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Media Ownership
18. Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received concerning media ownership. [17994]
Mr. Chris Smith: I have received representations about the public interest test applying to mergers between local newspapers and local radio stations and about a possible EC Directive on Media Ownership in the Internal Market.
Inner-city Theatres
19. Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the Department's strategy in promoting inner-city theatres. [17995]
Mr. Fisher:
The arts have an important part to play in the regeneration and building of local communities; this can have particular importance in inner city areas. Strategic funding decisions for theatres are made by the Arts Council of England and the regional arts boards in conjunction with local authorities and other funding
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partners. I know that none of them underestimate the wider benefits which the arts can bring to their audiences and communities.
21. Mr. Pollard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to encourage children's development through play. [17998]
Mr. Chris Smith:
The National Playing Fields Association is currently carrying out work for the Department in the areas of information dissemination, playwork education and training and play safety. I also made it clear in the White Paper "The People's Lottery" that we are particularly committed to the development of children's play. I am currently discussing with Lottery distributors how we can best ensure that Lottery funding for it is more easily accessible.
23. Ms Beverley Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his policy on the role of the Arts Council of England in developing audiences for jazz. [18001]
Mr. Fisher:
All the Arts Council's funding for jazz is designed to develop and build new audiences: the Government agree that the development of audiences in all art forms is a high priority.
25. Mr. Heppell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to help improve the quality of training for British athletes. [18003]
Mr. Banks:
We are committed to improving the quality of training for our athletes. In particular, the United Kingdom Sports Institute will provide our athletes with the best training facilities possible and the English Sports Council's World Class Performance Programme provides Lottery support to our best athletes.
26. Mr. Derek Twigg:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the lottery distribution fund boards. [18004]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I hold regular meetings with the Lottery distributors. I last met the Chairmen and the Chief Executives of the London-based Lottery distributors on 26 November. This was the fourth in a regular series of such meetings. The main topic of discussion was the Lottery Bill.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the share of funding which will be received by humanitarian charities from the national lottery as a result of the introduction of a sixth good cause. [17975]
Mr. Chris Smith:
The National Lottery Charities Board can expect to receive £1.8 billion over the period of the current licence. This matches its original expectation when the Lottery was launched. In addition,
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charities can expect to benefit from projects funded under the new good cause, covering health, education and the environment.
Mr. Levitt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ensure that the agreed levels of subtitling and sign language inserts that will apply to terrestrial television over the next 10 years will apply equally to United Kingdom providers of satellite and cable television service. [18788]
Mr. Chris Smith:
Channel 3 and 5 licensees are required to meet targets set out in the Broadcasting Act 1990 for the provision of subtitling. The BBC, Channel 4 and S4C, in pursuit of their public service commitments, aim to provide a similar amount of subtitling. Digital terrestrial television programme service licensees will be required to meet the subtitling and signing targets set under the Broadcasting Act 1996.
There are no statutory subtitling or signing targets for cable and satellite broadcasters. I am nevertheless keen that cable and satellite channels should provide more subtitling and sign language services. I am therefore asking them what plans they have to make their services more accessible in the future.
Mr. Levitt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of television football coverage is supplemented with live subtitling on (a) terrestrial and (b) satellite television stations. [18789]
Mr. Chris Smith:
From 1 January-2 November 1997, the BBC provided live subtitling for 63.25 per cent. of its network football coverage. I understand from the Independent Television Commission that during the same period, the ITV Network subtitled all its live coverage of football matches. Neither Channel 4, Channel 5 nor, as far as the Commission are aware, any satellite television services provided any live subtitling of football coverage.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to extend to satellite television channels the obligations regarding subtitling set out in the Broadcasting Acts. [19563]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I have no plans (and no current powers) to extend the statutory subtitling targets for subtitling to satellite broadcasters, but I am, nevertheless, keen that satellite channels should provide more subtitling services. I am therefore asking them what plans they have to make their services more accessible in the future to viewers with hearing difficulties.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if the British Library (a) Board and (b) Management Committee are required to publish details of their remuneration in the annual report; [19054]
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Mr. Fisher:
Under arrangements agreed with the Treasury, the British Library and other Non-departmental Public Bodies may produce summary financial information in their Annual Reports, indicating that the detail is available in the Annual Accounts. The Library's Accounts, which are published after the Annual Report, disclose remuneration of members of the British Library Board, the pay bands of senior employees earning more than £40,000 and the remuneration of the Chief Executive. The Accounts also show the income from the sale of freehold and leasehold properties.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what revenue was generated by readers in the British Library in respect of (a) London and (b) Boston spa reading room, in the last five years for which figures are available. [19045]
Mr. Fisher:
Reading room revenue for the last five years was as follows:
(2) what information the British Library is required to provide in its annual report in respect of income from the disposal of (a) freehold and (b) leasehold properties. [19055]
| London reading rooms | Boston Spa reading rooms | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 510 | 14 | (50)-- |
| 1993-94 | 537 | 19 | (50)-- |
| 1994-95 | 835 | 25 | (50)-- |
| 1995-96 | 1,019 | 31 | 1,050 |
| 1996-97 | 729 | 34 | 1,007 |
(50) Prior to 1993-94, no distinction was made in revenue from readers and remote users.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the number of reader places for science and medical readers in the new British Library; and what previous estimates of these numbers have been presented to Parliament. [19046]
Mr. Fisher: The total number of reader desks in the Science reading rooms is 273, with a further 41 dedicated for special functions such as CD-ROMS. These are available on a general basis and not specifically designated as "science" or "medical". Previous estimates of this provision were presented to Parliament on the following occasions:
- 8 December 1988 (OR, WA, col 255) 238 reader seats for science and technology in the first phase of the new building.
- NAO Report, October 1990: New Building for the British Library: Revised reader seat provision for Science Reference Information Services: 242.
- National Heritage Committee Report, July 1994, The British Library: Reading rooms for science, technology and business: 209 desks in Phase 1A; 61 desks in Completion Phase.
- NAO Report, May 1996: Progress in Completing the New British Library: Capacity of the science and oriental reading rooms . . . 351 seats [i.e. 273 science and 78 oriental desks].
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what are his proposals for 29 Exhibition Road, South Kensington, when the National Sound Archive vacates the building; [19052]
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Mr. Fisher:
Subject to approval by the relevant authorities, the Library will sell the freehold of the property at 29 Exhibition Road in 1998-99. The freehold of the property at 25 Southampton Buildings will be sold after their present tenants have vacated the buildings in 1999.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the floor area of the office accommodation in the British Library St. Pancras building; and how many offices it contains. [19053]
Mr. Fisher:
The total floor area of office accommodation in the St. Pancras building is 11,500 sq m. Under current plans, the number of individual offices is expected to be 40, as well as some 22 large open plan areas.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if 17 deg. C. and 50 per cent. relative humidity has been achieved in all the vault areas in the British Library. [19044]
Mr. Fisher:
Tests in the vault areas have confirmed that the plant has achieved and maintained environmental conditions of 17 deg. C. (plus or minus one degree) and 50 per cent. relative humidity (plus or minus 5 per cent.) in accordance with the technical specifications laid down for the areas.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the cost of the (a) new and (b) proposed British Library buildings at Boston Spa. [19047]
Mr. Fisher:
In 1995 the Library completed construction of a storage building at Boston Spa to accommodate reference material at a cost of £2.25 million. The Library is considering leasing additional office space to accommodate staff for functions relocated from London.
(2) what are his plans for 25 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, when the present tenants vacate these buildings. [19051]
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