§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the average length of time required to process applications to his Department under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 for each of the metropolitan county councils, Greater London council and the Inner London education authority;
(2) what is the average length of time required to process applications of his Department under section 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 for each of the metropolitan county councils, Greater London council and the Inner London education authority.
§ Sir George YoungThe information requested is a4 follows, as at 31 January 1985.
Time taken to process applications (Median average, days including non-working days) Authority Section 8 Section 9 Greater London council 21 13 Greater Manchester county council 15 18 Inner London education authority 1 11 Merseyside county council 25 14 Tyne and Wear county council 11 18 West Midlands county council 12 20 South Yorkshire county council 22 — West Yorkshire county council 15 17 All authorities 14 15
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the sites submitted under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 have been visited by him.
§ Sir George YoungNone in the course of consideration of applications for consent.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the value of contracts applied for has been under section 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 in total and broken down for each metropolitan county council and the Greater London council.
§ Sir George YoungThe information requested is as follows:
Total value of contracts Authority £ Greater London council 115,131,357 Greater Manchester county council 17,458,658 Inner London education authority 7,860,365 Merseyside county council 4,255,113 South Yorkshire county council *(one contract) Tyne and Wear county council 2,680,968 West Midlands county council 8,993,875 West Yorkshire county council 11,734,939 All authorities 168,115,275 * Not specified
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many consent applications under section 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 have been refused for each of the metropolitan county councils and the Greater London council;
(2) how many consent applications under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 have 38W been refused for each of the metropolitan county councils, the Greater London council and the Inner London education authority.
§ Sir George YoungNone.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many consent applications have been received under section 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 from each of the metropolitan county councils, the Greater London council and the inner London education authority;
(2) how many consent applications have been received under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 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 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 from each of the metropolitan county councils and the Greater London council.
§ Sir George YoungThe information requested is as follows:
Number of applications received by 31 January 1985 Authority Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Greater London council 1 1,455 63 Greater Manchester county council 3 453 18 Inner London education authority — 707 6 Merseyside county council 4 106 13 South Yorkshire county council 12 224 1 Tyne & Wear county council 243 94 7 West Midlands county council 17 435 25 West Yorkshire county council 12 170 8 All authorities 292 3,644 141
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many press releases have been issued by his Department relating to sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984; and what are the dates thereof.
§ Sir George YoungThree. The dates were 1 November 1984, 26 November 1984 and 3 December 1984.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the longest period a case submitted under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 has remained with his Department before consent was given.
§ Sir George YoungOne hundred and thirty-two days. The delay in issuing consent was due entirely to the GLC's failure to supply basic information necessary to enable proper consideration to be given to its application.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff are employed by his Department, and what are their grades, to process consent applications under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984.
§ Sir George YoungI wrote to the hon. Member on 22 November 1984 setting out the most recent available 39W details of Department of the Environment staff employed on administering specific applications for consent under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984. These are reproduced in the following table. We do not distinguish between the sections in the Act for administrative purposes.
Grade Estimated full-time equivalents 3 0.01 5 0.28 6 0.14 Principal 0.23 Principal professional and technology officer 0.02 Principal estates officer 0.03 Principal research officer 0.02 Principal planning officer 0.01 Senior research officer 0.19 Senior executive officer 0.68 Higher executive officer 0.66 Executive officer 1.32 Clerical officer/clerical assistant 2.35 Total 5.94 These figures exclude related typing and messengerial staff.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications have been received under section 8 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 for exhibitions and concerts.
§ Sir George YoungAt least 47, some of which were for more than one concert.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many applications have been received for food under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984;
(2) how many applications have been received for contracts for blanched chips under sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984.
§ Sir George YoungSix, for contracts totalling £3.8613 million. One, value £298,500, was frozen blanched chips.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the managerial and administrative implications of sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 on local authorities.
§ Sir George YoungTo a large extent the implications will depend upon decisions and organisational arrangements made by the local authorities concerned. The
40W
Authority No. of applications by value (£) Under 100 100–999 1,000–9,999 10,000–99,999 100,000–1,000,000 Over £1 million Greater London council 130 139 474 364 45 4 Greater Manchester county council 77 90 145 100 6 0 Inner London education authority 527 0 0 0 0 0 Merseyside county council 11 14 27 6 2 0 South Yorkshire county council 38 26 69 6 0 0 Tyne and Wear county council 12 14 48 18 1 0 West Midlands county council 109 37 158 96 5 0 West Yorkshire county council 28 17 37 29 1 0 Department will continue to make whatever arrangements are necessary to ensure that applications for consent are dealt with expeditiously. General consents have been issued relating to a number of activities falling within the provisions of the Act.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will grant a general consent for all projects excluding the enterprise boards funded under section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972, from the provisions of section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungSome general consents have already been issued and my right hon. Friend is considering the need for a further general consent under section 7 of the Act as a matter of urgency.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when a further series of general consents will be issued under sections 8 and 9 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984.
§ Sir George YoungMy right hon. Friend is keeping the position under review. Further general consents under sections 8 and 9 of the Act will be brought forward as necessary, consistent with the need to prevent activities which are prejudicial to the Government's abolition proposals.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations have been received from voluntary and community groups about section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984.
§ Sir George Young79 from a variety of bodies, including voluntary and community groups.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked 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 1984 were for a value of less than £100, between £100 and £1,000, between £1,000 and £10,000, between £10,000 and £100,000, between £100,000 and £1 million and over £1 million.
§ Sir George YoungFinancial considerations are not always a material factor in determining applications under the Act and such details have not been supplied or sought in every case. The following information relates o those cases where the value was known: 41W
Authority No. of applications by value (£) Under 100 100–999 1,000–9,999 10,000–99,999 100,000–1,000,000 Over £1 million — — — — — — All authorities 932 337 958 619 60 4