House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 24 Jul 1996 (pt 46)

Film Industry

Mr. Tim Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects to receive the report from the Middleton committee on the future financing of the film industry; and if she will make a statement. [39693]

Mr. Sproat: My right hon. Friend expects to receive the report on 31 July.

Sir Anthony Durant: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects to receive the report from the Advisory Committee on Film Finance on the future financing of the United Kingdom film industry. [39584]

Mr. Sproat: My right hon. Friend expects to receive the report on 31 July.

Sir Anthony Durant: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the levels of investment in United Kingdom film production in 1996-97. [39586]

Mr. Sproat: Figures for 1996-97 are not available, but the total investment in UK-linked films going into production in the first half of the calendar year 1996 was reported to be £333 million.

Sir Anthony Durant: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the agencies which have made representations to the Middleton committee on the film industry. [39585]

Mr. Sproat: The following organisations have made representations to the advisory committee:

Premier Media Ltd.
British Film Institute
British Screen Advisory Council
Candover Services Ltd.
Cinema Exhibitors Association
Durlacher and Co., Plc
European Film Finance and Insurers Association
Film Financing Ltd
Film Investment and Loan Management Services Ltd.

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Guardian Royal Exchange
Heath Martens Horner Ltd.
Hydra Associates Ltd.
KPMG
Legal and General Investment Management
Mercury Asset Management
Midland Bank Plc
Nat West Markets
National Film and Television School
Pearson Television
Rank Organisation
Royal Bank of Scotland
Rutherford Asset Management
Shepperton Studios
Society of Film Distributors
United International Pictures (UK)

Parliamentary Questions (Meetings)

Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on how many occasions ministerial conference and meeting rooms in the parliamentary estate have been booked in her name, or that of other Ministers in her Department, for meetings with Conservative hon. Members immediately preceding questions to her Department in the current parliamentary Session. [39530]

Mr. Sproat: On no occasions.

National Heritage Memorial Fund

Mr. Patten: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many applications for support from the national heritage memorial fund have been received for projects (a) of a specifically Christian nature and (b) which recognise the millennium as marking 2,000 years since the birth of Jesus Christ; of those how many have been approved; and at what cost. [39583]

Mr. Sproat: The heritage lottery fund does not categorise by religious denomination. However, to date 566 applications have been received from religious organisations 31 per cent. of total--asking for grants amounting to £57,505,362. Eighty-seven grants have been awarded to religious organisations, 23 per cent. of total grants awarded amounting to £8,024,510.

Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total national lottery funding allocated for distribution through the heritage commission in 1995-96; what sum is planned for 1996- 97; what was the total sum allocated and paid through the commission in 1995-96; and what sum has been allocated and paid to date in 1996-97. [40039]

Mr. Sproat: The total national lottery funding allocated for distribution through the national heritage memorial fund in 1995-96 was £305 million; of this, £40.4 million was drawn down in that year. A total of £33.6 million has been drawn down in 1996-97 out of a planned expenditure of £197 million. Estimated income for the NHMF in 1996-97 is £250 million.

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Loan Indemnification

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the total value of contingent liabilities arising from her indemnification, under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980, of loans from the Gilbert collection to the Victoria and Albert museum. [40030]

Mr. Sproat: My right hon. Friend made a written statement to the House on 5 June 1996 at columns 499-500 setting out the total value of statutory contingent liabilities arising from all section 16 indemnities that remained outstanding at 31 March 1996. Since making that report, we have indemnified, under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980, a number of loans by the Gilbert Public Arts Foundation to the Victoria and Albert museum. The current total value of statutory contingent liabilities arising from these particular undertakings is £33,140,563. The Gilbert loans comprise an outstanding collection of more than 600 pieces of historic English and continental gold and silversmiths' work from about 1500 to 1830 and the definitive group of micromosaics and pietra dura furniture. The objects will be with the V and A for about three years and a number of them will be on display to the public.

British Academy of Sport

Mr. Hargreaves: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress has been made in establishing the British academy of sport. [40021]

Mr. Sproat: Details of the Government's proposals for the British academy of sport, as the pinnacle of a regional network of centres of sporting excellence and academies for particular sports, are set out in the bid prospectus, which is published today. Bidders have until 31 October to submit their bids, and it is hoped that a final decision will be reached by the end of January 1997.

I have placed copies of the prospectus in the Libraries of the House.

"Sport: Raising the Game"

Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress has been made on implementing the initiatives set out in "Sport: Raising the Game". [40086]

Mr. Sproat: We have today published "Sport: Raising the Game--The First Year Report", which reports progress on all 38 action points set out in the sports policy statement published last July.

The report shows that real progress has been made in the past year, but it also emphasises our determination to sustain the momentum in the coming year.

In schools, a revised physical education curriculum, with greater emphasis on team games, was introduced in August 1995.

From the 1996-97 academic year, schools' annual reports and prospectuses will include information on sporting aims, provision and achievements.

In October, secondary schools, which have particularly good policies for sport, will be able to apply for a sportsmark award. The first awards will be made in April 1997.

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From this summer, games that are offered as part of the formal PE curriculum will be inspected and reported on by Ofsted. Inspectors will also report on extra-curricular sporting provision made by the school.

The Ofsted survey of good practice in school PE was published in December 1995, and a summary was sent to all schools in January 1996.

For the first time, Her Majesty's chief inspector's annual report in February 1996 addressed the state of both curriculum PE and extra-curricular activities and sport in schools.

Pilot "Coaching Weeks for Teachers" are under way, involving 300 to 500 teachers and trainee teachers. The aim is to mount a nationwide programme in 1997-98.

Schools can claim up to 80 per cent. of the costs of a new facility from the lottery sports fund for projects linked with their communities and sports clubs.

A £2 million challenge fund, to promote links between schools and clubs, has been established by the Sports Council. Applications will be invited from schools, clubs and governing bodies of sport this October.

From 5 August, following concern that too many school, and other, playing fields had been sold off, the Sports Council will be a statutory consultee for planning applications affecting playing fields.