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Alleged War Crimes: Discussions with US Authorities
Lord Lamont of Lerwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether Dr Henry Kissinger or anyone on his behalf has sought any assurances from the Government about immunity from arrest or prosecution in the United Kingdom for alleged war crimes or alleged crimes against humanity; and, if so, what assurances or advice have been given.[HL4054]
The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): In our discussions with the US authorities on this issue, we gave no such assurances nor were any sought.
Vibration: Physical Agents Directive
Lord Lamont of Lerwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there is a European directive or regulation, present or proposed, on vibrations caused by machinery or other equipment; if so, what is the purpose of the legislation; why is it not subject to subsidiarity; and whether it has the support of the Government.[HL4056]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): The Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive is expected to be adopted within the next few days and is required to be transposed into UK legislation in 2005. It sets minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to risks arising from hand-arm and whole-body vibration. The Government believe that the risks to health from exposure to vibration are such as to warrant action at Community level and welcome the directive in the form agreed by all member states and the European Parliament. John B
Ladders: Use of Work Equipment Directive
Lord Lamont of Lerwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there is a European directive or regulation, present or proposed, relating to ladders; if so, what is its purpose; and whether it has the support of the Government.[HL4089]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Second Amendment to the Use of Work Equipment Directive, which covers the selection and use of all equipment for work at height, also contains specific provisions relating to the use of scaffolding, ladders and rope access equipment. It was adopted by the Council of Ministers in July 2001 and must be implemented in the UK by July 2004.
The purpose of the directive is to reduce the number of fatalities and accidents caused by falls from height at work. On average in Great Britain there are 80 fatalities and 5,500 major injuries per year; around 25 per cent of these involve ladders. The Government fully support this purpose.
Protest Site, Parliament Square
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why a permanent and mainly unmanned protest site has been permitted on the area of Parliament Square; and whether they will ensure that the paraphernalia on the grass is removed whenever the protesters leave.[HL4181]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: This is the responsibility of Westminster City Council, but I understand that the council has served a notice under Section 149(1) of the Highways Act 1980 requiring this protestor to remove his placards from the highway on the grounds that they constitute a nuisance. If the protestor does not comply, the council can then make a complaint to a magistrates' court and seek a removal and disposal order.
DVLA Customer Documents: Address Checks
Lord Swinfen asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What checks the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency undertakes to ascertain whether addresses given on vehicle registration and driving licence applications are genuine.[HL4193]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The onus rests with DVLA's customers to enter their current addresses on all application forms for vehicle registration documents and driving licences. However, all addresses on customers documents are tested at DVLA against a definitive postcoding package based on Royal Mail's preferred list of addresses. Rebo
Housing in Rural Areas
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What were, by region for each of the last 10 years, (i) the amount of land being made available for affordable housing in rural areas; (ii) the proportion built on; and (iii) the proportion that is (a) greenfield and (b) brownfield.[HL4199]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The annual statistical bulletin Land Use Change in England provides by English region information on the proportion of new housebuilding on brownfield sites. However, the information collected does not distinguish affordable from general market housing.
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What measures they are using to increase the uptake of brownfield sites for affordable housing in rural areas.[HL4200]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Our planning policies expect suitable brownfield sites to be developed before greenfield sites and local authorities to make sufficient land available to meet the housing needs of local people in rural areas. The increased funding we have provided through the Housing Corporation's approved development programme, local authority expenditure and the use of planning powers to secure affordable housing are expected to deliver 9,000 homes annually in rural areas in England by 2003–04.
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the total number of Rural Exception Sites and their relative value for each of the last 10 years.[HL4201]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Local authorities in England are asked to provide information on affordable housing delivered through the planning system as part of their annual housing investment programme returns. On the basis of their responses, in 1999–2000, 466 affordable homes were completed on rural exception sites and in 2000–01 there were 321 completions and planning permission was granted for a further 407 homes. In previous years this information was not collected centrally.
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans they have to alter the right to buy scheme for affordable housing in rural areas.[HL4202]
Lord Falcolner of Thoroton: We have no plans to make any changes to the right to buy scheme in rural areas, or otherwise.
However, we have been encouraging local authorities to consider using existing possibilities to restrict the resale of right to buy properties to local people. Under the legislation local authority landlords selling properties located in national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty or rural areas designated for this purpose have discretion to impose restrictions on their resale. An owner may be required to offer the property back to the landlord (if they wish to resell within 10 years) or to people who have lived or worked locally for three years. We want to make sure that more of the existing housing in rural areas is available to local people. There are currently 24 designated rural areas and our November 2000 Rural White Paper Our Countryside: The Future encouraged other local authorities to consider seeking designation.
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What recent research the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has undertaken on the relationship between tenants living in affordable housing in rural areas and social exclusion.[HL4203]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The department has not carried out any recent research studies which explicity address the relationship between tenants living in affordable housing in rural areas and social exclusion.
Council Tax Bands
Lord Hardy of Wath asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many properties were included in each of the bands set down for the purposes of council tax in the first year following its introduction and in the current years; what were the values of properties in
- the bands in that first year and what they are today; and whether they consider that there is general acceptance that the structures and values within each band are appropriate. [HL4211]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: In each year of operation of the council tax, dwellngs have been allocated to council tax bands on the basis of their estimated value as at 1 April 1991. The following table gives figures for England, as used for the first and most recent years of operation.
| Band | Number (rounded to nearest thousand) as at: | |
| (valuation for council tax purposes as at 1 April 1991) | December 1992 | 16 October 2001 |
| A (under £40,000) | 5,245,000 | 5,562,000 |
| B (£40,001–£52,000) | 3,828,000 | 4,121,000 |
| C (£52,001–£68,000) | 4,377,000 | 4,600,000 |
| D (£68,001–£88,000) | 2,912,000 | 3,184,000 |
| E (£88,001–£120,000) | 1,813,000 | 1,984,000 |
| F (£120,001–£160,000) | 983,000 | 1,046,000 |
| G (£160,000–£320,000) | 748,000 | 755,000 |
| H (Over £320,000) | 121,000 | 117,000 |
| Total | 20,026,000 | 21,369,000 |
There was some movement to lower bands as a result of successful appeals during the first two or three years of the operation of council tax.
We do not hold information on the values of individual properties within each band.
Information on Wales and Scotland is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government and the Scottish Executive respectively.
The council tax is widely accepted and understood by taxpayers. However, if the system is not to fall into disrepute, it is important that banding reflects up-to-date property values. We announced in the Local Government White Paper, Strong Local Leadership— Quality Public Services, that we will introduce regular 10-yearly revaluations, the first of which will impact on bills in 2007 based on 2005 values. We will listen to people's views on banding prior to the revaluation.
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