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16 Jul 2003 : Column 317W—continued
Private Sewers
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps the Government are taking to address the maintenance problems faced by the owners of existing private sewers; [126029]
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- (2) whether she plans to amend section 104 of the Water Industry Act 1991 to make it compulsory for sewerage undertakers to adopt existing private sewers; [126030]
(3) what plans she has to assist owners of private sewers with maintenance costs before the implementation of new legislation; [126031]
(4) what the time-scale is for changes to the legislation on existing private sewers; [126032]
(5) if she will make it her policy to ensure that the owners of private sewers do not bear sole responsibility for paying for the maintenance of such sewers. [126033]
Mr. Morley: The Department has commissioned research into the extent and condition of private sewers in England and Wales. The problems arising from the current arrangements for existing private sewers have been examined, especially with regard to their ownership and maintenance.
A public consultation paper seeking views on possible options for addressing these problems was published on 1 July this year. The consultation period extends until 26 September 2003. We will need to review responses to the consultation before reaching a view on what action might follow.
Radioactive Waste
Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress in establishing a committee on Radioactive Waste Management. [122611]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 2 July 2003]: I have today, along with the Environment Ministers for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, appointed Katharine Bryan as Chair of the new Committee on Radioactive Waste Management, CoRWM. Her task will be to lead CoRWM in recommending how the UK should manage its most highly radioactive waste and keep it safe for many thousands of years. Together, we shall receive CoRWM's recommendations, and around 2006, we shall decide how these should be implemented to secure the best outcome for the UK as a whole.
In September 2001, we invited comments on our proposed programme, Managing Radioactive Waste Safely. As we said, a substantial legacy of solid radioactive waste is being stored, awaiting a decision on how best to manage it for many thousands of years while radioactivity falls to safe levels. Even if no new nuclear plants are built, around 500,000 tonnes of waste will arise over the next century as existing plants are shut down and cleaned up. We proposed a rigorous and public review of alternative options, including underground disposal and surface storage. We proposed a new independent body to advise us when enough information had been gathered to decide the best option or combination of options. There was general support for this approach.
We advertised for CoRWM in March 2003. We received over 400 applications. We have begun by appointing the Chair who will help us identify the best team. We shall now interview and appoint the remaining members so that CoRWM is up and running by October 2003.
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CoRWM's terms of reference require it, among other things, to aim to make its recommendations no later than the end of 2005; to prepare a work programme that will enable it to do this; to send this to us for agreement at an early stage; to meet us every six months; and to make an annual progress report which we can place before Parliament. Its review of options must be carried out in an open, transparent and inclusive manner; to inspire public confidence in the way in which it works, in order to secure such confidence in its eventual recommendations; and so to ensure the long-term safety of the UK's radioactive wastes.
I am confident that Katharine will lead the Committee and the review very effectively. I shall make an announcement when the rest of CoRWM is appointed and it is ready to start work. With this important step forward in the process for deciding future policy for the long-term management of the UK's radioactive waste, Government have been giving consideration to the future of United Kingdom Nirex Ltd. (Nirex). As well as undertaking important work on standards for the conditioning and packagng of radioactive waste, the company has extensive knowledge of some of the potential options for radioative waste mangement to be considered by CoRWM.
It is very important that Nirex stands ready, along with others, to help CoRWM reach its view and inform policy decisions. It is important also that the company can do this from a position where it is, and can be seen to be, independent of industry. The Government will consult Nirex shareholders on the best way of making Nirex independent of industry and under greater Government control, and our aim is to establish and announce the appropriate way forward by autumn of this year.
Rural Enterprise Scheme
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Rural Enterprise Scheme grants have been approved by the South West Regional Appraisal Panel of the Rural Development Service in each of the last three years; and what the average amount given was. [126150]
Alun Michael: The South West Regional Appraisal Panel of the Rural Development Service has approved 112 Rural Enterprise Scheme grants in the last three full financial years. This can be broken down by year as follows.
| Financial year(April to March) | Number of schemes approved | Total grant offered (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 5 | 178,483 |
| 2001–02 | 47 | 2,656,604 |
| 2002–03 | 60 | 3,914,858 |
| Total | 112 | 6,749,945 |
The average amount of grant awarded per scheme is £60,267.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how farmers applying for assistance from the Rural Enterprise Scheme in the south-west region may obtain details of the South West Regional Appraisal Panel's deliberations and reasons for refusing an application. [126151]
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Alun Michael: All unsuccessful applicants are notified in writing with the Regional Appraisal Panel's decision and reason(s) for refusal.
A summary of a project technical appraisal can be obtained by all the applicants on request in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Such a summary would not contain any information on third persons e.g. comparisons between an application under assessment and any similar application that may already have received an award.
In addition, applicants can request a summary of the key points of the Panel's consideration of the project.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the criteria are for receiving funding from the Rural Enterprise Scheme; and what budget has been allocated to the south-west region under this scheme in the next financial year. [126153]
Alun Michael: The Rural Enterprise Scheme is aimed at producing sustainable outputs which contribute to the Strategy for Sustainable Food and Farming, the wider rural economy and thriving rural communities. It operates on a selective basis by supporting good quality individual projects which will contribute to these aims, in line with regional priorities and objectives that have been agreed in consultation with local stakeholders.
The scheme is administered by Defra's Rural Development Service on a regional basis. Applications for funding are assessed against the following criteria:
- the need for the project;
clearly identified objectives, milestones and targets;
the sustainability of the project (economic impact, environmental impact and social impact);
the degree to which the project will produce desirable outputs that contribute to the scheme's key policy themes and priorities;
financial viability;
need for public funds;
project management and delivery;
risk assessment and sensitivity analysis; and
how well the project fits the region's needs and priorities.
A Regional Appraisal Panel determines which projects should be supported based upon the individual qualitative assessments and taking account of the scheme's wider objectives, the quality of other competing projects, and the funds available.
The Rural Enterprise Scheme budget allocated to the south-west region for the 2003–04 financial year is £4.045 million, with £5.965 million currently budgeted for 2004–05.
Waste Management
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what meetings she has had with representatives of the waste management industry to discuss private finance initiative for waste management contracts. [124728]
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Mr. Morley: Neither the Secretary of State nor other Defra ministers have met the waste management industry specifically to discuss private finance initiative for waste management contracts. I hope to meet a number of key stakeholders on waste issues in the coming months on a range of waste issues.
Water Industry
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long it took to plan and provide a new reservoir in the UK, on average, over the last 30 years. [125575]
Mr. Morley: Four major public water supply reservoirs have been constructed in the past 30 years: Carsington, Roadford, Rutland and Kielder. These took between 19–25 years from initial investigations until completion, with an average overall time of 21 years.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of total water leakage in England is caused by Thames Water. [125576]
Mr. Morley: In 2001–02 Thames Water accounted for around 25 per cent. of all water leakage in England and Wales. Water company leakage data is published annually by the Director General of Water Services in the 'Security of supply, leakage and the efficient use of water' reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Levels of leakage for 2002–03 will be published at the end of this month.
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