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Memorial Land
Lord Cadman asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Under what circumstances, including any relevant statute, an area of land can become designated as "Memorial Land"; and
Following the designation of an area of land as "Memorial Land", what conditions and restrictions as to its future use will result.
Baroness Hayman: As far as is known, there is no statutory definition of "Memorial Land" and thus no specific conditions or restrictions as to the use of such land. In general, a material change of use of land would require planning permission.
Pyrethroid Pollution of Watercourses
Lord Onslow of Woking asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many incidents of pyrethroid pollution of watercourses in England, Scotland and Wales have been reported to the relevant department in the past 12 months.
Baroness Hayman: In 1997 there were 11 confirmed cases of pollution by synthetic pyrethroid sheepdips reported to the Environment Agency in England and Wales.
1997 data are not yet available for Scotland. However, in 1996 there were 13 incidents confirmed as due solely to synthetic pyrethroid sheepdips reported to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.
The Government recognise that synthetic pyrethroids pose a particular threat to watercourses, and have reviewed the legislation regulating the disposal of sheepdip to controlled waters. As a result, the Government intend to consult in the near future on draft regulations designed to provide additional protection for groundwater.
Thorne and Hatfield Moors
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, further to the statement of Baroness Hayman on 17 November (H.L. Deb., col. 366) and the subsequent letter of the Wildlife Trusts of 10 December, they still consider that "parts of Thorn and Hatfield Moors have been included as candidates for Special Areas of Conservation", and that "it is only by continuing extraction to groundwater level that bogs will be re-established allowing the regeneration of the conservation interest."
Baroness Hayman: I can confirm that part of Thorne Moors is a candidate Special Area of Conservation.
In my statement, I referred to the need to bring the level of peat close to the groundwater level to achieve the regeneration of conservation interest within peatbogs affected by commercial peat extraction. I was specifically referring to the water level within the peat mass (often termed the "groundwater mound" by hydrologists), and not the regional groundwater table. As the letter from the Wildlife Trusts correctly points out, the former is derived almost entirely from precipitation and is generally very low in nutrients. For this reason, the peat industry are required to leave a suitable depth of well humified peat (generally half a metre) above the mineral substrate to prevent nutrient enrichment from the underlying strata.
Household Projections
Lord Monkswell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Of the projected 4.4 million additional households expected to be established between 1995 and 2016, what proportion will be generated by (a) young people leaving home as single people; and (b) family break-up; what will be the total cost of building new or converting old accommodation for those households; and how will this cost be shared between public and private providers.
Baroness Hayman: The projected 4.4 million additional households cover the 25-year period 1991 to 2016 and were published in 1995 in my department's document Projections of Households in England to 2016, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
The household projections do not identify household formation by the categories specifically requested. However, the number of one-person households formed by never married people is projected to rise by 1.85 million between 1991 and 2016. Of this projected rise,
only 182,000 (just under 10 per cent.) are people aged under 30. The group of one-person households who are divorced or separated is projected to grow by 1.2 million between 1991 and 2016, with divorced and separated men representing two-thirds of this growth.It is the responsibility of regional conferences, made up of representatives from local authorities and other interested parties, to formulate proposals for the housing requirements in the Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) for each region, and the household projections are only one of the factors that they have to take into consideration in this process. Local planning authorities are required to ensure a reasonable mix and balance of house types and tenures to cater for a range of housing needs. It would not be feasible for my department to make the cost estimates requested.
EU Member States: Unfunded Liabilities
Lord Bruce of Donington asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What factual or estimated information they have of the total unfunded liabilities of each member state of the European Union; and in respect of any member state for which they have no such information when they propose to obtain it.
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Several estimates of the value of unfunded pension liabilities are available. For example, the OECD has published recent estimates of the net present value of public pension schemes for most of the member states in Ageing populations, pension systems and government budgets: simulations for 20 OECD Countries. Economics Department Working Paper No. 168, 1996. Estimates and projections of pension expenditure by member states are available in Public pension expenditure prospects in the European Union: A survey of national projections, published by the European Commission in European Economy No. 3 1996. Copies are available in the Library of the House of Lords. Information on other unfunded liabilities for each member state of the EU is difficult to obtain and subject to considerable uncertainty. However the excessive deficit procedure and the Stability Pact are designed to ensure that member states cannot follow irresponsible budgetary policies. If a member state needs to address a build-up of liabilities of any kind, it will not be able to fund them through excessive borrowing.
Deaths from Various Causes
The Duke of Buccleuch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What were the number of deaths over a three-year period, up to the most recent date for which they are available, in each of the following categories:
road accidents;
hill-climbing accidents;
horse-riding accidents;
accidents in the home;
smoking related illness;
alcohol related illness;
sunburn related illness;
drug related illness;
AIDS (HIV);
influenza;
E. coli and salmonella poisoning;
CJD;
lightning strike.
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls with the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter to the Duke of Buccleuch from the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics, Mr. Tim Holt, dated 22 December 1997.
I have been asked, as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), to answer your recent question asking for the number of deaths from various causes for the latest three year period for which figures are available.
The information requested is shown in the table below.
(7) United Kingdom, (based on the latest Department of Health estimate).
(8) Includes malignant melanoma of skin--unknown what proportion due to exposure to sun.
(9) Includes suicides, accidents and undetermined deaths, as well as drug dependent and non-dependent abuse deaths.
Viscount Exmouth asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Yes.
Viscount Exmouth asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: No.
Viscount Exmouth asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The New Millennium Experience Company announced on 2 December that they had concluded contracts with the first 10 designers for the large scale exhibition structures within the millennium experience. They are Bentheim, Eva Jiricna Architects, HP:ICM, Jasper Jacob Associates, Land Design Studio Ltd., Media Projects International, MUF Architects, Park Avenue, Spectrum, and Work. In association with the NMEC, sponsors and specialist advisers, these designers are now developing further the design concepts for the experience attractions. I have placed a copy of the NMEC's detailed press release in the Libraries of the House. Since that announcement the company have also concluded a contract with Zaha M. Hadid. These contracts have been awarded as part of the competitive tendering process advertised in the 6 June edition of the Official Journal of the European Community (OJEC).
Number
road accidents 9,587
hill-climbing accidents 48
swimming accidents 422
horse-riding accidents 43
accidents in the home 9,094
smoking related illness(7) 360,000
alcohol related illness 12,577
sunburn related illness(8) 4,133
drug related illness(9) 7,657
AIDS (HIV) 1,616
influenza 492
E. coli and salmonella poisoning 197
CID 139
lightning strike 10
Further to the Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 3 December (H.L. Deb, col. 1367), whether the total cost of £758 million attributable to the completion of the millennium dome includes the cost of internal completion and the setting up
12 Jan 1998 : Column WA134and installation of artefacts designed to provide the "experience".
Whether the companies that have been or will be contracted to supply the internal exhibits and fittings for the millennium dome will receive any share of the admission charges levied on the public; and if so, what share.
What terms they propose to extend to the commercial sector in order to encourage their participation in the creation of internal exhibits for, and fitting out of, the millennium dome; and whether tenders have been sought to this effect.
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