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Night Flights

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will ask the Civil Aviation Authority whether there has been an increase in (a) air traffic using and (b) night flights in the corridor four miles either side of Detling Beacon in Kent since 11 September. [20412]

Mr. Jamieson: The Civil Aviation Authority has advised that it is not aware of any increase in either air traffic users or night flights in the corridor four miles either side of the Detling Beacon since 11 September.

Unitary Authorities

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many local councillors there are in each unitary authority with a population of less than 100,000. [20545]

Dr. Whitehead: There are two unitary authorities in England with an estimated population of less than 100,000—Rutland and Hartlepool with 20 and 47 councillors respectively.

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what is the applicable community charge or council tax charged by each unitary authority with a population of less than 100,000 (i) in the year immediately preceding their creation and (ii) in the following year. [20544]

6 Dec 2001 : Column: 448W

Dr. Whitehead: The information is given in the tables.

Hartlepool borough council—unitary status created April 1996

1995–961996–97
Average band D council tax:
The year before creation (£)The following year (£)Percentage change
Hartlepool(2)155791
Cleveland county council558
Cleveland police authority4546
Total area council tax(3)75983710.3

Rutland county council—unitary status created April 1997

1996–971997–98
Average band D council tax:
The year before creationThe following yearPercentage change
Rutland(2)103741
Leicestershire county council483
Leicestershire police authority4552
Total area council tax(3)63279325.5

(2) Figures are not on a like-for-like basis because each authority did not have responsibility for upper tier functions, such as education or social services, before reorganisation took place

(3) Figures rounded to the nearest pound


The other English unitary authorities created during local government reorganisation have a population of over 100,000.

Ministerial Resignations

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will resign. [20953]

Mr. Byers: No.

Millennium Dome

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the condition of the lining of the Millennium Dome; and what the estimated cost is of cleaning the lining. [21364]

Ms Keeble: I understand from English Partnerships, who assumed ownership of the dome from 1 July 2001, that the roof of the dome is in good condition. There are three small holes in the internal lining, which do not need repairing. However, English Partnerships, will of course keep under review all matters relating to management and maintenance of their assets.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what dates (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have visited (i) the Millennium Dome and (ii) the site surrounding the Dome since 1 July. [21363]

Ms Keeble: I visited the Greenwich Peninsula, including the dome, on 10 September 2001, as part of my visit to the Greenwich Millennium Village. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the

6 Dec 2001 : Column: 449W

Regions, has also frequently visited the Greenwich Peninsula, but not the dome, since 1 July 2001, as a constituency MP and as a private individual. No other DTLR minister has visited the dome or the Greenwich Peninsula recently.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which of the unsuccessful bidders for the Millennium Dome have had (a) any and (b) all of their costs reimbursed; and if he will publish the names of each such bidder together with the amount of their reimbursement. [21365]

Ms Keeble: None.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans the Government have to use the Millennium Dome over the Christmas period; and if he will open it as a refuge for the homeless. [20247]

Ms Keeble: While the process of securing a long-term sustainable use is continuing, English Partnerships is following up expressions of interest it has received about possible events at the dome. The first of these will be the Ministry of Sound event on new year's eve. As preparation works will be under way in advance of this event, it will not be possible to accommodate any other uses during this period.

Primary School Location (Road Speed Limits)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of how many primary schools in England are on roads with speed limits in excess of 30 miles per hour. [17446]

Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested is not available centrally.

Fire Appliances

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how many available fire appliances are (a) less than one, (b) between one and three, (c) between three and five and (d) over five years old; and if he will make a statement; [20615]

Dr. Whitehead: The number of fire appliances available in fire brigades in England and Wales at 31 March 2001 are shown in the following table. The pumps provide fire cover as required by the Fire Services Act 1947. Special appliances include hydraulic platforms, turntable ladders, foam tenders, emergency tenders, control units, hose laying lorries, chemical incident units and fire boats.

The cost of determining the age of each appliance would be disproportionate but a brigade would expect to replace appliances over 12 to 15 years.

6 Dec 2001 : Column: 450W

In 2000 there were 1,534 accidents involving appliances. It is not known how many of these were due to road accidents while on operational duty. Again the cost of determining this for 2000 and for earlier years would be disproportionate.

Number of front-line and reserve fire appliances in fire brigades in England and Wales at 31 March 2001

Front-lineReserve
PumpsSpecialsPumpsSpecials
Avon372180
Bedfordshire and Luton221940
Buckinghamshire311240
Cambridgeshire381160
Cheshire372250
Cleveland23730
Cornwall433580
County Durham and Darlington27650
Cumbria501261
Derbyshire441360
Devon812091
Dorset412661
East Sussex381351
Essex7121161
Gloucestershire331350
Greater Manchester6730148
Hampshire7644140
Hereford and Worcester421860
Hertfordshire43961
Humberside501390
Isle of Wight16930
Isles of Scilly2301
Kent8723134
Lancashire631772
Leicestershire331740
Lincolnshire481140
London170434315
Merseyside4213100
Mid and West Wales7236120
Norfolk521190
North Wales543191
North Yorkshire451852
Northamptonshire28940
Northumberland23030
Nottinghamshire36963
Oxfordshire36861
Royal Berkshire241061
Shropshire331531
Somerset401750
South Wales6457123
South Yorkshire32861
Staffordshire481770
Suffolk471840
Surrey361990
Tyne and Wear33972
Warwickshire26841
West Midlands6213146
West Sussex462860
West Yorkshire6614103
Wiltshire381860
Total2,29687438261


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