16 Mar 1998 : Column: 433
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 16 March 1998
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Office Cost Allowance
Mr. Baker: To ask the President of the Council (1) if she will list the hon. Members who (a) retired at the 1997 Dissolution and (b) were defeated in the 1997 general election who have claimed a full year's office cost allowance for 1997-98, broken down by party; [34690]
- (2) if she will list the hon. Members who (a) retired at the 1992 Dissolution and (b) were defeated in the 1992 general election who claimed a full year's office cost allowance for 1992-93, broken down by party. [34689]
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid Board
Mr. Andy King: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the Legal Aid Board's responsibilities when a franchised solicitor is responsible for delays in the proceedings of a case beyond the three-year time limit. [33600]
Mr. Hoon: The Legal Aid Board has no power to investigate allegations of professional negligence in the legal sense. A client can seek redress for loss caused by his/her solicitor's alleged negligence through the courts. The Office for the Supervision of Solicitors (OSS) does not have the power to investigate allegations of negligence. It can, however, refer the client to a solicitor who is a member of the Negligence Panel Scheme for further assistance if the OSS believe there may have been negligence in the client's case.
The Legal Aid Board undertakes audits of a sample of franchisees' files to ensure that the solicitors continue to comply with the requirements of the Franchising Specification. It also investigates any complaints made by clients about the quality of service given by a franchised solicitor.
One of the requirements under the Franchising Specification is a system to maintain a back-up record of key dates relevant to a case. If, during an audit, it was evident that no back up system was in place, the Board would categorise that as a major non compliance.
However, a single incident of a missed time limit would not necessarily lead the Board to conclude that a back-up system was not in place. The Board would investigate all the circumstances before deciding if action was appropriate under the franchise. If appropriate, the Board would require corrective action to be taken within twenty one days. A follow-up audit would be made to ensure that action had been taken. Failure to do so could lead to the
16 Mar 1998 : Column: 434
Board either suspending the contract or terminating it, if necessary, to protect both the client's interests and those of the Legal Aid Fund.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent correspondence his Department's ministers have had with Swedish authorities acting on behalf of the Nordic Council of Environment Ministers concerning radioactive discharges from Sellafield and Dounreay; and what response has been received. [33026]
Mr. Meacher:
Mrs. Anna Lindh, Swedish Minister for the Environment, wrote to me on 27 February in her capacity as Chairperson of the Nordic Council of Environment Ministers, regarding discharges of technetium-99 from Sellafield. She enclosed a copy of a report from the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, entitled "Technetium-99 contamination in the North Sea and in Norwegian coastal areas, 1996 and 1997". I am placing copies of Mrs. Lindh's letter, my reply and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority's report in the Library.
Mr. Tom King:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what timetable he proposes for the revision of planning guidance and the publication of the discussion papers, advice and research referred to in paragraph 93 of "Planning for the Communities of the Future" (Cm 3885). [33825]
Mr. Raynsford:
The Government hope to issue a consultation draft of a revised PPG3 by the summer recess. We hope to publish the discussion paper on regional targets before we consult on the draft revised PPG3. The Department intends to issue a discussion paper on monitoring indicators during the Spring, with a view to incorporating the results in a draft PPG3 which we hope to issue for consultation by the summer recess.
With regard to research, the following timetable applies:
16 Mar 1998 : Column: 435
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what grants will be available to regional development agencies to assist the tourism industry; and what assessment he has made of the level of grants available to Scotland and Wales. [33908]
Angela Eagle:
Government financial support for the tourism industry in England is currently being considered as part of the comprehensive spending review process. Arrangements in Scotland and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will visit the Royal Ordnance site in Euxton, Chorley, to assess its potential for development. [33910]
Mr. Raynsford:
The future of the Royal Ordnance Site is an important matter for Chorley and the North West. However, because of the potential quasi-judicial role of the Secretary of State should any proposal come before him for determination, it would be inappropriate for Ministers to visit at this stage.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set up regional banks to support research and development in industry. [33909]
Angela Eagle:
The Government have no proposals to set up regional banks. However, Regional Development Agencies will be responsible for promoting competitiveness and exchange of best practice, including technology transfer, from innovative companies and higher education to the wider business community.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Integrated Transport White Paper will include specific targets for improving the environment around airports, with particular reference to the impact of noise and congestion; and if he will make a statement. [34115]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Integrated Transport White Paper will set the framework within which detailed policies will be developed and implemented in due course.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what factors underlie the number of emergency take-offs and landings at Heathrow during the past three years; and what assessment he has made of the public safety implications of trends in these figures. [34111]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The number and type of emergency situations declared by pilots of aircraft landing at or taking off from Heathrow Airport in the last three years are listed in the following table. The majority of these emergencies were declared as a precautionary measure and involved no immediate danger to the aircraft.
16 Mar 1998 : Column: 436
mixed uses and housing in town centres--we hope to let this imminently and to publish by Spring 1999;
density--publication should be by April 1998;
economic instruments--research seminars on planning obligations are to be held shortly and the results will be reported to Ministers thereafter;
land assembly--this issue will be examined as part of two projects--the mixed use one mentioned above and a project on land pooling which we hope to commission in April;
land use database--the first stage of this, incorporating a national assessment of previously developed land and buildings available for housing, will be available by January 1999. A timetable for the remaining stages, extending the database to other land uses, will be clarified over the course of the coming year.
| Reason for emergency | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low fuel | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Medical (Passengers and crew) | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Engine problems | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Suspected fires | -- | 3 | -- |
| Mechanical etc. problems | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Burst tyres | -- | 1 | -- |
| Wake vortex encounters | -- | 1 | -- |
| Birdstrikes | -- | -- | 2 |
| Lightening strike | -- | -- | 1 |
| Total | 9 | 19 | 20 |
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he plans to take to strengthen the protection of sites of special scientific interest. [34118]
Angela Eagle: The Government are currently considering how best to improve the protection and management of Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Officials are preparing a consultation paper seeking views.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |