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Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what additional money he has allocated to the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme; and if he will make a statement in respect of eligible insulation and central heating measures. [139668]

Mr. Meacher: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme provides grants of up to £2,000 for comprehensive packages of insulation and heating improvements. The scheme is aimed at those households who are most

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vulnerable to cold-related ill health: older people and families on low incomes, and the disabled and chronically sick. The scheme is focused on the private sector where nearly 70 per cent. of the fuel poor in England are found.

Following the Comprehensive Spending Review this summer, the budget for the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme has been set at:


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The scheme provides packages of measures drawn from the following list:














The package offered is tailored to the conditions of the individual property.

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to extend the entitlement to home energy efficiency scheme plus grants to those receiving the savings element of the proposed Pension Credit. [140634]

Mr. Meacher: At present, all households aged 60 or more and in receipt of Income Support, Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit or income-based Job Seekers Allowance are eligible for the higher tier of grants available under the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) for England. This higher tier is in recognition of the particular difficulties faced by low-income older households. In total, we estimate that over 3.7 million older households--some 60 per cent. of all such households--are eligible for grants up to £2,000.

We continue to monitor carefully all aspects of HEES and will consider in due course whether the eligibility criteria should be extended to include the Pension Credit when it is introduced in 2003.

Polegate Bypass

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much compensation has been agreed for contractors in respect of the postponement of the original Polegate Bypass project. [140302]

Mr. Hill: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Nigel Waterson, dated 30 November 2000:



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Mobile Phone Transmission Equipment

Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what regulations govern the installation of mobile phone transmission equipment as it relates to human health. [140464]

Ms Beverley Hughes: There are no specific regulations governing the installation of mobile phone transmission equipment as it relates to health. However, telecommunications operators have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and the Management of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to ensure that so far as is reasonably practicable, their work activities--which would include the installation and operation of their equipment--do not expose people to risks to their health and safety.

The Government's statutory adviser, the National Radiological Protection Board, has published guidelines on limiting exposure to electromagnetic radiation. All mobile phone transmission equipment should meet these guidelines. Following publication of the Stewart report on mobile phones and health in May 2000, the Government accepted that, as a precautionary measure, the emissions from mobile phone base stations should meet the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines for public exposure as expressed in the EU Council Recommendation of 12 July 1999 on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0Hz to 300GHz). Most base stations already meet the ICNIRP guidelines and all new base stations will do so.

Lorry Drivers

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what data he has collated on the link between the speed patterns of lorries and other commercial vehicles and the working hours of drivers over the last 10 years. [140528]

Mr. Hill: The recently completed Driver Fatigue project included an investigation of sleep related vehicle accidents occurring on certain motorways. About 25 per cent. of the sleep related vehicle accidents occurring on these motorways were work related (ie involving commercial vehicles). This type of accident occurs more often between 0200 hrs. and 0700 hrs. suggesting that night workers are particularly vulnerable, as are those driving home after a night shift, in the early morning and after the shift has lasted 12 hours.

Flytipping

Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate his Department has made (1) of the volume of illegally flytipped waste removed by (a) the Environment Agency and (b) local authorities in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997, (iv) 1998, (v) 1999 and (vi) 2000; [140511]

Mr. Mullin: Under section 59 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 the Environment Agency and local authorities may remove flytipped waste from land in

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certain circumstances. Where these powers are used the agency or local authority is entitled to recover its costs from the person who deposited the waste or knowingly caused or permitted its deposit.

The Environment Agency does not currently collate data on the removal of flytipped waste. However, based on budget information the Agency has estimated that its costs for the removal of flytipped waste are approximately £500,000 per annum. No precise figures are available on the volumes of waste removed.

Data on the costs and volume of the removal of flytipped waste by local authorities are not held centrally.

Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the individuals and companies prosecuted by the Environment Agency for illegal flytipping in the London area in 1999 and 2000; [140500]

Mr. Mullin: Flytipping is not defined in legislation but the term is generally used to refer to the illegal disposal of waste on sites which have neither a waste management licence nor a registered exemption from licensing--in contravention of sections 33 or 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. However, it is also an offence under section 33 to dispose of waste in contravention of a licence. The available data do not separately identify the two different types of offences committed under section 33 and the following information therefore includes offences other than flytipping.

The Environment Agency advises that in the time available to answer the question it is unable to provide a list of those prosecuted specifically under sections 33 or 34 of the 1990 Act in the London area in 1999 and 2000. However, I am happy to write to my hon. Friend with this information and to place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

In the meantime, the Environment Agency has provided the following list of individuals and companies successfully prosecuted by its Thames Region for waste offences under Part II of the 1990 Act:












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The average fines levied on individuals in all courts for offences under sections 33 and 34 of the 1990 Act, taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, are as given:







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The average fines levied on organisations in all courts for offences under section 33 and 34 of the 1990 Act, taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, are as follows:









The Crime and Criminal Justice Unit of the Home Office does not hold data on prosecutions taken by the Environment Agency separately from those taken by local authorities. The available figures, as shown in (i) and (ii) below, are taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database based on the principal offence. Data also include prosecutions by police:

(i) The total number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates courts for offences under sections 33 and 34 of the 1990 Act in England and Wales for offences under sections 33 and 34 of the 1990 Act in England and Wales

YearNumber
1995134
1996199
1997173
1998220
1999233
2000(13)--

(13) Data not yet available


(ii) The total number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates courts for offences under sections 33 and 34 of the 1990 Act in the Metropolitan police area

YearNumber
199531
199634
199739
199856
199970
2000(14)--

(14) Data not yet available


Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will launch an investigation into the role of criminal gangs in illegal flytipping in the London area. [140506]

Mr. Mullin: There are strict controls in place to ensure that waste is disposed of without danger to the public or the environment. The responsibility for the investigation of any alleged breaches of these controls and subsequent enforcement action rests with the Environment Agency and, in some circumstances, with local authorities as waste collection authorities. Any evidence of flytipping, including the involvement of criminal gangs, should be reported to the Environment Agency so that it may undertake relevant investigations.

Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans the Government have to increase the penalties for illegal flytipping. [140507]

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Mr. Mullin: The maximum penalties for flytipping of waste are already severe--an unlimited fine and up to five years' imprisonment on conviction in a Crown Court--and the Government have no plans to increase them. The courts are independent of the Government and it is for them to determine the penalties they impose, within the terms of the relevant legislation, and to ensure that sentences fully reflect the gravity of offences which damage the environment.

However, it is the Government's view that severe penalties should be imposed for significant breaches of environmental law. The Government's response to the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Select Committee's Reports on the Environment Agency (2000) and on the Operation of the Landfill Tax (1999) made this clear and set out the action being taken to ensure that the Courts are fully aware of the Government's concern about this issue.

Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans the Government have to review the law on illegal flytipping. [140508]

Mr. Mullin: The Government currently have no plans to review the legislation on flytipping. However, the FlyTipping Forum which brings together the Government, the Environment Agency, local authorities, the National Farmers' Union, the Country Landowners Association and other national organisations is addressing the specific problem of flytipping on farms. It is assessing the scale of the problem, and will look at how the enforcement agencies can work more effectively together, including the pursuit of offenders and more effective deterrence. The Government will then consider the results of this research and any recommendations which the Forum may make.

Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans the Government have to provide assistance to local authorities in tackling illegal flytipping. [140509]

Mr. Mullin: Local authorities' responsibilities for flytipping are funded through the Revenue Support Grant. Substantial extra resources--an increase of £1,127 million by 2003-04--will help fund environmental, protective and cultural services. Local authorities will set their own priorities for the use of these resources.

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps have been taken to publicise the 24 hour emergency telephone hotline for members of the public reporting information about flytipping incidents. [140994]

Mr. Mullin: The Environment Agency's emergency hotline (0800 80 70 60) plays an important role in alerting the Agency to all types of environmental incidents--including flytipping. The Agency promotes the number as widely as possible through their public relations activities--including flytipping campaigns and the FlyTipping Forum--and it features in a wide range of the Agency's reports and publications such as the "Customer Charter" and waste management explanatory leaflets.

Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many calls have been received by the Environment Agency's 24 hour

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emergency telephone hotline for members of the public reporting information about flytipping incidents since it was set up; and how many have resulted in the prosecution of suspected flytippers. [140993]

Mr. Mullin: The Environment Agency received 30 reports of fly tipping incidents on their 24 hour emergency telephone hotline (0800 80 70 60) in the period from 31 March 1999 to 1 April 2000. The hotline is used for the reporting of all environmental incidents and the Agency does not collate data on how many prosecutions result from the public's use of it. However, I have asked the Agency whether it is possible to establish how many of the 30 reported flytipping incidents have resulted in prosecutions. I will write to my hon. Friend on receipt of the Agency's response and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

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