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Grant System

Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how the reform of the local government grant system will take account of the services provided by district authorities which have urban and rural characteristics. [153079]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Last September's local government finance Green Paper consulted on options for making the current grant distribution system for local authorities fairer. A White Paper will be published later this year setting out our decisions on the way forward.

Any reforms to the revised grant distribution system will first be discussed with local government. Like the present grant distribution system, it would be expected to take account of a range of factors, including services provided by authorities in urban and rural areas.

Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he

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has to introduce a local government grant system based predominantly on populations. [153051]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Last September's local government finance Green Paper consulted on options for making the current grant distribution system for all local authorities fairer. A White Paper will be published later this year setting out our decisions on the way forward.

The existing formulae for distributing revenue grant are based predominantly on local authority population figures including relevant client groups (such as schoolchildren or elderly people). Were we to decide to continue to distribute grant by formula, this would continue to be the case.

As with the present system, such a formula could be modified to take other factors into account. However, the overall aim of any change would be to have a system that is more transparent and comprehensible as well as fairer, than that at present.

Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to ensure an equitable distribution of Government grant to district councils. [153052]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Last September's local government finance Green Paper consulted on options for making the current grant distribution system for all local authorities fairer. A White Paper will be published later this year setting out our decisions on the way forward.

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason district councils have been excluded from the local public service agreements pilot scheme; and what plans he has to include such councils in public service agreement schemes. [153050]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The local PSA pilot was taken forward with top-tier authorities rather than district councils because the majority of the national PSA targets that relate to local authority services relate to the services of top-tier authorities. But we will consider how we might involve district councils in the future. The Local Government Association are working with a group of district councils on how the PSA approach might be applied to districts, and we will consider any proposals they make.

Strategic Rail Authority

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the Strategic Rail Authority to publish its strategic agenda. [153749]

Mr. Hill: The Strategic Rail Authority has published its strategic agenda today. Copies have been placed in the House Libraries.

Demolition Control (Conservation Areas)

Ms Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what

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progress he has made reviewing the control of demolition in conservation areas following the House of Lords judgment in the Shimizu case. [153750]

Mr. Raynsford: The Shimizu judgment had the effect of weakening controls over partial demolition of unlisted buildings in conservation areas. We share the concern that the character of conservation areas could be adversely affected as a result. Following a consultation exercise last year we therefore propose to require submission of a planning application where in a conservation area it is proposed to demolish any boundary wall, gate, fence and other means of enclosure, and a chimney or porch on a dwellinghouse. This will give local planning authorities the opportunity to consider the impact that such works are likely to have on a conservation area. We shall bring forward the necessary amendments to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 in due course.

This measure is designed to address the direct effects of the Shimizu judgment. We are currently considering the recommendation in English Heritage's report 'Power of Place' for removal of a wide range of permitted development rights in conservation areas.

Referendums

Mr. Paul Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to lay before Parliament draft regulations governing the conduct of referendums to be held under part II of the Local Government Act 2000. [153751]

Ms Beverley Hughes: I have today laid before Parliament a draft of the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2001.

It is now for the House to consider this draft. To assist the House, I have placed in the Library and the Vote Office copies of draft proposed guidance to English local authorities on the holding of referendums in accordance with these Regulations.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Mobile Phones

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the comments his Department made to the Department of Health on that Department's leaflet 'Mobile Phones and Health' before publication. [153257]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 12 March 2001]: The Department made a number of comments on various versions of the leaflet while they were in the drafting stage. Our view was that the leaflet should explain in clear language the health advice and precautionary approach recommended by the Export Group chaired by Sir William Stewart. The text of the leaflets was discussed widely with a number of Government Departments which had an interest. The final version was agreed by all and signed off by the Chief Medical Officers.

Fuel Poverty

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs he estimates have been created by the fuel poverty initiatives introduced by the energy companies. [153454]

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Mr. Hain: The Government welcome the involvement of energy companies in tackling fuel poverty. Company schemes cover a variety of initiatives--special tariffs for low-income customers, advice on debt management, benefit checks and measures to improve the energy efficiency of people's homes. These schemes will improve referral networks and support the Government's programme for improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock, especially for the fuel poor. Some of this activity will result in the creation of new jobs, however, most of these initiatives are in the early stages of their operation and it is therefore not possible to separately identify, and quantify, the number of new jobs created as a direct result of these schemes.

Collieries (Operating Aid)

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria the independent panel uses to decide which collieries will receive operating aid. [153457]

Mr. Hain: Under the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme, as approved by the European Commission on 15 November 2000, applications for aid are considered under eight criteria. The full text of the Scheme is available on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/support/coal.htm, but the criteria include: degression of costs must be demonstrated by the production unit; the level of subsidy must not cause the delivered price to undercut third country coal of an equivalent quality sold on equivalent terms; the coal covered by the application must be used for electricity generation or industrial purposes; no single undertaking will be eligible for more than £75 million.

Applications which satisfy these criteria will be submitted to the European Commission for approval. It is not for the Import Parity Price (IPP) Panel to decide which collieries will receive operating aid. However, the panel will advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the IPP in respect of contracts related to an application for subsidy. This advice will help my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to ensure that the level of subsidy paid does not cause the delivered price of coal to undercut third country coal of an equivalent quality sold on equivalent terms. The panel's response to consultation on its methodology for advising on the IPP is also available on the internet at www.dti.gov.uk/support/coal.htm.

Electricity and Gas (Competition)

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if electricity and gas customers have accurate information on which to make decisions which allow them to benefit from competition in the market. [153455]

Mr. Hain: Accurate information on the competitive domestic energy market is widely available. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) publishes fact-sheets on gas, electricity and dual-fuel prices, which consumers can obtain from a freephone number--0800 88 77 77. Ofgem also produces more detailed price information and information on customer complaints, which is available from its website.

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In January, Ofgem introduced website links to internet price comparison companies, which enable consumers more easily to decide which supplier is offering the tariff best suited to their needs. Ofgem has a voluntary code that includes stipulations on accuracy of data and independence to which companies must sign up before being linked to its website. Two companies, which customers can also contact by telephone, have so far met these criteria.

Energywatch, the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council, is developing a matrix of information on suppliers' standards of service, which will complement the price information. It will also raise awareness of customers' options and rights in the competitive market as part of its programme of fostering confident, assertive consumers.

Consumers without internet access are able to access websites via libraries and advice centres.

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