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Accommodation Rating System
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to encourage the extension of the new accommodation rating system to the whole of the UK. [95905]
Janet Anderson: My immediate priority is to ensure that the new system in England is successful in raising quality standards and meeting consumer expectations. However, we are approaching the Scottish and Welsh Administrations following the report of the Scottish Affairs Committee to look again together at our respective schemes, the differences between them and the scope for arriving at common standards.
Drugs and Sport
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions has he had with the National Drugs Co-ordinator about drugs and sport. [95906]
Kate Hoey: I have had useful discussion on the issue of drugs in sport with the National Drugs Co-ordinator and will continue to work closely with him and others on this important matter.
The Permanent Secretary of the DCMS met recently with Keith Hellawell and General Barry McCaffrey, the Director of the White House National Drug Control Policy, and had fruitful discussions on the issue of doping in sport. Officials from this Department will be meeting
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with officials from the Anti Drug Co-ordination Unit and Sport England in the near future to discuss further how we can promote the role of sport in this area.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects to make an announcement about what will stand on the vacant plinth in Trafalgar square. [95907]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
An advisory group has been set up under the chairmanship of Sir John Mortimer to advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on the future of the vacant plinth in Trafalgar square. The group is expected to make its recommendations during the spring of next year.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what evaluation the Creative Task Force has made of the impact of the internet; and if he will make a statement. [95908]
Janet Anderson:
The Creative Industries Task Force has set up an inquiry to examine the impact of the internet on the following creative industry sectors: radio, design, advertising, newspaper and magazine publishing, and the cultural industries (literature, performing arts, fine art). This work is in addition to initiatives taken by other Government Departments with other parts of the creative industries.
The aims of the inquiry are:
It will, subject to Creative Industries Task Force approval, be published by Spring 2000 and will include recommendations to Government and others on actions to be pursued.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects the Hotel Charges Group to present its findings; and if its report will be made public. [95899]
Janet Anderson:
The Tourism Consumer Group has been asked to concentrate initially on five issues: the clarity of information on hotel charges and prices in general; the clarity of charges for telephones in hotel bedrooms; the imposition of single person supplements, and the quality of accommodation for single occupants; how the industry handles customer complaints; and whether the Tourism (Sleeping Accommodation Price Display) Order 1977 now requires updating.
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I expect the Group to make recommendations on these subjects in good time for the inaugural Tourism Summit next year. Its recommendations will be made public.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who will determine the criteria for choosing the UK's European Capital of Culture; and by whom the decision will be made. [95904]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
The selection criteria for the UK's European Capital of Culture will be determined by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, in consultation with ministerial colleagues. An announcement will be made in due course. The UK's nomination for the European Capital of Culture will be formally approved by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people in the West Midlands area are currently on the waiting list for the processing of their disability living allowance claims; [96040]
Mr. Bayley:
The administration of Disability Living Allowance is a matter for Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Ms Joan Walley, dated 1 November 1999:
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he (a) has established and (b) published a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on Equal Treatment. [94860]
Angela Eagle:
We are committed to ensuring that its policies are fair and inclusive, and focus on public service users, not providers. This aim is contained in guidance (published in 1998) which helps Departments consider the impact of their policies on gender, ethnicity and disability. In addition to considering impact, the guidance
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encourages consultation with women's groups and others where appropriate and action to deal with any differential impact if this appears necessary.
In July 1998 this Department published our policy appraisal "Women and Social Security" which analysed how women's roles have changed since the inception of the Social Security system and what we have done and need to do to meet those changed needs. We also apply the principles described in the Equal Treatment guidance in developing our policies.
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received (a) on the 48 hour rule for claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance and (b) on the treatment of expenses payments to claimants who are doing voluntary work; and if he will make a statement. [96095]
Angela Eagle:
We have received a number of representations, generally, and in connection with the Social Exclusion Unit's Policy Action Team on Community Self-Help, on both the 48 hour rule and the treatment of volunteers' expenses in Jobseeker's Allowance.
We recognise that voluntary work can play a significant role in preparing individuals to enter work, particularly those who have been out of the labour market for some time. Officials from this Department meet regularly with officials from the Department for Education and Employment and the voluntary sector to see what practical steps can be taken to encourage volunteering. Examples of changes that have been made as a result of these discussions are revised guidance to operational staff and an information poster promoting volunteering for public display in all jobcentres.
Any changes to the benefits system must be in line with our wider welfare to work initiative which has work at its centre and envisages full participation in the labour market for those who are able to do so.
Miss Kirkbride:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parents with care will receive less money than their present maintenance assessment under the Government's new formula for the CSA. [96564]
Angela Eagle:
I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West (Mr. Brady) on 28 October 1999, Official Report, columns 957-58.
to identify the opportunities, threats and barriers to growth which the internet brings for creative SMEs in these sectors;
to consider the future environment and developments in technology and infrastructure to gauge how SMEs in these sectors can move to anticipate and exploit the opportunities that arise; and
to ensure that use of the internet in these sectors (by consumers, businesses and organisations) can be measured and tracked effectively.
The inquiry is chaired by Robert Devereux, a Creative Industries Task Force member.
(2) what is the current length of time taken to process disability living allowance claims; and if he will make a statement. [96039]
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions. You asked how many people in the West Midlands area are currently on the waiting list for the processing of their Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claims and what is the current length of time taken to process DLA claims.
The Benefits Agency (BA) do not keep data in the requested format. However, we do have data relating to the Disability Benefits Centre (DBC) which includes the West Midlands.
At 22 October 1999, the number of new DLA claims awaiting processing by Midlands DBC is 9,433.
At 30 September 1999, the current national average time taken to process DLA claims is 38.72 days for new claims against the BA target for clearing new claims of 85% in 53 days. For claims made under the special rules, that is, for those people who have a life expectancy of six months or less, the average clearance time is 7.43 days against BA target of 80% in 10 days.
I hope this is helpful.
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