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Caravan Sites
Mr. Malone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the responses to the consultation paper on reform of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Baldry : Copies of the responses to the consultation paper, "Reform of the Caravan Sites Act 1968", will be placed in the Department's library shortly, and a list of the responses will be placed in the House of Commons Library. We are now considering over 1,200 responses we have received so far. We will make an announcement about the way forward in due course.
Industrial Processes (Controls)
Mr. Garnier : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the risks to the global environment arising from the transfer of industrial processes from the United Kingdom and other countries with strict environmental legislation to countries with poor or non-existent controls.
Mr. Maclean : The main risks to the global environment from industrial processes are from those which contribute to global warming and through the release of ozone depleting substances. The Government are committed to pursuing multilateral solutions to these problems.
This year over 150 countries including the United Kingdom signed the United Nations framework convention on climate change. All partners will be committed to producing national programmes of measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
The Montreal protocol provides controls on the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances and trade in them. At a recent meeting of the parties to the protocol it was agreed that CFC's should be phased out by the end of 1995 and halons by the end of 1993.
EC Environmental Standards
Mr. Garnier : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the consistency of the application through the Community of EC environmental standards affecting the operations of manufacturing industry.
Mr. Maclean : Ensuring consistent application of legislation throughout the EC is, in the first instance, a matter for the Commission. One of the priorities of our presidency has been to highlight the importance of consistent and effective implementation and enforcement of EC environmental legislation. To this end, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has, during our presidency, hosted the first meeting of a network of EC environmental regulatory authorities. Separately we are encouraging the Commission to bring forward proposals for an audit inspectorate to inspect the work of national enforcement agencies.
Environmental Protection
Mr. Garnier : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration is being given by his Department to the effect on United Kingdom industry's competitiveness of failure of overseas governments to enforce measures to protect the national and global environment ; and if he will support the introduction of agreed and enforced environmental standards on an international basis.
Mr. Maclean : The relationship between industrial competitiveness and environmental protection was the
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subject of a resolution agreed by the EC Council of Industry Ministers on 24 November, and of a communication from the Commission to that Council.High environmental standards can increase the competitiveness of industry, as well as providing major new market opportunities. However, where necessary to reduce poor standards overseas undermining the competitiveness of certain sectors of United Kingdom industry, we would support action on an international basis.
Empty Council Property
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of dwellings which have been empty for more than six months for each London borough and the percentage which empty properties constitute of each council's housing stock ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The latest information reported by the London boroughs in their annual housing investment programme (HIP1) returns relates to April 1992 and is as follows :--
Borough London Authority All empty London
dwellings empty Authority dwellings
more than six
months
|Number |Percentage of stock|Percentage of stock
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City of London |6 |0.3 |1.5
Barking and Dagenham |6 |0.0 |1.1
Barnet |26 |0.2 |1.0
Bexley |14 |0.2 |1.0
Brent |261 |1.4 |3.4
Bromley |9 |0.1 |0.9
Camden |135 |0.4 |1.8
Croydon |19 |0.1 |2.0
Ealing |90 |0.5 |2.1
Enfield |18 |0.1 |1.8
Greenwich |156 |0.5 |1.7
Hackney |1,776 |4.4 |6.0
Hammersmith and Fulham |85 |0.5 |2.3
Haringey |87 |0.4 |1.7
Harrow |20 |0.3 |1.4
Havering |14 |0.1 |1.6
Hillingdon |62 |0.4 |1.6
Hounslow |24 |0.1 |1.5
Islington |259 |0.7 |1.9
Kensington and Chelsea |32 |0.4 |1.8
Kingston upon Thames |4 |0.1 |1.9
Lambeth |633 |1.4 |3.1
Lewisham |301 |0.8 |2.0
Merton |5 |0.1 |0.9
Newham
2.1 |3.4
Redbridge |130 |1.5 |4.2
Richmond upon Thames |34 |0.4 |1.8
Southwark |638 |1.1 |2.9
Sutton |12 |0.1 |1.0
Tower Hamlets |1,068 |2.6 |4.2
Waltham Forest |93 |0.5 |2.0
Wandsworth |67 |0.3 |1.8
Westminster |159 |0.9 |1.8
Council Rent Arrears
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the rent arrears for each London borough and indicate the percentage arrears constitute of each council's rent revenue ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Baldry : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 2 July 1992 at column 675 to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson), which included the latest figures, relating to the end of March 1991.
Community Charge Arrears
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the community charge arrears for each London borough and indicate the percentage which arrears constitute of each council's community charge income ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : I refer the hon. Member to my answer given on 5 November at columns 370-71 to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones).
Councillors (Travel Allowances)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if local authority councillors are permitted to claim travelling allowances in connection with their official duties in respect of travel by bicycle ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : The provisions governing the payment of travelling allowances to councillors do not currently permit the payment of a bicycle allowance.
London Residuary Body
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any termination payments will be made to members ceasing to be members of the London residuary body in January 1993.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make any new appointments or re-appointments to the board of the London residuary body in 1993.
Mr. Robin Squire : It is the intention of my right hon. and learned Friend to reappoint Mr. Wallace Mackenzie, Mr. Michael Roberts and Mr. Jack Wolkind as members of the London residuary body when their present terms expire on 31 March 1993. Sir Godfrey Taylor was reappointed as chairman on 1 December this year.
Battersea Power Station
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 20 November, Official Report, column 426, if he will state the main points made by English Heritage following the inspection of Battersea power station on 7 October.
Mr. Baldry : Following its inspection on 7 October, English Heritage concluded that there had been no
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significant deterioration of the structure since work stopped. The external brick clad structure is adequately supported where necessary by the temporary steelwork. There has been some ingress of water into the control room due to failure of temporary waterproofing where a small section of the superstructure was removed. A temporary felt roof is to be provided shortly.Water Quality
Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to introduce statutory water quality objectives ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today published a consultation paper on river quality. This sets out the Government's proposals for safeguarding our rivers, including the introduction of statutory water quality objectives (WQOs) gradually from 1993, and initially for a limited number of objectives in order to test the new system. The paper proposes a new classification scheme as the framework within which individual WQOs would be set ; and a revised basis for carrying out the regular overall assessments of river quality. The proposals are based on recommendations published by the National Rivers Authority in October, following wide consultation. I am grateful for the authority's work which underpins our proposals.
Our strategy builds on the major programmes of water investment which are already planned or under way and takes account of the implications for consumers. We have set out proposals for maintaining river quality, for reversing recent deteriorations, and for targeting further resources on those improvements which can be achieved most quickly and cost-effectively. This represents a firm foundation for introducing WQOs.
As discussed in "Using Water Wisely" last July and "This Common Inheritance : the Second Year Report" in October, I am developing proposals for water pollution charging which I believe can play a role as an alternative to further regulatory action as a way of achieving WQOs.
I have placed copies of our paper in the Library of the House.
Council House Sales
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number and value of council house sales by region for each of the last 16 quarters (a) at current prices and (b) at 1981 prices.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 30 November 1990] : Information on sales in the period July 1988 to June 1992 is given in the table. The figures exclude dwellings transferred to housing associations and other registered bodies in large scale voluntary transfers. Such transfers accounted for some 94,000 dwellings valued at about £800 million during this period.
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|c|Number of council house sales and value by region|c|
£ thousands
July to September October to
1988 December 1988
DOE regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices
|of sales |of sales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |1,987 |36,709 |25,028 |2,034 |38,297 |25,614
Yorkshire and Humberside |2,633 |52,054 |35,490 |3,780 |79,233 |52,993
East Midlands |3,310 |83,791 |57,128 |3,998 |99,758 |66,721
Eastern |4,652 |207,008 |141,136 |9,233 |230,629 |154,252
London Boroughs |6,714 |362,265 |246,989 |6,125 |366,884 |245,383
South East |3,971 |190,650 |129,983 |5,858 |296,916 |198,586
South West |4,306 |156,295 |106,560 |3,998 |150,392 |100,587
West Midlands |3,844 |94,945 |64,733 |5,031 |115,756 |77,421
North West (including Cumbria) |2,558 |48,266 |32,907 |3,287 |69,860 |46,724
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |33,975 |1,231,983 |839,954 |43,344 |1,447,725 |968,282
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January to March April to June
1989 1989
DOE regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices
|of sales |of sales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |2,870 |50,173 |32,915 |2,814 |53,385 |34,607
Yorkshire and Humberside |4,418 |77,390 |50,770 |5,038 |103,921 |67,368
East Midlands |3,947 |100,460 |65,905 |3,441 |102,685 |66,567
Eastern |4,288 |227,040 |148,945 |3,345 |179,422 |116,312
London Boroughs |7,997 |464,267 |304,573 |6,960 |369,307 |239,407
South East |10,823 |223,562 |146,663 |3,617 |193,226 |125,261
South West |3,684 |155,889 |102,268 |3,279 |141,094 |91,466
West Midlands |5,165 |126,229 |82,810 |4,870 |136,882 |88,735
North West (including Cumbria) |3,908 |78,040 |51,197 |4,698 |95,387 |61,836
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |47,100 |1,503,050 |986,046 |38,062 |1,375,309 |891,558
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July to September October to
1989 December 1989
DOE Regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices
|of sales |of sales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |2,409 |48,029 |30,717 |3,205 |64,908 |40,981
Yorkshire and Humberside |4,946 |115,025 |73,565 |4,815 |116,218 |73,377
East Midlands |2,941 |93,824 |60,006 |2,429 |78,891 |49,809
Eastern |2,926 |160,757 |102,814 |2,316 |133,353 |84,195
London Boroughs |6,871 |396,835 |253,800 |7,697 |456,854 |288,444
South East |3,239 |181,639 |116,169 |3,081 |177,520 |112,081
South West |2,511 |120,463 |77,043 |2,081 |94,343 |59,565
West Midlands |4,412 |133,129 |85,144 |4,635 |147,126 |92,891
North West (including Cumbria) |4,292 |99,185 |63,435 |5,026 |118,681 |74,932
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
England |34,547 |1,348,886 |862,694 |35,285 |1,387,894 |876,275
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January to March April to June
1990 1990
DOE Regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices
|of sales |of sales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |3,276 |67,646 |41,819 |2,654 |60,062 |36,315
Yorkshire and Humberside |5,245 |151,261 |93,510 |3,425 |90,974 |55,005
East Midlands |1,945 |68,422 |42,298 |1,443 |50,753 |30,686
Eastern |2,317 |128,199 |79,253 |1,867 |103,780 |62,747
London Boroughs |7,580 |460,364 |284,597 |5,671 |361,103 |218,330
South East |2,507 |134,138 |82,924 |1,811 |103,258 |62,432
South West |1,801 |80,982 |50,063 |1,319 |57,695 |34,884
West Midlands |4,510 |149,355 |92,331 |3,203 |110,390 |66,744
North West (including Cumbria) |5,364 |125,478 |77,570 |4,347 |104,706 |63,307
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
England |34,545 |1,365,845 |844,365 |25,740 |1,042,721 |630,450
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£ thousands
July to September October to
1990 December 1990
DOE regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices
|of sales |of sales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |2,155 |50,270 |29,549 |1,828 |47,086 |27,399
Yorkshire and Humberside |2,446 |69,326 |40,751 |2,309 |65,553 |38,145
East Midlands |1,095 |38,966 |22,905 |984 |33,740 |19,633
Eastern |1,630 |86,420 |50,799 |1,574 |83,715 |48,713
London Boroughs |4,926 |311,363 |183,022 |4,581 |301,318 |175,334
South East |1,473 |86,096 |50,608 |1,252 |74,669 |43,449
South West |1,002 |46,590 |27,386 |904 |40,946 |23,826
West Midlands |2,564 |89,846 |52,812 |1,951 |66,297 |38,578
North West (including Cumbria) |3,395 |86,399 |50,786 |3,255 |83,722 |48,717
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |20,686 |865,276 |508,618 |18,638 |797,046 |463,793
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January to March April to June
1991 1991 (Provisional)
DOE regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices
|of sales |of sales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |1,553 |37,956 |21,821 |1,315 |35,832 |20,038
Yorkshire and Humberside |2,080 |60,829 |34,971 |1,299 |38,779 |21,686
East Midlands |768 |28,154 |16,186 |707 |25,529 |14,276
Eastern |1,367 |69,156 |39,759 |1,236 |64,318 |35,967
London Boroughs |4,107 |250,770 |144,170 |3,021 |190,697 |106,640
South East |1,333 |74,395 |42,771 |1,220 |67,599 |37,802
South West |797 |37,310 |21,450 |722 |32,638 |18,251
West Midlands |1,751 |63,950 |36,765 |1,416 |48,494 |27,118
North West (including Cumbria) |2,593 |69,743 |40,096 |1,832 |53,393 |29,858
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |16,349 |692,263 |397,989 |12,768 |557,279 |311,636
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July to September October to
1991 (provisional) December 1991
(provisional)
DOE regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices
|of sales |of sales
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |1,407 |38,414 |21,218 |1,306 |35,140 |19,198
Yorkshire and Humberside |1,338 |41,953 |23,172 |1,162 |38,943 |21,276
East Midlands |904 |32,603 |18,008 |807 |28,800 |15,734
Eastern |1,417 |73,907 |40,822 |1,244 |66,829 |36,511
London Boroughs |2,781 |174,979 |96,648 |2,845 |172,056 |93,999
South East |1,388 |79,219 |43,756 |1,270 |69,120 |37,762
South West |853 |38,310 |21,160 |876 |37,592 |20,538
West Midlands |1,511 |54,749 |30,240 |1,336 |52,798 |28,845
North West (including Cumbria) |1,759 |54,049 |29,853 |1,848 |50,124 |27,384
|------- |ngland |13,358 |588,183 |324,877 |12,694 |551,402 |301,247
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January to March April to June
1992 (provisional) 1992 (provisional)
DOE regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted value|Value 1981 prices
|of sales |of sales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |1,510 |39,748 |21,445 |1,067 |30,212 |16,012
Yorkshire and Humberside |1,289 |41,801 |22,552 |990 |32,787 |17,376
East Midlands |815 |28,390 |15,317 |697 |24,974 |13,236
Eastern |1,331 |66,021 |35,620 |1,143 |56,156 |29,762
London Boroughs |2,651 |178,011 |96,040 |2,310 |126,305 |66,939
South East |1,192 |63,770 |34,405 |1,055 |56,051 |29,706
South West |767 |35,710 |19,266 |733 |31,365 |16,623
West Midlands |1,317 |51,366 |27,713 |1,056 |37,963 |20,120
North West (including Cumbria) |1,617 |50,080 |27,019 |1,287 |40,205 |21,308
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |12,489 |554,897 |299,378 |10,338 |436,018 |231,081
Fire and Civil Defence Authorities
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the standard spending assessment element for fire and civil defence for each county council and metropolitan fire and civil defence authority in England in each year since 1983-84 ; and what are the figures for 1993-94.
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Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 1 December 1992] : Standard spending assessments were first introduced for the settlement year 1990-91 as a replacement for grant related expenditure assessments. The SSA elements for fire and civil defence for each county council and metropolitan fire and civil defence authority in England are shown in table 2 of the SSA handbooks for 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93, all of which are in the Library. The provisional figures for 1993-94 are given in the table.
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|c|1993-94 Provisional SSA Elements for Fire and Civil Defence|c|
Authority |£ million
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greater Manchester Fire and Civil Defence Authority |70.787
Merseyside Fire and Civil Defence Authority |47.118
South Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority |28.117
Tyne and Wear Fire and Civil Defence Authority |34.449
West Midlands Fire and Civil Defence Authority |67.514
West Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority |49.002
London Fire and Civil Defence Authority |242.568
Isles of Scilly |0.053
Avon county council |20.473
Bedfordshire county council |11.073
Berkshire county council |16.601
Buckinghamshire county council |12.360
Cambridgeshire county council |12.039
Cheshire county council |20.103
Cleveland county council |19.464
Cornwall county council |7.181
Cumbria county council |8.753
Derbyshire county council |17.067
Devon county council |19.557
Dorset county council |12.065
Durham county council |12.973
East Sussex county council |14.891
Essex county council |31.445
Gloucestershire county council |9.605
Hampshire county council |31.585
Hereford and Worcester county council |12.116
Hertfordshire county council |20.328
Humberside county council |21.322
Isle of Wight county council |2.229
Kent county council |30.998
Lancashire county council |32,276
Leicestershire county council |16.924
Lincolnshire county council |9.583
Norfolk county council |13.010
Northamptonshire county council |11.260
Northumberland county council |5.823
North Yorkshire county council |12.001
Nottinghamshire county council |21.087
Oxfordshire county council |11.284
Shropshire county council |7.839
Somerset county council |7.693
Staffordshire county council |19.345
Suffolk county council |11.023
Surrey county council |22.133
Warwickshire county council |8.993
West Sussex county council |14.836
Wiltshire county council |10.054
|-------
Total England |1,139.000
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the actual expenditure on fire and civil defence services by each county council and metropolitan fire and civil defence authority in England for each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 1 December 1992] : I have arranged for the information to be placed in the Library of the House.
Opencast Mining
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning appeals for opencast coal sites his office has dealt with in each year since 1983-84 and from 1 April to 30 September 1992 ; how many were approved and refused each year ; what extent of land and volume of coal were approved and disapproved each year ; how many appeals are outstanding ; and what extent of land and volume of coal these involve.
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Mr. Baldry [holding answer 1 December 1992] : Information on planning appeals involving opencast coal extraction between 1983-84 and 1986-87 is not available. The outcome of appeals determined between 1987-88 and 30 September is given in the table.
|c|Planning appeal decisions for opencast coal sites|c|
|Appeals decided |Appeals allowed |Appeals dismissed
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |15 |7 |8
1988-89 |16 |8 |8
1989-90 |16 |8 |8
1990-91 |18 |9 |9
1991-92 |8 |7 |1
To 30 September 1992 |5 |3 |2
At 30 November 1992 there are 14 appeals involving opencast coal extraction before the Secretary of State.
Information on the extent of land and the volume of coal approved and disapproved is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
British Waterways
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Waterways ; and what matters will be discussed.
Mr. Maclean : Ministers have had a number of meetings in recent months with the chairman of British Waterways, at which among other things matters of strategic policy and board appointments have been discussed. But the Secretary of State has at present no plans to meet him.
Multilateral Fund
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution Her Majesty's Government has made to the interim multilateral fund to assist the developing nations to phase out CFCs ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I have been asked to reply. We have paid the equivalent of US$3.443 million to the interim fund which meets the United Kingdom's full share of approved projects and support costs up to June 1992. We are firmly committed to providing the remainder of our share of the US$240 million fund.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the current value to the Legal Aid Board, at 1992 prices, of those statutory charges placed on homes as a consequence of civil legal aid proceedings ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John M. Taylor : As at 31 March 1992--which is the most recent date for which a total figure is available--the value to the Legal Aid Board of charges placed on property as a consequence of civil legal aid proceedings was £86 million.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the changes in civil legal aid eligibility on (a) the numbers
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who will take legal action and (b) the access to legal representation and its quality of those client groups no longer financially eligible for legal aid ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. John M. Taylor : I estimate that the number of civil legal aid bills paid will rise from around 298,000 in 1992-93 to around 327,000 in 1995-96. Legal services for those outside the legal aid scheme will continue to be available from lawyers in private practice and from other sources.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations he has had with (a) the Law Society and (b) the Law Centres Federation concerning the impact of changes in the legal aid system on the numbers eligible for legal aid.
Mr. John M. Taylor : My Department regularly discusses a range of issues relating to legal aid with both the Law Society and the Law Centres Federation. I am always open to receive representations on any matter.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the impact of his amended eligibility criteria for legal aid on applications for legal advice under the green form scheme and private medical examinations for appellants against refusal of invalidity care allowance, attendance allowance, mobility allowance and disability living allowance.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The changes announced on 12 November do not affect the type of work that can be done under the green form scheme. Those people receiving income support or with incomes at income support level will be unaffected by the changes. This will mean that around 21 per cent. of households will be eligible for advice under the green form scheme. People with incomes above income support level will in future be unable to receive help under the green form scheme. However, the average green form bill in the last financial year was £82 and it is not unreasonable to expect them to meet costs of this order.
Guildford Four
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what public interest immunity certificates he has signed in relation to documents provided by his Department to Sir John May's inquiry.
Privity of Contract
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Government have to reform the law on the privity of contract principle.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lord Chancellor is actively considering the recommendations of the Law Commission on this subject-- "Landlord and Tenant Law : Privity of Contract and Estate" --Law Com. No. 74--and hopes to be able to make an announcement about it in the near future.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will carry out a survey
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into how many tenants are estimated to be facing bills for back rent because of default by their successors to whom they had assigned leases.Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lord Chancellor has no plans to carry out such a survey, but he takes careful note of the representations he receives from former tenants and from landlords in relation to the operation of the doctrine of privity of contract.
WALES
Sheltered Housing
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the funding of the warden service in sheltered housing after 1994 ; and what is his estimate of the number of wardens employed by health and social services authorities in sheltered housing.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : A Court of Appeal judgment cast doubt on housing authorities' powers to provide care services and charge their costs to the housing revenue account. To avoid the risk of disruption to these important services, the Government are seeking powers in the Housing and Urban Development Bill to regularise housing authorities' practices in connection with these services.
The Government's policy is that the housing revenue account should be a landlord account. We therefore propose that these new powers would be temporary. However, before any decisions are taken about the timing of any change in the arrangements, about how the services would be provided thereafter, or about how their costs would be accounted for, there will be full consultation with all parties in the new year. When considering how best to implement any new arrangements, we shall consider all the financial and administrative issues to ensure that support continues to be available for those who need it. Information on the number of wardens in local authority sheltered accommodation is not held centrally.
Training Schemes
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many young people in south Glamorgan are currently on waiting lists for youth training schemes.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information is not available in the form requested.
However, as at 12 November 1992, of the number of young people in south Glamorgan registered for employment or training with the careers service, 228 were reported to be seeking entry or re-entry to youth training. This figure includes young people still receiving guidance as well as those already under submission to training schemes.
St. Mary's Hospital, South Glamorgan
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what requirements he has imposed on South Glamorgan health authority and Llandough hospital unit for public consultation before any plan to close St. Mary's day hospital is implemented.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Welsh Office guidance requires health authorities to discuss service changes with
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community health councils, prior to taking a view on whether those changes are substantial and therefore subject to formal consultation procedures.Pit Closures
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 16 November, Official Report, column 91, if the Mid Glamorgan, West Wales and Clwyd training and enterprise councils have completed their action plans for local job creation in the areas affected by the Taff Merthyr, Betws and Point of Ayr collieries ; if he has considered their contents ; if he will place a copy of each plan and any written response he has made to them in the Library ; and if the £4.8 million he has allocated for employment and training in these areas is drawn from the £75 million allocated for this purpose by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
Mr. David Hunt : The Mid Glamorgan, West Wales and North East Wales TECs have now submitted action plans proposing initiatives which could be taken in their respective areas. These plans are currently being finalised in discussion with my officials and I will announce my proposals as soon as possible.
Of the allocation of £4.8 million which I have already announced, £2.8 million is included in the £75 million announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 30 November to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West, relating to the auditing arrangements of the Cardiff Bay development corporation, on what date he expects to complete the amendment to the financial memorandum ; and if he will place a copy of the amendment in the Library.
Mr. David Hunt : My officials wrote to the corporation yesterday with the amendment to the financial memorandum. I have placed a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Performance-related Pay
Mr. Bennett : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in the Treasury at principal grade and above are in receipt of performance- related pay by grade ; and what is the total cost of performance-related pay for these grades in the Treasury.
Mr. Nelson : In total some 116 people at grade 7--principal--and above are in receipt of performance-related pay. The total cost of performance-related pay for these grades in 1992-93 is estimated at £270,000. The numbers of staff in each grade are as follows :