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South Bank Ferris Wheel
19. Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment she has made of the advantages of providing millennium fund assistance for the ferris wheel proposed for the south bank. [2852]
Mrs. Bottomley: Neither the Millennium Commission nor the Government has received any requests for funding for the proposal to build a ferris wheel on the south bank. I understand that the proposed scheme is to be funded entirely by the private sector.
Arts Sponsorship
20. Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps she is taking to promote business sponsorship of the arts. [2853]
Mr. Sproat: My Department actively encourages private sector support for the arts. The National Heritage arts sponsorship scheme--the pairing scheme--has brought in more than £110 million in new money to the arts since it started in 1984. We also give financial support to Business in the Arts' "board bank" scheme, launched earlier this year by my right hon. Friend, which encourages senior managers to offer their skills to arts organisations on a voluntary basis. The Department's policy document, "Setting the Scene", highlighted the importance of business sponsorship as part of a plural funding system for the arts.
Volunteering
21. Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action her Department is taking to promote volunteering. [2854]
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: My Department supports, promotes and encourages volunteering in a wide variety of ways. Under the "make a difference" initiative £20 million is being used in the direct funding of projects, and to extend and strengthen the network of volunteer bureaux. These projects run from the most local--such as anti-bullying projects in schools, run by the pupils themselves--to the national--such as the national volunteering helpline and interactive computer databases of volunteering opportunities. Outstanding volunteering action is recognised through the "make a difference"/Whitbread awards. I have also recently launched a new grant programme to help local, volunteer-run community groups to become more effective. The "make a difference" initiative is making it easier for people to volunteer, and encouraging the development of many more volunteering opportunities.
Volunteering is a theme which runs through much of my Department's work. Both museums and the sporting world, for instance, are dependent on the efforts of an army of willing volunteers, and I am determined to support this in every way possible. I was particularly pleased at the recent publication by the Sports Council of its survey report, "Valuing Volunteers in Sport". My Department is also working with the national lottery distribution bodies to ensure that they recognise the role of volunteers in their grant-giving. Finally, through the ministerial group on volunteering and the voluntary sector, I co-ordinate the policy and practice on volunteering of the Government as a whole--for instance,
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Departments are currently updating their "make a difference" action plans, originally published in October last year.
22. Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what new proposals she has to encourage studies into Cornish cultural life. [2856]
Mr. Sproat:
At present my right hon. Friend has no proposals for studies relating to Cornish cultural life. Nor do the Arts Council of England or the South West Regional Arts Board.
23. Mr. Ian Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects to make an announcement on the location for the national British academy of sport; and if she will make a statement on the procedure for deciding on the location of regional sports centres. [2857]
Mr. Sproat:
Twenty-six bids have now been received for the British academy of sport, and we hope to make an announcement on the location early in the new year. Details of the Government's proposals for the regional institutes will be included in the prospectus which we aim to launch in early spring next year.
24. Mr. Tony Banks:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment she has made of the effects of the national lottery on bodies funding sports and the arts. [2858]
Mr. Sproat:
To date, the national lottery distributing bodies responsible for making grants to sport and the arts have made 3,950 awards for a total of £1,014.3 million. The injection of such large sums into these sectors in such a short space of time is nothing short of a revolution.
25. Sir Michael Neubert:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the latest assessment she has made of the revenue implications of capital grants made under the national lottery scheme for the arts, charities and sport. [2859]
Mrs. Bottomley:
The lottery distributing bodies must consider the viability and revenue implications of any capital projects which they support. They may provide revenue funding through endowments or in the form of revenue grants, where this is necessary to complete a capital project.
26. Mr. Timms:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the progress of digital terrestrial television. [2861]
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley:
The UK remains on target for the early introduction of the first digital terrestrial television services in the world. I am very grateful for the prodigious efforts of the ITC in achieving this progress in implementing the Broadcasting Act 1996. All the terrestrial broadcasters who were offered guaranteed capacity on digital multiplexes by the Government have indicated to the Independent Television Commission that
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they intend to take up that capacity. On 31 October, the ITC invited applications to operate the four digital multiplexes not pre-assigned. Those applications must be submitted by 31 January 1997. The commission hopes to award the licences shortly thereafter, and intends that all licensees should begin their services by 1 July 1998 at the latest.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what responsibility she has for the allocation of public airwaves to independent radio operators. [3900]
Mr. Sproat:
Under the terms of the Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State assigns a range of frequencies to the Radio Authority for the provision of independent radio services. Responsibility for planning the use of this spectrum to deliver a range of national and local services is a matter for the Radio Authority under the terms of the Broadcasting Acts.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many nationwide league football clubs' grounds need major work to bring them up to the standards of the Taylor report in (a) nationwide league division one, (b) nationwide league division two and (c) nationwide league division three. [3766]
Mr. Sproat:
The Football Trust estimates that there are 37 clubs in the Nationwide League whose grounds require improvements to meet Government requirements on all-seating or safe terracing. Of these clubs, seven are in division 1, 14 are in division 2, and 16 are in division 3.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what assessment she has made of the improvements needed to football grounds in the nationwide league to enable them to reach Taylor report standards in respect of (a) terracing and seating, (b) barriers, (c) lighting and (d) other safety issues; and what estimates she has made of the cost in respect of each of these categories; [3807]
Mr. Sproat:
Most clubs in Nationwide League division 1 meet the Government's requirements on all-seating. Those few that do not have either been granted an extension to the deadline, on account of their having been recently promoted, or are relocating to new stadia. Clubs in divisions 2 and 3 are not required to go all-seated, but those that choose not to do so will have to meet certain minimum standards for standing terraces by August 1999. A survey is currently being carried out by the Football Licensing Authority to ascertain precisely what will be necessary at each ground to satisfy this minimum requirement.
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Sir Julian Critchley:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many scanners have been purchased from the proceeds of national lottery money. [4269]
Mr. Sproat:
No medical scanners have been purchased with national lottery funds.
(2) what estimate she has made of the costs for nationwide league football clubs who need to carry out major work to bring their grounds up to the standards of the Taylor report, in (a) nationwide league division one, (b) nationwide league division two and (c) nationwide league division three. [3703]
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