Consultations

DfT: The Department for Transport (DfT) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have launched a consultation (closes 29 June 2007) to seek views on options to reform ATOL bonding. The government claims that the reform would be an administrative simplification for tour operators and would not affect passengers.

 

The consultation invites responses from stakeholders and other interested parties on two options for change:

Press release ~ Consultation documents ~ Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ~ Air Travel Organisers' Licensing | ATOL

 

Home Office: The Government has launched a consultation (closes 22 June 2007) that will seek to tighten legislation on computer generated child abuse images. Under current law, while it is an offence to possess indecent photographs & pseudo-photographs of children, it is not currently illegal to possess computer generated images, animation, cartoons, and drawings depicting the sexual abuse of children.

 

Technology has advanced to the point where photographs of real children being abused can be manipulated into a format that is currently legal to possess.  So it is possible to create a 'fantasy' style record of an actual event of abuse. The Government's preferred option is to create a new offence with a penalty of three years in prison and an unlimited fine.  

 

During the consultation, careful consideration will be given to the threshold content of the images to ensure that legitimate works of art or items of historical interest are not included.

Press release ~ Consultation on Possession of Non-Photographic Visual Depictions of Child Sexual Abuse ~ DH – Sexual Offences ~ Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre ~ CEOP Most Wanted ~ Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) ~ Consultation paper On the possession of extreme pornographic material - summary of responses and next steps ~ Internet Watch Foundation ~ 2006 Half Yearly Report

CLG: The government has unveiled plans to cut planning red tape to make it easier for people to put green technology - like solar panels - on their homes and play their part in tackling climate change.

A consultation (closes 27 June 2007) recommends that people should no longer need to apply for planning permission to put 'microgeneration' devices on their homes, where it is clear there is little or no impact on neighbouring properties. Local authorities will retain the right to restrict planning permission in exceptional circumstances, where the benefit of the technology is clearly questionable and outweighed by its impact on the local environment.
Press release ~ Consultation Paper: Permitted Development Rights for Householder Microgeneration ~ Domestic Installation of Microgeneration Equipment: Final report from a Review of the Permitted Development Regulations ~ DCLG's environment programme ~ Code for Sustainable Homes ~ Micropower Council ~ Green Alliance ~ Energy Savings Trust ~ Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development ~ Sustainable Development Commission ~ Centre for Sustainable Energy ~ DTI Energy Review website ~ Distributed Energy: A call for Evidence ~ Greenpeace report: Power: An Energy Revolution For The 21st Century (4.6Mb) ~ The World Alliance for Decentralized Energy (WADE)

HSE: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a consultation document (closes 2 July 2007), seeking views on how best to deal with societal risk around non-nuclear major hazard sites. Societal risk in this context is about the number of people, on-site or living or working in the areas around sites, that could be harmed by a single incident occurring at a site.

The risk of major accidents at such sites is very low.  However, because the risk cannot be completely eliminated, the planning system is used to exercise control over new development around them.  HSE's role in this is to assess the risk levels and, when consulted by planning authorities on planning applications, advise them accordingly.

The Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1999 required the operators of such sites to provide information to HSE about the likely potential effects of a major incident.  HSE has used this information to produce initial indications of the level of societal risk around major hazard sites.

Press release ~ Consultation on societal risk around major hazard installations ~ Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1999 ~ HSE's role in Land Use Planning

Defra: Proposals for reducing the 109m tones of waste produced by the UK construction industry every year have been published for consultation (closes 9 July 2007). Around 13% of all the solid materials delivered to construction sites goes unused and up to one third ends up in landfill.  Around a third of all fly tipping includes waste from the construction, demolition & excavation sectors.

The consultation proposes to make Site Waste Management Plans (SWMPs) a legal requirement for all projects in England worth over £250,000.  During construction, the Plans would be updated to record what actually happens to the waste, including the legitimate disposal of materials that cannot be reused or recycled.  This audit trail should reduce the potential for fly-tipping and increase the accountability of contractors.  
Press release ~ Consultation on site waste management plans for the construction industry ~ Site Waste Management Plans guidance 2004 ~ Waste Aware Construction ~ Relevant legislation ~ Watch Your Step campaign

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