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Written Answers
Monday, 7th October 2002.
House of Lords: Recalls
Lord Patten asked the Leader of the House:
- Whether the House of Lords may be recalled separately from the House of Commons; and, if so, whether he will set out the procedures to bring this about.[HL5798]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): Each House of Parliament may be recalled separately.
In the House of Lords, Standing Order 16 sets out the procedures to bring about a recall. These procedures are entirely independent from the House of Commons recall procedures. Standing Order 16 states that:
- "16 (1) If, during any adjournment of the House, the Lord Chancellor is satisfied that the public interest requires that the House should meet at a time earlier than that appointed, he may signify that he is so satisfied and notice shall be given and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in the notice, as if it had been duly adjourned to that time.
- (2) If the Lord Chancellor is unable to act for the purposes of this Standing Order, the Chairman of Committees, after consultation with Her Majesty's Government may act in his stead.
- (3) Notwithstanding any adjournment of the House, the House may meet for judicial business at a time earlier than that appointed if the Lord Chancellor or, in his absence, the senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary is satisfied that it should do so and has signified that he is so satisfied and has given notice to such Lords as he thinks fit."
Public Bodies: Publication
Lord Grenfell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the next edition of Public Bodies.[HL5670]
The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): The Government intend to publish the next edition of Public Bodies before Christmas.
Disabled Motorists: Parking in Central London
Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will facilitate the rationalisation of the present sets of regulations for disabled drivers' parking in the five local government areas of central London.[HL5817]
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: A national scheme of parking concessions for disabled motorists—known as the Blue Badge scheme—has been in operation since 1971. It was introduced under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 and includes all but four central London boroughs (Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, part of Camden and the City of London) based on the severe problems with traffic congestion and pressure on parking space in these parts of London.
These authorities have introduced their own independent local parking schemes for disabled people who live and work in these areas by means of a traffic regulation order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. These are exclusive to individual boroughs and there is no requirement for them to be compatible with other schemes. However, the Department for Transport continues to hold regular meetings with the four central London boroughs to encourage them to be as flexible as possible with these schemes and also to provide concessions for Blue Badge holders. In this respect we have succeeded in securing increased parking provision for Blue Badge holders.
The issue of removal of the exemption for the four central London boroughs from the Blue Badge scheme to make it a truly national scheme is being considered under a current comprehensive review of the scheme. The Secretary of State intends to make an announcement on the future shape of the scheme in autumn 2002.
Gypsy Sites
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list the gypsy sites approved by local authorities in England since those authorities were advised to consider the provision of further sites by Circular 18/94.[HL4938]
The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker): A list of local authority gypsy sites, indicating the number of pitches on each site, is produced annually by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (and previously by the Department of Transport, Local Government and Regions), based on information provided by local authorities. These figures are routinely placed in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as they become available. The figures published for January 1994 prior to the issue of the guidance in Circular 18/94 show there were 307 sites, containing a total of 5,068 pitches. The latest figures,
as at January 2002, show 325 sites, containing a total of 5,005 pitches.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have corrected the information about gypsy sites given on the website www.housing.odpm.gov.uk/information/index14.htm, in the light of errors drawn to their attention by Dr Donald Kenrick and others.[HL4939]
Lord Rooker: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been reviewing the statistics in the Gypsy Site Count for January 2002, and has included the information provided by Dr Kenrick in that review. Any corrections will be included in July 2002 Gypsy Caravan Count statistics, which will be published on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website shortly. Copies will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as they become available.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to review both how and what data are collected for the Gypsy Site Count and Gypsy Caravan Count once it has received the results to the recently conducted Gypsy Sites Research.
Fire Services Inspectorate
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Under which ministry the Fire Services Inspectorate is administered; whether the inspectorate will have permanent offices; and, if so, when and where.[HL5321]
Lord Rooker: HM Fire Services Inspectorate is administered by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The inspectorate is currently based at Horseferry House in London but will be moving to Portland House in London in August 2002.
Local Authority Accounts: Public Inspection
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the process by which members of the public have access to the detailed accounts and the processes of local authorities in England and Wales.[HL5625]
Lord Rooker: The Accounts and Audit Regulations 1996 provide for local authorities to make their annual accounts and other documents available for public inspection for fifteen working days. Authorities must advertise the availability of the accounts for inspection at least 14 days before the commencement of the inspection period. After the end of the time allowed for inspection, electors can exercise their rights to object to the auditor on matters relating to the accounts. We plan to consult later this year on proposals to amend the Accounts and Audit Regulations, which may include the possibility of changes to the arrangements by which accounts are made available for public inspection.
Local Government Finance: Grant Distribution System
Lord Tope asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What options are they considering for the transition period for the new formula grant distribution system.[HL5666]
Lord Rooker: We will take decisions on the movement between the old and new grant distribution systems, including the duration of the transition and the levels of floors and ceilings, ahead of the 2003–04 provisional local government finance settlement. As in previous years, we will announce those decisions around the end of November as part of the provisional settlement process.
Lord Tope asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will set out exemplifications of the effects of each of the options set out in Chapter 9 of Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper for each London borough.[HL5667]
Lord Rooker: The effects on each London borough of the options contained in Chapter 9 of Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper are set out on page 112 of that document.
Lord Tope asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish revised exemplifications of each of the options set out in Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper updated for the announcement of the comprehensive spending review decisions.[HL5668]
Lord Rooker: We are not intending to revise the exemplifications set out in the consultation paper, because using the spending review figures would introduce a new source of variation between the figures for 2002–03 and those produced by the options we have set out. This variation would obscure the consultation's focus on options for the new system.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list the Planning Policy Guidance Notes at present in force, indicating in respect of each the date of the present edition; the date of the previous edition; and the date on which it is anticipated that the next edition will be published.[HL5751]
Lord Rooker : The table shown below highlights the current Planning Policy Guidance Notes produced and issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Details are provided in the table on the publication of the most recent version, alongside the previous edition that it subsequently replaced. In certain cases the guidance produced replaced a circular previously issued by the relevant government department, of which details are provided. Where no date is given guidance has been produced for the first time.
As the noble Lord may be aware, the Deputy Prime Minister made an announcement to the House on 18 July entitled "Sustainable Communities: Housing and Planning". As part of this announcement details were given concerning the revision of national planning guidance. We intend to review existing policy guidance over the next three years. Our priorities for review remain as expressed in the Planning Green Paper, PPG1, PPG4, PPG6, PPG7 and PPGs 15 and 16. We will seek to reduce the volume of guidance, while increasing the clarity; making them clearer, more concise and better focused on implementing policy objectives, while aiming not to change the existing balance of economic, social and environmental objectives in national policy.
| PPG | Title | Latest | Previous |
| 1 | General Policy and Principles | Feb 1997 | Mar 1992 |
| 2 | Green Belts | Jan 1995 | Jan 1988 |
| 3 | Housing | Mar 2000 | 1992 |
| 4 | Industrial and Commercial Development and Small Firms | Nov 1992 | Jan 1988 |
| 5 | Simplified Planning Zones | Nov 1992 | DoE Circulars 25/87, 24/88 and Jan 1988 PPG5 |
| 6 | Town Centres and Retail Developments | Jun 1996 | Jul 1993 |
| 7 | The Countryside-Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development | Feb 1997 | Jan 1992 |
| 8 | Telecommunications | Aug 2001 | Dec 1992 |
| 9 | Nature Conservation | Oct 1994 | DoE Circular 32/81, 1/92/27/87, 24/82 |
| 10 | Planning and Waste Management | Feb 1997 | Replacing Waste Management part of PPG23 |
| 11 | Regional Planning | Oct 2000 | Feb 1992 |
| 12 | Development Plans | Dec 1999 | Feb 1992 |
| 13 | Transport | Mar 2001 | Mar 1994 |
| 14 | Development on Unstable Land | Apr 1990 | Ministry of Housing and Local Government Circular 44/61 |
| 15 | Planning and the Historic Environment | Sept 1994 | DoE Circular 8/87, 18/88 |
| 16 | Archaeology and Planning | Nov 1990 | |
| 17 | Sport and Recreation | Jul 2002 | Sept 1991 |
| 18 | Enforcing Planning Control | Dec 1991 | PPG1 Paragraphs 30/31, PPG4 Paragraph 19 and DoE Circular 22/80 |
| 19 | Outdoor Advertisement Control | Mar 1992 | |
| 20 | Coastal Planning | Sept 1992 | DoE Circular 12/72 |
| 21 | Tourism | Nov 1992 | DoE Circular 13/79 |
| 22 | Renewable Energy | Feb 1993 | |
| 23 | Planning and Pollution Control | Jul 1994 | DoE Circulars 69/65, 43/76, 4/82, 21/87 |
| 24 | Planning and Noise | Sept 1994 | DoE Circulars 10/73 |
| 25 | Development and Flood Risk | Jul 2001 | Sept 1994 |
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