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Written Answers
Wednesday, 18th July 2001.
Radon
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they have taken to encourage householders to reduce their exposure to radon; whether they are considering any further action; and how many households are thought to be at risk. [HL157]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): Successive governments have carried out campaigns since 1987 to encourage householders who may be at risk from radon to reduce their exposure. By 1998 every home in England with a greater than 5 per cent probability of being above the radon "Action Level" had been offered a government-funded radon test. Approximately 400,000 measurements have been carried out in total, and 40,000 homes found to be above the Action Level. In July 2000 my right honourable friend the Minister for Environment (Mr Michael Meacher) announced a new radon programme. The department is working in partnership with 31 local authorities over a two to three-year period to encourage householders to carry out remedial work to reduce radon concentrations where these are found to be above the Action Level. This follows successful pilot studies carried out in conjunction with three local authorities. The National Radiological Protection Board has calculated that around 100,000 homes will be above the Action Level throughout the UK.
Pesticides Safety Directorate: Annual Report
Lord Blease asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the 2000-01 Annual Report for the Pesticides Safety Directorate. [HL405]
Lord Whitty: The 2000-01 Annual Report and Accounts for the Pesticides Safety Directorate were laid before Parliament yesterday. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000: Implementation
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list those sections of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 under which they intend to lay regulations; and[HL225]
Whether they will list the consultation papers which they have so far issued on proposals to make regulations under the Countryside and Rights of
- Way Act 2000; the dates by which comments were sought; and the expected dates for laying regulations in each case; and[HL226]
Whether they will set out their future timetable for issuing consultation papers on regulations under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.[HL227]
Lord Whitty: We intend to lay regulations under the following sections of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
| Section 11: | Mapping of access land and consultation on draft maps. Issue of provisional maps, appeals, and issue of conclusive maps. Review of conclusive maps. |
| Section 16: | Dedication of land for access. |
| Section 31: | Exclusion of access in emergencies. |
| Section 32: | Exclusion or restriction of access under Chapter II, including appeals. |
| Section 38: | Appeals relating to notices. |
| Paragraph 7 of Schedule 2: | Removal or relaxation of restrictions on access land. |
| Section 51 & Schedule 5: | Regulations relating to definitive maps and statements; Provision for a later cut-off date for recording byways open to all traffic on definitive maps. Transitional provisions. |
| Section 52: | Application of highways provisions to restricted byways, with or without modifications. |
| Section 54: | Provision for excepted highways at the cut-off date. |
| Section 56: | Provision for a later cut-off date, and transitional provisions. |
| Section 57 & Schedule 6: | Various provisions relating to the creation, stopping up and diversion of highways; deemed dedication registers. |
| Section 61: | Consultation with additional persons in relation to rights of way improvement plans. |
| Section 63: | Procedures for removal of obstructions. |
| Section 67 & Schedule 7: | Additional circumstances in which a defence may be offered to a charge under section 34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. |
| Section 68: | Vehicular access across common land. |
| Section 71: | Requirement for local highway authorities to publish reports on the performance of specified functions. |
| Sections 94 & 95: | Establishment of local access forums and the appointment of members. |
| Section 98: | Town and village greens. |
| Paragraph 11 of Schedule 11: | Appeals in relation to Sites of Special Scientific Interest. |
We shall review the case for regulations under Section 42 of the Act before general implementation of the right of access. In addition, a number of planning authorities for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have approached my department with proposals to create conservation boards under Part IV, Section 88 of the Act. We are considering these proposals and may in time propose regulations to implement them.
Two consultation papers have been issued to date on proposals to make regulations under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000: Proposals for regulations on draft maps under section 11 of the
Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000, for which the consultation period ended on 20 June 2001 and our provisional target date for laying regulations is October 2001; and Sites of Special Scientific Interest Appeals Regulations, for which the consultation period closes on 23 August 2001. We expect to lay those regulations before Parliament in the autumn.The provisional timetable for consultation on and bringing into force regulations under Parts I and II of the Act is as follows: Part I
| Regulation | Section | Consultation commenced | Date regulations in force |
| Mapping of access land and consultation on draft maps | Section 11 | March 2001 | October 2001 |
| Issue of provisional maps, appeals, and issue of conclusive maps | Section 11 | October 2001 | April 2002 |
| Dedication of land for access | Section 16 | October 2001 | March 2002 |
| Exclusion or restriction of access under Chapter II, including appeals | Section 32 | November 2001 | May 2002 |
| Removal or relaxation of restrictions on access land and to exclude access in emergencies | Para 7, Schedule 2; Section 31 | November 2002 | May 2003 |
| Appeals relating to notices | Section 38 | February 2003 | August 2003 |
| Review of conclusive maps | Section 11 | February 2004 | August 2004 |
Part II Our principal objective in respect of Part II of the Act is to complete consultations and to lay the necessary regulations during the year 2002-03.
| Regulation | Section | Consultation |
| Consultation with additional persons in relation to rights of way improvement plans. | Section 61 | October- |
| December 2001 | ||
| Regulations relating to definitive maps and statements. | Section 51 & Schedule 5; | December 2001-February 2002 |
| Form and content of deemed dedication registers. | Section 57 & Paragraph 4 of Schedule 6; | |
| Procedures for removal of obstructions. | Section 63 | |
| Additional circumstances in which a defence may be offered to a charge under s34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. | Section 67 & Schedule 7. | |
| Application of highways provisions to restricted byways, with or without modifications. | Section 52 | February-April 2002 |
| Various provisions relating to the creation, stopping up and diversion of highways. | Section 57 and Schedule 6 | |
| Requirement for local highway authorities to publish reports on the performance of specified functions. | Section 71 | May-July 2002 |
Consultation on proposals for regulations under Section 68 will take place shortly. Laying of draft regulations before Parliament is planned for the autumn. Consultation on proposals for regulations under Sections 94 and 95 will start in July 2001, with a closing date for responses in October 2001 and a provisional target date of December 2001 for bringing the regulations into force. We have no firm dates for the Section 98 regulations, although we hope to go out to public consultation towards the end of the year, and lay draft regulations early in 2002. In the longer term we also plan to introduce regulations under Section 51 and paragraph 4 of Schedule 5, Section 54 and Section 56.
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Lord Burlison asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What targets they have set the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science for 2001-02. [HL404]
Lord Whitty: We have set the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science the following performance targets for 2001-02.
Financial Control To recover from government departments and agencies and external customers the full economic costs of the agency's services.
Efficiency To achieve savings and efficiency gains in a range of key functions.
Quality and Service Delivery To give satisfaction to customers in the way that outputs are provided, as measured by the CEFAS Customer Satisfaction Survey. To make satisfactory progress with the action plan resulting from the 1999-2000 Science Audit. To manage the agency in an effective manner, including pursuit of commercial exploitation of research outputs.
Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the 2000-01 Annual Report and Accounts for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. [HL425]
Lord Whitty: The 2000-01 Annual Report and Accounts for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science were laid before Parliament yesterday. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
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