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Regional Development Agencies

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is (a) the annual cost, (b) the number employed and (c) the total expenditure of (i) the integrated regional office and (ii) the regional development agencies in (1) Yorkshire and Humberside, (2) the Northern Region, (3) the North West and (4) all English regions in (A) 1997, (B) 1998 and (C) 1999, respectively. [114903]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The first table shows the Regional Development Agencies' gross expenditure on their administration for the 1998-99 financial year when the agencies were being set up; and their allocations for administration and programmes for 1999-2000 at the start of the financial year. It also shows staff-in-post figures for 1 April and 30 September 1999, the latest data that are available.

The second table shows the relevant data for Government offices. Information on programme expenditure in 1999-2000 is not available yet.

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Regional Development Agencies

	Administration (£000)		Programme (£000)	Staff numbers
	1998-99	1999-2000	1999-2000	1 April 1999	30 September 1999
Yorkshire Forward	403	8,036	152,203	174.5	211
One North East	2,395	9,771	139,039	203	232
North West	327	12,131	212,595	182	199
East Midlands	406	7,155	60,193	107	132
Advantage West Midlands	384	7,678	114,764	118.5	147
East of England	350	4,803	28,957	38	71
South East	411	5,486	82,850	60	95
South West	461	7,488	46,509	143	171
Total (all RDAs)	5,137	62,548	837,110	1,026	1,258

Note:

Staff numbers are full time equivalents except North West RDA which is staff-in-post

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Government Offices

	Running costs (£000)	Programme costs (£000)	Staff numbers
1997-98
GO-NE	8,617	447,900	243
GO-NW	9,443	702,970	244
GO-M	4,200	404,920	113
GO-YH	8,475	575,470	237
GO-WM	9,758	564,720	316
GO-EM	6,436	349,640	191
GO-East	6,271	325,300	162
GO-SW	6,826	308,890	185
GO-SE	8,545	473,120	159
GO-L	13,459	1,057,600	305
GO-total	82,028	5,210,530	2,155
GO-CU	4,356	0
Grand total	86,384	5,210,530
1998-99
GO-NE	8,619	383,660	248
GO-NW	13,702	886,000	365
GO-M	n/a	n/a	n/a
GO-YH	8,683	521,770	241
GO-WM	9,474	535,830	305
GO-EM	6,754	332,590	192
GO-East	6,268	393,900	165
GO-SW	6,985	361,000	186
GO-SE	8,561	495,470	177
GO-L	12,722	1,439,600	311
GO-total	81,769	5,349,820	2,190
GO-CU	3,095	0
Grand total	84,864	5,349,820
1999-2000
GO-NE	8,356	--	234
GO-NW	13,020	--	351
GO-M	n/a	--	n/a
GO-YH	8,878	--	240
GO-WM	9,345	--	239
GO-EM	6,935	--	206
GO-East	6,991	--	165
GO-SW	7,865	--	199
GO-SE	8,657	--	209
GO-L	13,681	--	346
GO-total	83,728		2,189
GO-CU	3,757
Grand total	87,484

Notes:

1. GO-Merseyside and GO-NW merged during 1998-99

2. Running cost figures shown are final out-turns for 1997-98 and 1998-99; and budgets for 1999-2000

3. Programme costs 1997-98 and 1998-99 for GO-WM exclude European Programme payments covering period 1994-99 of total value £627.9m and £762.6m respectively; for 1997-98 GO-L excludes London Transport Funding

4. Staff numbers are staff-in-post averages (not full time equivalents) taken over the course of the year

5. GO-CU is the Government Offices' Central Unit

Aircraft Safety

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will require commercial airlines to make available sufficient leg room to ensure that all passengers can adopt the brace position in the event of an emergency. [114937]

Mr. Mullin: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has set minimum requirements relating to the spacing of passenger seats for aircraft on the UK register. This is

22 Mar 2000 : Column: 542W

because, in the event of an emergency, it is one of a number of factors which can have an effect on the evacuation of an aircraft. We are not aware that any other country has a similar requirement.

The CAA has also conducted extensive research into passenger brace positions and published its preferred brace position in a Notice to Air Operator Certificate Holders in 1993. This requires that the upper body is bent forward as far as possible with the head touching the back of the seat in front. However, it is recognised that there is not a seat pitch at which people from both extremes of the height range will be able to achieve this position. Where the preferred brace position cannot be adopted passengers should adopt a position as close as possible to it as the circumstances allow.

Landfill Tax

Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the return to local authorities of the full value of the Landfill Tax to fund schemes for reduction, re-use and recycling of waste; and if he will make a statement. [114888]

Mr. Mullin: None. The revenue raised from Landfill Tax is general Government revenue, not earmarked for particular purposes.

The local government settlement for 2000-01 provides an additional £2.9 billion (5.8 per cent.) for councils' total revenue spending. The Government are considering the question of resources for local authority waste management as part of the overall year 2000 Spending Review.

Heathrow Slots

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what EU legislation governs the allocation of departure and arrival slots at Heathrow to British airlines which merge with non-EU airlines; and if he will make a statement. [115226]

Mr. Mullin: Slot allocation at Heathrow is governed by EC Regulation 95/93, which was transposed into UK law by the Airports Slot Allocation Regulations 1993 (SI 1993/1067). Under these regulations, an independent co-ordinator has been appointed to allocate slots. He is charged with carrying out his duties in a neutral, transparent and non-discriminatory manner. No account is taken in the slot allocation process of the nationality of applicant airlines. However, European and national competition authorities have in the past had regard to the number of slots that would be controlled by a single operating entity, and any possible resultant detrimental effect on competition, when considering proposed mergers and acquisitions.

Private Zoos

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many private zoos there are in the UK; and how many reported accidents involving (a) animals and keepers and (b) animals and the public resulted in (i) hospitalisation and (ii) death in the last five years. [115118]

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Mr. Mullin: Official statistics about the ownership of zoos are not kept.

The table shows the breakdown of injuries and death in zoos in Great Britain for the years 1994-98. These figures are reported to local authorities under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) and relate to accidents arising out of work activities at zoos.

	Injured by animal
Severity of injury	1994-95	1995-96	1996-97	1997-98	Total
Employees
Fatal	1	--	--	--	1
Major	--	--	--	--	--
Over 3 day	--	2	1	1	4
Member of public
Fatal	--	--	--	--	--
Major	1	--	--	1	2
Total	2	2	1	2	7

Water (Kent)

Mr. Rowe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what forecasts he made of water availability in Kent prior to deciding on the number of new homes to be built in the county. [115338]

Ms Beverley Hughes: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning gave on 13 March 2000, Official Report, column 35W. The Secretary of State has made no decision on the number of new homes to be built in Kent. Details of our proposed changes to regional planning guidance in the South East will be published on 27 March 2000. These will include an illustrative breakdown of housing within the region to county level, including an annual rate of provision for Kent. We will be consulting SERPLAN and others on the distribution of housing within the region. Water availability will be one of the factors to be taken into account.

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