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Regional Planning

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) further to the publication of PPG 11, what plans his Department has to increase the scope of regional planning; and if he will make a statement; [12572]

(2) what plans his Department has to issue new or revised national planning policy guidance in the next 12 months; if he will list the new guidance notes; and if he will make a statement. [12573]

Mr. Byers: I shall be issuing a Green Paper shortly setting out proposals for comprehensive reform of the planning system.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans his Department has to issue new or revised regional planning policy guidance in the next 12 months; if he will list the new guidance notes; and if he will make a statement. [12574]

Mr. Byers: Regional planning guidance is issued by the Government offices. Since November 2000, revised regional planning policy guidance has been issued for East Anglia (RPG 6), the south-east (RPG 9), the

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south-west (RPG 10) and Yorkshire and the Humber (RPG 12). Over the next 12 months, new or revised regional planning policy guidance is due to be issued for the east midlands (RPG 8), the north-east (RPG 1) and the north-west (RPG 13). Draft revised regional planning guidance (RPG 11) for the west midlands, as prepared by the west midlands local government association, will be published for consultation very shortly.

Elections

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans his Department has to increase turnout in (a) London Assembly and mayoral elections and (b) European parliamentary elections. [12581]

Mr. Byers: As the Electoral Commission stated in its report on the 2001 general election:

"responsibility for re-engaging the electorate with the democratic process must rest in large part with the political parties". However, our programme for modernising electoral processes is aimed at improving access to electoral services for all elections. As a first step in October, we, in conjunction with the Electoral Commission and the Local Government Association, invited local authorities to apply to run innovative electoral pilot projects—including all-postal voting and online voting—at next May's local elections. We will consider how to take forward any lessons learned from those pilots in the London Assembly and mayoral elections and in the European parliamentary elections. The Electoral Commission is also examining the underlying reasons for low turnout and we will consider any conclusions they reach very carefully.

3G Technology

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with the (a) Treasury and (b) Department of Trade and Industry concerning 3G mobile phone licences. [12570]

Mr. Byers: This Department had no discussion with either the Treasury or the Department of Trade and Industry over the awarding of the 3G mobile phone licences to the five successful bidders. Officials in this Department liaised with officials in the Department of Trade and Industry over the production of the information memorandum sent to prospective participants in the 3G auction to ensure that it contained accurate details of the planning regime as it applied to telecommunications apparatus.

From time to time, officials in this Department liaise with officials in the Department of Trade and Industry on specific licence conditions, such as conditions requiring operators to explore the possibility of mast sharing.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimates his Department has made of the increase in demand for additional mobile phone masts that will result from the implementation of 3G technology; and if he will make a statement. [12569]

Mr. Byers: This is a matter for the individual telecommunications operators. However, the operators are fully aware of the importance we attach to keeping the

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number of masts to the minimum practicable, for example through mast sharing, and to ensuring that those which are needed are designed and sited with sensitivity and care.

Schooling (Hackney)

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what role he has played in the provision of schooling in the London borough of Hackney. [12580]

Mr. Byers: The provision of schooling is a matter for the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. My Department pays revenue and capital grants to local authorities for a range of local services including the provision of schooling.

Loft Conversions

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to require planning permission to be obtained for loft conversions; and if he will make a statement. [12457]

Ms Keeble: Currently, loft conversions may or may not require planning applications depending on the circumstances of the case and the relevant permitted development rights. We will set out proposals for the future in our planning Green Paper.

Park Homes

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to introduce legislation in relation to park homes; and if he will make a statement. [12454]

Ms Keeble: Changes to the legislation relating to park homes were included in the recommendations of the park homes working party. We have consulted on, and are considering, the working party's recommendations. We hope to be able to announce our conclusions on this shortly.

Motorcyclists

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what restrictions apply to the wearing of black visors by motorcyclists. [12249]

Mr. Jamieson: Visors worn by motorcyclists on a road must either comply with British Standard BS4110:1979 (as amended) or with UN ECE Regulation 22.05. These standards allow visors to have a moderate tint which allows at least 50 per cent. of the light to pass through.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Publications

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many publications were issued by her Department in each of the last four years. [11833]

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Clare Short: Since 1997 we have published all our major strategy documents, including all country and institutional strategy papers, as well as major consultation papers and speeches. Our publishing output has therefore expanded considerably.

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Due to the disproportionate cost involved we are not able to provide the full level of details requested. However within the main categories we have produced:

Category	2001–02	2000–01	1999–2000	1998–99	Total
White papers	—	1	—	—	1
Country strategy papers	4	10	12	18	44
Institutional strategy papers	5	9	6	2	22
Consultation papers (IDTs)	—	1	8	—	9
Target strategy papers (TSPs)	1	8	—	—	9
Background briefings	15	6	3	3	27
Speech booklets	1	8	11	8	28
Issues of Developments magazine	2	4	4	4	14

We also produce a publications catalogue which is updated every six months and lists the majority of departmental publications produced since 1997, together with information on how to obtain copies. A copy of the latest edition (October 2001) has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 2 July 2001, Official Report, columns 41–42W, on Belize, if she will place in the Library copies of the documents which recorded the conversation between her Permanent Secretary and the senior partner of KPMG on 18 May. [11615]

Clare Short: The conversation was confidential to the parties concerned.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date her Department obtained legal advice on the validity and applicability of the 1982 Britain-Belize Investor Protection Treaty for the Public Investment Companies with regard to the study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; what the conclusion of this legal advice was; on what date this advice was passed to the Government of Belize; and if she will place in the Library a copy of this advice. [11602]

Clare Short: Counsel's advice was received on 7 September and passed to the Government of Belize on 13 September. The advice is confidential to the UK and Belize Governments.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department requested KPMG to assess whether the 1982 Britain-Belize Investor Protection Treaty applied to the public investment companies during the study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; when this request was made by her Department; what the conclusion of this assessment was; and if she will place in the Library a copy of KPMG's assessment. [11604]

Clare Short: The request was implicit in the terms of reference for the study KPMG was contracted to undertake on 11 July 2000. KPMG's conclusion on this assessment was recorded in their report on the study. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 July 2001, Official Report, column 531W, concerning the confidentiality of the KPMG report.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 13 July 2001, Official Report, column 653W, on Belize, if she will place in the Library (a) a copy of the correspondence of 25 August 2000 in which her Department was informed by KPMG that KPMG were the external auditors of the Belize Bank and (b) copies of responses made by her Department to KPMG following the receipt of this correspondence. [11611]

Clare Short: A copy of the letter dated 25 August 2000 to DFID will be placed in the Library. The enclosures referred to in that letter are confidential to the parties concerned. No written response was made to this letter.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what meetings her Department has held since 3 August with the Government of Belize to discuss progress on the Commonwealth debt initiative and the effect of tax exemptions and public investment companies on pro-poor programmes; where each of these meetings took place; and which departments of the Government of Belize attended. [11603]

Clare Short: Following my decision on CDI, referred to in my answer to question [6605] and sent to you during the recess, I met with Prime Minister Said Musa in London on 22 October to discuss this and other matters relevant to Belize.

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