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21 July 2008 : Column 749W—continued
River Thames: Transport
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what legislation (a) passenger and (b) freight traffic on the River Thames is regulated; what (i) statutory instruments, (ii) departmental circulars and (iii) other documents he (A) has issued and (B) plans to issue in the next 12 months consequential to the provisions of such legislation; and if he will make a statement. [217907]
Jonathan Shaw: The Environment Agency is the navigation authority for the non-tidal River Thames and carries out its duties (including regulating all types of river traffic) under the Thames Conservancy Acts 1932, 1950, 1959, 1966 and 1972 and the byelaws made under them.
The operation of passenger and other commercial river traffic within the United Kingdom is more specifically regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport) under shipping legislation, statutory instruments and other associated regulations.
Royal Agricultural Society
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Royal Agricultural Society of England on (a) its future and (b) the future of the Royal Show. [214322]
Jonathan Shaw: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has met with the Royal Agricultural Society of England to discuss the Society’s role in promoting best practice, science and innovation in the farming industry; to see how links in these areas can be strengthened and to explore where the Society and DEFRA could work more closely together. We believe that the Royal Show continues to play an important role in the agricultural calendar. DEFRA Ministers will continue to take the valuable opportunity to engage with industry stakeholders and the public at the show.
Rural Areas: Planning
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government means of altering planning contracts in rural areas to encourage job promotion, and in particular the development of rural business centres. [218168]
Jonathan Shaw: The Prime Minister has asked the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) to conduct a review on how land use and planning can better support rural business and deliver affordable housing. I continue to have regular discussions with the Minister for Housing on these topics and look forward to receiving the recommendations of the review.
Waste Disposal
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a list of the sources for fly-tipping and waste placed out which informed the most recent annual Local Environment Quality Survey of England. [219072]
Joan Ruddock: The 2006-07 Local Environment Quality Survey of England Report can be found on the ENCAMS website. The report does not have information on the proportional sources of fly-tipping and waste placed out. There is general background on the sources of solid waste encountered during the survey which are defined as: General Litter, Domestic Refuse, Commercial Wastes, Animal and Other Faeces, Clinical Wastes, Putrescible Materials, Other Wastes Occurring as Litter.
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the research commissioned by his Department and the Environment Agency from ENCAMS on fly-tipping and waste. [219073]
Joan Ruddock: I am arranging for the research document requested to be placed in the Library of the House.
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Low Participation Areas—Effective Communications Planning guidance published by the Waste and Resources Action Programme. [219075]
Joan Ruddock: The guidance referred to is an online tool, rather than a physical, document, and cannot therefore be deposited in the Library of the House. However, it is freely available to use on the website of the Waste and Resources Action Programme.
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civic amenity sites each waste authority in England provides. [219078]
Joan Ruddock: The table provides the numbers of household civic amenity sites the Environment Agency has permitted in England by local authority area.
The caveat is that these figures do not include those civic amenity sites which are incorporated into other types of sites such as waste transfer sites/material recycling facilities operated by local authorities or their contractors. It is not possible to separate these data.
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