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High Hedges
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures he proposes to take to reduce the incidence of high hedges overshadowing or encroaching on people's property; and if he will make a statement. [37]
Ms Keeble: The Government are committed to introducing legislation that would give local authorities in England and Wales powers to deal with complaints about problem high hedges, as soon as there is space in the parliamentary timetable.
Where these hedges encroach on people's property, they already have rights to cut overhanging branches back to the boundary--unless any trees in the hedge are protected by a tree preservation order or the people live in a conservation area. In such cases, people should check with their local council before carrying out any works on the hedge.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects legislation to be introduced to deal with high boundary hedges and trees in residential gardens; and if he will make a statement. [7]
Ms Keeble: The Government are committed to introducing legislation that would give local authorities in England and Wales powers to deal with complaints about problem high hedges, as soon as there is space in the parliamentary timetable.
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Millennium Dome
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will set out the timetable for the sale of the dome. [108]
Ms Keeble: There is no firm deadline for the sale. We are, through the on-going market testing, exploring all avenues, and the aim is to secure a sale as quickly as possible. However, it is important that all diligence is done both in the market testing and the assessment of on-going process issues, in order that the process--and the continued regeneration of the Greenwich Peninsula--is not undermined. We will make an announcement as soon as possible, consistent with independent professional advice.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the estimated market value of the dome site (a) with the dome in place and (b) with the dome removed. [111]
Ms Keeble: A pre-sale valuation of the dome site has been undertaken in the context of the process to secure a sustainable long-term use for the dome. This valuation and Government appraisals of the financial value of the site are commercially confidential while the process continues.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of the proceeds from the future sale of the dome will be returned to national lottery funds. [112]
Ms Keeble: The allocation of proceeds from the sale of the dome is set out in a legal agreement between English Partnerships and the New Millennium Experience Company. This was signed on 12 January 2001 and announced to Parliament on 17 January 2001, Official Report, column 258W.
After deduction of competition, decommissioning and other costs from the sale proceeds, half will be paid to English Partnerships as owners of the land and half to the New Millennium Experience Company as builders, owners and operators of the dome structure. Once NMEC has been wound up, it is intended that any remaining share of the proceeds will pass to the Millennium Commission.
Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the submission by Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd. to his Department's consultation on airport capacity in the south-east was confidential. [148]
Mr. Jamieson: We received a submission from Redhill Aerodrome Ltd. in response to "The Future of Aviation" consultation document. Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd. asked that its response be kept confidential. We have not yet issued a consultation document on airport capacity in the south-east and east of England.
Central Railway
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what target he has set the Strategic Rail Authority for completing its
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feasibility study on the Central Railway proposal; when he expects to receive the SRA's report; and if he will make a statement. [379]
Mr. Jamieson: No target has been set. I understand that the Strategic Rail Authority has just received its consultants' high-level review of the Central Railways proposal and will be advising on its conclusion in due course.
Chiltern Line
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress towards a final decision on the award of the rail franchise for the Chiltern Line. [380]
Mr. Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority signed heads of terms with M40 Trains Ltd. on 10 August 2000 and expects to sign a new franchise agreement in the autumn.
Concessionary Bus Travel
Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made by his Department in extending the concessionary bus travel scheme to men between the ages of 60 and 65 years. [451]
Ms Keeble: As announced in the Gracious Speech on 20 June 2001, Official Report, column 33, we intend to bring forward a Bill during the present Session to amend the relevant legislation.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Class Sizes (Yorkshire)
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the class sizes for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools were in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) the City of York local education authorities on 1 May 2001 and projected for 1 May 2002. [5]
Mr. Timms: The available data are shown in the table.
| North Yorkshire | City of York | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary schools | |||
| 2000(1) | 25.8 | 26.4 | 27.1 |
| 2001 | 25.3 | 25.9 | 26.7 |
| Secondary schools | |||
| 2000(1) | 21.1 | 21.5 | 22.0 |
| 2001 | 21.1 | 21.1 | 22.0 |
(1) Provisional
The size of average primary classes has fallen nationally from 27.7 in 1998 to 26.7 in 2001; by September 2001 we expect that no infant class will have more than 30 pupils. Secondary class sizes nationally rose from under 20 in 1989 to 21.7 in 1997. Since then the growth has slowed and has remained at 22 for two years.
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In 2001-02 secondary headteachers will receive an average of £70,000 and primary headteachers £24,000 in direct grant to spend as they choose including on reducing class sizes if that is their priority.
We do not have projections on average class sizes.
HEALTH
NHS Pay Review
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include NHS scientific laboratory staff in the NHS pay review. [349]
Mr. Hutton: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my predecessor gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Thamesmead (Mr. Austin) on 23 October 2000, Official Report, columns 80-81W.
Residential and Nursing Care
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals had to sell a property to finance their (a) residential and (b) nursing care, within local authorities prior to the local authority becoming responsible for funding their care; and if he will make a statement. [182]
Jacqui Smith: This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) residential and (b) nursing placements were being funded at the end of 2000-01. [181]
Jacqui Smith: The table shows the number of local authority supported residents in residential or nursing care at 31 March 2000, the latest year for which information is available.
| England(2) | Supported residents |
|---|---|
| Residential care homes(3) | 193,100 |
| Nursing care homes(4) | 74,400 |
| Total number of residents | 267,500 |
(2) As at 31 March 2000
(3) Includes local authority staffed, voluntary and private homes and small or unstaffed homes
(4) Independent general and mental nursing homes
Source:
SR1 form
Social Services Assessments
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of assessment is undertaken by social services when a client is vulnerable and self-funding but has no partner or advocate; and if he will make a statement. [183]
Jacqui Smith: Under Section 47 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 local authorities have a duty to give a community care assessment to anyone, who, in their view, might be in need of community care services. This duty applies irrespective of the person's means and whether or not the person has a partner or advocate. The content of the assessment is a matter for the local authority to decide.
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