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National Lottery
Mr. Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total revenue accruing to the Treasury from all national lottery operations so far. [11903]
Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 25 January 1996]: The total amount of lottery duty accruing to the Exchequer was £559 million at the end of December 1995. Lottery duty was set at a level that should ensure that the displacement of consumer spending by spending on lottery tickets is neutral in its effect on Government revenue. The total amount of funds received by the national lottery distribution fund was £1,374 million over the same period.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Museums
Mr. Cran: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what method is used by non-charging national museums to count the numbers of their visitors; and what assessment she has made of (a) the accuracy of the method and (b) the auditing of the figures. [7055]
Mr. Sproat: It is for the trustees of each national museum to determine how to assess the number of visitors, and the different methods used for this purpose by different museums. In the context of the review of museum policy which I am currently undertaking, and given the importance of having accurate figures for visitors, my officials will be writing to each of the national museum and galleries that the Department sponsors asking them what methods they use to count visitors, what arrangements they have for ensuring accuracy of the figures, and how they conduct their audit of figures.
National Lottery (Disbursements)
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the disbursements made by the National Lottery Charities Board to organisations in (a) Heywood and Middleton and (b) the Greater Manchester area. [11054]
Mr. Sackville: I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. and learned Friend has written to all hon. Members on each occasion that the National Lottery Charities Board has made grants, enclosing a list of the grants. I understand that the charities board has also written to individual Members whenever a grant has been made in their constituency.
This information is available in the Library.
CD-ROM Industry
Mrs. Ann Campbell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of developments in the United Kingdom CD-ROM industry. [11127]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
This is an active and fast-moving market for which reliable and comprehensive data are sparse. A number of reports have been commissioned by
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my Department, either alone or in conjunction with the European Commission, analysing specific aspects of the CD-ROM market. The reports reached various conclusions. I am placing copies of them in the Library of the House.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received as to how this year's allocation to the Gas Consumer Council will affect its safety advisory service. [11721]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
I have received no such representations.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those organisations where trade unions have been de-recognised each year since 1985; and how many employees were involved in each case. [11943]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
The Government do not hold records on organisations where trade unions have been de-recognised or on the number of employees involved in each case.
Sir Irvine Patnick:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from businesses in Sheffield regarding Viners of Sheffield plc; and if he will make a statement. [10835]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
I have received representations which my hon. Friend passed to me from eight businesses and one trade association objecting to the company name "Viners of Sheffield public limited company". My officials will be writing to the company seeking its comments.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encourage the development of training for young entrepreneurs. [10900]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the measures outlined by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment in his reply of 25 January 1996, Official Report, columns 336-37.
Mr. Jack Thompson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list on a quarterly basis the ratio of electricity supplied via the cable link to and from France and the United Kingdom for the years 1993-94 and 1994-95. [10628]
Mr. Page:
In 1993-94 and 1994-95, the interconnector was exclusively used to import electricity from France.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated cost during 1996 of industrial tribunal proceedings under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [11676]
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Mr. John M. Taylor:
No firm estimate of the cost of industrial tribunal proceedings in 1996 can be made until a commencement date has been set for the employment provisions contained in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. However, it is likely that these provisions will come into effect around the end of the year and, if so, the costs of proceedings (if any) in 1996 will be negligible.
Mr. David Nicholson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the timetable for the prior options reviews of public sector research establishments outlined in the Government's response to the multi-departmental scrutiny of public sector research establishments (Cm 2991). [12682]
Mr. Lang:
The Government's response to the efficiency scrutiny announced our intention to carry out a programme of prior options reviews of public sector research establishments, with a view to the major part of the work being completed by the end of 1996.
Each review will address the relationship of establishments to others in similar or related fields and consider, amongst other things, the potential for privatisation or rationalisation. The results of these reviews will be considered by Ministers collectively.
The reviews will be carried out by the parent or sponsor Department or research council and are being phased as set out in the timetable. Each review will be announced and there will be an opportunity for interested parties to comment. Some of these announcements have already been made.
I am placing a copy of the guidelines for the conduct of these reviews in the Library of the House.
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| Establishment | Parent or Sponsor Department/Research Council |
|---|---|
| Veterinary Laboratories Agency | Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |
| Moredun Research Institute | Scottish Office |
| Hannah Research Institute | Scottish Office |
| Babraham Institute | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council |
| Institute for Animal Health | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council |
| Roslin Institute | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council |
| British Geological Survey | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences (comprising: Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory) | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (comprising: Institute of Freshwater Ecology, Institute of Hydrology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology) | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Establishment | Parent or Sponsor Department/Research Council |
|---|---|
| National Institute for Biological Standards and Control | Department of Health |
| National Radiological Protection Board | Department of Health |
| Public Health Laboratory Service | Department of Health |
| Rowett Research Institute | Scottish Office |
| Institute of Food Research | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council |
| Dunn Nutrition Unit | Medical Research Council |
| Radiobiology Unit | Medical Research Council |
| Reproductive Biology Unit | Medical Research Council |
| Toxicology Unit | Medical Research Council |
| Virology Unit | Medical Research Council |
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