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Bexhill Bypass

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the proposed Bexhill Bypass. [4068]

Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport on 12 July 2001, Official Report, column 635–37W.

A612 Public Transport Corridor

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the progress made by Nottinghamshire county council regarding their plans for the A612 public transport corridor. [4553]

Ms Keeble: I understand that Nottinghamshire county council intends to submit a bid for an A612 public transport scheme to the Department at the end of July. Following receipt a full assessment will be carried out before a decision is announced in December.

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Housing Development (Coventry)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many new housing developments in Coventry have been on (a) greenfield and (b) brownfield sites in the last four years; and how many are planned in each category in the next three years. [3913]

Ms Keeble: Detailed figures are not available centrally. Under best value, Coventry city council are required to report on the percentage of new homes built on previously-developed land. The Audit Commission are currently collecting data from all authorities and the Government expect to be able to publish estimated outturn for 2000–01 shortly.

Planning Policy Guidance

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the introduction of public policy planning guidance on housing; and what advice has been issued to councils on responding to this guidance. [4311]

Ms Keeble: Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3) was published in March 2000. Since then, a series of good practice guides has been issued to help local authorities implement its new approach to planning for housing. We expect local authorities to update their development plans to reflect PPG3 and to test planning applications for housing development against the policies it contains.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the definition of previously-developed land in Annexe C of the PPG3 guidance is to be applied uniformly throughout the country. [4418]

Ms Keeble: There are various definitions of previously-developed land in use. For the purposes of applying the policies in PPG3 the definition of previously-developed land given in annexe C should be used.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the advice given to councils on withdrawing greenfield sites earmarked for housing development where no planning permission exists and where that withdrawal is in line with PPG3. [4417]

Ms Keeble: PPG3 introduces a new approach to planning for housing which, for most authorities, will mean their development plan will require early review and alteration in respect of housing. The most effective way of removing greenfield allocations from a plan that does not reflect the policies in PPG3 is through a formal alteration to the plan.

Motor Insurance

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total amount collected by the Motor Insurers' Bureau is from motor policies in the latest year for which figures are available. [4074]

Mr. Jamieson: Industry estimates suggest that the amount levied from motor insurers last year to pay for the Motor Insurers' Bureau was approximately £200,000,000.

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Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the average amount is that a motorist pays to the Motor Insurers' Bureau to compensate the victims of uninsured drivers. [4073]

Mr. Jamieson: Industry estimates suggest that the honest motorist pays from £15 to £30 extra on his premium to fund compensation of victims of uninsured drivers.

Workboat Code

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency workboat code was last revised; and what application the Maritime and Coastguard Agency workboat code has to the aquaculture and fishing industries. [3751]

Mr. Jamieson: The Workboat Code came into force in August 1998 and has not been revised. The code is currently under review as part of a harmonisation project designed to produce a single code of practice for all small commercial vessels. This review is due for completion in March 2002.

The Workboat Code sets safety standards for vessels undertaking aquaculture (e.g. fish and shellfish farming). It does not apply to vessels engaged in commercial fish catching.

Private Finance Initiative

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what central monitoring his Department undertakes of value for money obtained in private finance initiative projects; and if he will make a statement. [4461]

Dr. Whitehead: The value for money of private finance initiative contracts must be demonstrated against a public sector comparator, representing the costs associated with providing the same service through a conventional procurement, before approval will be given for signature of a contract. The Department ensures that the value for money benefits of a PFI contract are delivered across the life of the contract through appropriate clauses in the payment mechanism. Performance of contracts is monitored against the individual requirements of the payment mechanisms which provide incentives for the delivery of quality services.

Dredging (Tidal Water)

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers (a) he and (b) his agencies have to control maintenance dredging of estuarine channels. [4300]

Mr. Jamieson: The general power to control dredging in tidal waters is contained in section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949 which requires the Secretary of State's consent to any operation to remove any object or any materials from any part of the seashore lying below the level of mean low water springs. Harbour authorities usually have powers in their local legislation to carry out within their harbour dredging in order to maintain or facilitate navigation and to license others to do so. These

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operations are generally exempted from the requirement for CPA consent. Disposal of the dredged material will require the approval of the Secretary of State if it is placed below the level of high water.

Wootton Creek and Ryde, Isle of Wight

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers as harbour authority are held (a) by the Queen's Harbour Master and (b) by others in respect of Wootton Creek and Ryde, Isle of Wight. [4297]

Mr. Jamieson: The Department is currently investigating the precise responsibilities, some of which overlap, of the harbour authorities in the area in the light of an application by Wightlink for consent to dredge at the Fishbourne ferry terminal. Although the application, has now been withdrawn I will write to the hon. Member when our investigations are completed.

Waterways (Freight)

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of total UK freight was transported by inland waterway in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000. [3749]

Mr. Jamieson: The percentage of total domestic UK freight (tonne-kilometres moved) by inland waterway in each year 1997 to 1999 was 0.8 per cent. The percentage for 2000 is not yet available.

TREASURY

Official Residences

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if refurbishment of official residences is classified as benefits in kind for tax purposes. [4171]

Dawn Primarolo: Yes. Where refurbishment to the accommodation consists of repairs, decoration or furniture, tax is charged on the benefit.

The same rules apply to all office holders or employees.

Insurance Premium Tax

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's income has been from insurance premium tax on motor policies over the last three years. [4071]

Mr. Boateng: The information is not available. Customs and Excise do not require insurers to identify the specific types of insurance policies on which insurance premium tax is paid.

Surveillance and Security Services

Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 5 July 2001, Official Report, column 311W, on surveillance and security services, if he will break down the figures provided to distinguish between expenditure on (a) GCHQ, (b) the Security Service and (c) the Secret Intelligence Service; if he

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will make it his policy to publish the public service agreements relating to each agency; and if he will make a statement. [3662]

Mr. Andrew Smith: National security considerations preclude publication of this information, although all of it is available to the Intelligence and Security Committee.

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