role to play in developing City Growth Strategies, as part of their shared purpose to promote enterprise in the regions and across society.
These strategies will map the economic asset base and develop detailed action plans for business growth in a number of key cities over three years.
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