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BSE
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research he has evaluated into the presence of the BSE prion in water samples. [33770]
Angela Eagle:
The Environment Agency is responsible for the regulation of waste disposal in England and Wales. Last year the Environment Agency published a number of quantitative assessments of the risks to public health from BSE via environmental pathways. This included the risk of the infective agent being ingested via drinking water. It was concluded that the risk to human health was very low, negligible compared to other risks in daily life. The reports, which were published on 25 June 1997 incorporated expert advice from the Government's independent advisory committee, the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), were
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commissioned by the Agency and undertaken by Det Norse Veritas (DNV), an independent specialist risk assessment consultancy.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the cost to public funds to date of the Terminal 5 Inquiry. [35307]
Mr. Caborn:
The estimated cost to date of the Terminal 5 Inquiry to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, including its agencies, is £8 million. It is estimated that the local authorities involved in the Inquiry have spent about £7 million so far.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to visit the headquarters of the Planning Inspectorate. [35308]
Mr. Caborn:
I will be visiting the Planning Inspectorate on Wednesday 17 June 1998.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards planning gain. [35306]
Mr. Caborn:
The policy on planning gain is set out in DOE Circular 1/97. This states that, where appropriate, local planning authorities may seek to enter into planning obligations with a developer regarding the use of the land concerned or other land or buildings, provided all the policy tests are met.
In accordance with the Modernising Planning initiative I announced in January, seminars will be held shortly with a number of stakeholders in the planning system to encourage debate on the current use of planning obligations.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many call-ins he is currently considering. [35305]
Mr. Caborn:
There are currently 31 call-ins under consideration following receipt of the Inspector's report in each case.
Mr. Heppell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the names of the local authorities to be included in the programme for housing transfers by councils in 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [35690]
Ms Armstrong:
I am today announcing the names of the twenty three authorities which will be able to proceed, on a voluntary basis and subject to the approval of their tenants, with proposals to carry out 28 transfers of all or part of their housing stock to Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) in 1998/99. The programme will involve over
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85,000 dwellings in large scale voluntary transfers, generating capital receipts of over £482 million. Sixteen of the transfers will be supported by Estates Renewal Challenge Funding.
This reflects the Government's commitment to a continuing programme of transfers as a means of generating private finance to repair and improve the condition of social housing.
The authorities who have successfully gained a place on the programme, together with the intended recipient RSL, are as follows:
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Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has for a replacement for City Challenge. [35310]
Angela Eagle:
The Government will be considering in the light of the Regeneration Comprehensive Spending Review and the consultation on their paper 'Regeneration--the Way Forward', issued in November 1997, how to take forward the development of regeneration policy. In practice, the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) Challenge Fund has already carried forward the principles of City Challenge. The results of the fourth round of the SRB Challenge Fund are expected to be announced shortly.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received from local councils concerning the last local government settlement. [35309]
Ms Armstrong:
The Department received 406 written representations within the deadline for responses. I, and other Ministers at the Department, also met delegations from 95 local authorities and one special interest group during the consultation period. We then met the Local Government Association and the Association of London Government.
(a) disposals by Allerdale Borough Council of not more than 3,899 dwelling-houses to Derwent and Solway Housing Association and not more than 1,002 dwelling-houses on the Salterbeck estate to Impact Housing Association;
(b) a disposal by Bath and North East Somerset Council of not more than 10,200 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(c) a disposal by Birmingham City Council of not more than 2,643 dwelling-houses on the Central Area estate to a registered social landlord;
(d) a disposal by Bradford City Council of not more than 598 dwelling-houses on the Thorpe Edge estate to a registered social landlord;
(e) a disposal by East Lindsey District Council of not more than 5,179 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(f) a disposal by London Borough of Greenwich of not more than 1,246 dwelling-houses on the Charlton Triangle estate to a registered social landlord;
(g) disposals by London Borough of Hackney of not more than 1,157 dwelling-houses on the Morningside estate to Sanctuary Housing, not more than 661 dwelling-houses on the Haggerston estate to Metropolitan Housing Trust and Community Housing Association and not more than 1,000 dwelling-houses on the Upper Clapton estate to Clapton Community Consortium;
(h) a disposal by London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham of not more than 703 dwelling-houses on the Old Oak estate to Family Housing Association;
(i) a disposal by London Borough of Lambeth of not more than 681 dwellings on the Lansdowne Green estate to South London Family Housing Association;
(j) disposals by Liverpool City Council of not more than 800 dwelling-houses on the Pinehurst estate to CDS Housing;
(k) disposals by Manchester City Council of not more than 1,272 dwelling-houses on the Darnhill estate to Guiness Trust and not more than 6,900 dwelling-houses on the East Wythenshawe estate to Willow Part Trust;
(l) a disposal by Rother District Council of not more than 3,180 dwelling-houses to Rother Homes, a subsidiary of South London Family Housing Association;
(m) a disposal by St. Helens Borough Council of not more than 789 dwelling-houses on the Wargrave estate to Wargrave Community Housing Association;
(n) a disposal by South Hams District Council of not more than 3,212 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(o) a disposal by South Somerset District Council of not more than 9,133 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(p) a disposal by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council of not more than 904 dwelling-houses on the West Ashton estate to West Ashton Pioneer Homes;
(q) a disposal by Tewkesbury Borough Council of not more than 3,105 dwelling-houses to Severn Vale Housing Society;
(r) a disposal by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets of not more than 2,887 dwelling-houses on the Poplar estates to Poplar Housing and Regeneration Community Association;
and not more than 2,322 dwelling-houses on the Cityside estates to Cityside Housing and Regeneration Community Association;
(s) a disposal by West Devon Borough Council of not more than 1,439 dwelling-houses to West Devon Homes;
(t) a disposal by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council of not more than 1,108 dwelling-houses of the Leasowe estate to Leasowe Community Homes, a subsidiary of Liver Housing Association;
(u) a disposal by Wokingham Borough Council of not more than 3,101 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(v) a disposal by Worthing Borough Council of not more than 2,579 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(w) a disposal by Wrekin District Council of not more than 13,495 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord.
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