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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he is required to comply with Article 6 of the EU Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (92/43/EEC) when granting an application for a drought order which is likely...

Asked by

Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

25 November 1997

Reference

16665; 301 c459W

House

House of Commons

Dept for International Development

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his Department's letter to the honourable Member for Linlithgow on the peoples of the New Guinea Highlands, what measures he is taking to help the victims of drought in Papua New Guinea.

Asked by

Tam Dalyell (Labour)

Answering body

Department for International Development

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

4 November 1997

Reference

14414; 300 c94W

House

House of Commons

ANGLIAN WATER DROUGHT ORDERS

That this House is alarmed by Anglian Water's application for drought orders to increase the amount of water taken from the River Ouse and River Nene; is concerned that several of the country's most important wetland sites could be damaged by such abstraction, including three internationally important sites for birds,...

Primary sponsor

Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat)

Type

Early day motions

Date

3 November 1997

Reference

386

House

House of Commons

Hayman, Baroness

Statement on what actions they and the water companies are taking on the 10 point plan which was announced at the recent Water Summit. - Includes ref to water company responses and short analysis by the Department in Library and fact that review of water abstraction licensing system in England...

Asked by

Lord Dean of Beswick (Labour)

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

16 July 1997

Reference

581 c110-1WA

House

House of Lords

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Statement on what actions are being taken by the water companies and by the Government on the 10 point plan he announced at the recent Water Summit. - Including fact that I have today placed copies of each company's response in Library.

Asked by

Hugh Bayley (Labour)

Answering body

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

For answer on

15 July 1997

Answered on

15 July 1997

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what actions are being taken by the water companies and by the Government on the 10-point plan he announced at the recent water summit. [7543] Mr. Prescott: Each water company has now responded in a generally positive and constructive way to our proposals for action. I have today placed copies of each company's response in the Libraries of the House, together with a short analysis of them prepared by my Department. All water companies will now provide free supply pipe leakage detection and repair services to their household customers. Eight of the smaller companies have told me that they will limit the number of free repairs to any one service pipe. Two other of the smaller companies have decided to replace leaking supply pipes free of charge. All companies are taking action to promote water efficiency. All tell me that they are making significant efforts in the provision of water saving devices. Most are actively distributing devices to reduce toilet flush volumes or else are making them available free on request. A very few companies have decided to conduct trials before committing themselves to widespread promotion; they should take very careful note of what the majority of companies have done and are doing. Most water companies already offer free water efficiency audits to household customers. The remainder are developing or evaluating the service they intend to offer and I want them to go firm very soon. All water companies confirmed that they have in place a wide variety of measures to encourage water efficient gardening. All companies see clear roles for the Environmental Task Force in promoting water efficiency. In addition to the 14 companies which had already done so, eight companies have indicated to me that they are now prepared to conclude formal arrangements with the Director General of Water Services in respect of their compensation schemes for drought-related supply interruptions. I want to see these eight licence amendments made by October. I also want the six other companies which indicated that they are minded to accept licence amendments to resolve their reservations with the Director General and to have the amendment process agreed by the same time. That also applies to the one company which still declares itself unable to accept licence amendment. All companies have expressed a willingness to consider compensation payments if they have to issue advice to boil or refrain from using mains water for reasons within their control. Those companies which have not already done so are now moving to agree with the Environment Agency a publicly-available drought contingency plan. I am pleased that the industry is united in taking this action in advance of our bringing forward legislation to make it a statutory requirement when Parliamentary time allows. We asked companies to do more to explain to their customers their water supply performance targets and how well they are being met. Altogether, I believ`e that companies are taking appropriate action. But none should rest contented with their efforts. I shall be looking for sustained commitment to all of these actions. So I shall be writing to all companies again in November, asking for an update on the various activities and initiatives they have described to me. We have kept to our part of the plan. At its head was tough action by the Director General of Water Services on leakage. He wrote to all water companies on 22 May, setting out the process by which he will establish mandatory targets. We said that we would make new water regulations which would include significantly tighter requirements for water efficiency. The proposed recommendations of the Government's Water Regulations Advisory Committee were published for consultation on 19 June. We also announced that we would be conducting two reviews. My right hon. Friend Michael Meacher announced on 25 June the launch of a review of the water charging system in England and Wales. Today, we are launching the review of the water abstraction licensing system in England and Wales. A key aim will be to ensure that abstraction licensing and related processes provide full protection for the environment while enabling fair and flexible arrangements for meeting properly-managed demand for water resources. This review will be conducted jointly by my Department and the Welsh Office, in consultation with the Environment Agency and the Office of Water Services. My Department will be writing today to interested organisations, inviting their representations on a wide range of issues associated with water abstraction. A copy of this letter has also been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Date

15 July 1997

Reference

7543; 298 c123-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

When the Government plans to take steps to establish duties on water companies to (a) conserve water when carrying out their functions and (b) prepare and implement drought contingency plans.

Asked by

Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

8 July 1997

Reference

7335; 297 c447W

House

House of Commons

United Nations convention to combat desertification in those countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa. Opened for signature at Paris from 14 to 15 October 1994 and at United Nations Headquarters in New York until 13 October 1995 (Previously Cm 2790).

Type

Treaties; Command papers

Notes

Received 26.03.97

Date

27 March 1997

Reference

Cm 3584;Treaty 21 (1997)

House

House of Commons

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

What assessment he has made of the present humanitarian situation in Kenya. - Inc fact that Government have provided emergency assistance totalling £3.9 million through Oxfam and the world Food Programme.

Asked by

Tony Lloyd (Labour)

Answering body

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 March 1997

Reference

20971; 292 c599W

House

House of Commons

Dept of the Environment

To comment on current levels of groundwater in the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made of the possibility of water shortages in summer 1997. - (Holding answer 24 February 1997).

Asked by

Tam Dalyell (Labour)

Answering body

Department of the Environment

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

26 February 1997

Reference

17273; 291 c221W

House

House of Commons

Deposited Paper DEP/3 4389

Deposited by

Environment Agency

Type

Deposited papers

Date

22 January 1997

Reference

DEP/3 4389

House

House of Commons

Librarians' tools

Type

House

Session

Month

Department

Member

Primary member

Answering member

Legislative stage

Legislation

Subject

Publisher