House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 May 2000 (pt 1)

Written Answers to Questions

Friday 12 May 2000

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Housing Improvement Agencies

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 30 March 2000, Official Report, column 228W, on housing improvement agencies, what previous experience Collective Enterprises Ltd. has had in administering Government grants; and on what basis he determined that CEL possessed (a) broad-based expertise in housing and care issues, (b) the capacity to support individual agencies and their managing agents across England and (c) the ability to deliver services from a position of independence and impartiality. [121844]

Mr. Mullin: Officials of my Department and the Department of Health evaluated the tenders received from Care and Repair England Ltd. and Collective Enterprises Ltd. (CEL) against a range of criteria, including those mentioned by the hon. Member, and recommended that CEL's tender as a whole offered a more effective approach to the delivery of the requirements of the national co-ordinating role. My Department's contract with CEL does not require them to administer the system of grants to individual home improvement agencies.

Environment Agency

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what the average fine imposed on businesses prosecuted by the Environment Agency was in each of the last three years; [121843]

Mr. Mullin: The Environment Agency publishes prosecution statistics in its annual reports. Although these figures do not distinguish between companies and individuals, and it would cause disproportionate cost to do so here, most prosecutions are against businesses. The 1999-2000 annual report will be laid before Parliament in July. Figures for the previous two years are as follows.

Function/year Number of prosecutions Average fine (£)

Water Quality

1997-98 222 4,258

1998-99 258 (1)6,157

Waste

1997-98 313 1,999

1998-99 301 1,060

Integrated Pollution Control

1997-98 12 18,375

1998-99 16 11,000

Radioactive Substances

1997-98 3 11,000

1998-99 3 37,666

Water Resources

1997-98 17 4,576

1998-99 21 2,159

Flood Defence

1997-98 1 2,850

1998-99 4 1,387

Navigation

1997-98 31 118

1998-99 43 162

Function/year	Number of prosecutions	Average fine (£)
Water Quality
1997-98	222	4,258
1998-99	258	(1)6,157

Waste
1997-98	313	1,999
1998-99	301	1,060

Integrated Pollution Control
1997-98	12	18,375
1998-99	16	11,000

Radioactive Substances
1997-98	3	11,000
1998-99	3	37,666

Water Resources
1997-98	17	4,576
1998-99	21	2,159

Flood Defence
1997-98	1	2,850
1998-99	4	1,387

Navigation
1997-98	31	118
1998-99	43	162

(1) The average fines for Water Quality offences in 1998-99 has been adjusted to reflect the reduction in the amount the Milford Haven Harbour Authority was fined for its part in the Sea Empress disaster. On appeal the fine was reduced from £4 million to £750,000.

12 May 2000 : Column: 482W

Urban Design

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish good practice guidance on urban design in the planning system. [122345]

Mr. Raynsford: The good practice guidance we have prepared in partnership with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment will be published on Monday 15 May. Copies of "By Design. Urban design in the Planning System; towards better practice" will be placed in the Library of the House.

"By Design" will form a key part of the Government's strategy for promoting better urban design in the planning and development system. It provides sound, practical advice on how to implement the Government's commitment to good design as set out in Planning Policy Guidance, in particular PPG1 "General Policy and Principles" and PPG3 "Housing". It also reinforces the call in the Urban Task Force's report "Towards an Urban Renaissance" for earlier, greater and better-informed attention to urban design.

Regional Development Agencies

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the total budget is for each of the regional development agencies for 2000-01; and if he will break it down in each case by programme. [122460]

Ms Armstrong: The budgets of the regional development agencies for 2000-01 are as follows.

NE NW YH EM WM E SE SW Total

Administration 9,713 12,334 8,284 7,158 7,732 4,805 5,737 7,586 63,349

Land and Property 15,930 8,180 13,370 8,250 6,990 2,000 3,200 19,400 77,320

Partnership Investment Programme 21,960 72,680 20,000 18,200 13,410 6,500 12,500 11,800 177,050

Single Regeneration Budget 93,500 140,900 127,700 37,700 86,400 18,400 47,200 23,700 575,500

Rural Development 2,859 1,283 3,375 3,381 1,883 3,100 1,799 7,023 24,703

Skills Development Fund 2,305 6,027 4,400 3,623 4,969 4,242 5,929 3,679 35,174

Skills Administration 186 294 241 215 257 233 290 233 1,949

Inward Investment 1,715 1,443 1,465 1,064 1,389 965 965 1,554 10,560

Competitiveness Development Fund 440 440 440 440 440 440 444 444 3,528

Clusters 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 12,000

Gross Total 150,108 245,081 180,775 81,531 124,970 42,185 79,564 76,919 981,133

Land and Property -15,770 -14,670 -8,800 -9,100 -4,000 -650 -3,500 -14,950 -71,440

PIP receipts -5,830 -21,190 -2,000 -2,700 -6,000 -150 -4,000 -1,950 -43,820

Rural Development -236 -270 -453 -590 -183 -145 -142 -575 -2,594

Other Current -13,920 -11,468 -5,335 -2,048 -1,395 -418 0 -3,416 -38,000

Total Receipts -35,756 -47,598 -16,588 -14,438 -11,578 -1,363 -7,642 -20,891 -155,854

Net Total 114,352 197,483 164,187 67,093 113,392 40,822 71,922 56,028 825,279

	NE	NW	YH	EM	WM	E	SE	SW	Total
Administration	9,713	12,334	8,284	7,158	7,732	4,805	5,737	7,586	63,349
Land and Property	15,930	8,180	13,370	8,250	6,990	2,000	3,200	19,400	77,320
Partnership Investment Programme	21,960	72,680	20,000	18,200	13,410	6,500	12,500	11,800	177,050
Single Regeneration Budget	93,500	140,900	127,700	37,700	86,400	18,400	47,200	23,700	575,500
Rural Development	2,859	1,283	3,375	3,381	1,883	3,100	1,799	7,023	24,703
Skills Development Fund	2,305	6,027	4,400	3,623	4,969	4,242	5,929	3,679	35,174
Skills Administration	186	294	241	215	257	233	290	233	1,949
Inward Investment	1,715	1,443	1,465	1,064	1,389	965	965	1,554	10,560
Competitiveness Development Fund	440	440	440	440	440	440	444	444	3,528
Clusters	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,500	12,000

Gross Total	150,108	245,081	180,775	81,531	124,970	42,185	79,564	76,919	981,133

Land and Property	-15,770	-14,670	-8,800	-9,100	-4,000	-650	-3,500	-14,950	-71,440
PIP receipts	-5,830	-21,190	-2,000	-2,700	-6,000	-150	-4,000	-1,950	-43,820
Rural Development	-236	-270	-453	-590	-183	-145	-142	-575	-2,594
Other Current	-13,920	-11,468	-5,335	-2,048	-1,395	-418	0	-3,416	-38,000
Total Receipts	-35,756	-47,598	-16,588	-14,438	-11,578	-1,363	-7,642	-20,891	-155,854

Net Total	114,352	197,483	164,187	67,093	113,392	40,822	71,922	56,028	825,279

12 May 2000 : Column: 483W

Rail Schemes

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his policy is on checking the reliability of privately-produced studies of proposed rail schemes, with particular reference to Virgin Trains' commercial study of electrification of the North Wales main line. [121839]

Mr. Hill: The Franchising Director would normally verify the accuracy of any privately produced railway study, using external consultants where necessary. Virgin Trains' study was presented to the former Office of Passenger Rail Franchising (now the shadow Strategic Rail Authority), and the Franchising Director judged its conclusions to be valid, having considered it in line with the organisation's process of due diligence.

Departmental Inquiries

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 18 April 2000, Official Report, column 444W, which of the reviews, public inquiries and commissions of inquiry listed have been carried out by paid appointees; who are the paid appointees; and what is their level of remuneration. [121845]

Ms Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

London Underground

Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on (a) train, (b) signal and (c) track failures in each financial year since 1994-95 for each line of the London Underground and the cumulative figures for all lines. [119670]

Mr. Hill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to his earlier question on 21 December 1999, Official Report, column 523-24W. London Underground has provided the figures for the extra years which have been requested and these are included in the table, along with the figures for the full year 1999-2000.

12 May 2000 : Column: 484W

Service disruption due to failures in:

Trains Signal/points Other track

1994-95 16,126 2,349 659

1995-96 15,102 2,494 959

1996-97 14,873 2,323 1,007

1997-98 18,088 2,827 907

1998-99 20,159 2,756 869

1999-2000 16,216 2,626 909

	Service disruption due to failures in:
	Trains	Signal/points	Other track
1994-95	16,126	2,349	659
1995-96	15,102	2,494	959
1996-97	14,873	2,323	1,007
1997-98	18,088	2,827	907
1998-99	20,159	2,756	869
1999-2000	16,216	2,626	909

These figures show a significant reduction in train failures in 1999-2000 compared with the previous year. This is attributable to the new or refurbished stock now available on the Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines. The reduction of signal or points failure in 1999-2000 compared with the two previous years reflects investment and maintenance work enabled by the additional funding provided by the Government.

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