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Public Buildings

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if the Government will (a) adopt minimum standards for design for public buildings in the UK and (b) give priority to buildings of higher quality and that will offer long-term value to the community. [128642]

Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister made clear to the House in his February statement on the Sustainable Communities plan that high quality design is a key element in delivering sustainable communities.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is already working hard to drive up standards of design for public buildings through our work with CABE and also our commitment to the Better Public Buildings Initiative, which expresses the Government's commitment to delivering quality in the buildings it procures, and across the public sector.

Later this autumn, we will be holding a Better Buildings Summit, in conjunction with DTI and DEFRA, to consider issues relating to the design of all buildings. The outcomes of this summit will feed into future Government policy.

The Government's planning policies expect good design to be the aim of all those involved in new development and to be encouraged everywhere. Securing good design is central to good planning.

Thames Gateway

Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in respect of the five strategic growth areas in the Thames Gateway area identified in his announcement on 30 July, Creating Sustainable Communities—Making it Happen, what the average

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residential density required of the new housing developments is in order to meet the objective of providing 120,000 new homes by 2016. [128959]

Keith Hill: The Thames Gateway contains a large number and wide range of development sites. Densities of specific schemes will be determined through the local planning process. Schemes will be expected to make the best use of available land through well designed and attractive development that reflect Government policies including those relating to density set out in Planning Policy Guidance 3.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Aggregates

Mr. Mates: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much (a) virgin aggregate and (b) processed aggregate was used by the (i) public and (ii) private sectors in Northern Ireland in each financial year from 1998–99 to 2002–03; [127415]

(2) what quantity of (a) virgin aggregates and (b) processed aggregate products was imported into Northern Ireland in each financial year from 1998–99 to 2002–03. [127416]

Mr. Pearson: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) carries out an annual survey in January under Article 18(1) of the Quarries (NI) Order 1983. Quarry owners are required to provide the Department with information on the output and value of the minerals extracted from each quarry and of the number of people employed. DETI publish the aggregated statistics, however, the specific information sought by the hon. Member is neither collected nor held by Northern Ireland Government Departments.

Attitudinal Research

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which (a) political parties, (b) other organisations and (c) individuals have been given access to the attitudinal research carried out by (i) Ulster Marketing Services and (ii) Milward Brown Ulster on behalf of the Department. [125315]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Attitudinal research carried out for the Northern Ireland Office by Ulster Marketing Services and Milward Brown Ulster was commissioned for internal use to inform the advice offered to Ministers by officials. The Northern Ireland Office has not given access to political parties or to any individuals or organisations outside Government.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was paid to (a) Ulster Marketing Services and (b) Milward Brown Ulster by the Department in each year since 1997. [125316]

Mr. Paul Murphy: In relation to total amounts spent by my Department on attitudinal research, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 206W. To single out amounts paid to a particular company would constitute a breach of commercial confidence.

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Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many attitudinal surveys have been carried out by (a) Ulster Marketing Services and (b) Milward Brown Ulster which included research into voting intentions on behalf of the Department in each year since 1997. [125317]

Mr. Paul Murphy: No attitudinal surveys were carried out by Ulster Marketing Services in the years since 1997. One attitudinal survey was carried out by Milward Brown Ulster in 2002 and one in 2003. Research respondents are classified as "adults" rather than "voters".

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the material relating to attitudinal research carried out by (a) Ulster Marketing Services and (b) Milward Brown Ulster on behalf of the Department in each year since 1997. [125318]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The attitudinal research carried out by Ulster Marketing Services and Milward Brown Ulster was commissioned for internal use to inform the advice offered to Ministers by officials. The raw material was not prepared for publication and to do so would involve a disproportionate cost.

Business Rates

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has carried out of the effects of charging rates on industrial and manufacturing premises in North Belfast. [127421]

Mr. Pearson: The decision to phase out industrial derating from 1 April 2005 over a seven-year period was taken following extensive consultation and various detailed assessments and analyses. These included Equality and Regulatory Impact Assessments at District Council level and New TSN analysis at Ward level. A specific evaluation was not carried out in respect of North Belfast. No contrary evidence emerged during the public consultation associated with the Equality Impact Assessments which ended on 8 July.

Proposals for a hardship relief scheme that would be available in exceptional circumstances will be published in a policy paper later in the year. This paper will also cover the issue of a new and/or small business relief scheme. These proposals will also be informed by separate Impact Analyses.

Cancer Deaths (Killyleagh)

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaths as a result of cancer there were in the Killyleagh area in each of the past five years. [124559]

Mr. Pearson: In the years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001, there were 10, 8, 5, 3 and 4 deaths respectively, caused by "malignant neoplasms" registered to residents of Killyleagh electoral ward within Down District Council.

Community Programmes

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money his Department has spent

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in each year since 1998 on community relations programmes; and what estimate he has made of the value for money of such expenditure. [122634]

Mr. Spellar: The amount of money spent on community relations programmes in each of the last five financial years was as follows:

Year	£
1998–99	12,741,741
1999–2000	13,542,188
2000–01	12,295,712
2001–02	10,471,580
2002–03	10,403,164
TOTAL	59,454,385

The totals include funding provided under the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation 1995–99 (Peace I), the EU Physical, Social and Environment Sectoral Programme 1994–99 and the interim funding arrangements pending the coming into operation of the Peace II Programme.

Regular independent evaluations of funding of community relations programmes are commissioned. Evaluations completed within the last 3 years of the funding provided to the Community Relations Council, District Council Community Relations Programme and Co-operation Ireland, which together amount to some £4.5 million of the mainstream Community Relations Programme provision of just over £5 million annually, were generally positive about the impact of their activities to promote better Community Relations in Northern Ireland. Both Programme and project evaluations carried out in relation to the EU funding have also been generally positive.

Connswater

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that the Connswater (a) river and (b) riverbanks are made free of litter and dumped materials. [126217]

Angela Smith: The removal of large items of litter, such as shopping trolleys, is the responsibility of the owner of the property through which the river flows. However, if the debris is restricting the flow, the Rivers Agency of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, as the body responsible for maintenance of the Connswater River as a drainage channel, will take action to remove the obstruction.

With regard to sewage related litter from sewage overflows into the river, the Water Service of the Department for Regional Development has recently installed screens at the Connswater Road pumping station to help prevent sewage related debris from this source.

In addition, the Water Service, in conjunction with Department of the Environment's Environment and Heritage Service, is at present undertaking a detailed Urban Pollution Management Study of the area associated with the Connswater River, based on a previously completed Drainage Area Plan. This work is examining the sewage collection system in the Connswater area, as well as how sewage is treated, and

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will identify potential solutions to control discharges of storm sewage and related litter into the Connswater River. The study is due to be completed in early 2004.

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