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Thatched Roofs
Sir Peter Emery: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action the Government are taking to ensure that those who have houses with thatched roofs are able to maintain and keep the thatch. [101892]
Mr. Raynsford: My Department has supported research in collaboration with the industry which has provided guidance on the use of thatch, on growing, selection, performance, best practice and fire safety. English Heritage has helped to develop various publications on thatch and a new publication "Thatch and Thatching", aimed at providing user-friendly guidance, will be published very shortly. English Heritage is also running exhibitions and half day conferences for thatchers and local authority planning officers starting early in the new year.
A12
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the five worst accident blackspots on the A12 in Essex. [101847]
Mr. Hill [holding answer 7 December 1999]: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Nutt to Mr. Bernard Jenkin, dated 13 December 1999:
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The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Keith Hill, has asked me to write in response to your recent written Parliament Question about the five worst accident black spots on the A12 in Essex.
The following table lists the sites which have the highest level of recorded personal injury accidents over the 3 years ending June 1999.
| Location | No. of Accidents |
|---|---|
| A12 Junction with B1024 South Slip Roads at Kelvedon | 9 |
| A12 South Slips at junction with A1023/B1002 Mountnessing | 8 |
| A12 Junction with B1024 North Slip Roads at Kelvedon | 8 |
| A12 Junction with B1389 South Slip Road at Witham | 8 |
| A12 400 metres north of Lynfields Bridge, Witham | 8 |
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many persons have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured on the A12 in Essex in each of the past 10 years; and what is the corresponding figure in the current year so far. [101848]
The Highways Agency does not keep records where damage is to the vehicle only.
If you would like further information please contact Simon Amor, the Route Manager for the A12, telephone 01234 796173.
Mr. Hill [holding answer 7 December 1999]: The information requested is shown in the table.
| Casualties | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Fatal | Serious | All |
| 1989 | 12 | 46 | 347 |
| 1990 | 9 | 43 | 340 |
| 1991 | 15 | 47 | 357 |
| 1992 | 5 | 37 | 273 |
| 1993 | 9 | 60 | 307 |
| 1994 | 3 | 42 | 323 |
| 1995 | 2 | 39 | 235 |
| 1996 | 12 | 48 | 277 |
| 1997 | 7 | 62 | 333 |
| 1998 | 6 | 35 | 256 |
Data for 1999 are not available yet.
Land Reclamation Programme
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will allow parish councils to apply for grants under the Land Reclamation Programme; [101956]
- (2) what factors underlay the decision to restrict the granting of and application for grants under the Land Reclamation Programme to district and county councils. [101955]
Mr. Mullin:
The Land Reclamation Programme (LRP) provides funding to local authorities to enable them to reclaim derelict land where there is no incentive for the private sector to undertake the task, typically because the land has no immediate prospect of development. LRP meets 100 per cent. of the approved eligible cost of approved projects because local authorities do not receive central government funding specifically for land reclamation. The widely accepted definition of local authority used for the purposes of LRP includes district, county and unitary authorities but excludes parish councils.
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The vast majority of LRP projects have been promoted by local authorities within the context of an agreed land reclamation strategy for their area. They have therefore, on the whole, been large projects, which require intensive professional administration. It is unlikely that most parish councils would have the resources to manage such projects. However, a parish council can ask a borough, district or county council to champion a scheme on their behalf.
LRP is now administered by the Regional Development Agencies (RDA) and paid for from physical regeneration budgets.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to publish draft regulations on each of the matters for which powers to make regulations will be conferred on him under the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [102089]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions indicated during the Second Reading of the Local Government Bill in another place that, as our response to the report of the Joint Committee indicates, draft regulations concerned with executive functions, policy framework and petitions will be available in time for Committee stage in the upper House. Draft of other regulations and key statutory guidance will be produced during the passage of the Bill.
The Government's response to the Joint Committee's report on the draft Local Government (Organisation and Standards) Bill (Cm 4529), which preceded the current legislation, was published on 2 December and has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to publish a regulatory impact assessment in respect of the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [101951]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
The Explanatory Notes to the Local Government Bill, which were published along with the Bill on 26 November, make it clear that none of the measures under Parts I-IV of the Bill will impose any burden on business, charities or voluntary bodies.
The provisions on welfare services in Part V will not in themselves impose any direct burden on such organisations, but the new arrangements for funding support services that the Government intend to implement through the new provisions will have implications for service providers. Elements of the new arrangements to scrutinise value for money more closely and which will separate the funding of accommodation and support services to improve service flexibility may involve additional management and administration for some service providers. This will be a factor that will need to be taken into account both locally and centrally.
A copy of the Regulatory Impact Assessment is available from my Department.
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Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the European Charter of Local Self-Government; [101952]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
Our policy on the European Charter of Local Self-Government is set out in the Explanatory Memorandum which we laid before the House on 2 March 1998, prior to ratification of the Charter on 24 April 1998. As made clear in that Memorandum, our intention, which we are satisfied the Local Government Bill fulfils, was that any future legislation affecting local government should further strengthen the degree of compliance with aspects of the Charter and ensure continued compatibility with its provisions.
Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out in the case of farm-scale trials of genetically modified crops (a) with which party those farmers hosting the trials have a contract, (b) what fees and compensation payments are involved, (c) what protocols have been agreed for growing the crops, (d) what arrangements have been made for access to the farms for research or publicity purposes, (e) what are the procedures for harvesting the crop and (f) what are the procedures for destroying the crop after harvest. [101755]
Mr. Meacher
[holding answer 9 December 1999]: (a) Farmers have contracts with member organisations of the industry biotechnology body SCIMAC (supply chain initiative on modified agricultural crops) which hold consents for the release to the environment of GM crops for the purpose of the farm-scale evaluations.
(b) Under the renewed agreement with industry announced on 5 November covering the conduct of the farm-scale evaluations, no direct commercial benefit will be sought by the consent holders from the plantings or obtained from use of the crops during the farm-scale evaluation period. Our understanding is that the farmers growing the crops in the farm-scale evaluations are likely to be compensated by the consent holders; that would be a matter for them.
(c) The crops are grown according to a Government-endorsed industry code (the SCIMAC code), which sets out best practice in planting, managing and using GM crops.
(d) The independent contractors conducting the biodiversity research through the farm-scale evaluations have all necessary access to the farms. Other research on the crops may be allowed where this does not conflict with the primary purpose of the farm-scale evaluations to investigate their effects on biodiversity: research on gene
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flow has been added in this way. We are unaware of any other arrangements for access to the farms for publicity; that would be a matter for the farmers.
(e) Crops are harvested according to the conditions of the consent issued under Directive 90/220/EEC, and procedures in the SCIMAC code.
(f) The fate of the crops is set out in the consents for growing them and the approvals for use of pesticide. In the unlikely event that any of the crops within the farm-scale evaluations obtain full regulatory clearance to enter the UK food or feed chain during the farm-scale evaluation period, the produce would be used within identity-preserved channels.
Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will outline the circumstances which he has identified whereby a crop from a GM farm-scale trial could enter the human or animal food chain; and what procedures there are for ensuring identity preservation and labelling of such crops and products of livestock fed on such crops. [101756]
Mr. Meacher
[holding answer 9 December 1999]: The circumstances whereby a crop from a GM farm-scale evaluation could enter the human or animal food chain are when it has received food and feedstuffs approval through the EU regulatory system, and where a pesticide has been applied, approval under the UK pesticide regulations. The crops will be grown in accordance with the SCIMAC guidelines which ensure segregation and identity preservation on the farm. Currently, none of the GM crops within the farm-scale evaluations have all the necessary approvals to enter the UK food or feed chain. Should any of the crops receive full clearance during the farm-scale evaluation period the produce, to ensure consumer choice can at all times be respected, would be used within identity-preserved channels. This would include any products reaching the consumer from livestock fed on such crops. The particular procedures chosen to achieve this, including labelling, would be established at the appropriate time.
(2) what assessment he has made of the conformity of the Local Government Bill [Lords] with the European Charter of Local Self-Government; and if he will make a statement. [101953]
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