| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Holidays in Britain
Miss Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Government are taking to encourage more people to take their holidays in Britain. [90369]
Janet Anderson: The Government's new tourism strategy, "Tomorrow's Tourism", which I launched on 26 February, contains a raft of initiatives designed to promote quality in tourism through improved career opportunities, more sustainable development and increased access to, and better information about, tourism. As our tourism strategy is implemented and we help to develop an even more high quality and competitive tourism industry, we hope that more people from home and abroad will choose to take holiday breaks in Britain.
Cambridge Motivate Project
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) Cambridge University mathematicians, (b) schools in Brent and (c) schoolchildren in Brent he estimates will work within the Cambridge Motivate project in (i) the first year and (ii) the first five years. [90605]
Mr. Chris Smith: The Cambridge Motivate project is a pilot project supported by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).
The project will involve five volunteer Cambridge University mathematicians, assisted by a number of Cambridge Education Department mathematical educationalists. In the first year, a total of up to 125 students (12 -18) will be involved in the project, to include up to 50 students from two schools in Brent and up to 75 students from three schools in neighbouring London boroughs. Each of those involved will be trained to disseminate their work to five other students in their own schools, so that up to a further 250 students in Brent and 375 students in other schools will be involved in a less direct way. The mathematical problems posed will also be available on the Motivate website for others to explore.
NESTA will support the project for one year. The impact of the project will be evaluated as it progresses and it may be expanded to more students once its impact has been assessed.
13 Jul 1999 : Column: 122
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if figures on new audiences resulting from the New Audience Fund will be collated by or for his Department. [90604]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
The New Audience Fund is managed by the Arts Council of England, which will publish a full report on the scheme in December.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will announce his decision on the future of the Millennium Dome after 2001. [90622]
Janet Anderson:
As announced on 4 March 1999, at the launch of the competition inviting bids for the Millennium Dome and associated land, final decisions on its future use will not be taken until 2000, when the Millennium Experience is up and running for all to see.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many times the advisory panel on the vacant plinth in Trafalgar Square has met; [90607]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State joined Sir John Mortimer, Chairman, and some members of the advisory panel at their inaugural meeting last month. The full membership of the panel will be announced shortly and I understand that a second meeting is now being arranged.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with European Commission officials regarding Objective 2 status for seaside resorts. [90601]
Janet Anderson:
My Department has made a strong case for seaside resorts to be considered a priority when the UK Government make proposals to the Commission for the revised Structural Funds map. The Government have been involved in many discussions with the Commission throughout the negotiation of the reform of the Structural Funds. For Objective 2, all areas will be considered equally for inclusion on the basis of need.
UK lobbying led to the inclusion of a reference in the new Structural Fund Regulation at preamble 6, which mentions the development of tourism and the creation of sustainable employment. It underlines the Government's commitment to target all areas of need.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions about hostels in seaside resorts. [90602]
Janet Anderson:
My officials have regular discussions with the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and are involved in the public consultation exercise on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). I am well aware of widespread concern that the existence of hostels in a number of popular tourist destinations can
13 Jul 1999 : Column: 123
cause serious problems. The Government remain firmly committed to introducing a national licensing system for HMOs when the legislative timetable allows. With DETR, we are currently studying the responses to the consultation exercise which ended recently.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding the impact on seaside resorts of the placement of asylum seekers. [90603]
Janet Anderson:
I have been corresponding with the Home Office about the placement of asylum seekers in our seaside resorts. I have emphasised the importance of very careful consideration being given to the long-term interests of both asylum seekers and host communities before any decision is taken to place asylum seekers in our resorts.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions regarding transport arrangements to the seaside resort areas of (a) Great Yarmouth, (b) Brighton and Hove, (c) Bournemouth, (d) Torbay, (e) Thanet and (f) Blackpool. [90600]
Janet Anderson:
I have had no discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions regarding transport arrangements to the seaside resorts mentioned, nor have any representations from those resorts been made to me. However, as set out in our tourism strategy document "Tomorrow's Tourism", we are in close contact with DETR in taking forward action set out in the White Paper on Integrated Transport Policy for the UK.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) discussions and (b) meetings he had with the Urban Task Force before the publication of its report. [90611]
Mr. Chris Smith:
I had a meeting with Lord Rogers and members of the Task Force on 23 March 1999, when they presented their interim report and discussed their emerging findings. We had a further meeting on 16 June 1999 when Lord Rogers and colleagues explained their main conclusions. My officials have also provided information to the secretariat as required.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with owners of historic steam engine collections about the Pressure Systems Directive 97/23/EC; and if he will make a statement. [90843]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 12 July 1999]: My Department has received one representation about the Pressure Systems Directive 97/23/EC. The Department of Trade and Industry, as the lead Department dealing with the Directive, were consulted in replying.
13 Jul 1999 : Column: 124
Lord Sainsbury of Turville answered a similar written question about the Directive tabled by Lord Inglewood in another place on 7 July 1999, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 103-04. It is our belief that the historic steam preservation movement, which provides such a valued contribution to maintaining our engineering heritage, will not be faced with disproportionate costs as a result of the Directive.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of mail received in the last 12 months for which figures are available from right hon. and hon. Members was replied to by him within, (a) up to 20 days, (b) 21 to 30 days, (c) 31 to 40 days and (d) over 40 days. [90152]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 12 July 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) on 11 June 1999, Official Report, columns 403-06, which sets out performance against departmental targets for answering correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members in the 1998 calendar year. More detailed information about the percentage of correspondence replied to within the time scales specified could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
(2) what discussions he has had with the advisory panel on the vacant plinth in Trafalgar Square. [90609]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |