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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Millennium Dome

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tickets for the Millennium dome have been sold from outlets based in Wales to date; and what percentage they represent of overall sales to date. [110849]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 21 February 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 28 February 2000, Official Report, column 85W. This represents around 1.16 per cent. of the total sales to 6 February.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he has revised his estimate that the Millennium dome will attract 12 million visitors this year. [112050]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 28 February 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company continues to aim for 12 million visitors for the year.

Right of Reply

Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to introduce a statutory right of reply in respect of factual inaccuracies in the media. [109996]

Janet Anderson: The Government have no plans to introduce a statutory right of reply in respect of factual inaccuracies in the media. We believe that current self-regulatory arrangements on the media are working satisfactorily.

Tourism Summit

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what is the budget for his Tourism Summit; [112086]

(2) what is the catering budget for the Tourism Summit. [112085]

Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 28 February 2000]: The budget for the Summit is £1,000. This includes the cost of catering, which will be provided by the in-house catering service at the Globe Theatre. We have chosen the most economical of the lunch options available.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish the agenda for the Tourism Summit. [112079]

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Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 28 February 2000]: There are four main parts to the agenda. Ministers collectively will review the progress made in implementing Tomorrow's Tourism, and consider what ought to be done over the next year. There will be a progress report on the work of the better Regulation Task Force in this area, and a discussion of its implications. Progress in improving accommodation quality following the launch of the harmonised gradings will be discussed, and Ministers will receive the report of the Tourism Consumer Working Group and decide on their response to it. As promised in the original strategy document, we will then publish a report setting out our conclusions on progress to date and detailed recommendations for the future.

Dome Celebrations (Transport)

Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on transport arrangements for the dome celebrations on new year's eve 1999. [105980]

Janet Anderson: Over 10,000 guests were invited to the dome opening celebration. Some of those arriving via Stratford suffered lengthy delays, although everyone arrived in time for the opening show. The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and the Metropolitan police have apologised for the delays and NMEC has offered free dome tickets to all those who used Stratford.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Public Services (Modernisation)

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for taking forward work on the modernisation of public services. [112802]

Mr. Nick Brown: Like all members of this Government, I am committed to delivering efficient and responsive modern public services that provide excellence for the many, and not just the few. My Department has published a booklet today on what it has done and is planning to do to take forward the Government's long-term programme of reform to modernise the public service. These plans, which will evolve over the coming months, will lead to changes in the way MAFF does its business. Copies of this booklet, "MAFF's Part in Modernising Government", are being placed in the Library of the House.

Modernising Government gives MAFF an opportunity to deliver better services to our many customers. We will make the most of this opportunity.

Live Animal Exports

Mr. Prosser: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times bad weather was forecast for planned sailings of ships carrying live sheep for export from Dover Port to the continent in 1999; how many times his inspectors discussed the weather with the master of vessels carrying live sheep; how many such sailings were undertaken when winds were force 7 or

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higher or when the state of the sea was rough; and how many such sailings were postponed due to bad weather. [111373]

Mr. Morley: Ministry staff track forecasts of weather and sea conditions on all occasions when there are plans to take live food animals out of Dover by sea. The trigger for the Department's inspection staff at Dover to initiate discussions with the master of the vessel is a clear forecast, when the master imminently intends to sail with animals, that force 7 winds and/or rough sea conditions are likely to prevail. Inspection staff discuss the conditions with the master of the vessel to ensure that the master has exercised his judgment as to whether animals are likely to be caused injury or unnecessary suffering as a result of weather and/or sea conditions likely to be encountered during the voyage (as required by article 4(2) of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997). The 1999 discussions were initiated with the master on 24 occasions. Thirteen sailings commenced in force 6-7 winds and/or rough sea conditions and nine in calmer conditions. Two sailings were postponed.

Mr. Prosser: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many notices were served by his staff under Article 18 of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 at Dover Port in respect of live sheep destined for export; how many such sheep were removed at his inspectors' instructions from livestock vehicles at Dover Port and for what reasons; and how many documentary queries were made by his inspectors at Dover Port in respect of consignments of live sheep destined for export in 1999; [111371]

(2) how many (a) live sheep and (b) live pigs destined for export from the United Kingdom in 1999 were declared to be unfit to travel by (i) his inspectors at Dover Port and (ii) Local Veterinary Inspectors when carrying out inspections prior to issuing an export health certificate. [111372]

Mr. Morley: Seventy-eight (78) notices were served by MAFF staff during 1999 at Dover Port on consignments of slaughter/further fattening sheep. 257 sheep were removed. 160 of these were removed to improve stocking densities; 82 were removed because they were unfit; 15 dead animals were removed. There were 19 documentary queries.

Separate figures for animals declared unfit for travel by Local Veterinary Inspectors are available only from 31 May 1999 when changes to pre-export inspection arrangements were introduced. Between then and 31 December 1999 12,558 sheep and 188 pigs were rejected as unfit to travel.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Senator Pinochet

Mr. Hope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has taken a decision in the case of Senator Pinochet. [110636]

Mr. Straw: I expect to make a decision in the case of Senator Pinochet at 8.00 am tomorrow. I will give full reasons for my decision.

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Waterhouse Tribunal

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he was told by the Waterhouse Tribunal of the urgent need to instruct police authorities to search for those persons named as being unsuitable to work with children; and if he will make a statement. [111370]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Waterhouse Tribunal made no such proposal. The desirability of tracing those concerned was recognised by the Government on publication of the report.

CS Spray

Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will suspend the use of CS spray on people known to be in mental distress until research into the effects of CS on people using neuroleptic drugs has been carried out. [111803]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Police officers need some means of protection against attacks, even when committed by people who are mentally disturbed, and the safety of CS spray to all concerned must be compared with that of alternatives, such as physical restraint or use of batons, which themselves involve an element of risk. Nor is it always clear when an attacker is suffering from a mental disorder which might require medication. The Guidance on the use of CS spray in such circumstances are set out in paragraphs 6.5, 8.4 and 8.5 of the guidance published by the Association of Chief Police Officers on this subject, a copy of which is in the Library.

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