House
of Commons Debates, Written Answers & Written Statements
Week
Ending Friday 29 April 2011
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and
Local Government (1) whom his Department consulted on proposals to change
requirements for planning permission to convert premises from commercial to
residential use; [52675]
(2) what the timetable is for the
consultation on the proposed changes to the planning process in relation to
permission for conversions from commercial to residential use; [52676]
(3) what representations he has received on
the proposed changes on the conversion of premises from commercial to
residential use. [52747]
Robert Neill: The consultation on the relaxation of the planning
rules for change of use from commercial to residential was published on the 8
April 2011. The consultation ends on the 30 June 2011.
It is a public consultation and it is
therefore open to anyone to respond. The consultation document can be found on
the Department's website at:
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/relaxationchangeconsultation
A summary of representations received will
be published after the consultation has closed.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and
Local Government what plans he has to allow local authorities to create or
abolish bylaws without requiring his Department's approval; and if he will make
a statement. [52088]
Grant Shapps: We intend to take forward proposals to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy associated with byelaws, and will make a further announcement in due course.
Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the level of savings
which will accrue from the (1) abolition of the Agricultural Dwelling House
Advisory Committees; [48623]
(2) abolition of the Advisory Committee on
Organic Standards; [48624]
(3) abolition of the Advisory Committee on
Hazardous Substances; [48625]
(4) abolition of the Zoos Forum; [48709]
(5) abolition of the Veterinary Residues
Committee; [48710]
(6) abolition of the Sustainable Development
Commission; [48711]
(7) abolition of the Spongiform
Encephalopathy Advisory Committee; [48712]
(8) abolition of the Plant Varieties and
Seeds Tribunal; [48713]
(9) abolition of the Pesticide Residues
Committee; [48714]
(10) abolition of the National Standing
Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources; [48715]
(11) abolition of the Independent
Agricultural Appeals Panel; [48716]
(12) abolition of Food from Britain. [48717]
(13) abolition of the Farm Animal Welfare
Council; [48718]
(14) abolition of the Darwin Advisory
Committee; [48719]
(15) abolition of Commons Commissioners;
[48720]
(16) abolition of the Committee on
Agricultural Valuation; [48721]
(17) abolition of the British Waterways
Board; [48722]
(18) abolition of the Air Quality Expert
Group; [48723]
(19) abolition of the Agricultural Wages
Committees; [48724]
(20) abolition of the Agricultural Wages
Board for England and Wales; [48725]
(21) change in function of the Agricultural
Land Tribunal; [48738]
(22) change in function of the Science
Advisory Council; [48773]
(23) change in function of Natural England;
[48774]
(24) change in function of the National Park
Authorities; [48775]
(25) change in function of the Internal
Drainage Boards; [48776]
(26) change in function of the Gangmasters
Licensing Authority; [48777]
(27) change in function of the Environment
Agency. [48778]
Richard Benyon: On 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns
9-10WS, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right
hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), issued a written ministerial statement
updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also
announced that Departments estimate that cumulative administrative savings of
at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review
period.
DEFRA anticipates minimum net cumulative
administrative savings resulting from abolitions or changes in functions of our
public bodies over the spending review period of approximately £18.58 million
which is broken down as follows:
|
Public body |
Savings (£
million) |
|
Internal Drainage Boards |
0.225 |
|
Inland Waterways Advisory Committee |
0.051 |
|
Agricultural Wages Boards |
0.650 |
|
Commission for Rural Communities |
17.654 |
In addition we estimate that the withdrawal
of funding to the Sustainable Development Commission (which pre-dates the
spending review public bodies reform process) and its abolition will save
approximately £2 million per annum.
These are our best current estimates of
planned net savings to emerge from these reforms and are dependent upon the
individual timetables for implementation-many of which require the Public
Bodies Bill and subsequent secondary legislation or discussions with the
devolved administrations. Consequently, not all savings figures can be
determined precisely at this stage. The following table summarises the position
for each of the bodies asked about.
In addition to the savings expected from
abolitions or changes in function, we anticipate that cumulative planned
administrative reductions from all DEFRA's public bodies will be approximately
£250.93 million over the spending review period in real terms. DEFRA published
spending review allocations for its arm's length bodies alongside current baselines
on our external website on 20 December 2010. These are available at:
http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/news/2010/12/20/budget-allocations-101220/
|
Net savings
from abolition or change in function of |
|
|
Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory
Committees |
Expected to be less than £100,000 |
|
Advisory Committee on Organic Standards |
Expected to be cost neutral |
|
Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances |
Expected to be cost neutral-body to be
reconstituted |
|
Zoos Forum |
Expected to be cost neutral-body to be
reconstituted |
|
Veterinary Residues Committee |
Expected to be cost neutral-body to be
reconstituted |
|
Sustainable Development Commission |
Estimated at about £2 million per
annum-but predates the spending review public bodies reform process. |
|
Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory
Committee |
Expected to be cost neutral-function
transferring to Department of Health |
|
Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal |
Expected to be cost neutral-function
transferring to Ministry of Justice |
|
Pesticide Residues Committee |
Expected to be cost neutral-body to be
reconstituted |
|
National Standing Committee on Farm Animal
Genetic Resources |
Expected to be cost neutral-body to be
reconstituted |
|
Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel |
IAAP is being retained. |
|
Food from Britain |
Expected to be less than £100,000 |
|
Farm Animal Welfare Council |
Expected to be cost neutral-body to be reconstituted |
|
Darwin Advisory Committee |
Expected to be cost neutral-body to be
reconstituted |
|
Commons Commissioners |
Expected to be less than £100,000 |
|
Committee on Agricultural Valuation |
£0-Body is inactive |
|
British Waterways Board |
To be determined |
|
Air Quality Expert Group |
Expected to be cost neutral-body to be
reconstituted |
|
Agricultural Wages Committees |
Expected to be less than £100,000 |
|
Agricultural Wages Board for England and
Wales |
£650,000 |
|
Agricultural Land Tribunal |
Expected to be cost neutral-function
transferring to Ministry of Justice |
|
Science Advisory Council |
Expected to be cost neutral |
|
Natural England |
Savings through spending review |
|
National Park Authorities |
Savings through spending review |
|
Internal Drainage Boards |
£225,000 |
|
Gangmasters Licensing Authority |
Savings through spending review |
|
Environment Agency |
Savings through spending review |
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs how the composition of her Department's Independent Panel on
Forestry was determined. [51709]
Mr Paice: The Panel and Chair were chosen by the Secretary of
State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who considered a wide range of
names. In deciding on the membership of the Panel, the Secretary of State felt
that the Panel should be small so that it can operate effectively in a focussed
manner. The individuals were chosen for the knowledge and experience they could
bring to the Panel, not for the organisations to which they may belong. The
terms of reference make it clear that we expect the Panel to engage the widest
possible range of views.
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs what consideration she gave to appointing a representative of
dog walkers to the Independent Panel on Forestry Policy. [51299]
Mr Paice: The panel and chair were chosen by the Secretary of
State who considered a wide range of names. It is important that the panel has
a broad range of experience and expertise. In deciding on the membership of the
panel, the Secretary of State felt that the panel should be small so that it
can operate effectively in a focused manner. It is not a panel of delegates
from interested organisations but of individuals bringing their own knowledge
and experience. The terms of reference make it clear that we expect the panel
to engage the widest possible range of views.
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the sale of publicly-owned forests in
Kent. [51311]
Mr Paice: All new sales of public forest estate were suspended
from 17 February 2011. We will decide on the level of any future sales and the
conditions to be attached to them only once we have received and considered the
advice from the Independent Panel on Forestry.
Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs what regulations implemented arrangements for horse
passports; and what objectives were set for the effects of the introduction of
such passports at the time of their implementation. [49373]
Mr Paice: The Horse Passports Regulations 2009 apply in
England and implement the requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) No
504/2008. These regulations are intended to assure the safety of horse meat for
human consumption.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs what the policy of her Department is on the introduction of a
ban on snares. [47835]
Mr Paice: The DEFRA Code of Practice on the Use of Snares in
Fox and Rabbit Control in England gives guidance on the responsible use of
snares. DEFRA has no plans to introduce a ban on snares.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs (1) on what date she expects the Independent Panel on
Forestry to hold its first meeting; and on what dates the panel's subsequent
meetings are scheduled to take place; [51170]
(2) if she will require the forestry panel
to publish agendas in advance of its meetings. [51331]
Mr Paice: The panel had its first meeting on 31 March and is
making arrangements for subsequent meetings. All dates will be published on the
panel's web pages which can be found on DEFRA's website.
The terms of reference are clear that we
expect the panel to engage and take evidence from the widest range of views and
interests. It is for the panel to decide what information it publishes as part
of this engagement.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government on that Department's review of statutory
duties placed on local government. [50378]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA and DCLG Secretaries of State meet regularly
to discuss issues of common interest to their Departments. Discussions would
include the work that Departments are doing to promote the devolution of power
to local government and remove unnecessary burdens and restrictions. There have
been no meetings specifically on the review of statutory duties placed on local
government.
All Government Departments, which place
responsibilities on local government, have agreed to contribute to the review
and officials have been working closely together as a first step towards
identifying these statutory duties. An initial draft list, including the duties
identified so far by DEFRA, was published and a copy placed in the Library of
the House on 7 March 2011.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs (1) how many hectares of woodland have been created by the
National Forest Company in each of the last four years; [51838]
(2) what estimate she has made of the number
of hectares of woodland which will be created by the National Forest Company in
each of the next four years. [51839]
Mr Paice: The National Forest Company has created the
following amounts of woodland over the last four years:
|
|
Hectares |
|
2010-11 |
195 |
|
2009-10 |
204 |
|
2008-09 |
121 |
|
2007-08 |
119 |
In 2011-12 the National Forest Company estimates
that it will create 150 hectares of woodland, and in the three years following
it expects to plant in the range of 150 to 175 hectares.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs what recent progress has been made on the potential merger
between the National Forest Company and Heart of the National Forest
Foundation. [51840]
Mr Paice: DEFRA has no plans for a merger between the National
Forest Company and the National Forest Charitable Trust (the renamed Heart of
the National Forest Foundation). There is, however, strengthened joint working
on fundraising which will continue into the future. The National Forest Company
continues to be the body which creates the National Forest.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the ownership and management of
National Park land in England. [43419]
Richard Benyon: Each National Park has a management plan which sets
out the long-term goals for that National Park. However, management of
individual areas of land is a matter for the individual land owner or manager,
complying with grant conditions where they have chosen to enter into an
agri-environment agreement. National Park authorities only exceptionally own
land themselves.