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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Family Mediation
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the availability of legal aid for family mediation under the provisions of the Access to Justice Bill [Lords]. [88008]
Mr. Vaz: The current availability of legal aid for family mediation, contained in Part III of the Family Law Act 1996, will be maintained following the implementation of the Access to Justice Bill. The detailed provisions, including the assessment of the suitability of cases for mediation under section 29 of the Family Law Act, will be contained in the Funding Code, which is being developed by the Legal Aid Board for use by the future Legal Services Commission in assessing applications for public funding. The Bill provides that the criteria set out in the Code shall reflect the principle that, in many family disputes, mediation will be more appropriate than court proceedings. The Board is currently assessing responses to a consultation paper on the Code. Before coming into effect, the Code will be subject to Parliamentary approval through the affirmative procedure. Only organisations with a suitable contract will be able to conduct family mediation sessions for publicly funded clients.
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the measures taken by his Department since May 1997 to support family mediation. [88006]
Mr. Vaz: Since May 1997 the provision of publicly funded mediation for family proceedings under Part III of the Family Law Act has been implemented by means of contracts for family mediation services granted by the Legal Aid Board. Funding has been provided to assist national mediation bodies and local mediation services with the development of mediation services to meet the contract requirements in appropriate circumstances. The provisions of Section 29 of the Family Law Act, requiring applicants for legal aid funding for family proceedings to attend a meeting to consider whether mediation might be suitable for their case, have been implemented across England and Wales on a pilot basis and the pilot will be extended later this year.
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures his Department intends to take to promote an increased take-up of family mediation. [88007]
Mr. Vaz:
The provision of legal aid funding for mediation in family disputes is already available in many areas and will be made available throughout England and Wales. As part of the process of providing publicly funded mediation, funding is being provided for the support and development of mediation services in appropriate
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circumstances. The provisions of Section 29 of the Family Law Act, requiring applicants for legal aid funding for family proceedings to attend a meeting to consider whether mediation might be suitable for their case, are being implemented in some areas on a pilot basis and will also be implemented throughout England and Wales.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what date his Department was first informed that Parts IVA and IVB of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 were no longer in force. [88797]
Mr. Vaz:
The Lord Chancellor was informed on 21 June 1999.
(Temporary Provisions) Act
Lifelong Learning
12. Ms Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how the lifelong-learning initiative announced by the new opportunities fund will benefit local libraries. [87208]
Mr. Chris Smith: The £200 million New Opportunities Fund stream for Community Access to Lifelong Learning will make a substantial contribution towards developing the infrastructure for a Public Libraries IT Network, linking local libraries to each other and to the National Grid for Learning by 2002.
Seaside Resorts
14. Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance he plans to provide for English seaside resorts. [87210]
Janet Anderson: Seaside resorts represent a very important sector of our domestic holiday market. "Tomorrow's Tourism", our tourism strategy, sets out the action that resorts need to take to adapt to changes in holiday-taking trends. It includes a model eight-stage regeneration plan. The English Tourism Council will work with regional and local authorities to encourage adoption of this model plan and the sharing of best practice by seaside resorts.
Hotels Rating Scheme
15. Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what benefit tourists will gain from the new harmonised rating scheme for hotels and guesthouses. [87211]
Janet Anderson:
The consistency of ratings made under the new schemes by the AA, RAC and new English Tourism Council will be much easier to understand than the different ratings we have now and will therefore reflect better what tourists want to know. The new ratings place more emphasis on quality and so provide greater incentive for improved standards. There should be a greater incentive also for providers of accommodation to participate in the schemes, thus increasing the proportion of accommodation which is inspected and rated for use
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by tourists. These and other benefits should quickly begin to be found when the schemes are launched to consumers this September.
16. Mr. Grogan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the review of the future funding of the BBC. [87213]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I asked Gavyn Davies to report to me on the future funding of the BBC by the end of July. I understand that the panel are on course to do this.
25. Mr. Ben Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects to receive the final recommendations from the BBC funding review panel; and if he will make a statement. [87224]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I expect to receive the review panel's conclusions by the end of July. I will then consult publicly on the findings.
17. Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what benefits he expects to secure for the public and sporting clubs from the new funding agreements with the Sports Council. [87214]
Mr. Banks:
The funding agreements for Sport England and UK Sport provide an explicit and challenging statement of the outputs and levels of performance we expect to be delivered in return for our public investment in sport.
18. Mr. Watts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to improve safety and spectator comfort at rugby grounds. [87215]
Mr. Banks:
The Government are determined that spectators of all sports should be able to enjoy the action in safety and comfort. In April I announced new roles for both Sport England and the Football Licensing Authority in our drive to modernise sports grounds across the country. Sport England is to fund a £10 million improvement scheme over the next four years to help top rugby league and rugby union teams, and the major cricket counties to improve safety at their grounds. In addition, the Football Licensing Authority will be reconstituted as the Sports Grounds Safety Authority and will have an advisory role on safety issues associated with all sports which use outdoor sports stadiums, including rugby. I am sure my hon. Friend will agree that these are welcome developments.
19. Valerie Davey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will ensure that tourism companies and organisations in all parts of the country are consulted on the implementation of the Government's new tourism strategy. [87216]
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Janet Anderson:
We shall. We are currently engaged in a 10-venue series of events across England both to further publicise our strategy, "Tomorrow's Tourism", and to consult with tourism companies and organisations on its implementation in their own regions.
20. Mr. Pound:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what facilities for children will be provided by the green spaces initiative funded by the New Opportunities Fund. [87217]
Mr. Chris Smith:
By 2002 the New Opportunities Fund will have committed £125 million to projects throughout the UK designed to help urban and rural communities improve their environment by creating access to green spaces of educational, recreational, or environmental value to the community.
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