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20 Jul 2005 : Column 1716W—continued
Sludge
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what identified hazards the proposed sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations address that are not addressed by the Safe Sludge Matrix; when the regulatory impact assessment on the regulations will be published; and what her assessment is of the cost of implementing the regulations. [13393]
Mr. Morley: The Safe Sludge Matrix introduced voluntary controls which provide additional protection against the entry of pathogens into the food chain. Theproposed amendments to the regulations would provide additional security by making these standards legally enforceable. They would also extend the ban to include septic tank sludge. A draft Regulatory and Environmental Impact Assessment, including costs, was published in October 2002 as part of the first consultation exercise on the proposals (please see www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/sewagesludge/index.htm).
This is currently being revised and updated and a further version will be published as part of the second consultation planned for later this year.
Sustainable Development Action Plans
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance she has provided to Government Departments regarding the drawing up of their sustainable development action plans. [13022]
Mr. Morley: The UK sustainable development strategy 1 committed all central Government Departments and their executive agencies to produce
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focused sustainable development action plans based onthe strategy by December 2005. The strategy also committed Government to strengthen the Sustainable Development Commission and to expand its role as an independent watchdog" looking at Government's progress on the strategy.
The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) has prepared draft guidance for Government Departments on what it considers to be the key elements of a good sustainable development action plan. This guidance has been made available to, and discussed with departmental officials and will be published on the SDC website shortly. A number of departments have already actively sought advice from the SDC about their proposed approach to the development of these plans.
Sustainable Procurement
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the criteria applied by the Sustainable Procurement Taskforce to purchases by Government Departments. [12530]
Mr. Morley: The Sustainable Procurement Task Force met for the first time on 26 May 2005. Its remit is to develop a National Action Plan for Sustainable procurement by April 2006. No specific criteria for Government Department purchases have been identified or determined by the Sustainable Procurement Task Force at this stage. The action plan will set out how to embed economic, environmental and social considerations into public procurement decisions.
UN Environment Programme
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is her policy to support the transformation of the United Nations Environment Programme into a world environment organisation with enhanced powers. [13031]
Mr. Morley: It is HMG and EU policy to support the development of the United Nations Environment Programme into a specialised UN agency (or United Nations Environment Organisation) with a revised and strengthened mandate, supported by stable, adequate and predictable financial contributions.
The Millennium Review Summit in September provides an opportunity to initiate a process of negotiations on this proposal, in the context of wider UN reform and the UN Secretary-General's recommendation on the need for a more integrated structure of international environmental governance.
This position is set out in the Presidency Conclusions agreed at the 16–17 June 2005 European Council.
Warm Front Programme
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the targets are for the number of properties to be improved by the Warm Front programme in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08; and if she will make a statement. [13757]
Mr. Morley:
The focus of the new phase of Warm Front is to maximise the impact of the scheme in tackling fuel poverty. We have extended the range of
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assistance offered to qualifying households to ensure that all those who are eligible can be offered central heating—the single measure most likely to take a household out of fuel poverty, whilst retaining the offer of insulation measures to those households where it is available.
The Department agrees with the scheme manager, on an annual basis, the anticipated number of households to be assisted during a year, according to available funding. The final number will, however, depend on the characteristics and needs of those who apply to the scheme.
It is anticipated that the number of households to be assisted under the revised Warm Front since its launch in June 2005 to March 2006 will be in the region of 100,000.
As a result of the last spending round an additional £140 million was allocated to the Warm Front scheme taking Defra's annual spending to tackle fuel poverty to £251 million in 2007–08.
Water
Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of households in the Wessex Water supply area use metered water. [12515]
Mr. Morley: 170,900 household water customers (35.5 per cent.) in the Wessex Water supply area receive a metered supply in 2005–06.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the obligations and requirements in relation to water abstraction licensing of water mills that derive power directly from the main stream are different from those water mills with a mill race. [13395]
Mr. Morley: Where water is diverted from a watercourse into a mill race then it is regarded as an abstraction. If the quantity diverted exceeds 20 cu m per day then it will be licensable.
Where the generation equipment sits within a watercourse (ie there is no diversion of water) then there is no abstraction, and no licence is required.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many gallons of extra water will be needed to supply the 7,000 extra new homes planned in St. Albans; and if she will make a statement on the current level of the water table in the area supplying St. Albans. [13403]
Mr. Morley: The Environment Agency has calculated that an extra 7,000 properties in St. Albans would require 2.46 megalitres or 541,200 gallons per day.
For June 2005, the groundwater levels around St. Albans were recorded as 71.23 metres Above Ordnance Datum (mAOD), which is close to the June average of 72.70 mAOD. The level is dropping, which is normal for the time of year.
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LEADER OF THE HOUSE
Management Consultants
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Leader of the House what estimate he has made of the total expenditure saved in each of the last three years as a result of implementing recommendations by management consultancies within his Office. [13628]
Mr. Hoon: My Office has not employed any management consultants during the last three years.
WALES
Older People (Quality of Life)
9. Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with relevant Ministers on measures to improve the quality of life for older people in Wales. [12334]
Nick Ainger: I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, including measures to improve the quality of life for older people in Wales.
I am proud that last month the Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill was introduced into the other place and received its Second Reading on 14 June.
Devolution
10. Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the further devolution of legislative powers to Wales. [12335]
Mr. Hain: The Government's proposals are contained in the White Paper Better Governance for Wales" which I published on 15 June.
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