Written Answers
British Consulate In Miami: Reopening
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there are any plans to reopen the British Consulate in Miami.
The British Consulate in Miami will reopen in the first half of next year. This reflects both the growing economic importance of Florida and Miami's role in Caribbean trade.
Ncc: Grants For Purchase Of Sssis
asked Her Majesty's Government:What financial conditions or constraints they impose on the Nature Conservancy Council with respect to the size of any grant that may be offered by the council to a private body or charity which wishes to purchase, for the purposes of creating a reserve, land notified as an SSSI; and when the conditions (if any) were last reviewed.
The council is required to limit grants to a maximum of 75 per cent. of expenditure costs. In addition, the council is required to seek prior approval of the Secretary of State if the proposed purchase price exceeds either £100,000 or the district valuer's valuation. These arrangements are currently under review with the Treasury.
Conservation: Designation Of Scottish Sites
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list all the sites located in Scotland which have so far been identified as qualifying for protection under (
a) The Ramsar Convention, and ( b) EC Directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds; whether they will indicate when these sites are likely to be listed or designated with the appropriate authorities; and what steps are being taken to ensure in the meantime that planning authorities, statutory bodies and Government departments are informed of the importance of these areas and the obligation to conserve them.
The following sites in Scotland have been designated as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention:
- Loch Druidibeg, Loch a Machair and Loch Stilligary
- Loch Leven
- Loch Lomond
- Cairngorm Lochs
- Claish Moss
- Loch Lintrathen
- Silver Flowe
- Rannoch Moor.
Official Report, Commons, 18th July 1985, col. 241).
The following is the list of further sites in Scotland identified by the NCC as meeting the criteria—"R" in accordance with the Ramsar Convention and "B" in accordance with the birds directive:
- Hermaness, Unst, Shetland—B
- Gruney, Shetland—B
- North Fetlar, Shetland—B
- North Roe, Mainland, Shetland—R
- Papa Stour, Shetland—B
- Foula, Shetland—B
- Bressay, Shetland—B
- Noss, Shetland—B
- Fair Isle, Shetland—B
- West Westray, Orkney—B
- Papa Westray and North Hill, Orkney—B
- Marwick Head, Orkney—B
- Lochs of Harray, Stenness and Skall, Orkney—R/B
- North Hoy, Orkney—B
- Copinsay, Orkney—B
- Swona, Orkney—B
- Pentland Skerries, Orkney—B
- Sule Skerry and Stack, Orkney—B
- Moray Firth (Eastern part) including Findhorn Bay, Culbin Sands and Nairn Bar, Grampian—R/B
- Loch Spynie, Grampian—R/B
- Loch of Strathbeg, Grampian—R/B
- Ythan Estuary and Sands of Forvie, including Meikle and Slaine Lochs, Grampian—R/B
- Loch Insh and Marshes, Highland—R/B
- Cairngorms, Highland and Grampian—B
- Loch of Skene, Grampian—R/B
- Fowlsheugh Cliffs, Grampian—B
- Lochnagar, Grampian—B
- Caenlochan, Grampian and Tayside—B
- Drumochter Hills, Highland—B
- Montrose Basin, Tayside—R/B
- Forfar Lochs, Lochs Forfar, Rescobie and Balgavies, Tayside—R/B
- Loch of Kinnordy, Tayside R/B
- Tay-Isla Valley including Monk Myre, Marlee Loch, Stormont Loch, Meikelour and Loch of Clunie, Tayside—R/B
- Dupplin Lochs, Tayside—R/B
- Drummond Pond and Penny Beg Pong, Tayside—R/B
- Carsebrook and Rhynd Lochs, Tayside—R/B
- Firth of Tay, Tayside—R/B
- Tentsmuir Point, and Abertay Sands, Fife—R/B
- Eden Estuary, Fife—R/B
- Cameron Reservoir, Fife—R/B
- Firth of Forth and Aberlady Bay, Central, Lothian and Fife—R/B
- Forth Islands: Inchmickery, Fidra, The Lamb, Eyebroughty and Craighleith, Lothian and Fife—B
- Loch Mahaick, Central—R/B
- Flanders Moss, Central—R/B
- Endrick Mouth, Loch Lomond, Central—R/B
- Bass Rock, Lothian—B
- Gladhouse Reservoir, Lothian—R/B
- Fala Row, Lothian—R/B
- Westwater and Baddingsgill Reservoirs, Borders—R/B
- Moorfoot Hills, Ettrick, Lauderdale and Tweeddale, Borders—B
- St. Abb's Head to East Castle, Borders—B
- Greenlaw Moor and Hule Moss, Borders—R/B
- Hoselaw Loch, Borders—R/B
- North Rona and Sula Sgeir, Western Isles—B
- Flannan Isles, Western Isles—B
- St. Kilda, Western Isles—B
- Shiant Islands, Western Isles—B
- Islands in the Sound of Harris, Western Isles—R/B
- Loch An Duin, North Uist, Western Isles—R
- Monach Islands, Western Isles—B
- Howmore Estuary, (Loch Roag and Loch Fada), Western Isles—R
- Lochs Hallan and Kilphedder, South Uist, Western Isles—R/B
- Islands in the Sound of Barra, Western Isles—R/B
- Berneray and Mingulay, Western Isles—B
- Stroma, Highland—B
- Dunnett Head, Easter Head to Chapel Hill, Highland—B
- Blar Nam Faolleag, Highland—R
- Strathy Bogs, Highland—R
- Caithness Lochs, including Calder, Brubster, Heilen and Meadle, Highland—R/B
- Caithness Cliffs, Duncansby Head to Skirza Head, Highland—B
- Caithness Cliffs, Wick to Lybster, Highland—B
- Caithness Cliffs, Dumbeath to Ord Point including Berriedale, Inver Hill and Badbea Cliffs, Highland—B
- Isles at the Mouth of Kyle and Tongue including Rabbit Islands, Highland—R/B
- Durness Lochs and Streams (Lochs Croispol, Lanlish and Boralie), Highland—R
- Cape Wrath, Aodann Mhor, Highland—B
- Handa, Highland—B
- Inchnadamph, Highland—B
- The Summer Isles, including Priest Island, Highland—B
- Loch Fleet, Highland—R
- Lower Dornoch Firth, Highland—R/B
- Loch Eye, Highland—R/B
- Isay, Skye, Highland—R/B
- Cromarty Firth, Highland—R/B
- Beauly Firth, Highland—R/B
- Moray Firth (Western Part) Highland and Grampian—R/B
- Loch Morar, Highland—R
- Loch Shiel and Kentra Moss, Highland—R/B
- Monadhliath, Highland—B
- Tiree and Coll, Strathclyde—R/B
- Treshnish Isles, Strathclyde—R/B
- Islay, Strathclyde—R/B
- Inner Clyde, Dumbuck Foreshore, Pillar Bank, Strathclyde—R/B
- Rhunahaorine, Strathclyde—R/B
- Machrihanish and Tangy Loch, Strathclyde—R/B
- Ailsa Craig, Strathclyde—B
- Lochylock and Cleuch Reservoirs, Strathclyde—R
- Loch Ken and Dee Marshes, Dumfries and Galloway—R/B
- White Loch, (Lochinsh), Dumfries and Galloway—B
- Upper Solway Flats and Marshes, (North side), including Blackshaw Bank, Nith Merses and Caerlaverock to Southerness Point, Dumfries and Galloway—R/B
Hampstead Heath: Future Management
asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements they propose for the future of Hampstead Heath after the abolition of the Greater London Council.
My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has considered very carefully the responses to our proposal announced on 4th October that the Corporation of the City of London should own and manage Hampstead Heath, apart from the land going to the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission together with Kenwood House. The responses make it clear that views continue to vary about the future of the heath and to favour more than one option. In particular, the London borough of Camden have submitted substantive alternative proposals. We need to examine their proposal closely and to review it among other options. As Camden did not submit their proposals until October, despite first being asked to do so in January, it may be that final decisions on ownership and management cannot be reached in time to enable transfer to take place on abolition day. In that case responsibility for the heath will be passed to the London residuary body while permanent arrangements are being finalise. We remain firmly committed to the concept of unified management for the heath.I am today inviting the leaders of the London boroughs of Barnet, Camden and Haringey to meet me to review the position.
Redundant Churches Fund And London Area
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list the churches in the London area which are in the care of the Redundant Churches Fund, 60 per cent. of whose funding is provided by the Government.
In the Greater London area, the only ecclesiastical building which is currently vested in the Redundant Churches Fund is the Chandos Mausoleum, Edgware.
Drug Addiction: Statistics And Treatment
asked Her Majesty's Government:(
a) how many people are registered with the Home Office as being addicted to drugs and what is the estimated number of addicts not registered;
( b) what percentage of the estimated total number of addicts are receiving treatment and what is the estimated cost of this treatment;
( c) what steps are being taken to give those addicts who are cured, opportunities for involvement in community schemes to prevent possible return to addiction; and
( d) whether they support increased spending on the prevention and treatment of addiction and how they believe this might affect the crime figures in this country.
The number of narcotic drug addicts in the United Kingdom notified to the Home Office in 1984—excluding those recorded as receiving notifiable drugs in treatment of their addiction at the beginning of 1984 and notified again during the year—was 7,410. Some research carried out in 1981 in two urban areas in England suggested that at that time the number of opioid addicts in the local population was five times the number of notified addicts; but there are thought to be considerable local variations. At the end of 1984, 5,869 narcotic drug addicts were recorded as receiving notifiable drugs in treatment of their addiction; fuller information about treatment received and its cost is not available centrally.Health authorities have been required to give high priority, in close collaboration with other local service providers, to improving both treatment and rehabilitation services for drug misusers. In addition, nearly £20 million has been provided centrally over the last two years to help develop local schemes and to fund prevention campaigns; and £4 million over two years is being provided to stimulate preventive action within the education service. Such measures address drug misuse but also help—along with other parts of our comprehensive strategy—to counter drug-related crime, although their impact on this could not be readily distinguished from that of other factors.
Drugs: Estimated Street Turnover
asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the estimated street turnover in heroin, cocaine and related drugs in a week and how this is financed.
I regret that information is not available on which to base an estimate of this kind.
Fishing Vessels And British Registration
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list the fishing vessels registered under the British flag but owned by or chartered to:
In order to be registered in the British Isles (i.e. the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands) a fishing vessel must be wholly owned by either British subjects or by companies incorporated and having their principal place of business in the British Isles. For this reason there are no fishing boats on the British Isles register that are owned by non-British individuals. But some vessels may be owned by companies that are controlled by non-British parties. The department has no information on the number of such vessels or the nationality of the non-British parties (if any). Nor does the department have any information about the chartering of fishing vessels. In addition, there are fishing vessels under the British flag that are registered in British Dependent Territories. There are 13 such territories and the regulations governing their registries are different both from those in the British Isles and from one territory to another. The department will provide the noble Lord with further details if he wishes, but we have no information on the chartering of fishing vessels on those registries.
Infrastructure Expenditure: South East Region
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received any estimate of likely costs to be incurred in improving or modifying the transport and other infrastructure in the South Eastern Region and whether all the costs will be met by the developers.
Her Majesty's Government have substantial programmes of infrastructure expenditure properly chargeable to public funds. Details are given in Cmnd. 9428. We are sympathetic to the principle that private developers should meet the cost of infrastructure which is reasonably attributable to their proposed development. No estimate of the cost of such infrastructure in the South East Region is available.
Motorway Lighting
asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of motorways south of a line drawn from east to west across the country through Junction 14 of the M.1 is illuminated, and what proportion of motorways north of that line is illuminated.
Approximately 23 per cent. of the total length of motorways south of a line drawn from east to west across the country though junction 14 of the M.1 is provided with road fighting and approximately 28 per cent. of the total length of motorways north of the line is also lit.