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Rough Sleepers
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his latest estimate is of the number of (a) hostel places for rough sleepers available and (b) rough sleepers in (i) London, (ii) Liverpool, (iii) Leeds, (iv) Birmingham and (v) Manchester. [138001]
Ms Armstrong: Each of the cities mentioned has a large number of hostels providing a range of different types of accommodation. Information about the extent of emergency access provision that can be accessed by rough sleepers is collected locally and contained in the table. The table also contains the single night street count figures for each area as at June 2000.
| Emergency access accommodation(1) | Number of rough sleepers | |
|---|---|---|
| Greater London | 2,574 | 546 |
| Liverpool | 42 | 19 |
| Leeds | 249 | 17 |
| Birmingham | 260 | 23 |
| Manchester | 66 | 23 |
(1) Number of beds
Millennium Site, Greenwich (Contamination)
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the remaining level of contamination land at the Millennium Site on the Greenwich Peninsula; and what plans exist to remediate the site. [137872]
Ms Armstrong: The site of the Millennium Experience has been remediated fit for purpose in accordance with the requirements of both the London Borough of Greenwich and the Environment Agency. There are currently no requirements for further remediation. Any works in relation to foundations of future buildings which require amendments to the remediation strategy that has been adopted and approved to date will be considered at that time.
Village Speed Limits
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what deadline has been set for the establishment of 30 mph as the normal speed limit in villages. [138067]
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Mr. Hill: The Road Safety Strategy outlines our commitment to a rural road hierarchy, one result of which would be 30mph speed limits in villages. A Government amendment to the Transport Bill requires the Secretary of State to undertake a review of the issues relating to the implementation of the hierarchy, and publish a report within 12 months of Royal Assent.
In the meantime, local traffic authorities already have the power to impose 30mph speed limits throughout any village where they feel this is necessary.
Farnborough Airfield
Mr. Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made about the effect on wildlife and natural habitats of plans to cut down woods near Farnborough Airfield. [137971]
Ms Beverley Hughes [holding answer 10 November 2000]: No such assessment has been made by the Secretary of State as this matter has not come before him formally for determination. The proposal was the subject of a Notice of Proposed Development submitted to Rushmoor Borough Council by the Ministry of Defence. As a competent authority under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 1994, the Ministry of Defence are required to carry out an appropriate assessment of the implications of the proposed works on the Thames Basin Heaths potential SPA and I understand they are undertaking such an assessment.
Rail Maintenance
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list (a) the contractors and sub-contractors responsible to Railtrack for maintenance of the track at Hatfield and (b) the names of passenger and freight train operators using that line, together with the (i) owners and (ii) lessees of the motive power and rolling stock used and their contractors for (1) medium and (2) heavy maintenance of that stock. [138213]
Mr. Hill: Railtrack's contractor responsible for maintaining the track at Hatfield is Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance Ltd. Information is not held centrally on sub-contractors used by Balfour Beatty.
The train companies which use the line at Hatfield and their suppliers of rolling stock and maintenance are given in the table. Train maintenance is normally split into light and heavy maintenance rather than light and medium.
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| Owner of motive power and rolling stock | Lessee of motive power and rolling stock | Contractor for light maintenance | Contractor for heavy maintenance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GNER | Angel Trains; HSBC Rail | GNER | GNER | Angle Trains; HSBC Rail |
| WAGN | Angel Trains; HSBC Rail | WAGN | WAGN; Adtranz | Railcare |
| Hull Trains | Porterbrook Leasing | Anglia Railways | Hull Trains; Adtranz | Adtranz |
| EWS | Locos | |||
| Angel Trains; EWS | EWS | EWS | EWS | |
| Rolling stock | ||||
| Lafarge Redland | EWS | Wabtech | Wabtech |
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Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 1 November 2000, Official Report, column 457W, what arrangements are made by the Railway Department of the Health and Safety Executive
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for the licensing and inspection of (a) contractors used by the owners and lessors of the stock for medium and heavy maintenance and (b) contractors used by other owning or leasing companies with contracts with rail operators. [138212]
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Mr. Hill: The Health and Safety Executive do not license either type of contractor. The duty for ensuring the competence of a contractor in the railway industry lies with the holder of the accepted safety case. The holders of safety cases for the railway industry are (in summary) Railtrack, Railtrack's main contractors, the freight and passenger train operators and London Underground.
Council Tax
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the average percentage rises in Council Tax in each of the past five years. [138219]
Ms Beverley Hughes: Average Council Tax increases in England (both average Council Tax per dwelling and Band D) between 1996-97 and 2000-01 are given in the table.
| Percentage increase on average Council Tax bill per dwelling | Percentage increase on average Council Tax for a Band D dwelling | |
|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 5.4 | 6.1 |
| 1997-98 | 7.4 | 6.5 |
| 1998-99 | 8.9 | 8.6 |
| 1999-2000 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
| 2000-01 | 6.2 | 6.1 |
The percentage increases in average Council Tax per dwelling give an indication of the increase in size of the Council Tax bill faced by the average resident. The percentage increases for the average Band D Council Tax (based on a dwelling occupied by two adults) are the measure used for tax-setting purposes.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the percentage rise in public sector current receipts for Council Tax in each of the last five years. [138218]
Ms Beverley Hughes: The information requested is given in the table.
| Level (£000) | Increase (percentage) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 7,730,839 | 8.7 |
| 1996-97 | 8,404,016 | 8.7 |
| 1997-98 | 9,134,089 | 8.7 |
| 1998-99 | 10,133,609 | 10.9 |
| 1999-2000 | 10,992,040 | 8.5 |
Source:
Quarterly Return of Council Tax and Rates (QRC4) returns, DETR
Ministerial Conference on Environment
and Health
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will meet the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health to discuss the inclusion of housing and health as an agenda item at the Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in 2004. [138056]
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Mr. Raynsford: The links between housing and health are important, and I would be happy to meet with the CIEH to discuss the issues in due course. In the first instance they should write to me with their detailed proposals.
Heathrow
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to order (a) an environmental impact assessment and (b) a health impact assessment for the proposed Terminal 5 at Heathrow; and when he expects to publish these impact assessments. [137986]
Mr. Mullin [holding answer 13 November 2000]: Heathrow Terminal 5 was the subject of a major Public Inquiry between May 1995 and March 1999. The Inquiry Inspector has said that he intends to produce his report within two years of the end of the Inquiry. The Terminal 5 proposal was subject to an environmental impact assessment and during the Inquiry the Inspector heard and received evidence on a wide range of environmental issues including the potential impact on health. The final decision on Terminal 5 and the associated applications, orders and appeals considered by the Inquiry rests with the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he next plans to review aircraft landing charges at Heathrow. [137750]
Mr. Mullin [holding answer 13 November 2000]: Under the 1986 Airports Act the Civil Aviation Authority sets a maximum limit on the amounts that may be levied by way of airport charges, including landing charges, over a five-year period at airports designated by the Secretary of State. Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester are those airports which are currently subject to this detailed price control. New price caps are required for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2008. The CAA is presently conducting a programme of work, including consultation, which will lead to decisions on the new price caps by autumn 2002.
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