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Climate Change Levy
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how agreements entered into by trade associations with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions for the purpose of securing 80 per cent. climate change levy discount will be enforced against members of such trade associations. [100460]
Mr. Mullin: The agreements are not intended to be legally binding upon members of trade associations or any other entities which the associations may represent. The agreements are a mechanism by which, if environmental targets are met, a reduction in the climate change levy will be made. It is this incentive which will deliver the necessary environmental outcome in the public interest.
Local Government (Finance)
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those local authorities which have negative housing subsidy; and if he will set out in respect of each authority the sum being transferred this year from the Housing Revenue Account to the General Fund and the value of the transfer as expressed in Band D Council Tax per taxpayer. [100318]
Mr. Mullin [holding answer 29 November 1999]: The latest information we have on the authorities that are expected to be in "negative housing subsidy" for 1999-2000 is shown in the table.
30 Nov 1999 : Column: 141W
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the local authority capping system in relation to housing benefit. [100093]
Mr. Mullin [holding answer 29 November 1999]: My Department will be consulting shortly on the detail of the proposals for changes in the housing revenue account subsidy regime. Consideration of the outcome of that exercise will be required before any decisions are taken. It is too early to say what the impact of any changes will be.
Local Government (Structure)
Mr. Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he next plans to review the structure of local government in England; and if he will make a statement. [100787]
Ms Beverley Hughes: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Woodward) on 1 November 1999, Official Report, column 12W.
Agricultural Land
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to protect high-grade agricultural land from development; and if he will make a statement. [100578]
30 Nov 1999 : Column: 142W
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The Government's Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) note 7 on the countryside gives detailed advice on development affecting agricultural land. Local planning authorities should take account of the quality of any agricultural land that would be lost through development proposals, both when preparing their development plans and when considering planning applications.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the response to the consultation on the revised draft PPG 3 on Housing; and when he expects to publish the new guidance. [100577]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
My Department received over 600 responses to the consultation on the draft new PPG3 on Housing, in addition to a report from the Environment, Transport and the Regional Affairs Committee. The final version of PPG3 will be published in the New Year.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to change the rules and financial arrangements of the large-scale voluntary transfer scheme for council houses; and if he will make a statement. [100096]
Mr. Mullin
[holding answer 29 November 1999]: We have recently proposed several changes to the rules and financial arrangements of the large-scale voluntary transfer programme. Details are set out below:
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his policy on large-scale voluntary transfer of council houses; what assistance his Department gives to councils considering such a scheme; and if he will make a statement. [100094]
Mr. Mullin
[holding answer 29 November 1999]: We are keen for local authorities to pursue transfer where it is clearly part of their housing strategy and will improve the living conditions of tenants and the service they receive. However, authorities are under no compulsion to transfer their stock. My Department publishes guidance for local authorities which are considering transferring their stock.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on Government policy on out-of-town shopping development. [99023]
30 Nov 1999 : Column: 143W
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The Government's policy on out-of-town shopping development was set out in our response to the House of Commons Environment Committee report on shopping centres in July 1997 [CMND 3729], in which we reaffirmed our commitment to planning policy guidance note 6 (PPG6) on town centres and retail developments, and was subsequently reiterated in the Opposition Day debate on 24 June 1999, Official Report, columns 1350-56, and in further evidence to the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee on 27 October this year.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has had from the IEA Greenhouse Gas Research and Development Programme on the technology of carbon dioxide capture and sequestration. [99442]
Mr. Meacher:
The Government help to fund the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme under contract with the DTI. DETR receives all reports produced under this contract.
DETR also commissioned the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme to contribute to a report on carbon sequestration submitted to the Panel on Sustainable Development.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the British Railways Board concerning the planned disposal of the board's land holdings. [100679]
Mr. Hill:
In July last year the Government announced a suspension of sales of British Rail property pending a review of it by the BR Board. Following the review, the Government have agreed with the Chairman of the BR Board (now part of the shadow Strategic Rail Authority) the lifting of the sales suspension and the introduction of new marketing procedures for the disposal of its land holdings which will give priority to transport use. BR's "Marketing Process" document which gives further details is available in the House Library.
proposals to help authorities whose capital receipt after transfer would be insufficient to cover all of their housing debt;
moving away from the current system of running an annual programme to one which gives authorities greater flexibility;
changes to the way in which the LSVT levy is calculated.
In addition, we recently announced that authorities may capitalise the cost of higher rent expenditure for up to three years after transfer, thereby reducing the cost to their general fund.
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