| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Millennium Dome (Transport)
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what negotiations the New Millennium Experience Company has had with London Transport regarding free or discounted tube or bus travel to the Millennium Dome. [78888]
Janet Anderson: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is in constructive discussion with London Transport about a special Millennium travel ticket which will provide a good deal for visitors to the Dome. Details are currently being negotiated with all interested parties.
Millennium Dome (British Engineering)
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for exhibits in the Millennium Dome which promote public understanding of British engineering. [77856]
Janet Anderson [holding answer 25 March 1999]: The Millennium Dome itself, and the individual exhibits within it, are striking examples of the capabilities and imagination of British designers, architects and engineers. Some elements of the exhibits will also address and reflect issues within the engineering field. In addition, the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is working with the Design Council to accommodate a number of its innovative Millennium Products within the Dome. Aspects of the NMEC's school curriculum resource packs (which are issued to every school in the UK) deal with a range of construction and engineering issues involved in the building of the Dome.
Greenwich Millennium Celebrations
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions he has had with (a) Bexley and Greenwich Health Authority
14 Apr 1999 : Column: 275
and (b) Greenwich Healthcare NHS Trust regarding the millennium celebrations; and if he will make a statement; [79315]
(3) what assessment he has made of the likely demand for emergency ambulance services arising from the millennium celebrations; and if he will make a statement. [79317]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 29 March 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given by the Minister of State, Department of Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham), on 29 March 1999, Official Report, columns 498-99. The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has been in discussion for over twelve months with Bexley and Greenwich Health Authority, Greenwich Healthcare Trust and the London Ambulance Service about health and emergency planning issues. The NMEC is also represented on the Health Authority Millennium Co-ordinating Group which is, among other things, working with the NMEC on issues to do with health care on the Dome site. The London Ambulance Service is represented on all these forums and attends a monthly meeting with all the emergency services, the NMEC and others. The NMEC also participate in the Safety Advisory Group established by the London Borough of Greenwich.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received regarding the establishment of a national sports endowment fund, from Lottery money, for sports funding. [79200]
Mr. Banks
[holding answer 13 April 1999]: I have received a number of representations on this matter from Members of Parliament and others.
(2) what assessment he has made of the need for health care services in Greenwich arising from the millennium celebrations; and if he will make a statement; [79316]
European Community Documents
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the President of the Council if she will list for each document of the European Community referred by the Select Committee on European Legislation to a European Standing Committee in Session 1997-98, (a) the date of referral, (b) the topic and numbers of the document, including the dates of (i) consideration in the Committee, (ii) subsequent resolution of the House and (iii) consideration, and substantive agreement in the Council of Ministers and (c) any consequential United Kingdom legislation arising therefrom. [79543]
Mrs. Beckett: The information requested for (a) and (b)(i) and (b)(ii) is contained in the document "European Community Documents, Session 1997-98", which was published on 19 November 1998 and is available in the Library of the House.
I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly on the other information requested.
14 Apr 1999 : Column: 276
Media Allegations (Rebuttals)
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list (a) those units in her Department and (b) the number of departmental staff which are concerned with preparing rebuttals of allegations in the media; and what is (i) the total cost of their work, including salaries, and (ii) the number of rebuttals issued since May 1997. [71846]
Mr. Paul Murphy [holding answer 22 February 1999]: The Northern Ireland Information Service does not have a specialist rebuttal unit. It is part of the day-to-day responsibilities of all information officers to identify and seek to correct wherever possible misleading or inaccurate information.
Environmental Appraisals
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what environmental appraisals of policy her Department has (a) completed, (b) started and (c) planned. [79617]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The available information is currently being collected by each Department to meet the Environmental Audit Committee's request for information on environmental appraisals as part of its second inquiry into the Greening Government Initiative.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefit Fraud
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of prosecutions for benefit fraud were prosecuted under the Theft Acts in each year since 1992-93. [79794]
Mr. Timms: Questions on Benefits Agency operational matters are the responsibility of its Chief Executive, Peter Mathison. He will write to my right hon. Friend.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Frank Field, dated 13 April 1999:
14 Apr 1999 : Column: 277
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of prosecutions for benefit fraud were prosecuted under the Theft Acts in each year since 1992-3.
The figures are not available for prosecutions for the years 1992 to 1995.
In 1995/6 the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service together prosecuted a total of 13,972 cases. Of these, 320 cases were classed as Theft Act or Serious Fraud, and a further 420 were prosecuted by Organised Fraud teams. Specific figures for total prosecutions under the Theft Act were not compiled.
I am able to give you the figures, as requested, for the financial year's 1996/7, 1997/8, and 1998/9. They are included in the attached table. For the year 1998/99, for the first time, we have prosecuted under the Theft Act where the amount of benefit involved is less than £5,000. This resulted in a further 2,169 prosecutions.
I hope that this is helpful.
| Theft Act prosecutions | Total prosecutions | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 750 | 11,770 | 6.4 |
| 1997-98 | 835 | 12,074 | 6.9 |
| 1998-99 | (7)(8)3,441 | 8,268 | 41.6 |
(7) Figures are as at 28 February 1999
(8) Includes prosecutions for the first time where the amount of benefit involved is less than £5,000
Notes:
Figures provided by BA Security
Figures are provisional and subject to change
Benefits Agency Medical Service
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the arrangements made by Sema/Nestor for recruitment under contract of sessional doctors to provide services under the Benefits Agency Medical Service contract. [80282]
Mr. Bayley: The administration of medical services for the Benefits Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, Peter Mathison. He will write to the hon. Member.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |