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Green Belt

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements he has in place to protect the greenbelt from developers purchasing agricultural land and then selling it in smaller amounts without planning permission. [183475]

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister issued a statement on 19 April 2004, Official Report, columns 3–4 WS setting out the measures we are taking, and some we have considered, for dealing with the sale of subdivided agricultural land. Officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister met representatives of local planning authorities last October and again in June to hear their views. We are considering carefully the suggestions made and what further action may be necessary.

Housing Standards

Ms Keeble: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what timescale he has set for the review of overcrowding standards. [182839]

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hopes to launch a consultation in October and announce conclusions from the review as early as possible in the new year. Any proposals for regulations under the provision inserted in the Housing Bill at Commons Report Stage will of course be subject to Royal Assent.

Use Classes Order

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he proposes to implement the changes in the Use Classes Order regarding bars, restaurants and the late night economy. [183654]

Keith Hill: The proposed changes to the Use Classes Order give rise to a need to amend the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order) 1995. Statutory Instruments amending the Use Classes Order and the General Permitted Development Order are currently being prepared. The changes to both Orders will come into force at the same time. Supporting guidance in the form of a circular instruction will be published at the same time. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects this to happen before the end of the summer.

Local Government Finance

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received regarding levels of council tax in Herefordshire. [183148]

Mr. Raynsford: Over the last few months the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received a large volume of correspondence about council tax, some covering specific local authorities and others concerning the council tax system in general. Any further analysis of this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
 
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Ministerial Travel

David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Department and its predecessors spent on ministerial travel by (a) car, (b) train, (c) aeroplane and (d) helicopter, in each of the last 10 years. [175662]

Phil Hope: My hon. Friend the Member for Paisley South has asked Nick Matheson, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to write to the hon. Member with details of the cost of Ministerial vehicles provided to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Information on expenditure on ministerial travel by non-GCDA car, train, aeroplane and helicopter is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Mobile Phone Operators

Mr. Spring: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will make it a statutory requirement for mobile telephone network operators to adhere to the guidance offered in the Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development; [182546]

(2) if he will make a statement on the Government's efforts to encourage mobile phone network operators to implement the guidance offered in the Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development. [182547]

Keith Hill: The Government has no current plans to make it a statutory requirement for mobile telephone network operators to adhere to the guidance offered in the Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development

The mobile network operators and local planning authorities are well aware of the importance the Government attaches to the observance of the best practice guidance set out in the Code. Ministers in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister meet regularly with the Mobile Operators Association to discuss a range of issues including the operators' progress in meeting their commitments to improved local consultation. We have asked the mobile network operators that in commissioning the second independent review of their Ten Commitments they extend the scope of that review to include their observance of the Code. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is commissioning a study to assess the impact that the Code has had more widely since its introduction and how it is perceived by local authorities and the public.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have been (a) established and (b) abolished since 1997. [182945]

Phil Hope: Since the establishment of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in May 2002, (a) three executive non-departmental public bodies and one advisory non-departmental public body have been established, and
 
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(b) one executive non-departmental public body and one advisory non-departmental public body have been wound up.

PFI (Environmental Sustainability)

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure that private finance initiative projects for which his Department is responsible create the minimum of environmental damage. [182895]

Phil Hope: Private Finance Initiative (PFI) should only be used where it represents the best possible procurement route based on a rigorous assessment of value for money—risks involved in the procurement are placed with the best party able to manage them, therefore, ensuring value for money.

By integrating the design, build and operational aspects into a single financial package, PFI helps to encourage greater efficiency, including energy efficiency, over the whole life of the contract.

The long term and integrated nature of PFI contracts incentivises the contractors to consider the synergies between the design of an asset and its ultimate operating costs. This can result in the delivery of public services in a more environmentally sensitive way and without an additional price tag.

In addition, the viability of a PFI project is assessed against a number of criteria, including sustainable development where projects must 'demonstrate an integrated approach to the social, environmental and economic well-being of the area, now and for future generations'. This is a key component in deciding whether or not a PFI scheme should be pursued.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published detailed guidance "Green Public Private Partnerships" in 2002 in conjunction with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and other Government Departments for anyone developing or managing a Public Private Partnerships/Private Finance Initiative (PPP/PFI) scheme. This explained the need to take seriously environmental issues and how best to reflect environmental considerations in the objectives of PPP/PFI schemes, and provided practical help and advice.

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of (a) the sustainability and environmental impacts of private finance initiative projects and (b) the capacity of the private finance initiative process to deliver environmentally sustainable projects. [182896]

Phil Hope: The long term and integrated nature of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts incentivises the contractors to consider the synergies between the design of an asset and its ultimate operating costs. This can result in the delivery of public services in a more environmentally sensitive way and without an additional price tag.

PFI projects have demonstrated that investing to deliver environmental improvements can secure not only best value for money through lower running costs but also health and social benefits such as better
 
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working conditions. The adoption of green outputs can also help to accelerate the development and take-up of green technologies.

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to make private finance initiative contracts more accountable and transparent in terms of environmental sustainability. [182897]

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister requests that Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects share design specifications of projects with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) who work with public bodies to improve the design of public buildings, which includes looking at the environmental impact of building design.

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