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27 Feb 2009 : Column 1125W—continued
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| Grade Equivalent | DEFRA | VLA | RPA | CSL | CEFAS |
Empty Property
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated cost in empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) the Consumer Council for Water and (b) the Environment Agency is in 2008-09. [258527]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Consumer Council for Water has no vacant or unoccupied properties recorded on the e-PIMS database.
The Environment Agency has three properties recorded as vacant on the e-PIMS database. The estimated cost of vacant business rates on these properties is £96,000. £92,000 is attributable to one building which has now been sub-let in part. The Environment Agency is actively pursuing disposal of the remainder.
The Environment Agency has a further five properties that have been vacant in 2008-09, and the estimated cost of business rates on these properties is £24,000.
Flood Control: Finance
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's funding framework is for storage of flood water as part of a flood alleviation scheme; from which budget such schemes will be funded; and to which bodies applications for such funding should be made. [257030]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Flood storage is one of a number of options available to operating authorities to manage flood risk. Options are appraised in line with Government guidance to ensure schemes are sustainable and cost beneficial. The Environment Agency approves funding for appropriate schemes from the funds allocated under the comprehensive spending review up to delegated Treasury limits. Proposals for schemes to address flood risk should be discussed initially with the Environment Agency for inclusion on the “medium term plan” for flood risk management schemes.
Floods: Canvey Island
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice the Environment Agency has given to the Highways Authority on building on the flood risk area in relation to the Roscommon Way Extension, Canvey Island; and if he will make a statement. [258344]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment Agency has met with the Highways Authority consultants, Mouchel Parkman, regarding the proposed extension to Roscommon Way. The Environment Agency informed Mouchel Parkman that the impact of the extension must be fully considered and adequate mitigation measures provided so there is no increased flood risk to the surrounding area.
Floods: Essex
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on flood prevention measures in Essex in the last 12 months. [258299]
Huw Irranca-Davies: During the financial year 2008-09, the Anglian eastern area of the Environment Agency spent over £17 million on flood protection measures in the Essex catchment. £4.67 million has been spent on the maintenance of rivers and tidal defences, £2.62 million on major refurbishment of existing flood defences and £10.4 million on new or improved flood defences.
Floods: Hull
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of secondary flooding on the time taken for people to be able to return to their homes in Hull. [257032]
Huw Irranca-Davies: There have been 910 incidences of ‘secondary flooding’ in Hull since January 2008, although the relationship between the flooding in summer 2007 and subsequent water ingress remains to be explored further. The city council is working with the Environment Agency and the university of Hull to understand the factors which contribute to the continuing incidences of water ingress into homes. As of 29 January 2009, of the 472 households displaced from their homes in Hull by flooding, 360 were displaced as a result of water ingress from January 2008 or subsequently.
The Government are concerned about all households which are still displaced from their homes following the 2007 summer flooding. Approximately 100 households returned each week between the end of June and the middle of November and on that basis we estimate that more than 19 out of every 20 households originally displaced are back home. That compares well to the Carlisle floods in 2005 when one in 10 were still out of their homes after 18 months.
But we recognise that is no consolation to those still displaced and the Minister for Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey) is continuing to work with local authorities and the insurance industry to ensure that the momentum in getting people home is maintained.
Those families still living wholly or partially in caravans are a particular concern and the Minister for Local Government has linked up with council leaders in the most affected authorities, which include Hull, to offer additional support to help to those households over the winter.
Health Hazards
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department classifies building foam containing ozone depleting substance blowing agents as hazardous. [257525]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Most insulation foam containing ozone-depleting substances are currently contained within buildings. At this point, annual emissions are known to be at their lowest and therefore present little risk to the ozone layer.
On becoming waste, insulation foam containing 0.1 per cent. or more of ozone-depleting substances is classified as hazardous waste. Further information on the classification of hazardous waste is available in the
Environment Agency's technical guidance WM2, ‘Hazardous waste: Interpreting the definition and classification of hazardous waste, 2nd edition v2.2, 2005 (updated 2008)’.
DEFRA is working with building industry stakeholders to assess the current infrastructure available for dealing with the recovery or destruction of ozone-depleting substances in building foams and the technical and economic issues that arise.
Marine Management Organisation: Location
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 February 2009, Official Report, columns 82-84WS, on the Marine Management Organisation’s headquarters, what assessment he has made of the suitability of Plymouth as a site for the Marine Management Organisation’s headquarters. [258571]
Huw Irranca-Davies [holding answer 25 February 2009]: In a transparent and fair process which involved stakeholders in drawing up a set of business and quality of life criteria and the consultancy firm KPMG carrying out an independent assessment against these criteria, Plymouth was selected as one of the six shortlisted locations for the Marine Management Organisation’s headquarters. The criteria used to arrive at the shortlist, and subsequently tested through site visits and presentations from the locations, were:
Business needs for the MMO HQ such as availability of skilled work force and good transport links.
Cost and value for money.
Government policies on location of public sector bodies.
Quality of Life factors including cost of living, education, employment, healthcare.
As well as carrying out site visits to further test locations against these criteria, all shortlisted locations were given the opportunity to present their case to be the home of the MMO HQ and I met with MPs from all the shortlisted locations. Plymouth presented a strong case and, like all of the shortlisted locations, would have been a good home for the MMO HQ, allowing the MMO to meet its business needs and benefit from local marine expertise, organisational networks and academic links.
However, Tyneside demonstrated the strongest and most comprehensive case to be the home of the organisation and provides a location from which the organisation can best achieve its aims. Among other factors, Tyneside has a broad range and good balance of marine interests with a working port, all of which fit well with the role of the MMO. Tyneside also provides strong transport links in terms of access to key stakeholders in London, Brussels and Scotland. There was a compelling demonstration of support from a wide range of stakeholders across the North East region, a region which has benefited little to date from the Lyons Review in respect of the relocation of public sector employment. The extensive evidence of partnership working in the area provided confidence that Tyneside had actively considered the bespoke requirements of the MMO with regard to its role under the Marine and Coastal Access Bill.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Minister for Farming and the Environment will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 9 December 2008, about tigers being farmed for use in Chinese medicine. [259311]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I replied to the hon. Member’s letter on 13 January and a copy of this was sent by officials on 25 February.
River Lymington: Ferries
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps he plans to take in response to the decision by Wightlink to initiate its new ferry service between Lymington and Yarmouth prior to completion of the appropriate assessment; and if he will make a statement; [259337]
(2) what assessment he has made of (a) the likely environmental effects on the Lymington Marshes Natura 2000 site and (b) the compliance with the EU Environmental Liability Directive of the operation of a ferry service between Lymington and Yarmouth; and if he will make a statement. [259339]
Huw Irranca-Davies: The introduction of new “W” class ferries by Wightlink on the Lymington to Yarmouth route is now the subject of legal proceedings against the Department and others. In these circumstances it would be inappropriate for me to answer questions on the subject.
Communities and Local Government
Council Housing: Rents
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to allow local authorities to retain all their receipts from council tenants' rent. [258973]
Mr. Iain Wright: The current system of local authority housing finance is based on a system of surplus authorities (where assumed income exceeds assumed costs) making payment to central Government and deficit authorities (where assumed income is less than assumed costs) receiving subsidy. In the current year approximately £550 million will be paid to deficit authorities in aggregate. So a change to enable all local authorities in surplus to keep their receipts would entail a considerable increase in public expenditure.
However, CLG and HM Treasury are holding a Review of Council Housing Finance and Rents Policy. Our aim is to have a long term solution to financing council housing that is sustainable and fair to both tenant and taxpayer. The issue of councils retaining all rental receipts is closely bound up with a number of other key policy decisions, including what rents should pay for and how these receipts would be used in a local area. It would be premature to reach conclusions specifically on this matter until the Review reports to Ministers later this year, when it will be considered as part of the overall structure for a new or improved system.
Fire Services: Working Hours
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent meetings she has had on the Working Time Directive in respect of retained firefighters from (a) the Fire Brigades Union, (b) the Retained Firefighters Union and (c) other stakeholders; what representations she has received in each case; and if she will make a statement. [259219]
Mr. Khan: There have been no recent meetings at ministerial level with (a) the Fire Brigades' Union, (b) the Retained Firefighters' Union or (c) other stakeholders at which the working time directive in respect of firefighters working a retained duty system has been discussed. Written representations about the potential impact on firefighters working a retained duty system of losing the opt-out have been received from the Retained Firefighters' Union, MPs and MSPs.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 January 2009, Official Report, column 1076W.
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