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Mobile Homes

Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to propose changes to legislation to provide better protection for the rights of owners of mobile homes; and if he will make a statement. [29365]

Ms Keeble: Changes to the legislation relating to park homes were included in the recommendations of the Park Homes Working Party. Following consultation, we issued our response to the Working Party's report on 29 November last year, and placed copies of it in the Library of the House. This gives a detailed response to each of the Working Party's recommendations and indicates how we intend to take them forward.

Special Purpose Vehicles

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list those development plans set out in annexe 2 to the SRA's Strategic Plan which will be subject to the establishment of special purpose vehicles. [29123]

Mr. Byers [holding answer 21 January 2002]: The details of the new enhancement framework are currently being developed. The precise number of projects for which SPVs will be created will depend on the outcome of the SRA's negotiations with the private sector, and on factors such as the project's type, complexity and size.

22 Jan 2002 : Column 718W

Mobile Phones

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to ensure that third generation mobile telephone base station sites must be a statutory part of new planning guidelines. [28946]

Ms Keeble [holding answer 21 January 2002]: On 22 August 2001 we introduced changes that significantly improved the planning procedures and guidance for telecommunications mast development. The changes, which included amendments to Part 24 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (GPDO):

strengthened public consultation requirements on mast proposals of 15 m and below so that they are the same as for planning applications;


increased the time for a local planning authority to deal with prior approval applications to 56 days;


underlined that school governors must be consulted on all proposals for new masts on or near a school or college; and


increased fees to enable authorities to carry out full public consultation.

Part 24 of the GPDO does not distinguish between different generations of telecommunications equipment and therefore applies to third generation base stations.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish guidelines for 3G mobile telephony companies to share the use of 3G mobile telephony base stations. [28948]

Ms Keeble [holding answer 21 January 2002]: The Government's policy is firmly to encourage mast and site sharing where that is the optimum solution in the individual circumstances. Indeed, conditions attached to individual operating licences granted by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry include a requirement to investigate mast sharing before seeking to put up any new mast.

Planning Policy Guidance Note 8, "Telecommunications" (PPG8), makes clear our expectation that developers should provide evidence to local planning authorities that they have carefully considered the use of existing masts, buildings and other structures before seeking to erect any new mast, regardless of size. The authority may be justified in refusing prior approval or planning permissions if it considers the evidence regarding the consideration of such alternative sites is not satisfactory. PPG8 is publicly available and applies to all telecommunications development, including 3G base stations.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of new 3G mobile telephony base station sites that will be needed in the United Kingdom. [28947]

Ms Keeble [holding answer 21 January 2002]: This is a matter for the individual telecommunications operators. However, the operators are fully aware of the importance we attach to keeping the 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.

22 Jan 2002 : Column 719W

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Prisoners (Guantanamo Bay)

Llew Smith: To ask the Solicitor-General (1) what communications her Department has had with the United States Attorney-General in respect of the legality of the conditions of detention of British citizens held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba; [28647]

(2) what discussions the Attorney-General has had with the United States Administration on the establishment of ground rules for the military tribunals it is setting up to try suspected terrorists from the al-Qaeda network. [28648]

The Solicitor-General: The Law Officers and our Department have had no such communications or discussions with the United States Government. Such contacts are a matter for the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

PRIME MINISTER

Lord Birt

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what is the (a) budget and (b) work programme of the (i) Forward Strategy Unit and (ii) Delivery Unit; and who belongs to each; [29065]

(2) for what period Lord Birt has been appointed to the Forward Strategy Unit; [29189]

(3) how many times he has met Lord Birt since 1 January; [29185]

(4) if Lord Birt has access to Cabinet papers relating to transport; [29315]

(5) how many hours per week Lord Birt works; [29184]

(6) how much Lord Birt has claimed from official funds by way of out-of-pocket expenses; and how much of this relates to taxi travel; [29191]

(7) what assessment he has made of how far the degree of information hitherto made public about the role of Lord Birt is consistent with the Government's guidelines on parliamentary accountability; [29182]

(8) when Lord Birt last travelled by train on official Government business; [29190]

(9) if he will list the transport organisations Lord Birt has met since his appointment; [29186]

(10) what secretarial support is available to Lord Birt; and what the expected annual cost of this is; [29183]

(11) if he will place in the Library a copy of Lord Birt's work on crime; [29193]

(12) what further information concerning the present activities of Lord Birt will be released when the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is fully in operation; [29194]

(13) what office space has been made available to Lord Birt; and in which buildings it is; [29188]

(14) if he will list the Ministers to whom Lord Birt reports. [29187]

22 Jan 2002 : Column 720W

The Prime Minister: The role of the Forward Strategy Unit is to provide long-term strategic analysis to me and to other Cabinet Ministers on a range of issues. The information on the work of the unit in the public domain is consistent with the long-standing principle that internal policy advice to Ministers remains confidential.

For the current work programme and budget of the Forward Strategy Unit, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November 2001, Official Report, column 104W.

For the current work programme and budget of the Delivery Unit, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November 2001, Official Report, column 83W.

Ministers, their special advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. It is not our policy to make information on meetings or their content public.

Lord Birt as the PM's unpaid strategy adviser, based at No. 10, works with the Forward Strategy Unit on a range of projects.

Details of an individual's conditions of appointment are not made public in order to protect the privacy of the individual concerned.

Lord Birt last travelled by train on official Government business on 28 November 2001 and regularly travels by train on official business. He is entitled to claim reasonable expenses incurred during his work. His travel arrangements and expense claims are in accordance with the rules set out in the Cabinet Office Management Code.

External advisers when working with the Forward Strategy Unit may have access to its administrative facilities which are accounted for within the unit's budget.

In line with the practice of successive Governments, access to Cabinet papers is decided on a case-by-case basis.

As the Government have already made clear, Lord Birt's advice and conclusions on crime were one of the inputs reflected in the Government's strategy document "Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead" (Cm 5074). That document was published and placed before Parliament on 26 February 2001.

Enron

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what meetings have taken place and on which dates between (a) himself, (b) Ministers within the Cabinet Office, (c) officials within No. 10, (d) officials within the Cabinet Office, (e) special advisers within No. 10 and (f) special advisers within the Cabinet Office and representatives of Enron since 1 May 1997. [28623]

The Prime Minister: It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.

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