Annual Report 2001 The Government’s Expenditure Plans 2001–02 to 2003–04 Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions Office of the Rail Regulator Office of Water Services Ordnance Survey Presented to Parliament by the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury by command of Her Majesty March 2001 Cm 5105 £30.00 Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions Eland House Bressenden Place London SW1E 5DU Telephone 020 7944 3000 Internet service www.detr.gov.uk Acknowledgements Cover and inside: Yellow cleaner – Association of Town Centre Management. Cover and Inside: House and children – Rural Housing Trust and Colchester Borough Council. Inside: Landscape – South Downs Conservation Board. © Crown Copyright 2001 Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with the Crown. 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CONTENTS Foreword by the Deputy Prime Minister 5 List of Legislation and Major Policy Publications 6 How to Use this Report 11 CHAPTER 1 Summary of the Department’s Aim, Objectives and Key Achievements during 2000–01 13 CHAPTER 2 The Department’s Role in Joined-Up Government 19 CHAPTER 3 Delivering Better Public Services: Progress 29 CHAPTER 4 Protecting and Improving the Environment 53 CHAPTER 5 The Opportunity of a Decent Home 77 CHAPTER 6 Integrated Transport for Everyone 93 CHAPTER 7 Transport Regulation 119 CHAPTER 8 Countryside and Wildlife 127 CHAPTER 9 Sustainable Planning 145 CHAPTER 10 Modern Local Government 155 CHAPTER 11 Building Thriving Regions, Cities and Communities 169 3 CHAPTER 12 An Innovative and Efficient Construction Industry 185 CHAPTER 13 Better Health and Safety 193 CHAPTER 14 Departmental Structure and Responsibilities 209 CHAPTER 15 Investing in the Future: The Departmental Investment Strategy 219 CHAPTER 16 Office of the Rail Regulator 225 CHAPTER 17 Office of Water Services 229 CHAPTER 18 Ordnance Survey 233 MAIN ESTIMATES 2001–02 237 APPENDICES Appendix A: Public Expenditure Tables 281 Appendix B: Grant-in-Aid Tables 329 Appendix C: Other Tables 345 Appendix D: Public Appointments 351 Appendix E: Public Accounts Committee Recommendations 359 Appendix F: Environmental Appraisals 365 Glossary 369 Bibliography 375 Useful Addresses 389 Index 395 4 FOREWORD By the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions – The Rt Hon John Prescott MP My Department’s fourth These new programmes demonstrate convincingly Annual Report sets out an the value of our commitment to integration over impressive catalogue of the past four years. We need our 10 Year Plan for achievements over the Transport to deliver our climate change last year and an ambitious commitments. Local government reform is an programme of work for essential step towards helping communities plan the 12 months ahead. how central resources can best answer neighbourhood needs. Strengthened planning This last year has seen policies will help bring about an urban renaissance. more people using public Decent, affordable homes are a key to reversing transport; fewer people decline in rural villages as well as improving city sleeping rough; fewer deaths at work and on the estates. All these policies are closely interlinked. roads; better standards for many more people in local authority homes; and better air and water Sustainable development is the principle behind quality across the country. them all: a commitment to progress which gives the same emphasis to social, environmental and It has not been without set-backs. We have had to economic objectives. It is no good in the long term respond to the problems of the fuel blockades, if we get ahead in one of these areas only at the widespread flooding and the aftermath of the expense of another. Hatfield rail crash. But we have worked hard to make progress towards our objective of a better, Sustainable development integrates policy across sustainable quality of life. government, with my Department in the lead. We have worked in close partnership with We are starting to see policy initiatives becoming colleagues in other departments, and with action, for instance in local government and transport. businesses and voluntary groups too. In January we The duty of best value came into force for local published a summary of what we had achieved in government, and an entirely new structure for running the 12 months since the launch of our strategy A London was completed with the first election for better quality of life. That report shows we can be Mayor. Our Transport Bill received Royal Assent in proud of what we have done so far, but achieving November. Amongst other measures, it establishes the sustainable development is as much a continuing Strategic Rail Authority, and provides local authorities process as a fixed goal. The forward programme of with additional powers to tackle traffic congestion. work outlined in this report will make sure we keep Following the July 2000 spending review, we are on making progress and keep creating a better committed to ambitious increases in public quality of life both in the present and for the future. expenditure over the next three years, particularly on transport, housing and regeneration. This will increase my Department’s expenditure from £9 billion in 1997-98 to over £16 billion in 2003-04. Over the last year we have seen the launch of the major new programmes of work that this money will fund. They include the 10 Year Plan for Transport; our climate change strategy to combat global JOHN PRESCOTT warming; and our plans to revitalise towns and cities and deliver a fair deal for rural England too. 5 DETR Annual Report PRIMARY LEGISLATION, WHITE AND GREEN PAPERS AND MAJOR POLICY DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT SINCE APRIL 1997 Primary Legislation 1997 Local Government (Contracts) Act Local Government Finance (Supplementary Credit Approvals) Act Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Act 1998 Greater London Authority (Referendum) Act Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act Regional Development Agencies Act A living, working countryside maintained for the benefit of all. Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) Act Waste Minimisation Act White Papers 1999 1997 Greater London Authority Act Building Partnerships for Prosperity: Sustainable Growth, Competitiveness and Employment in the Local Government Act English Regions Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1998 Rating (Valuations) Act A Mayor and Assembly for London: The Government’s Proposals for Modernising the Governance of London Water Industry Act A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone: 2000 The Government’s White Paper on the Future Countryside and Rights of Way Act of Transport Local Government Act Making the Difference – A New Start for England’s Coalfield Communities Transport Act Modern Local Government: In Touch with the People 6 Legislation Planning for the Communities of the Future Waste Minimisation Act 1999 A Better Quality of Life: A Strategy for Sustainable Development for the UK 2000 Climate Change: The UK Programme Modern Ports: A UK Policy Our Countryside: The Future – A Fair Deal for Rural England Our Towns and Cities: The Future – Delivering an The Midland Metro. The 10 Year Transport Plan includes Urban Renaissance provision for up to 25 new light rail lines in major cities and conurbations, to more than double light rail use by 2010. The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Working Together for Clean Air Regional Development Agencies: Issues for Discussion Tomorrow’s Roads – Safer for Everyone Road Safety – Towards Safer Roads Waste Strategy 2000: England and Wales: Part 1 What Role for Trunk Roads in England: Vol 1, Consultation Paper Waste Strategy 2000: England and Wales: Part 2 1998 Access to the Open Countryside in England and Wales: Green Papers and Major A Consultation Paper Policy Documents A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England A Public Private Partnership for National Air Traffic 1997 Services Ltd (NATS): A Consultation Paper Developing an Integrated Transport Policy: An Invitation to Contribute Breaking the Logjam: Consultation on Traffic Congestion, Road User Charging and Workplace Disability Discrimination Act – The Government’s Parking Charges Proposals for Taxis British Shipping: Charting a New Course Disability Discrimination Act – The Government’s Proposals for Buses and Coaches Combating Cowboy Builders: A Consultation Paper Economic Instruments for Water Pollution: Combating Drink Driving: Next Steps A Consultation Paper Less Waste, More Value: Consultation Paper