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23 Oct 2003 : Column 726W—continued
RAF Newton
Mr. Clarke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to receive the report of the Inspector into the proposal to build an asylum seekers accommodation centre on the site of RAF Newton in Nottinghamshire; and when he expects to announce a decision. [134062]
Keith Hill: The Inspector's report was received on 22 July and is under active consideration. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will proceed to a decision as soon as possible.
South Sefton Partnership
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps have been taken by the South Sefton Partnership to build a stronger community by helping local people (a) to be involved in planning and decision-making at local level and (b) supporting community initiatives. [128881]
Yvette Cooper: This is one of Sefton Partnership's four key objectives. The Partnership has recently prepared a small booklet "South Sefton Partnership—The Story So Far" which aims to illustrate steps taken to date on these four key objectives.
The steps taken in respect of this objective are as follows:
- Supporting the creation of the 13 Neighbourhood Action Groups (NAG) in South Sefton to co-ordinate regeneration activity at local level.
Creating and funding 12-month Making it Real capacity-building project to help the NAGs complete neighbourhood audits and develop local action plans.
Creating the NAG Support Team and the NAG Development Fund to support the on-going work of the NAGs at neighbourhood level.
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Funding a consultation exercise, run by Venus, to identify ways that young people can be actively involved in the regeneration process.
Funding the Neighbourhood Skills Works project to provide NAG members with the skilled required to play an active role in local regeneration activities.
Funding the Volunteer Support Project in Netherton and Litherland which aims to help groups provide a high-quality youth services through training and supporting volunteer workers.
Launching the South Sefton Key Fund, a project to provide groups with easy access to grants of up to £10,000 to support community projects in South Sefton.
Sunset Clauses
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to include a sunset clause in all new legislation promoted by his Department unless a specific case can be made to exclude a sunset clause. [120863]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister actively promotes the better regulation agenda and the use of sunsetting where appropriate.
Sustainable Communities Plan
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will list the sites in each of the growth areas defined in the Government's Sustainable Development Plan that have been designated as sites of European importance for birds under the Birds Directive; [132671]
- (2) if he will list the sites of special scientific interest that are within each of the grant areas in South-East England designated under the Sustainable Communities Plan; [132674]
(3) if he will list the (a) areas of outstanding natural beauty, (b) ancient woodland and (c) national nature reserves that lie within the grant areas designated under his Sustainable Communities Plan. [132675]
Yvette Cooper: The Chilterns and Kent Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) fall within the growth areas.
A list of Sites of Special Interests (SSSI), National Nature Reserves (NNRs), ancient woodlands and Special Protection Areas under the Birds Directive (SPAs), within local authorities covered by the growth areas is available in the Library of the House. All NNRs and SPAs are also SSSIs, as are some ancient woodlands. Owners and occupiers of SSSIs must obtain consent from English Nature before carrying out any operations on their SSSIs that are likely to damage the special conservation interest. Government Departments and public bodies must similarly consult English Nature before carrying out or permitting any operation likely to damage the special conservation interest of SSSIs.
The Communities Plan sets out a framework for housing growth within the principles of sustainable development. That means high density, high quality design and easy access to public transport and other public services. It restates our commitment to develop brownfield first, and to protect and enhance the green belt, minimising adverse environmental impacts. In the Milton Keynes South Midlands area, for example, local
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and regional partners have put forward proposals for housing growth which fall overwhelmingly in and around the existing urban areas.
These and other growth proposals will be examined through the Regional Planning Guidance process. Areas such as AONBs and SSSIs receive a high degree of protection from the planning system because of the national importance of their landscapes and their nature conservation value. National planning policies on these areas are set out in Planning Policy Guidance Notes 7 and 9.
In order to ensure that growth proposals enhance and improve countryside and nature conservation, we are actively enhancing green spaces within the growth areas. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently drawing up a green space strategy for the Thames Gateway, and are developing a programme to improve the quality and accessibility of strategic green spaces in and around the other growth areas.
HEALTH
3G Telephone Masts
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been issued by the Department on the effect of 3G telephone masts on public health. [133037]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has statutory responsibility for providing advice on health risks from exposure to electromagnetic fields including radio waves. It has received a number of inquiries about a recent Dutch study, the effects of third generation (3G) signals from the Netherlands and has posted a response statement on its website at www.nrpb.org.
Government advice on mobile phones and health is based on the Stewart Report, issued in May 2000 and available at www.iegmp.org.uk. In respect of base stations the report concluded:
- "The balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines."
Research published since the Stewart Report is currently being reviewed by the NRPB's Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation. The group's review is expected in the next few months.
Breast Cancer
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the members are of the Cancer Research UK study team studying potential risk factors for breast cancer. [133147]
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Miss Melanie Johnson: This is an independent research project, which has not been directly commissioned or funded by the Government. The Department does not, therefore, hold details of the members of the study team. Cancer Research UK may be able to provide the information requested.
Accident and Emergency Services
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in the accident and emergency departments in Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust on 1October (a) 2003 and (b) 2002, broken down by grade. [134050]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Figures for the number of staff employed in accident and emergency departments on 1 October 2003 have not yet been published. The figures for 2002 are in the table.
| Numbers (headcount) | ||
|---|---|---|
| All staff | Of which:A&E specialists | |
| Total | 603 | 33 |
| Of which: | ||
| Consultant | 208 | 5 |
| Non consultant Career Grade | 55 | 7 |
| Registrar Group | 106 | 4 |
| Senior House Officer | 165 | 16 |
| House Officer | 25 | (16)— |
| Hospital Practitioner/Clinical Assistant | 44 | 1 |
(16) Zero
Source:Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.
Arthritis
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made by the NHS in providing treatment for arthritis sufferers. [133826]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government is aware that arthritis is a major cause of disability in the United Kingdom and that it has a significant impact, not only on health and community services, but also on the people who experience its painful symptoms. We are sympathetic to the needs of patients with arthritis and have helped make new generation drugs for arthritis treatment such as etanercept and infliximab available to National Health Service patients.
Maximum waiting times have fallen over the past few years and will continue to do so. By the end of 2005, the maximum waiting time for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant will fall to three months and the maximum wait for inpatient treatment will fall to six months. This will help all NHS patients, including those with arthritis.
Over the years 2003–04 to 2007–08, expenditure on the NHS in England will increase on average by 7.4 per cent., a year over and above inflation—a total increase over the period of 43 per cent., in real terms. This will
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take the total spent on the NHS in England from 56 billion in 2002–03 to over 90 billion in 2007–08 and lead to better services for all patients.
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