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Local Authority Housing
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will list (a) the deprived local authority housing estates and (b) the
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local authority and local authority wards that those estates fall into, referred to in DETR, Housing Research Summary No.91 (1998); [54610]
- (2) which of the deprived local authority housing estates referred to in DETR, Housing Research Summary No.91 (1998) have subsequently been part of a stock transfer to housing associations. [54611]
Mr. Byers: Housing Research Summary No. 91 (1998) is not about research on local authority estates as it presents findings from "Key research on easier home buying and selling".
Social Housing
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce the outcome of the round of applications for PFI credits for additional social housing and joint service centres. [56905]
Mr. Raynsford: I am announcing today the names of 10 local authorities with whom my Department will work on the development of PFI schemes. There will be five schemes providing additional social housing and five for joint service centres.
The authorities proposing the housing schemes are: Birmingham city council, London borough of Brent, London borough of Harrow, Slough borough council and Warrington borough council.
These schemes aim to provide additional social housing. They will help to increase the supply of affordable housing, help regenerate areas of low demand or provide housing for vulnerable groups.
The authorities seeking support for joint service centres are: Leeds city council, Manchester city council, Newcastle city council, North Tyneside council and Shropshire.
The purpose of these schemes is to give local communities improved access to a wide range of information and services and to integrate the information and services to be provided by the local authority with other local agencies.
We were impressed with the quality of all the bids received and it was a difficult choice as to which schemes were selected.
I congratulate those authorities which were successful in this round. We look forward to working with them to fully develop these bids into value for money projects.
Whether any of the above schemes ultimately proceed will depend on authorities working up business cases which satisfy the scrutiny of the interdepartmental project review group (PRG), which considers all local government PFI schemes seeking central Government support. Endorsement by PRG is essential before schemes can be put out to tender.
The total value of the PFI credits that will be allocated, if all these schemes are endorsed and proceed to contract signature, is £100 million.
Fire Services
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the
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total cost has been of carrying out the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council Fire Cover Review; what fees have been paid to external consultants; and what the cost has been per consultant used. [53682]
Dr. Whitehead: Details of the costs paid to date (end March 2002) to consultants during the review of fire cover commissioned by the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council are set out in the table.
| Contractor | 1998–99 | 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entec | 16 | 64 | 30 | 47 | 157 |
| Systems Options | 78 | 205 | 203 | 98 | 584 |
| Mott MacDonald | — | 27 | 37 | 7 | 71 |
| KPMG | — | 57 | 174 | 60 | 291 |
| Greenstreet Berman | — | 0 | 0 | 54 | 54 |
| ORH Ltd. | — | 0 | 0 | 61 | 61 |
| Total | 94 | 353 | 444 | 327 | 1,218 |
Costs have also arisen from time spent by DTLR and Home Office officials on aspects of the review, but it is not possible to accurately determine this amount without incurring disproportionate cost.
The cost of staff employed by fire brigades in connection with the pathfinder trials associated with the fire cover review can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whom he plans to consult before concluding the fire cover review; and over what time frame. [53683]
Dr. Whitehead: The findings of the task group on the fire cover review will be considered initially by the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council. Following this, I expect to consult widely since I expect the review to provide the fundamental basis of planning delivery of service by fire brigades in the future.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the task group on the fire cover review will deliver its final report to the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council. [53681]
Dr. Whitehead: The aim at present is to present the report for consideration by the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council immediately after the summer recess at the latest.
Driving Tests
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to make driving tests more difficult and increase the safety aspects of the test. [55333]
Mr. Jamieson [holding answer 13 May 2002]: Our "Road Safety Strategy" commits us to keep the driving test up to date. Since 1999, we have added 10 minutes more general driving to the practical car driving test so candidates can be assessed driving on higher-speed dual carriageways and rural roads wherever possible. Also, candidates who commit more than 15 less serious driving faults, as well as those who commit serious faults, fail the driving test.
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Later this year we plan to introduce a moving-image hazard perception element to the theory test. This should mean that new drivers develop better skills in anticipation and reading the road.
We have also recently published our "Introducing a more structured approach to learning to drive" consultation paper. Although this does not discuss possible changes to the content of the driving test it does, however, include discussion about extending the learning period, the use of training logs and the introduction of probationary plates for new drivers.
Health Workers (Parking Restrictions)
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to ease parking restrictions which affect essential health workers in the performance of their emergency duties; and if he will make a statement. [55846]
Mr. Jamieson: Parking dispensations and waivers are a matter for consideration by local traffic authorities as part of their overall parking policies. In London, a Health Emergency Badge (HEB) already exists for doctors and others involved in primary healthcare (such as nurses, midwives and health visitors). It can be used when the HEB holder is undertaking emergency or urgent work with patients away from the badge holder's normal base allowing them to park without payment in paid for parking places, in residents' bays and, if no alternative parking spaces are available, on yellow lines.
The HEB scheme does not allow holders to park their vehicles in a dangerous or obstructive manner. Further details about the HEB scheme may be obtained from the Association of London Government Transport and Environment Committee, First Floor, New Zealand House, 80 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4TZ.
Ferry Services
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 18 April 2002, Official Report, column 1096W, on ferry services, what the nature is of the representation he has made regarding the proposed EU directive on minimum conditions of service and wages for seafarer on intra-community ferry services. [56051]
Mr. Jamieson: We have made representations in European Community discussions generally recommending the proposed directive to fellow member states.
Network Rail
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the financial risk to the Strategic Rail Authority of a future financial and management failure by Network Rail. [55780]
Mr. Jamieson: Negotiations are continuing on a commercially confidential basis. Details of any contingent liability would be notified formally to Parliament in accordance with established procedures.
Road Works (Injuries)
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many
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individuals working on street or road works were (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) slightly injured in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [55852]
Dr. Whitehead: Following is the readily available information relating to the number of injuries to workers hit by vehicles occurring in the processes of road repairs and surfacing, and in street cleaning and verge maintenance.
| Road repairs/surfacing/ maintenance | Road verge maintenance | |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal injuries | ||
| 1996–97 | 3 | — |
| 1997–98 | 2 | — |
| 1998–99 | 2 | — |
| 1999–2000 | 2 | — |
| 2000–01(1) | 5 | 1 |
| Major injuries | ||
| 1996–97 | 14 | 1 |
| 1997–98 | 10 | 2 |
| 1998–99 | 12 | — |
| 1999–2000 | 14 | 1 |
| 2000–01(1) | 10 | — |
| Over 3-day injuries | ||
| 1996–97 | 23 | — |
| 1997–98 | 20 | 3 |
| 1998–99 | 19 | 1 |
| 1999–2000 | 23 | 2 |
| 2000–01(1) | 19 | 2 |
(1) Provisional
HSE is temporarily only able to provide statistics on workers hit by vehicles because of essential enhancements currently being carried out to their database system but could provide data on all incidents covered in the processes in the table in due course. The table also only provides data from 1996–97 onwards. Access to earlier data is available only at disproportionate cost.
- Notes:
- Figures relate to employees and the self-employed.
- Injuries reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995.
- Statistics relate to the planning year from 1 April to 31 March.
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