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Nuclear Accidents (Insurance)
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the size of the insurance liability fund set aside to underwrite accidents at United Kingdom nuclear facilities; what authority manages the fund; and if any part of the fund is invested. [108681]
Mrs. Liddell: Under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, the operators of nuclear facilities in the UK are required to hold third party liability insurance to cover up to £140 million of damage resulting from accidents in nuclear installations. In the event of a severe nuclear accident in the UK, supplementary compensation would be made available in addition to this under the Brussels Convention Supplementary to the Paris Convention, providing an amount of compensation totalling £300 million Special Drawing Rights of the IMF. We are currently considering substantial increases in the amount of compensation available under the Act.
Insurance arrangements must be approved by the Secretary of State; operators without a Government indemnity purchase insurance from private sector insurers.
Textile and Clothing Industry
Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure fair competition between the United Kingdom's textile and clothing industry and that of competitor nations.[108661]
Mr. Alan Johnson: As with other industries, the Government seek to promote fair competition between the United Kingdom and other textile and clothing industries through a wide range of national, European Union and international action.
Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology
Commission
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will ensure that the appointee to the Chair of the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission has had scientific training; [108090]
- (2) why the position of Chair of the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission was re-advertised; [108089]
(3) when he will appoint the Chair of the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission. [108088]
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Marjorie Mowlam: I have been asked to reply because the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission will report to me.
The position of Chair of the Commission was re-advertised in order that we may choose from a wider range of candidates. Scientific training is not a prerequisite, but the person we are looking for must be able to understand what scientists are saying and to explain it clearly and simply in public. The appointment will be made as soon as possible.
UNIDROIT Convention
Mr. Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he has made a decision about whether the UK should become a signatory to the UNIDROIT convention on the international return of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects. [109245]
Mr. Chris Smith: After a lengthy inter-departmental consultation, I have concluded that the UK should not become a signatory to the UNIDROIT convention due to conflicts with our current law. In order to implement the convention, changes to our limitation periods and to our personal property law would be required, resulting in a special regime for cultural objects and arguably a less generous position for original rightful owners of objects which are later stolen. I will, however, be considering the possible options for an alternative legislative approach which would share some of the objectives of the UNIDROIT Convention.
West Yorkshire Theatres
Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list, for each of the last five years, total public funding in (a) cash and (b) current prices for (i) the West Yorkshire Playhouse and (ii) regional theatres in West Yorkshire. [108211]
Mr. Alan Howarth: Grant-in-aid allocated by Yorkshire Arts to the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Wakefield Theatre Royal and Lawrence Batley Theatre is shown in the table.
| £ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funding | 1998-99 | 1997-98 | 1996-97 | 1995-96 | 1994-95 |
| West Yorkshire Playhouse | |||||
| Cash | 840,800 | 840,750 | 840,750 | 840,750 | 790,800 |
| Real terms | 840,800 | 868,185 | 892,601 | 921,349 | 891,655 |
| Wakefield Theatre Royal | |||||
| Cash | 35,000 | 29,500 | 25,000 | 12,000 | 8,000 |
| Real terms | 35,000 | 30,463 | 26,542 | 13,150 | 9,020 |
| Lawrence Batley Theatre | |||||
| Cash | 35,000 | 29,500 | 28,000 | 20,000 | -- |
| Real terms | 35,000 | 30,463 | 29,726 | 21,917 | -- |
Coaching (Children)
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of the Child Protection Act 1999 on coaching within children's sport. [106116]
7 Feb 2000 : Column: 10W
Kate Hoey:
The main effect of the Child Protection Act 1999 on coaching has been to raise awareness of the issues that need to be addressed by sport in this area. Sport England has established the Child Protection in Sport Task Force involving the National Coaching Foundation (NCF), the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Central Council for Physical Recreation (CCPR). The Task Force is working on a cross-sport action plan and met recently to discuss how best to take this forward.
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to issue guidelines to the sports bodies responsible for coaching on best practice following enactment of the Child Protection Act 1999. [106115]
Kate Hoey:
There is already a great deal of guidance available to sports bodies and coaches in this area. The National Coaching Foundation (NCF) have been working with the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) in looking at guidelines since 1996. NCF Child Protection resources include the following:
The Child Protection in Sport Task Force established by Sport England will also be producing cross-sport action plan on child protection and sport.
Mr. Kaufman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the statement in paragraph 5 of his Memorandum, Cm 4258, dated February 1999, that the review will not reconsider the current five-year formula for the level of the income fee until 2002, remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government. [108453]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 4 February 2000]: Although the formula was not included in the terms of reference, the independent review panel, chaired by Gavyn Davies, did consider the possibility of reopening the five-year formula and, in reaching our decisions, we are taking account of the panel's views on this.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to which existing lottery funds and which planned lottery programmes an application should be made for funding for dedicated premises for a pre-school group. [108448]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 4 February 2000]: An application for funding for dedicated premises for a pre-school group can be considered by the National Lottery Charities Board, provided the group is a
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charitable, philanthropic or benevolent body. The project may also be eligible for funding from other Lottery distributors, depending on its nature.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the DfEE about using national sporting standards of achievements to develop school sport. [107968]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 3 February 2000]: My Department has regular discussions with the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) about a whole range of issues including the Sportsmark and Activemark recognition awards for secondary and primary schools.
The recent appointment of Sue Campbell on secondment from the Youth Sport Trust will help to strengthen these links and build good practice between DCMS and DfEE on a number of issues relating to sport and physical education, including national sporting standards of achievement.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many reportable injuries there were in 1998-99 as a result of driving accidents caused while at work. [107659]
Mr. Hill:
Data specifically referring to "drivers at work" are not currently reported as part of the national injury road accidents survey. However, data on heavy goods vehicles and buses and coaches are recorded and the driver casualty data are shown in the table.
Protecting Children (1998)
Protecting Disabled Children and Adults (1999)--Disability Sport England)
Code of Ethics and Conduct for Sports Coaches
Guidelines in Child Protection Policy and Implementation "Safe and Sound" leaflet (1999)
As well as publications and resources targeted specifically at coaches, the NCF also offers consultancy, workshops for coaches, officials and volunteers in sport.
| Severity | Buses | Lorries |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal | 1 | 52 |
| Serious | 68 | 430 |
| Slight | 838 | 2,462 |
| All | 907 | 2,944 |
(2)Not necessarily incurred "at work"
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