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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Dome (Sponsorship)
36. Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the total amount of sponsorship which he forecasts will be available for the Dome. [65228]
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Janet Anderson:
The New Millennium Experience Company's target is to raise £150 million of sponsorship support. The Company announced, last November, confirmed sponsorship of £120 million--or 80 per cent. of that total. The NMEC are in detailed negotiations for a further £15 million.
37. Mr. Ben Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will ensure that there is sufficient help and advice from the millennium festival on funding applications for regional and local events and activities to the Millennium Festival fund. [65229]
Janet Anderson:
The Millennium Festival is a partnership initiative between the Lottery Distribution bodies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the New Millennium Experience Company. It aims to give as many people as possible financial and other support for events and activities within their communities during 2000. Promotional and administrative support for the Festival is provided by NMEC's twelve country-wide offices. Staff in those offices are available to advise anyone who is interested in the Millennium Festival and I have today placed contact details in the Libraries of the House.
The funding round for larger awards--over £5,000--which opened on 5 May 1998 has now closed. Decisions on the Awards will be announced in February 1999. The funding round for smaller community schemes--seeking between £250 and £5,000--will open in the spring of 1999.
38. Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of people who will travel to the Millennium Dome by ferry. [65230]
Janet Anderson:
The New Millennium Experience Company estimates that about 1 million out of the estimated 12 million visitors to the Dome will arrive by boat from central London and by the shuttle service from historic Greenwich.
40. Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the maximum number of visitors which the millennium site could handle on any one day. [65232]
Janet Anderson:
Actual daily numbers will depend on the New Millennium Experience Company's policy regarding the number of tickets on sale for each day, on visitor safety and comfort, and on necessary approvals from the relevant authorities. The present estimate is for a maximum of 35,000 on those occasions when the Millennium Experience opens during daytime; on those occasions where the Millennium Experience is open during the daytime and the evening, the number of visitors is estimated at 55,000.
42. Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his most recent estimate of the number of daily visitors to the dome and the proportion of the visitors who will arrive by underground train service. [65234]
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Janet Anderson:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on 21 January 1999, Official Report, column 532. The number of visitors estimated to arrive at the Dome site by underground train is about 55 per cent.
41. Mr. Canavan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the total public and national lottery expenditure on the millennium celebrations will be spent on the dome at Greenwich. [65233]
Janet Anderson:
The Millennium Commission has awarded a grant of £449 million (gross) to the Millennium Experience project, which incorporates the Dome at Greenwich and a linked comprehensive programme of events and activities around the country. This represents 20 per cent. of the Millennium Commission's total funds. The remaining 80 per cent. has been distributed to a wide range of projects around the UK. The New Millennium Experience Company has received, and will receive, no public funds from the Exchequer for the project.
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on sponsorship of the Millennium Experience. [65231]
Janet Anderson:
As shareholder of the New Millennium Experience Company, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson), the former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, received many representations from members of the public and from Members of this House about all aspects of the Millennium Experience project, including sponsorship.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been paid out to date for each of the Millennium Landmark projects. [66672]
Mr. Chris Smith:
This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chairman of the Commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what rules or guidance his Department has to govern the (a) formal and (b) informal interaction between his civil servants and commercial lobbyists. [66208]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 27 July 1998, Official Report, column 4, to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice).
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account is given of value for money in the accreditation of crowns on a quality rating system for hotels. [66896]
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Janet Anderson:
Rating assessments under both the English Tourist Board's current crown scheme and the new harmonised accommodation rating scheme are made on the range of facilities and level of services appropriate to each type of accommodation and not specifically on their value for money. Under the new harmonised scheme for serviced accommodation in England, hotels are given a rating of 1 to 5 stars covering the whole visitor experience (e.g. quality, level of services and range of facilities) and guest accommodation is rated entirely on quality, using 1 to 5 diamonds. The ETB, the AA and the RAC are currently carrying out inspections against the new harmonised scheme, which will be launched to customers later this year.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the annual revenue of the tourism industry in the North West for the last five years. [66898]
Janet Anderson:
Estimated figures for annual expenditure in the North West Tourist Board region from 1993 to 1997 by tourists from the UK staying at least one night and by tourists from overseas are shown in the table. Figures for spending by UK residents on tourism day visits to the North West Tourist Board region are available only for 1996 and show an estimated £2,800 million for that year (Source: the UK Day Visits Survey).
| £ million | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
| Domestic tourism | 860 | 995 | 1,060 | 1,020 | 1,000 |
| Tourism from overseas | 287 | 371 | 331 | 381 | 455 |
| Total (rounded) | 1,147 | 1,366 | 1,391 | 1,401 | 1,455 |
Sources:
UK Tourism Survey (domestic tourism), International Passenger Survey (tourism from overseas).
North West Tourist Board
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the value of the North West Tourist Board. [65988]
Janet Anderson [holding answer 18 January 1999]: My Department has made no specific assessment of the North West Tourist Board, which, like the other regional tourist boards, is an independent commercial organisation. However, I fully recognise the important work that the Board does to promote, develop and raise the profile of tourism in its region. I am pleased to say that I am opening the Great Days Out Fair in Bolton on 20 February.
Football Task Force
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will extend the terms of reference of the Football Task Force to allow it to investigate the administration of professional football. [65061]
Mr. Banks:
I expect the governing bodies to address issues relating to the administration of professional football and I urge them to take an early opportunity to review current structures and procedures. The Football Task Force has provided valuable advice in a number of
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reports and I will give careful consideration to any arrangements that may follow the conclusion of its original remit.
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