House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 May 1996 (pt 16)

NATIONAL HERITAGE

National Lottery Grants (Croydon)

Mr. Congdon: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list for each constituency in Croydon the organisations which have received grants from the national lottery and their amount. [27877]

Mr. Sproat: There have been three awards, totalling £73,900 allocated to projects in Croydon, as follows:

Body Announced Recipient Amount

£

NLCB 19 December 1995 Friends of the English Language Scheme 9,400.00

NLCB 19 December 1995 Victim support 19,500.00

NLCB 19 December 1995 Refugee project 45,000.00

73,900.00

Body	Announced	Recipient	Amount
			£
NLCB	19 December 1995	Friends of the English Language Scheme	9,400.00
NLCB	19 December 1995	Victim support	19,500.00
NLCB	19 December 1995	Refugee project	45,000.00

			73,900.00

Figures for national lottery awards by constituency are not currently available, but my Department is developing a new lottery database, which will shortly allow for this break-down to be made.

Millennium Celebrations

Mr. Butcher: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if she will undertake an assessment within the next three months of the risks of the Greenwich millennium celebration not being fully operational within the agreed timetable; and if she will inform the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre of the results of such risk assessment before 1 August; [28045]

Mr. Sproat: The commission is currently undertaking an assessment of the viability of a millennium exhibition on the site of the Greenwich peninsula. The results are expected to be available in September.

15 May 1996 : Column: 498

National Lottery (Arts Projects)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans she has to revise the national lottery guidelines in respect of non-capital investment creative arts projects and receiving lottery grants. [28693]

Mr. Sproat: On 1 April, my right hon. Friend announced, Official Report columns 69-70, changes to the policy directions issued under subsections (1) and (2) of section 26 of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. These changes will allow the Arts Council to make revenue-only lottery awards.

Performing Arts (Coventry)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the performing arts organisations based in Coventry which have (a) requested and (b) received grants. [28695]

Mr. Sproat: My Departments's funding of the arts is channelled through the Arts Council of England and regional arts boards. It is for them to decide on the allocation of funding for the arts, taking into account national and regional priorities. For 1995-96 West Midlands Arts provided funding of over £770,000 for the following performing arts organisations in Coventry:

DNA Dance and Music
Coventry St. Vincent and Grenadine Association
University of Warwick
Bare Essential Youth Theatre
Shaskeen Theatre Company
Multi Arts National Ltd.
Saint Michael's Singers
Suits U2 Dance Company
Jazz Coventry
Vulcheva-Jenkins Incident
Coventry University Performing
Theatre Absolute
Arts Alive
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Warwick Arts Centre.

In addition national lottery awards of over £99,000 have been made to the following performing arts venues in Coventry:

Coventry CPA Brass Band, towards instrument purchase
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, towards the purchase of a third theatre space for the Coventry Arts Alive summer festival

A number of performing arts organisations have also received awards under the Government's national heritage arts pairing scheme. For 1995-96, awards of £26,700 were made to the following performing arts organisations in Coventry:

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Warwick Arts Centre
Warwick Arts Society.

15 May 1996 : Column: 499

Women in Sport

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps she is taking to encourage more women to take part in sport; and what funding is available to encourage women's participation in sport at every level. [29057]

Mr. Sproat: The Government are keen to improve opportunities for women and girls to participate in sport at all levels. These objectives are pursued through sponsorship of the Sports Council, which received £49.2 million grant in aid in 1995-96. In the same year, the Sports Council awarded £617,000 to women's governing bodies of sport; almost £2 million was provided at a national and regional level for projects exclusively or primarily concerned with the development of sport for girls and women; and a further £7.1 million was provided at a national and regional level for projects which had specific implications for women. Women's sport would also have benefitted from the Sports Council's other programmes.

In its first year of operation, the national lottery provided a huge injection of funds for capital projects aimed at increasing participation and enhancing performance. The changes to the directions that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently made will enable the Sports Council to give revenue awards to talented sportswomen.

Official Hospitality

Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much was spent on official hospitality by her Department and all associated agencies in the financial year 1995-96. [28577]

Mr. Sproat [holding answer 9 May 1996]: The information is as follows:

Department of National Heritage: £25,563
Historic Royal Palaces Agency: £46,133
Royal Parks Agency: £16,627.

Euro 96 (Tickets)

Miss Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment she has made of the ticket allocation procedures for Euro 96; what discussions she has had with the football authorities on this matter; what plans she has to meet the organisers of Euro 96; and if she will make a statement. [29326]

15 May 1996 : Column: 500

Mr. Sproat [holding answer 14 May 1996]: The allocation of tickets for Euro 96 has been carried out in accordance with UEFA guidelines, and the Football Association has established procedures for the distribution of tickets to supporters. Last week, it became apparent that a significant number of tickets had not been allocated in accordance with these procedures. Proper segregation of supporters is important for public safety and public order. The FA is working closely with the police and security checks are being made before the tickets concerned are released. I have had a number of meetings with the organisers of Euro 96. I shall continue to monitor developments closely. The eyes of the world will be on us during Euro 96. The FA is well aware that everything must be done to minimise possible disorder and have taken additional precautions in the light of what has emerged.

Orchestras

Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many orchestras have been awarded funds from the national lottery. [28942]

Mr. Sproat: To date, 23 orchestras have been awarded funds, totalling £5,201,119, from the national lottery.

Employees' Rights

Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what provision is available to employees of executive agencies under the control of her Department for (a) maternity leave, (b) maternity pay, (c) paternity leave, (d) parental leave, (e) flexible working hours, (f) part-time work, (g) job sharing, (h) leave to care for sick children, (i) home working, (j) term-time contracts, (k) annual hours contracts, (l) workplace nurseries, (m) child care allowances, (n) carers' leave and (o) career break schemes; and what criteria are used to judge eligibility in each case; [27605]

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

(i)

(j)

(k)

(l)

(m)

(n)

(o)

Mr. Sproat [holding answer 7 May 1996]: The following table represents the provisions available in my Department and the two agencies for which the Department is responsible--the Historic Royal Palaces Agency and the Royal Parks Agency.

15 May 1996 : Column: 499

Employee benefit Provision in the department Criteria to judge eligibility Variation if different in the Agencies

(a) Maternity leave and (b) Maternity pay 14 weeks' paid maternity leave, with up to 38 weeks' additional unpaid maternity leaveGenerally, women must have 1 years' continuous (permanent) employment in the Civil Service

(c) Paternity leave 2 days taken before or after the baby is born Male employees

(d) Parental leave Generally up to 10 paid days in one leave year, and up to 52 weeks' unpaid leave (in cases of adoption up to 20 days paid leave)Where appropriate, at local management discretionFor Agencies currently no formalised arrangements

(e) Flexible working hours Agreed departmental policy Where appropriate, at local management discretion For RPA open to all staff except in sections where cover is essential eg Personnel, Reception

(f) Part-time working Agreed departmental policy Where appropriate, at management discretion

(g) Job sharing Agreed departmental policy Where appropriate, at local management discretion For Agencies currently no formalised arrangements

(h) Leave to care for sick children As for 'parental leave' As for 'parental leave' For Agencies up to 5 days paid leave; thereafter unpaid leave possible

(i) Homeworking No formalised scheme, pilot scheme currently being tested Where appropriate, at local management discetionFor Agencies currently no formalised arrangements

(j) Term-time contracts Currently no provision

(k) Annual hours contracts Currently no provision For HRPA two distinct groups of staff work under these contracts to meet the needs of the business/visitors

(l) Workplace nurseries and (m) Childcare allowances One nursery place for a child up to five years old. In addition a holiday playscheme operates to help staff look after their children in school holidays. DNH provides 50 per cent. subsidy for both nursery and playschemeOpen to all employeesFor Agencies currently no provision

(n) Carers' leave As for 'parental leave' As for 'parental leave' For Agencies up to 5 days paid leave; thereafter unpaid leave possible

(o) Career break schemes Up to 5 years unpaid leave to cope with domestic responsibilities Open to all employees at local management discretion

Employee benefit	Provision in the department	Criteria to judge eligibility	Variation if different in the Agencies
(a) Maternity leave and (b) Maternity pay	14 weeks' paid maternity leave, with up to 38 weeks' additional unpaid maternity leaveGenerally, women must have 1 years' continuous (permanent) employment in the Civil Service
(c) Paternity leave	2 days taken before or after the baby is born	Male employees
(d) Parental leave	Generally up to 10 paid days in one leave year, and up to 52 weeks' unpaid leave (in cases of adoption up to 20 days paid leave)Where appropriate, at local management discretionFor Agencies currently no formalised arrangements
(e) Flexible working hours	Agreed departmental policy	Where appropriate, at local management discretion	For RPA open to all staff except in sections where cover is essential eg Personnel, Reception
(f) Part-time working	Agreed departmental policy	Where appropriate, at management discretion
(g) Job sharing	Agreed departmental policy	Where appropriate, at local management discretion	For Agencies currently no formalised arrangements
(h) Leave to care for sick children	As for 'parental leave'	As for 'parental leave'	For Agencies up to 5 days paid leave; thereafter unpaid leave possible
(i) Homeworking	No formalised scheme, pilot scheme currently being tested	Where appropriate, at local management discetionFor Agencies currently no formalised arrangements
(j) Term-time contracts	Currently no provision
(k) Annual hours contracts	Currently no provision		For HRPA two distinct groups of staff work under these contracts to meet the needs of the business/visitors
(l) Workplace nurseries and (m) Childcare allowances	One nursery place for a child up to five years old. In addition a holiday playscheme operates to help staff look after their children in school holidays. DNH provides 50 per cent. subsidy for both nursery and playschemeOpen to all employeesFor Agencies currently no provision
(n) Carers' leave	As for 'parental leave'	As for 'parental leave'	For Agencies up to 5 days paid leave; thereafter unpaid leave possible
(o) Career break schemes	Up to 5 years unpaid leave to cope with domestic responsibilities	Open to all employees at local management discretion

15 May 1996 : Column: 501

Next Section

Index

Home Page