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3 Mar 2003 : Column 824W—continued
Police Authorities
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what would the financial effect be of a 20 per cent. reduction in the grant allocated to police authorities in each authority in the metropolitan counties. [92317]
Mr. Denham: Police Grant, Revenue Support Grant and National Non-domestic Rate income for the six provincial metropolitan police authorities increased by 4.9 per cent for 2003/04.
The financial effect of a notional reduction of 20 per cent. in the 2003–04 grant would be as follows:
| Police authority | Grant 2003–04 | Effect of 20 per cent. |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Manchester | 380.8 | -76.1 |
| Merseyside | 240.5 | -48.1 |
| Northumberia | 214.3 | -42.9 |
| South Yorkshire | 172.3 | -34.5 |
| West Midlands | 386.5 | -77.3 |
| West Yorkshire | 289.4 | -57.8 |
| Total | 1,683.6 | -336.7 |
In contrast to the question, Central Government spending in the Police Service will increase by 16 per cent. in cash terms over the Spending Review 2002 period.
Radioactive Material
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what means are used to detect the illegal passage of radioactive, weapons-grade material through British ports. [98851]
Mr. Blunkett: Since the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001, the Government has conducted a thorough comprehensive review of all preventative measures to counter terrorism, including the possibility to which the hon Member refers. This has included trials at UK ports of equipment designed to detect such material. For security reasons, I do not want to disclose further details of these measures.
Wheeler Report
Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the report on airport security by Sir John Wheeler; and if he will make a statement. [99607]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
The position remains as described in my answer of 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 659W, to my hon. Friend. Having considered carefully the findings and recommendations in Sir John Wheeler's report, the Government were happy to accept in principle all of them. The Department for Transport and the Home
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Office are working closely together on implementation, involving as appropriate the police, other control agencies and the aviation industry.
Work Permits
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reciprocity in work permit arrangements between the Isle of Man and the UK. [99281]
Beverley Hughes: There are no reciprocal arrangements in place between the Isle of Man and the UK in relation to work permits. The holder of a work permit issued by the Home Office would need to obtain separate authority from the Isle of Man's authorities before undertaking work in the Isle of Man, even if that work was incidental to their employment in the United Kingdom.
Xhevat Murtezi
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a decision will be made on the case of Xhevat Murtezi of Westcliff-on-Sea, ref M1010576 and ML/LAB 19953. [99144]
Beverley Hughes: I am pleased to inform the hon. Member that a decision has now been made on Mr. Murtezi's case. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) will be writing to him very shortly to inform him of the outcome.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Areas of Special Scientific Interest
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which areas of special scientific interest in Northern Ireland are recognised by the European Union. [99354]
Angela Smith: In my response to PQ 438, I listed the sites in Northern Ireland classified under the Birds Directive and proposed for designation under the Habitats Directive. These sites have also been declared as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order (1985), with the exception of those sites, or parts thereof, which are subtidal. A full list of ASSIs is published on the website of the Environment and Heritage Service—www.nics.gov.uk/ehs. As ASSIs are declared under domestic legislation, there is therefore no provision for their recognition by the European Union.
Belfast City Airport
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Government grants will be made available for further development of Belfast City Airport. [99415]
Angela Smith: There are no plans to make grants available for any further development of this airport.
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Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will commission an independent environmental and economic assessment into the proposed development of Belfast City Airport. [99416]
Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment has not received any proposals for development at Belfast City Airport. Any necessary assessments will be considered in the context of any specific proposals put forward to Planning Service by the Belfast City Airport authority.
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the local community consultations procedures being followed in assessing noise consequences of growth in airport operations at Belfast City Airport. [99565]
Angela Smith: The Department for Regional Development is currently undertaking a review of noise pollution at all Northern Ireland airports.
During the course of this study the Department has actively sought to involve and consult local residents' groups as well as the Belfast City Airport Forum.
The Department has also shared with interested groups the findings of the initial scoping study and plans to make the final report available in due course.
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to change the night flights curfew of 9.30 pm to 6.30 am at Belfast City Airport; and whether changes require a full public inquiry. [99566]
Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment's Planning Service and Belfast City Airport have a planning agreement, signed in January 1997, under Article 40 of the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. This agreement includes controls on operating hours to restrict scheduled flights to between 06.30 hours and 21.30 hours. The agreement makes provision for delayed flights to arrive between 21.30 hours and 23.59 hours.
To date, no formal approach has been made to Planning Service seeking provision to be made for later flights. The need for a public inquiry is a matter for consideration in the light of any changes proposed to operations at Belfast City Airport.
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of whether Belfast City Airport will exceed 1,500,000 seats for sale on Scheduled Flights in the next 12 months as specified in Article 40 Agreement dated 22 January 1997 between Belfast City Airport, Short Bros and the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland. [99567]
Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment's Planning Service and Belfast City Airport have a planning agreement, signed in January 1997, under Article 40 of the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. This agreement includes limits on the number of seats offered for sale on scheduled flights to 1,500,000 seats in any 12-month period.
I am not in a position to estimate whether Belfast City Airport will exceed the allocated 1,500,000 seats for sale on Scheduled Flights in the next 12 months.
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The agreement requires Belfast City Airport to provide information to Planning Service in order to maintain compliance with the agreement. To date, the information has indicated that the number of seats offered for sale has been within the limit specified. The latest monitoring figures available from Belfast City Airport indicate that the number of seats offered for sale up to 30 September 2002 was 1,479,267 and is therefore close to the 1,500,000 limit. Planning Service has requested information from Belfast City Airport regarding numbers of seats offered for sale for the 12 months up to 31 January 2003, and projected figures for seats offered for sale for the next 12 months taking account of any change to services currently being negotiated.
Planning Service officials have arranged to meet with representatives from BelfastCity Airport shortly to discuss the position.
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Department of Regional Development has been consulted by the authorities at Belfast City Airport with regard to the hours of operation of that airport. [99975]
Angela Smith: This is a matter for the Department of the Environment and not the Department for Regional Development. However, no formal approach has been made to either Department.
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures the Department of the Environment intends to follow on receipt of an application to amend the present planning agreement governing the operation of Belfast City Airport. [99976]
Angela Smith: It should be noted that the Department of the Environment has not yet received any request from Belfast City Airport to alter the terms of the existing agreement.
Upon receipt of an application to amend the present planning agreement governing the operation of Belfast City Airport, the Department of the Environment would examine the application on its merits. In particular, this would involve considering whether a new planning agreement was required and the most appropriate method of dealing with the application, including the possibility of holding a public inquiry.
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