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Motor Vehicle Traffic

Baroness Scott of Needham Market asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list for (a) Great Britain and (b) each region, the estimated annual percentage change in all motor vehicle traffic since 1984.[HL890]

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Lord Whitty: Regional estimates of the annual percentage change in motor vehicle traffic are not available. The annual percentage changes for all GB roads for each year from 1984 to 2000 are shown in the table below. Road Traffic in Great Britain

Year	% Change
1984	5.2
1985	2.2
1986	5.1
1987	7.7
1988	7.2
1989	8.3
1990	1.0
1991	0.2
1992	0.1
1993	0.0
1994	2.5
1995	2.0
1996	2.7
1997	2.3
1998	1.5
1999	1.7
2000	0.3

Common Land Legislation

Lord Williams of Elvel asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect to publish the White Paper on common land.[HL1097]

Lord Whitty: The Government have been considering possible improvements to the legislation on common land and town and village greens, as set out last year in the consultation paper Greater Protection and Better Management of Common Land in England and Wales. We intend to publish a report on the responses and to announce the way forward in the summer.

Referendums: Draft Guidance

Lord Peston asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to lay before Parliament draft regulations governing the conduct of referendums to be held under Part II of the Local Government Act 2000.[HL 1203]

Lord Whitty: We have today laid before Parliament a draft of the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2001.

It is now for the House to consider this draft. To assist the House, we have placed in the Library and the Printed Paper Office copies of draft proposed guidance to English local authorities on the holding of referendums in accordance with these regulations.

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Demolition in Conservation Areas

Baroness Lockwood asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made reviewing the control of demolition in conservation areas following the House of Lords judgment in the Shimizu case.[HL 1205]

Lord Whitty: The Shimizu judgment had the effect of weakening controls over partial demolition of unlisted buildings in conservation areas. We share the concern that the character of conservation areas could be adversely affected as a result. Following a consultation exercise last year, we therefore propose to require submission of a planning application where in a conservation area it is proposed to demolish any boundary wall, gate, fence and other means of enclosure and a chimney or porch on a dwellinghouse. This will give local planning authorities the opportunity to consider the impact that such works are likely to have on a conservation area. We shall bring forward the necessary amendments to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 in due course.

This measure is designed to address the direct effects of the Shimizu judgment. We are currently considering the recommendation in English Heritage's report Power of Place for removal of a wide range of permitted development rights in conservation areas.

Sporting Events: Funding

Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:

What funds have been allocated to individual sporting events and competitions in each of the last two years by UK Sport and Sport England, giving names and sums of money in each case, and deducting any moneys subsequently refunded.[HL1012]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: In the last two years, UK Sport has made the following 26 awards under its World Class Events Programme:

1999 World Cross Country Championships--£100,000

1999 European Jnr Badminton Championships--£72,973

1999 World Orienteering Championships--£100,000

1999 European Sailing Championships--£14,470

1999 European Jnr Archery Championships--£9,060

1999 World Disabled Water Skiing Championships--£29,757

1999 European Show Jumping Championships--£304,121

1999 World & Euro Junior Eventing--£22,735

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1999 World Judo Championships--£315,000

1999 World Indoor Climbing Championships--£46,700

1999 European Sports Aerobics--£22,500

2000 Pre-Olympic & European Amateur Boxing Championships--£63,400

2000 Pre-Olympic Hockey Qualifying Championships--£75,000

2000 World Curling Championships--£30,000

2000 International Modern Pentathlon Event--£12,000

2000 World Indoor Bowls Singles Mens & Womens--£17,362

2000 European Snr Badminton Championships--£76,000

2000 Finn World Cup Sailing--£9,355

2000 Marathon Canoe World Cup--£20,000

2000 Spar European Athletics Cup--£162,300

2000 World Netball Youth Cup--£36,400

2000 European Young Riders Championship--£100,000

2000 World Track Championships Cycling--£189,541

2000 Rugby League World Cup--£350,000

2000 World Gymnastics Grand Prix Finals--£56,000

2000 European Top Twelve Table Tennis--£3,100 In addition, £267,621 was allocated in respect of bidding costs associated with the above events.

In the last two years, Sport England has made: lottery awards for the following two events:

2000 European Course Angling Championship--£13,300; and

2000 World Mountain Running Trophy--£553; and exchequer awards for the following four events:

1999 European Lacrosse Championships--£300,000

1999 English Schools Championships--£15,000

2000 Youth World Fly-fishing Championships--£2,000 (for attendance)

2000 Youth World Sea Angler Championships--£3,000 (for attendance).

To date, no moneys have been subsequently refunded either to UK Sport or Sport England.

Royal Parks: Cars driven on Footpaths

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 26 February (WA 115-16) which stated that the Royal Parks Agency discourages the Metropolitan Police using park footpaths as a short cut, "as much as we are able to because it could be

13 Mar 2001 : Column WA89

a hazard to park users", on how many occasions in the last year the Metropolitan Police have driven cars or motorcycles on footpaths or cycle ways in the Royal Parks for the purpose of (a) apprehending criminals; (b) avoiding road traffic congestion; and (c) other reasons.[HL1051]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, William Weston. I have asked them to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from the Chief Executive of the Royal Parks Agency, William Weston, dated 13 March 2001.

I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the use of footpaths in the Royal Parks by Metropolitan Police vehicles.

I am afraid I am unable to say on how many occasions the Metropolitan Police drive along footpaths or cycleways in the Royal Parks as they do

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not tell us and we do not log individual incidents that we become aware of.

Cultural Property: UNESCO Convention

Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect to accede to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.[HL1182]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Following the recommendation in the report of the Ministerial Advisory Panel on Illicit Trade chaired by Professor Norman Palmer, published in December, and after further consultations within government, I am pleased to announce that the Government have taken the decision to accede to this convention once the normal parliamentary and other formalities have been completed. We do so on the basis that no fresh legislative commitment is required and we intend to enter reservations on the basis of those outlined in Professor Palmer's report.

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