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23 Jan 2003 : Column 458W—continued
Islington
Jeremy Corbyn : To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with Islington council on the disposal of the freehold of buildings which house Government-funded regeneration programmes; and if he will make a statement. [92326]
Mr. McNulty: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has held no discussions with Islington council on the disposal of the freehold of buildings which house Government-funded regeneration programmes.
London Ambulance Service
Dr. Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cycle response units are in service with the London
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Ambulance Service; in which London boroughs they are situated; how many are due to be introduced in 2003; and if he will make a statement. [91654]
Mr. Hutton : I have been asked to reply.
The London Ambulance Service has one cycle response unit comprising three cycles staffed by a team of up to six technicians or paramedics.
At this time the unit covers only the highly pedestrianised and congested area around Covent Garden and Leicester Square. There are no current plans to introduce cycle response units elsewhere in London.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many vacancies there are within the London Ambulance Service for frontline paramedics; and if he will make a statement. [91676]
Mr. Hutton : I have been asked to reply.
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has 2,181 staff in post, out of an establishment of 2,298. There are therefore 117 vacancies. The LAS is training staff to reach the establishment figure. The LAS is on target with its recruitment programme for 2002–03, made possible by an increase in funding from commissioners.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of frontline London ambulance staff have been issued with anti-stab vests; and if he will make a statement. [91677]
Mr. Hutton : I have been asked to reply.
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has taken the decision to equip all front line staff with stab vests, given the very real threat of violence towards staff. Extensive trials have taken place and a suitable vest has now been selected. The LAS anticipates that all front line staff will have been issued with a personal made to measure stab vest by June of this year.
Planning Appeals
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to introduce the same rights of appeal for objectors and applicants within the planning system. [92710]
Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to introduce a right of appeal for objectors against the decision of a local planning authority in determining an application for planning permission. The views of interested parties are taken into account in drawing up development plan policies and when reaching decisions on individual planning applications. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill contains measures which will make the planning system more accessible and transparent, and give greater opportunities for local residents and third parties to participate more effectively in the planning process as a whole.
Planning Guidance
Helen Southworth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action he will take to ensure that the PPG 3 sequentiality guidance is effectively applied to protect
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greenfield sites in the light of the judgment in the Court of Appeal in Rowlinson v. Warrington Borough Council. [93004]
Mr. McNulty: Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: "Housing" makes clear the Government's commitment to meet the country's future housing needs in the most sustainable way, by giving priority to re-using previously-developed land within urban areas, bringing empty homes back into use and converting existing buildings, in preference to the development of greenfield sites.
It is normally for local planning authorities to determine planning applications made to them. In doing so they are required to take account of all considerations which may be material, including the guidance in PPG3.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not convinced that it is necessary to take any further action in the light of the decision in Rowlinson v. Warrington, which was determined on the facts of the case.
South East Region
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people are employed by (a) SEEDA, (b) SEERA, and (c) GOSE; and what has been the annual budget of each organisation since its inception. [91694]
Mr. Leslie: People currently employed (full and part-time):
- GOSE: 267
SEEDA: 185
South East Regional Assembly: 23
| Year | GOSE | SEEDA | South East England Regional Assembly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 8.3 | (12)— | (12)— |
| 1996–97 | 8.4 | (12)— | (12)— |
| 1997–98 | 8.5 | (12)— | (12)— |
| 1998–99 | 8.6 | (13)0 | (12)— |
| 1999–2000 | 8.7 | 5.2 | 0.3 |
| 2000–01 | 9.0 | 6.3 | 0.4 |
| 2001–02 | 9.7 | 7.1 | 1.0 |
| 2002–03 | 10.8 | (14)11.2 | 1.3 |
(12) Organisations not in existence
(13) Set up costs were incurred by GOSE and therefore came out of GOSE budgets
(14) Forecast spend from single capital pot allocation
Thames Crossings
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the proposals for new Thames river crossings east of Tower Bridge; what their current status is; what the timetable is for consideration; and which public authorities will be responsible for promoting and determining each case. [92086]
Mr. McNulty: Proposals for new East Thames River Crossings within the London boundary are a matter for the Mayor of London and Transport for London. These are:
- Thames Gateway Bridge, at Galleons Reach linking Barking and Thamesmead—two lanes each way for general traffic and one lane each way dedicated for use by public transport
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- vehicles; a business case is being prepared for the scheme; the Mayor of London and Transport for London are responsible for timetabling and promotion.
Silvertown Link—a road bridge or tunnel between the Greenwich peninsula and Silvertown; Transport for London are continuing to develop the scheme as part of their river crossings package; the Mayor of London and Transport for London are responsible for timetabling and promotion.
Docklands Light Railway extension to Woolwich; a draft Transport and Works Act Order for the DLR scheme has been deposited; the Mayor of London and Transport for London are responsible for timetabling and promotion.
There are no other formal proposals for new crossings at this time.
Transfer of Undertakings
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to extend TUPE regulations to local authorities who transfer staff to contractors following contractual agreements. [92546]
Mr. Leslie: Clauses 101 and 102 of the Local Government Bill will confer new powers on the Secretary of State and the National Assembly of Wales to require best value authorities in England and Wales, when engaged in contracting-out exercises, to deal with staff matters in accordance with directions. It is intended that the direction-making powers will be used to ensure that contracting exercises are conducted either on the basis that TUPE will apply or, in circumstances where TUPE does not apply, that staff involved should be treated no less favourably than had the regulations applied, unless there are exceptional circumstances. The clauses also ensure that TUPE transferees from local authorities will be offered either retention of the Local Government Pension Scheme or a broadly comparable scheme.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Education Staff (Herefordshire)
Mr. Keetch : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) secondary school teachers, (b) primary school teachers and (c) classroom assistants are employed in Herefordshire. [91735]
Mr. Miliband: The following table provides full-time equivalent (FTE) January 2002 figures for maintained schools in Herefordshire.
| Nursery/primary | Secondary | |
|---|---|---|
| Regular teachers FTE | 690 | 630 |
| Teaching assistants FTE1 | 100 | 50 |
| Other non-teaching staff FTE2 | 250 | 130 |
Notes:
Includes nursery assistants, special needs support staff, minority ethnic pupil support staff and non-teaching assistants.
Includes administrative staff, technicians and other education support staff, and child care staff in boarding schools.
All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
Annual 618G Survey of Teachers in Service (teacher numbers) and Annual School's Census (non-teaching staff).
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