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Arts Council

Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what recent discussions she has had with the Arts Council regarding change to distribution rules to create a stability fund to enable lottery funds to be spent on staff restructuring and if she will make it her policy to resist such a change. [18225]

Mr. Sproat: The Arts Council has approached me with a proposal for a scheme to be financed from the lottery to provide ways of putting arts organisations on a firmer financial basis without entering into continuing commitments for revenue funding. The Arts Council is currently working up detailed proposals in consultation with my Department and others.

Broadcasting Bill

Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the consultants employed to advise her Department upon the technical aspects of the Broadcasting Bill, with particular reference to the operation of multiplexes. [17930]

Mr. Sproat: In March 1995 my Department commissioned the National Economic Research Association to prepare a study of methods of media market measurement. The results of this study informed the preparation of Government policy on cross-media ownership which is reflected in the Broadcasting Bill.

My Department did not commission any work from consultants on digital broadcasting, but relied on the technical advice of the Radiocommunications Agency and the broadcasting authorities.

Royal Armouries (International) plc

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what sums have been made available to Royal Armouries (International) plc to create a museum. [19105]

6 Mar 1996 : Column: 241

Mr. Sproat: The new Royal Armouries museum, Leeds is being funded by the public and private sectors. My Department is providing £20 million from its existing resources.

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which (i) directors and (ii) senior employees of Royal Armouries (International) plc are (a) former public servants, (b) hon. or former hon. Members and (c) Peers. [19107]

Mr. Sproat: General Sir James Glover, formerly Commander-in-Chief, United kingdom Land Forces, is the chairman of Royal Armouries (International) plc. No other director or senior employee falls into any of the categories listed.

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on what terms armour and other material will be provided to Royal Armouries (International) plc for exhibitions. [19106]

Mr. Sproat: The Royal Armouries is making available a substantial part of its collection to Royal Armouries (International) plc for exhibition in the new Royal Armouries museum, Leeds. Royal Armouries (International) plc will meet the costs of conserving and displaying the collection. The Royal Armouries will retain ownership of the collection.

Oflot (Hospitality Costs)

Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much has been spent by Oflot on official hospitality since its setting up. [18239]

Mr. Sproat [holding answer 29 February 1996]: This is a matter for the Director General of the National Lottery. I have therefore asked the Director General to write to the hon. Member, placing copies of his response in the Libraries of the House.

Civil Servants (Company Directors)

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each (a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18142]

Mr. Sproat [holding answer 1 March 1996]: Officials in this Department who are currently directors of companies must under departmental rules declare their interest to senior managers who must be satisfied that there is no conflict of interest between officials' public duties and private activities. Staff who disclose relevant interests do so on the understanding that the declaration, like all employment matters, is confidential between them and the Department.

Tourism

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what advice she has supplied to the know-how funds on tourism projects; and in respect of which projects. [16327]

Mr. Sproat: My Department has not provided advice on tourism projects supported by the know-how funds.

6 Mar 1996 : Column: 242

Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many tourists visited (a) the north-west of England and (b) Lancashire in 1990 and 1995. [16381]

Mr. Sproat: Visitor figures are not yet available for 1995. The figures for 1990 and 1994 are as follows:

Million

	1990	1994
North-West
Domestic visitor trips	7.5	8.6
Domestic visitor expenditure	£755	£1,090
Overseas visitor trips	0.98	1.12
Overseas visitor expenditure	£228	£395
Lancashire
Domestic visitor trips	3.6	3.7
Domestic visitor expenditure	£450	£552
Overseas visitor trips	0.18	0.18
Overseas visitor expenditure	£43	£51

These figures relate to overnight visitor trips and expenditure. The north-west is defined as the area covered by the north-west tourist board--that is, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Immigration

Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures he has for each year since 1990, of the number of non-United Kingdom citizens granted (a) leave to enter the United Kingdom and (b) the right of settlement in the United Kingdom, on the basis of a personal relationship outside marriage with a United Kingdom based person of the opposite sex; and what representations he has received alleging that these arrangements have been, or can be, abused for the purposes of illegal immigration. [18502]

Mr. Kirkhope: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) on 1 May 1995, Official Report, column 102. The corresponding figure for common-law spouses accepted for settlement in 1995 is provisionally 550. The immigration rules do not provide for a person to seek admission to the United Kingdom on the basis of a common-law relationship.

Investigation of applications for leave to remain on the basis of a heterosexual common-law relationship has uncovered abuse of these arrangements.

Crimes Against Children

Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account he has taken of the recent extension of the powers of coroners to investigate deaths occurring outside the United Kingdom in the context of his consideration of legislation relating to crimes against children committed by United Kingdom citizens abroad. [18612]

6 Mar 1996 : Column: 243

Mr. Maclean: Coroners have jurisdiction to inquire into deaths abroad only where the deceased has been returned to England or Wales and there is reason to suppose that the statutory grounds for holding an inquest are met. The evidential requirements and the procedures applicable in coroners' courts are, of course, different from those of criminal courts and it is difficult therefore to make any meaningful comparisons between the two systems.

Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what external legal advice he has received about enacting United Kingdom legislation relating to crimes committed abroad by United Kingdom citizens against children of other countries. [18611]

Mr. Maclean: As part of its consideration of what measures might be taken to tackle the problem of British nationals committing offences against children in other countries, the Government have sought advice and information from a number of sources. In particular, we have contacted the relevant authorities in a number of countries, and received from them details about their law, and its application, in this area.

We have also received advice from non-governmental organisations. The Coalition on Child Prostitution and Tourism, for example, submitted independent legal advice in connection with one aspect of our research, and has also undertaken to provide further information in connection with the inter-departmental review of extra-territorial jurisdiction, which was announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary on 1 February.

Fire Service

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account has been taken of the geographic area in which fire brigades have to operate in calculating the size of management teams. [18657]

Mr. Sackville: Responsibility for the management of fire brigade services in their areas is a matter for individual fire authorities.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the percentage shortfall of finance for the provision of fire service pay increases; and what assessment he has made of its impact upon Cheshire county council. [18732]

Mr. Sackville: The impact of national pay awards on individual fire authorities will vary according to their particular circumstances. Like every other fire authority, Cheshire county council has a responsibility to set its budget having regard to all the relevant circumstances, including the size of the nationally agreed pay awards.

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