| Home Page |
Column 473
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 19 June 1990
TRANSPORT
M1/M6 Junction
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the consultants' reports on the proposal to add an extra lane in each direction to the M1 immediately north of its junction with the M6.
Mr. Atkins : The study I announced last December was of existing conditions and the feasibility, in general terms, of a range of widening options.
The next step will be the appointment of consultants to prepare and design a scheme for particular lengths of the motorways to be widened.
Bids have been invited for a design commission covering the section referred to by my hon. Friend. I hope that that will enable us to publish firm proposals during the summer of 1991.
Environmental Damage
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies have been published in each year since 1980 by his Department identifying means of (a) transport for passengers and (b) manufactured goods from Britain to Europe by the least
environmentally damaging means ; and what specific criteria have been used in order to make such assessment.
Mr. Atkins : We have not published any specific studies on the movement of people or goods from Britain to Europe by the least environmentally damaging means. However, a number of Government publications include information on the environmental aspects of different modes of travel.
Bus Companies (Subsidies)
Mr. Tom Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the present annual cost to public funds of subsidies to bus companies.
Mr. Freeman : In 1988-89 fuel duty rebate of £157 million was paid to operators of local bus services, and rural bus grant of £13 million to operators of rural services (this grant has now been phased out). In addition, support for London bus services and local authority support of individual local services outside London came to £345 million.
Automobile Fire Risks
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is able to make any assessment of the fire risk in automobiles and as to whether lead-free petrol is safer or less safe in the event of such incidents.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 18 June 1990] : The difference in fire risk between leaded and unleaded petrol
Column 474
is negligible. The performance of certain fire-fighting foams can be affected by the amount of alcohol used in either type of fuel. Petrol blended in the United Kingdom does not contain any added alcohols. Small quantities of imported petrol may contain alcohol up to the levels permitted in British standards. They pose no problems for the current generation of fire-fighting foams.Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the road research laboratory has undertaken research into the possible relationship between different forms of fuel, including lead-free petrol, and post-accident fires ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 18 June 1990] : The transport and road research laboratory's work on car fires has concentrated on their immediate causes, such as electrical systems. There is no evidence to suggest that the severity of these fires is dependent on whether the fuel is leaded or unleaded.
British Rail (Investment)
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he will take steps to ensure that British Rail assess all new investment schemes for external benefits which would attract funding by Government grant ;
(2) whether any of the approved investment by British Rail will be met by Government grant in recognition of benefits to the users of improved services.
Mr. Freeman : InterCity no longer receives subsidy from the taxpayer. Its investment programme and that for channel tunnel services will be determined by normal commercial criteria. As far as provincial and Network SouthEast are concerned, there is no case for subsidy for investment for which passengers are willing to pay and which meets the normal financial criteria. However, the new objectives for British Rail set out in my right hon. Friend's letter of 19 December to the chairman make it clear that where investment to increase the capacity of the system cannot meet the normal financial criteria, a cost-benefit analysis should be carried out so that a decision can be taken on whether capital grants would be justified on wider social and economic grounds, such as relief of road congestion. The majority of the provincial sector's investment is like for like renewal which is not required to earn any return and is effectively met from revenue grant.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to ensure that, in the period after the channel tunnel is opened and before a high speed rail link is constructed, there is no reduction of local rail services in south London owing to inadequate track capacity.
Mr. Freeman : This is an operational matter for British Rail. British Rail gave an undertaking to Parliament during the passage of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 that existing domestic rail services would not be curtailed in consequence of the need to find capacity for through channel tunnel services. I understand that British Rail stands by its undertaking.
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the construction of the road links to
Column 475
the channel tunnel, an assessment has been included for the cost of increased congestion and accidents resulting from greater volumes of traffic on other roads.Mr. Atkins : The assessment of all trunk road schemes includes an appraisal which takes account of costs associated with delays--that is congestion, accidents and changes in vehicle operating costs, for the road in question and the surrounding network.
Assessments have been made of the extra traffic expected to arise from the opening of the channel tunnel. This extra traffic is expected to be quite small when compared with the forecast growth of traffic generally. For appropriate schemes, such as those on the M20, relevant channel-related traffic has been added to predictions of general traffic growth.
Disabled People (Railway Station Access)
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with British Rail the provision of station access for disabled people.
Mr. Freeman : The provision of facilities for disabled people at stations is the responsibility of British Rail. They pursue an active policy of making rail travel as accessible as possible to all who wish to use it. I shall be meeting the board's adviser on disability on 26 June.
Traffic Area
Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has reached any decisions regarding the future of the Traffic Area organisation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : Extensive consultations have been held with interested parties about the future number and pattern of Traffic Area offices and Traffic Area boundaries.
In view of the reducing workload for the organisation, I have decided that the Traffic Area offices in London, Nottingham and Newcastle should be closed, and that the following changes should be made to the present Traffic Area boundaries :
The North Eastern Traffic Area will be extended to include Nottinghamshire and will be administered from the existing Traffic Area office in Leeds.
The North Western Traffic Area will be extended to include the whole of Derbyshire and will be administered from the existing Traffic Area office in Manchester.
Column 476
The Eastern Traffic Area will lose Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and will be extended to include Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and the whole of Essex. It will be administered from the existing Traffic Area office in Cambridge.The Western Traffic Area will be extended to include Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and will be administered from the existing Traffic Area office in Bristol.
The remainder of the present South Eastern Traffic Area will be combined with the remainder of the Metropolitan Traffic Area to form a new Traffic Area consisting of London, Surrey, Kent and Sussex. The new area will be administered from the existing Traffic Area office in Eastbourne.
There will be no changes to the West Midlands, South Wales or Scottish Traffic Areas and offices.
These changes will yield worthwhile savings and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation as a whole. I have been particularly concerned to create opportunities for staff in the offices being closed. I have agreed that staff in the Traffic Area offices at Newcastle and Nottingham will be given the opportunity, so far as practicable, to transfer to the new posts being created in those cities by the Driving Standards Agency. The Department will consult those concerned about the implementation of these changes and the transitional arrangements. We will aim to complete the bulk of the work by the middle of 1991. As required under sections 3(2) and (4) of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 my right hon. Friend will in due course lay an order before the House setting out the Traffic Area boundary changes.
A1/M1
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he now expects that each stage of the A1/M1 road in Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire will be opened ;
(2) when he expects to let the contract for each of the remaining stages of the A1/M1 road in Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire.
Mr. Atkins : The following is the information requested. Start of work on contracts 2, 3, 5(N), 8 and 9 is dependent upon the outcome of outstanding statutory procedures.
Column 475
|Actual Start of |Programmed Start of|Programmed
|works |works |completion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contract 1: Catthorpe Interchange: |February 1990 |- |Summer 1990
Contract 2: Catthrope to Rothwell: |- |Spring/Summer 1991 |Spring/Summer 1993
Contract 3: Catthorpe to Rothwell: |- |Spring/Summer 1991 |Spring/Summer 1993
Contract 4: Rothwell to Kettering: |March 1990 |- |June 1991
Contract 5(N): Kettering Northern Bypass: |- |Summer 1991 |Winter 1992/3
Contract 5(S): Kettering Southern Bypass: |Febraury 1990 |- |February 1992
Contract 6: Kettering to Thrapston: |May 1989 |- |May 1991
Contract 7: Thrapston to Brampton: |November 1989 |- |July 1991
Contract 8: Thrapston to Brampton: |- |Spring 1991 |Autumn 1992
Contract 9: Thrapston to Brampton: |- |Summer 1991 |Summer 1993
Contract 10: Advance works for Railway |April 1990 |- |November 1991
Bridge on Kettering Northern Bypass:
Column 477
ENVIRONMENT
Housing Action Trusts
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much expenditure was envisaged under the Government's expenditure plans in each of the years from 1988-89 to 1992-93 on housing action trusts ; how much expenditure has been incurred to date ; and what are the latest estimates of likely expenditure over the current and next two financial years on housing action trusts.
Mr. Michael Spicer : Details of planned expenditure were given in the 1988 public expenditure White Paper (Cm 288-11). These were revised in the 1990 public expenditure White Paper (Cm 1008) in the light of the Housing Act 1988 requirement for tenants to be balloted. No expenditure has been incurred so far.
Radioactivity (United Kingdom Coast)
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Greenpeace concerning radioactivity around the United Kingdom coast.
Mr. Trippier : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has received no such representations from Greenpeace this year.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Sayeed : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will make an order under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 confirming the charge caps on those local authorities which neither accepted the caps he proposed nor put forward alternative amounts within the statutory period of 28 days of their being designated for capping.
Mr. Chris Patten : I cannot make an order under section 106 of the 1988 Act unless a draft of it has been laid before and approved by resolution of the House of Commons. I have today laid before the House a draft section 106 order confirming the caps of the three authorities which did not respond to the caps which I proposed. As required by the
Column 478
statute, the amount of the cap is the same as that which I proposed for each of the authorities concerned. The authorities and the caps are as follows :
Implied reduction in budget
|£ |£ million |£ per adult
------------------------------------------------------------
Basildon |23,700,000 |4.2 |35
Bristol |56,600,000 |7.6 |26
Doncaster |178,500,000|11.6 |53
This will be welcomed by the charge payers concerned.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authorities and other interested bodies regarding (a) the new requirement for debt payments from capital receipts and (b) advanced leasing arrangements.
Mr. Chope : Since publication in July 1988 of the Government's proposals for a new system of local authority capital finance my Department has received numerous representations from local authorities and other interested bodies on many aspects of the new system. No detailed analysis is available of all the points raised.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by local authority, the cost of collecting the community charge per individual.
Mr. Chope : I have today arranged for the available information on budgeted costs for 1990-91, as shown on returns made by local authorities, to be placed in the Library.
Mr. Richard Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the overall increase in rateable values in the 1990 rating valuation list as compared with the rateable values previously in use for the categories of (a) shops, (b) factories, (c) hotels and boarding houses, (d) offices and (e) mines and (i) in total for England and (ii) by economic regions.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 18 June 1990] : Revaluation factors indicating the increase in rateable values shown in the lists deposited with local authorities on 20 December 1989 for the property types requested are given in the table.
Column 477
Region Property type
|Shops |Factories |Hotels and |Offices |Mines
|boarding houses
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |8.89 |5.31 |12.75 |6.69 |11.16
Yorkshire and Humberside |9.95 |6.54 |13.18 |7.41 |22.28
East Midlands |8.73 |5.78 |14.38 |6.89 |15.65
East Anglia |10.46 |6.94 |12.89 |8.53 |-
Inner London |9.62 |7.17 |12.95 |6.96 |-
Outer London |9.41 |6.32 |11.99 |7.24 |-
Rest of South East |10.64 |7.09 |14.44 |10.23 |10.89
South West |11.10 |7.18 |10.90 |9.80 |5.96
West Midlands |7.22 |4.53 |12.91 |6.47 |18.22
North West |8.36 |5.17 |12.31 |6.61 |14.59
|----- |----- |----- |----- |-----
England |9.52 |6.10 |12.85 |7.47 |16.81
Mr. Richard Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the overall increase or decrease in the total rates paid by non- domestic rate payers in each local authority in England, by authority, between 1989-90
Column 478
and 1990-91 (a) including the effects of transitional arrangements and (b) excluding the effects of transitional arrangements.Mr. Chope [holding answer 18 June 1990] : Estimates of the information requested by my hon. Friend, based on the
Column 479
rateable values shown in the lists deposited with local authorities on 20 December, have been placed in the Library today.Sir George Young : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the relationship of community charge to rates in both gross
Column 480
and net terms in each band of equivalent net income in (a) pounds per week and (b) as a proportion of net income in each band of equivalent income in 1990-91.Mr. Portillo [holding answer 12 June 1990] : The table provides the information requested on the same basis as the figures placed in the Library on 15 February 1990. Equivalent income has been calculated using the McClements scale factors.
Column 479
|c|Ranges of 1989-90 equivalent net household income (£ per week)|c|
|Under 75 |75-100 |100-150 |150-200 |200-250 |250-300 |300-350 |350-400 |400-500 |500+ |All
|Households
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Domestic Rates
Gross |7.45 |7.96 |8.16 |9.07 |9.71 |10.40 |10.67 |11.57 |12.13 |14.13 |9.47
Net |2.46 |3.01 |5.59 |8.67 |9.56 |10.34 |10.67 |11.54 |12.12 |14.13 |7.99
As a percentage of net income in
each range
Gross per cent. |9.8 |9.3 |6.8 |4.3 |3.6 |3.2 |2.9 |2.8 |2.7 |2.0 |4.0
Net per cent. |3.2 |3.5 |4.7 |4.1 |3.6 |3.2 |2.9 |2.8 |2.7 |2.0 |3.3
Community Charge
Gross |8.83 |8.15 |8.46 |10.31 |10.81 |11.04 |10.62 |10.40 |10.01 |9.98 |9.67
Net |2.34 |2.76 |5.58 |9.15 |10.08 |10.46 |10.18 |10.06 |9.76 |9.72 |7.71
As a percentage of net income
in each range
Gross per cent. |10.9 |8.9 |6.5 |4.5 |3.7 |3.1 |2.7 |2.3 |2.0 |1.3 |3.7
Net per cent. |2.9 |3.0 |4.3 |4.0 |3.4 |3.0 |2.6 |2.3 |2.0 |1.3 |3.0
Notes:
1. Rates are 1989-90 actuals.
2. Community charges are 1990-91 settlement assumed charges.
3. Equivalent net household income is calculated using the McClements scale.
Double-Glazing
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received concerning proposals to make double-glazing a requirement in the planning of all new houses ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : Double-glazing is one of the thermal insulation measures which can be used to satisfy the requirements relating to the conservation of fuel and power in the amended Building Regulations which came into force on 1 April 1990. My Department receives many representations concerning the conservation of energy in new houses and some of these call for the installation of double glazing to be made a mandatory requirement under the Building Regulations. But we consider that the designer and builder should be given the flexibility to choose the most appropriate insulation to suit the particular circumstances.
Right to Buy
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to review the right-to-buy provisions of the Housing Act 1980 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : The right-to-buy legislation is kept under constant review ; there have been a number of changes to it since its introduction in 1980.
Leeds Development Corporation
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in 1990 prices the level of funding for the Leeds Development Corporation for 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1990-91.
Column 480
Mr. Moynihan : The actual amount of grant in aid provided to Leeds development corporation was £2.743 million in 1988-89 and £8.75 million in 1989-90. £14 million is available in 1990-91.
Langland Bay
Mr. Couchman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available the results of the epidemiological study carried out in 1989 at Langland bay ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : Today I have placed in the Library copies of a comprehensive report prepared by the Water Research Centre on the findings of studies to test methodologies for assessing the risks of contracting illnesses from sea bathing. The report is based on research carried out at Langland bay last summer with the assistance of Swansea district council.
Two types of study were carried out. The first study involved interviewing bathers who were on the beach of their own volition, and obtaining information of any perceived symptoms by means of a questionnaire and, subsequently, by telephone.
The second study used two groups of healthy volunteers. One group was asked to swim in water meeting EC standards while the other group did not swim. The volunteers were examined medically both before and after the day at the beach. Ethical clearance was obtained for this work which is the first of its kind to examine participants medically so as to provide an objective assessment of symptoms.
Water quality during the studies was good and well within European standards. As found in previous surveys higher proportions of bathers reported ear and throat symptoms than non-bathers but unexpectedly fewer
Column 481
bathers reported gastro-enteritis than non- bathers. No significant association was found between reported symptoms and clinical diagnosis.The studies demonstrate that both approaches with minor modification appear capable of yielding statistically reliable conclusions if carried out at a larger scale.
The contract with the Water Research Centre will be extended to provide for further studies in the coming summer.
Insulation
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of (a) dwellings completed under the energy conservation programme and (b) grants paid under the homes insulation scheme in (i) the London borough of Camden and (ii) the London borough of Islington for each year from 1979, including the current year so far.
Mr. Michael Spicer [holding answer 12 June 1990] : Figures for the number of grants paid under the homes insulation scheme and the number of local authority dwellings benefitting from works under the energy conservation programme are published in "Local Housing Statistics" (Nos. 66, 70, 74, 78, 82, 87 and 90) for the years 1979 to 1988. In 1989 the London borough of Camden reported two grants paid and Islington reported nil.
Homelessness
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current rate of growth of homelessness in the United Kingdom per annum ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Spicer [holding answer 15 June 1990] : Between 1988 and 1989 the estimated number of households accepted by housing authorities under homelessness legislation increased by about 8 per cent. It should be stressed that there are people for whom accommodation has been found.
City Grants
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total allocation for the current financial year of money for city grants ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 18 June 1990] : The total resources available for city grant in 1990-91 are £49 million, including expenditure on previously approved urban development grant and urban regeneration grant schemes. Payments made in any year relate mainly to projects approved in previous years.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses, and of what type and anticipated rents, he has requested to be incorporated into the West End Development scheme application for city grant ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 18 June 1990] : It is not our practice, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, to reveal details of developers' proposals.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what stage has been reached in the consideration of the application for city grant by 3Ds Ltd ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 482
Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 18 June 1990] : 3Ds Ltd has submitted details of its proposals for the West End development scheme and discussions continue with the Department on what further information may be needed.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the largest grant so far made of city grant ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 18 June 1990] : The largest city grant approved so far is £6.3 million for a project at St. Helens to reclaim a derelict and contaminated 50 acre site.
M2 Widening
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the proposed widening of the M2 motorway in Rochester, Kent ; and what was his response.
Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 18 June 1990] : None.
Hawkshurst Moor (Coal Mine)
Mr. Mills : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received the inspector's report on the planning inquiry on British Coal's Hawkshurst moor proposal for a new coal mine in Berkswell near Coventry.
Mr. Moynihan [holding answer 18 June 1990] : Yes. The report has recently been received and I shall announce a decision in due course.
County Hall, London
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an announcement on the future of the County hall, London SE1.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 May Official Report, Volume 173, column 28 .
Football (Arrests)
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the 92 Football League clubs together with the total season's attendance for football league matches, total number of arrests made at such matches and the number of arrests as a percentage of the total attendance, for the seasons 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90 ;
(2) if he will publish a table showing the total attendance at Football League matches in England and Wales, the total number of arrests at such matches, and the number of arrests as a percentage of the total attendance, accurate to four decimal places, for the seasons 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989- 90.
| Next Section
| Home Page |