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War Pensioners
Mr. Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for a national scheme of disregards for war pensioners in respect of council tax and housing benefit to replace the current local discretionary schemes. [4128]
Mr. Bradley: I have been asked to reply.
The present disregard aims to strike a balance between acknowledging the special reasons for payment of the pension and the proper use of public funds. War pensioners already receive preferential treatment and benefit from many advantages over their Social Security counterparts.
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To increase the disregard of the special treatment already afforded to war pensioners and war widows could be done only at the expense of other deserving groups.
We therefore have no plans to change the current disregards for war pensioners.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what visitorial rights he has in respect of disputes between the officials of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and its members. [5391]
Mr. Hoon:
I have none. Her Majesty The Queen has directed the Lord Chancellor to exercise Her visitorial jurisdiction in connection with one dispute involving the Association.
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. Cranston: To ask the Attorney-General what progress has been made on the appointment of an organisational expert as part of the Crown Prosecution Service review. [5795]
The Attorney-General: I have appointed Mr. Robert McFarland, formerly Chief Executive of BOC Gases (South Asia, Middle East and Africa). He is a Chartered Accountant who has recently completed a successful international career in industry and will bring considerable organisational/management expertise to the Review team.
CABINET OFFICE
Minister without Portfolio
Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will list the (a) meetings and (b) telephone conversations he has held since 2 May in his official capacity with members of the media, and the subjects discussed. [5417]
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Post Office
Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will extend the complaint and redress provisions of the citizens charter to the Post Office. [4989]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
Both Royal Mail and Post Office Counters Ltd. already produce documents under the Charter which set out what customers can expect when they use the Post Office's services and what to do if something goes wrong, including details of available compensation. We are, however, committed to
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re-launching the programme of charters and, in this context, officials will be meeting the Post Office next month.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a list of those persons who were not established civil servants on 2 May whose salaries are currently being paid by his Departments, identifying the current salaries and position held by each of these persons and giving a summary of their provisions careers. [5420]
Dr. David Clark:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) on 6 June 1997, Official Report, columns 262-63.
Women in Sport
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to increase the involvement of women in traditionally male-dominated sports; and if he will make a statement. [2709]
Mr. Banks: The Government is keen to improve opportunities for women at all levels in sport, whether as participants, competitors, coaches or administrators.
The four Home Country Sports Councils, which are funded by central Government, actively encourage the involvement of women in all sports. Other sporting agencies, such as the Womens Sports Foundation are also doing much to underline the significant achievement of women in sport and help improve levels of participation.
Organisations are required to include ways of encouraging the participation of women when applying for monies from the National Lottery Sports Fund. This is helping to increase participation levels, particularly in those sports that have traditionally been male-dominated. These sports will be carefully monitored to ensure that the increased access is delivered.
The Government will explore ways to build on this and further extend opportunities through a national strategy for sport which will embrace all sections of the community regardless of where they live, social background, age or ability.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has for supporting Millennium events in the regions. [3210]
Mr. Chris Smith:
It is the Government's intention to support Millennium events throughout the UK through the Millennium Commission. In announcing his support for the Millennium Exhibition on 19 June the Prime Minister said that the Exhibition must be a truly national event, with links across the whole of the UK.
The addition to the Exhibition in Greenwich the Millennium Commission has to date awarded grants totalling £994 million to 112 capital projects on 2,036 sites across the UK. These range from landmark projects,
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such as the Lowry Centre in Salford, to small local projects. The Commission is also funding a number of nationwide umbrella projects, such as "Woods on your doorstep" and "21st Century Halls".
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many acres of school playing fields have been sold off in the last 10 years; and what is the policy of the Government towards the sale of (a) playing fields and (b) school playing fields. [3189]
Mr. Banks
[holding answer Monday 23 June 1997]: Local Education Authorities are not required to report their disposals of playing fields to Central Government and consequently no central record of playing field sales exist. Provided their schools continue to comply with the requirements for minimum playing field area in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1996, Local Education Authorities may dispose of land belonging to them without reference to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.
The Government intends to make sure that those playing fields which schools and their local communities need are not sold in the future. The Government is considering, urgently, a wide range of options to ensure that all school pupils and communities will have access to proper sports facilities.
Mr. Pendry:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the selling of playing fields. [5386]
Mr. Banks:
The Government intends to make sure that those playing fields which schools and their local communities need are not sold in the future. The Government is considering, urgently, a wide range of options to ensure that all school pupils and communities will have access to proper sports facilities.
Mr. Butterfill:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action he proposes to take to ensure the registration of all businesses supplying bed spaces for tourists; and if he will make a statement. [5138]
Mr. Tom Clarke:
The Government is determined to see improvements in accommodation standards. The AA, RAC and ETB announced in February plans for a new harmonised scheme which for the first time would give a single rating for hotels according to both the quality of their service and the facilities they offer. They will be consulting the industry on the details of this and on a scheme covering non-hotel accommodation such as guest-houses, B and Bs, farmhouses and inns. The introduction of these voluntary measures will be an important first step in raising standards.
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Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to introduce secondary legislation to increase the minimum requirement for sign language on digital terrestrial television. [4777]
Mr. Fisher:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no current plans to use the powers in the Broadcasting Act 1996 to amend the minimum requirements for sign language on digital terrestrial television. The Government will, however, monitor this issue closely taking into account, in particular, any technological advances which would make on screen signing easier for the broadcasters to provide. The Independent Television Commission has undertaken that it will regularly review all aspects of its Code on Subtitling, Sign Language and Audio Description on Digital Terrestrial Television. The Government welcomes this and will maintain close liaison with the Commission.
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