HC Deb 29 April 1985 vol 78 cc32-5W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list all the applications under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act which were outstanding on 25 April and the date on which the applications had been received;

(2) if he will list each consent applied for under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act by the Greater London council and each of the metropolitan county councils and give the date the application was made, together, where appropriate, with the date on which consent was granted;

(3) how many staff are employed, and what are their grades, by his Department to process consent applications under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act.

Mr. Waldegrave

I shall reply shortly.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received relating to section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act.

Mr. Waldegrave

Numerous representations have been received, not all of which were relevant to the determination of particular applications for consent.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about delays in granting consent for applications received under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984.

Mr. Waldegrave

All applications are considered carefully and expeditiously on their individual merits.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from prospective purchasers of properties requiring consent under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984.

Mr. Waldegrave

Numerous representations have been received. Many involved transactions for which no application for consent had been received from the authority concerned.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to ensure that all consent applications under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 are processed within one month of submission.

Mr. Waldegrave

Sufficient to ensure that all applications are considered expeditiously on their individual merits.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many consent applications under

Number of applications by value (£)
Authority Not specified Under £100 £100 to £999 £1,000 to £9,999 £10,000 to £99,999 £100,000 to £1 million Over £1 million
Greater London council 365 190 213 648 450 60 5
Greater Manchester county council 38 97 103 181 123 8 —
Inner London education authority 180 527 — — — — —
Merseyside county council 57 34 30 51 7 4 —
South Yorkshire county council 105 109 68 116 36 2 —
Tyne and Wear county council 3 20 17 64 22 1 —
West Midlands county council 36 114 51 180 121 7 1
West Yorkshire county council 64 32 26 59 34 3 —
All Authorities 848 1,123 508 1,299 793 85 6

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many consent applications under each of section 7, section 8 and section 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act have been refused for each of the metropolitan county councils, the Greater London council and the Inner London education authority.

Mr. Waldegrave

None, but consent has been withheld in some cases pending receipt of further information or assurances from the applicant authority.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the longest period for which a case submitted under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act remained with his Department before consent was given.

Mr. Waldegrave

137 days.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many consent applications citing clause 89 of the Local Government Bill have been received from each of the metropolitan county councils, the Greater London council and the Inner London education authority;

sections 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 submitted by the Greater London council before 1 February 1984 are still awaiting written consent.

Mr. Waldegrave

Three. In each case the delay is due to the GLC's failure to supply further information requested to enable proper consideration to be given to the application.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many consent applications under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act are still being considered by his Department.

Mr. Waldegrave

1,065.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many consent applications for the Greater London council and each of the metropolitan county councils under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act were for a value of less than (a) £100, (b) between £100 and £1,000, (c) between £1,000 and £10,000, (d) between £10,000 and £100,000, (e) between £100,000 and £1 million and (f) over £1 million, respectively.

Mr. Waldegrave

Financial considerations are riot always a material factor in determining applications under the Act and such details have not been supplied or sought in every case. The information requested is as follows:

(2) how many consent applications have been received under section 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act from each of the metropolitan county councils, the Greater London council and the Inner London education authority;

(3) how many consent applications have been received under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act from each of the metropolitan county councils, the Greater London council and the Inner London education authority;

(4) how many consent applications have been received under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim. Provisions) Act from each of the metropolitan county councils and the Greater London council;

(5) how many consent applications citing clause 90 of the Local Government Bill have been received from each of the metropolitan county councils, the Greater London council and the Inner London education authority.

Mr. Waldegrave

Details are set out in the table.

Number of Applications received up to 25 April 1985
Authority Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 Local Government Bill Total
Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Clause 89 Clause 90
GLC 140 1,931 195 10 21 2,297
Greater Manchester 16 550 94 5 11 676
ILEA 24 707 13 — — 744
Merseyside 10 183 29 — 2 224
South Yorkshire 13 436 105 — 44 598
Tyne and Wear 364 127 45 1 — 537
West Midlands 46 510 107 — 5 668
West Yorkshire 12 218 45 — — 275
Total 625 4,662 633 16 83 6,019

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to reach a decision on the application for consent under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act in respect of the women's peace bus;

(2) when he exects to reach a decision on the application for consent under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act in respect of the London lesbian and gay centre;

(3) when he expects to reach a decision on the application for consent under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act in respect of Interights;

(4) when he expects to reach a decision on the application for consent in respect of Spare Rib under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act;

(5) when he expects to reach a decision on the application for consent under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act in respect of Searchlight.

Mr. Waldegrave

As soon as possible.