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NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
Mr. Couchman: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are her plans for the development of policy on the distribution of lottery proceeds. [34571]
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: I am writing today to the chairmen of the United Kingdom and English lottery distributing bodies to consult them on a change to the policy directions issued to the Arts Council of England under section 26(1) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The proposed stabilisation programme would allow an amount of revenue funding to help arts organisations gain long-term financial viability in a way which would not substitute for existing grant in aid.
The stabilisation programme will aim to help arts organisations consider and in some cases change their objectives and the markets within which they operate; inject new creative, technical and managerial skills into the organisation to help them achieve their objectives; provide balance sheet stability; and deliver better value for money.
This is likely to be a technically complex programme. The Arts Council of England therefore proposes first to run a pilot to determine the best way in which a full stabilisation programme should work. The pilot will involve a sufficient number and range of arts organisations to enable the principle of the programme to be tested. The pilot will seek to identify whether the stabilisation programme could apply to the whole of arts provision across a single local authority area, and whether it could apply to a whole sector within the arts in addition to individual organisations. The pilot will also seek to identify the most appropriate administrative structure for managing the full stabilisation programme.
Financial instability is not unique to arts organisations. Heritage and sports organisations might also benefit from some form of mechanism to address financial and managerial problems. The Government will consider whether to introduce changes for the English Sports Council, once established, and the National Heritage Memorial Fund if such changes would meet the particular needs of those sectors. My colleagues will be consulting the chairmen of the Arts and Sports Councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland about the proposed direction and will consider in due course whether changes to the policy directions for those bodies should also be made.
The consultation which I have launched will last until 25 July. I will then consider the responses to the consultation process, with a view to announcing any change to the directions during August.
Mr. David Shaw:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many grants and how much money have been awarded by the National Lottery Charities Board to organisations (a) the title of which and (b) one of the main objectives of which makes reference to sexual orientation; and if she will list those organisations and the amount of grant awarded to each. [33047]
Mr. Sproat:
The National Lottery Charities Board is responsible for decisions on grants awarded and information about them. I have therefore asked the chief executive of the board to write to my hon. Friend, placing copies of his response in the Libraries of the House.
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 10
Mr. Trickett:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade which assets remain in public ownership at the Coal Authority; and what is their value. [33713]
Mr. Page:
The assets of the Coal Authority are described in its annual report and accounts 1994-95, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Notes 11 and 12 to the accounts give a breakdown of the value of the authority's investment properties and other tangible fixed assets. The authority's annual report and accounts 1995-96 will be published in July.
Mr. Macdonald:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions have been held, or are planned to be held, with German officials, regarding the supply of highly enriched uranium from Britain to Germany. [33778]
Mr. Page:
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority staff and DTI officials have participated in a number of discussions with German officials about the possible supply of HEU from existing UKAEA resources under EURATOM auspices. These discussions are continuing.
Mr. Bill Michie:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what requirements are placed on members of industrial tribunal panels to declare (a) religious and political affiliations, (b) membership of masonic or similar orders and (c) membership of other organisations which could appear to influence their decisions. [33850]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
None. However, under the terms of their instrument of appointment lay members must not sit to hear a case if there is any reasons known to them that might give rise to doubt as to their impartiality, or to the appearance of their impartiality, and must resign if they are adopted as prospective candidates for election to the United Kingdom or European Parliaments.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what continuing responsibility owners of offshore oil installations have for their maintenance and safety after closure; and over what period of time. [33914]
Mr. Eggar:
If an abandonment programme under the Petroleum Act 1987 proposes that an offshore oil installation be left in position or not wholly removed, it must include provision as to any continuing maintenance that may be necessary.
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 there may also be a continuing responsibility in relation to the health and safety of personnel who may have occasion to carry out work at the site.
Mr. David Nicholson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when he expects to reach a decision on the Office of Fair Trading recommendations on the distribution of films within the United Kingdom; [34109]
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 11
Mr. John M. Taylor:
My Department has received several representations from the Cinema Exhibitors Association regarding minimum exhibition periods. My Department is currently considering the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading on the distribution of films within the United Kingdom. A decision will be announced in due course.
Mr. William O'Brien:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what his estimate is of the total amounts spent on science and research (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in the Yorkshire region; and if he will make a statement. [32605]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
The total gross expenditure on research and development in the UK in 1994--the latest year available--was £14,613 million, of which £552 million was spent in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. The comparable figures for 1993 were £13,829 million and £418 million respectively.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the impact on British competitiveness of British companies transferring their head offices overseas. [32623]
Mr. Batiste:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about progress in the review of Government policy on civil space. [34426]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
I will be hosting the second space policy forum on 25 June at Queen Mary and Westfield College London. At the forum, the UK space community will consider a draft forward plan on space, which I have prepared, and copies of which I have today placed in the Library of the House.
I am also pleased to announce that additional UK Government funding is being provided for three European Space Agency programmes, namely £3.6 million for satellite navigation and £1.5 million for applications, both of these within the advanced research in telecommunications systems programme, and £2 million for the general support technology programme.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what dates (a) Ministers and (b) representatives of his Department met representatives of Metta Trading Ltd. to discuss matters relating to imports and exports. [32317]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 17 June 1996]: There has not been any such meeting between Ministers of my Department and representatives of Metalchem
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 12
International Ltd. On 12 and 19 March 1993 and on 10 August 1993, as part of a programme of routine company visits, officials of my Department discussed the consequences of UK sanctions legislation with personnel of the company and its subsidiaries.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what dates prior to July 1993 (a) Ministers and (b) departmental officials (i) corresponded with and (ii) discussed with Mr. Jovan Zebic or his representatives' compliance with United Kingdom legislation in respect of membership of the boards of Serbian-related companies or companies trading with Serbia. [32314]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 17 June 1996]: There has not been any such correspondence between Ministers or officials of my Department and Mr. Jovan Zebic or his representatives, nor have any such discussions taken place. Between 29 April and 29 July 1993, officials of my Department corresponded with representatives of Tsvetmetexport, a Russian company, which at that time owned 49 per cent. of the shares of Metta Trading Ltd., of which Mr. Zebic was a director until his resignation on 29 July 1993.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date Ministers were first informed that Messrs Metalchem International and Metta Trading Ltd. were (a) owned by, (b) controlled by and (c) acting on behalf of Serbian interests. [32315]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 17 June 1996]: A list of companies operating in the UK that constituted "persons connected with Serbia or Montenegro", as defined in the Serbia and Montenegro (United Nations Sanctions) Order 1992, formed the annexe to a submission to Ministers, dated 8 January 1993. Metalchem International Ltd. and Metta Trading Ltd. were among the 36 companies listed.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date his Department was first notified that (a) Metta Trading Ltd. and (b) companies acting as its agents or representatives had breached trade sanctions legislation. [32318]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 17 June 1996]: My Department has not been notified of any alleged breach of sanctions by Metta Trading Ltd. or companies acting as their agents or representatives.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the compliance of Messrs P. J. Forbes with regulations governing restrictions on trade with Serbian-related interests. [32313]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 17 June 1996]: None. The investigation and prosecution of alleged breaches of the sanctions on trade with Serbia and Montenegro is a matter for HM Customs and Excise, to whom any relevant information should be provided.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what dates (a) Ministers and (b) representatives of his Department met representatives of Metalchem International Ltd. to discuss matters relating to imports and exports. [32316]
24 Jun 1996 : Column: 13
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 17 June 1996]: There has not been any such meeting between Ministers of my Department and representatives of Metalchem International Ltd. On 12 and 19 March 1993 and on 10 August 1993, as part of a programme of routine company visits, officials of my Department discussed the consequences of UK sanctions legislation with personnel of the company and its subsidiaries.
(2) what representations he has received (a) from the Cinema Exhibitors Association, (b) from hon. Members and (c) from the public, regarding minimum booking time as a condition of supply by distributors to cinema exhibition, with particular reference to smaller-scale cinema operations; and if he will make a statement. [34110]
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