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Economic and Monetary Union
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effect of economic and monetary union on (a) the Welsh farming industry, (b) small businesses in Wales and (c) the Welsh economy as a whole. [44035]
Mr. Win Griffiths: I am concerned that Welsh businesses and farmers should be well placed to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities presented by the EMU. The Government are committed to helping businesses to adapt and are providing advice to businesses about the euro.
Arts Funding
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was his subvention to (a) the National Orchestra of Wales, (b) the National Museum of Wales and (c) the principal theatres in Wales in 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [44595]
Mr. Ron Davies: The information requested by my hon. Friend is as follows:
- (a) the Welsh Office does not provide direct support for the arts but does so through grant in aid to the Arts Council of Wales. In 1997-98 the Arts Council's grant to the BBC National Orchestra was £609,875;
- (b) Welsh Office direct grant in aid to the National Museum and Galleries of Wales was £12.3 million;
- (c) the Arts Council's grants to the mainstream producing theatres Wales in 1997-98 amounted to £1.4 million.
Orchestras
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on support for regional orchestras; and if he will make a statement. [44593]
Mr. Ron Davies:
Welsh Office support for music is channelled through the Arts Council of Wales. The Arts Council's music budget for 1998-99 has been set at
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£3.5 million. Out of this, the Arts Council funds the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the orchestra of the Welsh National Opera.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the millennium projects in North East Wales, indicating their locations and his Department's support for each; and if he will make a statement. [44597]
Mr. Ron Davies:
My Department does not provide direct financial support for millennium projects. However, the following projects in North East Wales have been awarded grants by the Millennium Commission, which is sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport:
Projects in North East Wales are also being considered for Millennium Commission grants for umbrella projects stretching across the United Kingdom.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to assist regional theatre; and if he will make a statement. [44592]
Mr. Ron Davies:
Welsh Office support for drama is channelled through the Arts Council of Wales. The Arts Council's drama budget for 1998-99 has been set at just over £3 million.
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Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list his initiatives for the development of tourism in (a) Wales, (b) North Wales and (c) North East Wales; and if he will make a statement. [44596]
Mr. Hain:
We continue to fund the Wales Tourist Board's section 4 capital grant programme. The Board has targeted grant at resorts and historic towns in North Wales generating investment of £11.75 million over the past three years and is also involved in developing a new North Wales Regional Tourism Strategy. In North East Wales the Board has allocated £600,000 to support development in Denbigh and Ruthin with new initiatives likely to come from the new regional strategy.
Government support also enables the Board to support tourism through marketing, product development, training, quality grading and research initiatives. The Board is soon to consult the industry on a new tourism strategy for the next century.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to assist the principal museums of Wales; and if he will make a statement. [44594]
Mr. Ron Davies:
My Department provided funding of £12.3 million to the National Museums and Galleries of Wales in 1997-98. In addition, the Council of Museums in Wales, the body which represents non-national local museums throughout Wales, received £522,000 and a grant of £100,000 was made to the Big Pit mining museum at Blaenavon.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what ways he has assisted cricket clubs in North Wales; what grants he has made; and if he will make a statement. [44598]
Mr. Ron Davies:
Further to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 19 May 1998, Official Report, column 31, I understand that the Chief Executive of the Sports Council for Wales has written to my hon. Friend with details of all grants made to cricket clubs in Wales over the last five years. A copy of his letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local government boundary reviews being carried out under the current review process (a) have been completed and (b) are awaiting completion; when each of the outstanding reviews is due to be completed; and if the 1999 unitary council elections within all unitary authorities will take place within the new local government boundaries. [43491]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
Following local government reorganisation 2 boundary reviews were completed in February 1996 by the Local Government Boundary Commission. A further boundary review is being undertaken by the Commission, and is expected to be completed by Spring 1999. The 1999 local government
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elections will take account of the 2 boundary reviews completed in February 1996. It will not be possible to take account of the most recent boundary review in time for these elections.
In addition to these boundary reviews the Commission is undertaking a review of the electoral arrangements in all Welsh local authorities following local government reorganisation. It has submitted 14 reports to the Secretary of State to date, and a further report is expected shortly. The final 7 reports have yet to be completed. The outstanding reports have to be submitted to the Secretary of State by 1 December 1999. The Secretary of State is still considering whether these reports should be implemented in time for the May 1999 elections, in the context of his consultation on the modernisation agenda for local government.
Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authority houses in Wales were assessed to be unfit for human habitation (a) in total and (b) by local authority in 1997. [43494]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
Information is not available for 1997. The latest Welsh House Condition Survey was conducted in 1993. From this, it is estimated that 37,900 occupied local authority dwellings, 15.8 per cent. of the total, in Wales were unfit. Information on individual local authority areas is not available from the survey.
The 1997 Welsh House Condition Survey is in progress. Information from this survey which will provide results for local authority areas is expected to be available later this year.
Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what sums were allocated by his Department to private sector renovation grants for the financial years (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98. [43492]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
The Department issued Supplementary Credit Approvals of £179.5 million in 1996-97 and £149.6 million in 1997-98 specifically for private sector renovation and disabled facilities grants. Further Supplementary Credit Approvals of £17 million in 1996-97 and £14 million in 1997-98 were issued for area renewal schemes. Authorities may additionally use part of their Basic Credit Approval or Supplementary Credit Approval issued under the Capital Receipts Initiative for individual grants and area renewal.
Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the level of spending by each local authority in Wales on (i) renovation grants, (ii) disabled facility grants, (iii) home repair grants, (iv) common parts grants, (v) conversional grants and (vi) empty home grants or their equivalent for the financial years (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98. [43493]
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Mr. Win Griffiths:
The available information is given in the following table. Detailed information on the split of local authority expenditure for housing grants is not held centrally.
St. Cynfarch and St. Cyngar Church
Floodlighting, Wrexham: £16,882
Erbistock Village Hall, Wrexham: £27,300
Ceiriog Centenary Hall, Llanarmon, Wrexham: £143,000
Section of the Sustrans National Cycle
Network: £468,000.
| (a) 1996-97 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (b) Renovation grants | (c) Other housing grants | (b) (d) 1997-98 Renovation grants | |
| Blanenau Gwent | 5.3 | 0.0 | 4.9 |
| Bridgend | 6.0 | 0.0 | 5.8 |
| Caerphilly | 9.3 | 1.2 | 6.9 |
| Cardiff | 21.2 | 0.0 | 14.6 |
| Carmarthenshire | 13.2 | 0.0 | 13.2 |
| Ceredigion | 6.8 | 0.0 | 5.9 |
| Conwy | 4.0 | 0.0 | 4.4 |
| Denbighshire | 2.6 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| Flintshire | 7.4 | 0.0 | 6.4 |
| Gwynedd | 7.8 | 1.9 | 9.0 |
| Isle of Anglesey | 3.8 | 0.0 | 4.4 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 4.0 | 0.0 | 3.2 |
| Monmouthshire | 2.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| Neath Port Talbot | 8.3 | 0.0 | 7.2 |
| Newport | 5.9 | 0.0 | 3.6 |
| Pembrokeshire | 7.2 | 0.0 | 7.7 |
| Powys | 7.3 | 0.0 | 7.6 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taff | 17.4 | 0.0 | 16.3 |
| Swansea | 11.0 | 0.0 | 10.2 |
| Torfaen | 2.5 | 0.8 | 2.9 |
| The Vale of Glamorgan | 5.0 | 0.0 | 4.2 |
| Wrexham | 5.5 | 0.0 | 5.8 |
| Wales | 163.8 | 3.8 | 147.2 |
(a) Provisional outturn
(b) Includes renovation, disabled facility, home repair, common parts grants and grants to homes in multiple occupancy
(c) Includes all other housing grants
(d) Local authority forecast. Information is not yet available for 'other' housing grants
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