House of Commons
Monday 1 March 1999
The House met at half-past Two o'clock
PRAYERS
[Madam Speaker in the Chair]
REVIEW OF THE REVISIONS TO THE AVERAGE EARNINGS INDEX
Resolved,
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That she will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House a Return of the Report on the revision of the average earnings index, conducted by Sir Andrew Turnbull and Mr. Mervyn King.--[Mr. Dowd.]
Oral Answers to Questions
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
The Secretary of State was asked--
Public Bodies (Equal Opportunities)
1. Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington, North): What progress is being made towards increasing the representation of women and people from ethnic minorities on bodies sponsored by his Department. [72088]
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Mr. Chris Smith): Over the 12 months to February, the number of women and people from ethnic minorities appointed to my Department's public bodies has risen in percentage terms from 27 to 30 per cent. and 2.1 to 3.2 per cent. respectively. From September 1998 to date, we have done even better. Fifty-five appointments have been made, of which 23--42 per cent.--were women and four--8 per cent.--were from ethnic minorities.
Ms Buck: I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his achievements so far, although there is still some way to go. Does he agree that strong civic leadership is one of the most effective ways in which we can tackle social exclusion? Representation on appointed bodies is one of the most important ways in which we can recognise that civic leadership, so may I urge him to make further progress, particularly on the representation of members of the black and minority ethnic communities? Will he ensure that representatives are drawn from a wide and diverse range of communities, rather than including only people who have already achieved some celebrity and status in their chosen fields?
Mr. Smith: My hon. Friend makes a valid point with which I agree entirely. In the light, in particular, of recent events, it is extremely important to ensure that people
from ethnic minority communities can take positions of leadership in a variety of bodies sponsored by the Government. That can add to the harmony of good race relations in the United Kingdom, for which all of us wish to strive.National Lottery
2. Mr. Crispin Blunt (Reigate): If he will make a statement on the regional distribution of projects funded by the national lottery since its initiation. [72089]
The Minister for Sport (Mr. Tony Banks): Some regions have benefited more than others from the lottery. We are determined to see lottery funds allocated fairly and equitably in the light of need across all regions of the UK. Measures in the National Lottery Act 1998 and recent changes in policy directions to the distributors will help to achieve that.
Mr. Blunt: I am grateful to the Minister. Reigate holds the unenviable position of being 656th in the list of constituencies receiving lottery money. Some constituency must hold that position, of course, but the south-east has received only 60 per cent. of what might be termed fair distribution. Can the Minister assure me that when I write to support lottery applications, it is in order for me to make a point of the standing of Reigate and the south-east in the hope that committees will take them into account in making distribution fairer across the country?
Mr. Banks: I well understand the problems that Reigate has to cope with. The hon. Gentleman is right. I have read the figures, and funding in Reigate is £62 per head while the UK average is £103. Reigate seems to have done particularly badly, receiving only 15 awards so far. [Hon. Members: "Disgraceful."] Hon. Members say that it is disgraceful, but other constituencies may argue that their cases for funds are more persuasive than Reigate's. However, getting behind lottery bids from their constituencies is an important function of Members of Parliament. Although I cannot guarantee that their support will necessarily mean success, giving support is better than doing nothing.
Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover): Does my hon. Friend recall that for many years my hon. Friend the Member for North-East Derbyshire (Mr. Barnes), myself and others who represent constituencies in the east midlands region and the county of Derbyshire, often drew attention to the fact that North-East Derbyshire was bottom of the list, Bolsover not much higher and Chesterfield in the same group. It looked as though the Tory Government were deliberately picking on three members of the socialist Campaign group. Is it not a bit rich of that Tory, the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Blunt), to be moaning and wittering? The Tory Government handed out £13 million for the Winston Churchill papers, and more for opera companies and all the rest of it. If the boot has been put on the other foot, that is no bad thing.
Mr. Banks: If the boot is on the other foot, my hon. Friend certainly knows how to put it in. I can assure him that I, least of all hon. Members, would wish to discriminate against his constituency and against good socialists in Derbyshire--[Interruption.] I am going to
Derbyshire soon and very much look forward to it. The coalfields task force report has drawn attention to the lack of resources going into the coalfield sites, and we are determined to do something about that.New Opportunities Fund
3. Dr. Ian Gibson (Norwich, North): When the new opportunities fund will be able to accept applications in respect of out-of-school-hours activities. [72090]
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Mr. Chris Smith): The new opportunities fund was formally launched on 29 January. Applications for the out-of-school-hours child care programme will be invited in early March and the out-of-school-hours learning activities programme will open for applications in early April.
Dr. Gibson: Will my right hon. Friend tell us what steps he is taking along with colleagues to engender enthusiasm among the teaching profession for out- of-school initiatives? Will he also encourage the teaching of politics, particularly of the left-wing sort, in the after-school clubs, to prevent for ever in Norwich such phrases as "There's no racism here"?
Mr. Smith: There is already enormous enthusiasm in schools throughout the country for the out-of-school initiatives, and many local communities and schools are champing at the bit to get in their applications. As for the second part of my hon. Friend's question, I am afraid that I cannot give him comfort on the teaching of any one political view in the after-school clubs. However, I very much hope that the clubs will include a wide variety of learning activities as well as sport and drama, all of which help greatly to fulfil the development of individual children.
Mr. Richard Spring (West Suffolk): Can the right hon. Gentleman confirm that the amount of the "raid"--his word--to bolster the new opportunities fund at the expense of existing good causes, including sport and the caring charities, will be fully £3.7 billion by 2005? Does he understand that that raid simply replaces core Government spending responsibilities?
Mr. Smith: No, and no. I do not recognise the £43 billion figure that the hon. Gentleman cites. He will know that it is firmly expected that each of the existing good causes for the arts, sport, charities and heritage will receive £1.85 billion during the present franchise of the lottery. That is what they were promised at the outset--in fact it is better--and that is what they will receive.
Mr. Alan Keen (Feltham and Heston): I recall my right hon. Friend in 1998 praising the value of children's play, saying that he would get support not only from his Department but from other Departments. What progress has been made to date?
Mr. Smith: We have already ensured that a number of lottery distributors, including the Sports Council, the heritage fund and the National Lottery Charities Board will be able to fund children's play initiatives--indeed, those bodies are already doing so. We have issued a
leaflet to organisations involved in children's play to explain how they can gain access to those funds and, as part of the next round of new opportunities fund initiatives, we have proposed a green spaces and sustainable communities initiative, which will specifically include funds earmarked for children's play.
Mr. David Heath (Somerton and Frome): Can the Secretary of State ensure that such provision is available for people who live in rural as well as those in urban areas? The difficulties of children in rural areas are, first, that there are fewer people with whom to participate; secondly, unit costs are higher; and, thirdly and most importantly, it is difficult to get to and from the school and home. Will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that his programme tackles those issues?
Mr. Smith: Yes. The hon. Gentleman makes an extremely valid point. Like the other lottery distributors, the new opportunities fund has a duty, under the new directions that I have issued, to pay particular attention to the needs of areas of social deprivation, which specifically include such areas in rural as well as urban settings.
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