| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Athletics Stadium
Mr. Faber: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the proposal for a national athletics stadium was first discussed by his Department with (a) UK Athletics and (b) Sport England. [113944]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 14 March 2000]: The concept of a national athletics stadium emerged in discussions with UK Athletics, the British Olympic Association and Sport England about non-Wembley options for staging athletics events shortly after the announcement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 1 December 1999, Official Report, columns 305-13.
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 250W
Mr. Faber:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received since 3 March from Sport England on the subject of a possible venue for the 2005 World Athletics Championships. [113943]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 14 March 2000]: Sport England have submitted an analysis of the cost and design issues related to the brief for a venue for the 2005 World Athletics Championships proposed by UK Athletics along with an evaluation of potential sites against criteria discussed and agreed between my Department, the Government Office for London, UK Sport, UK Athletics, the 2005 Bid Team and the BOA.
Mr. Faber:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial and other support he proposes to give to support bids for venues for major athletics events in England. [113935]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 14 March 2000]: My Department offers, and will continue to offer, full support to the work being taken forward by Sport England, UK Sport, UK Athletics and the British Olympic Association to establish a venue for major athletics events in England. The Government's decision not to proceed with the Wembley athletics option, combined with the extra £20 million which the Football Association proposes is returned, will create a real opportunity for athletics to develop a permanent legacy for future generations of UK athletes and one which will not rule out a future Olympic bid.
Mr. Faber:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if representatives of English Partnerships were members of the National Stadium Monitoring Committee; and if he will make a statement. [113936]
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 251W
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 14 March 2000]: Representatives of English Partnerships did not attend the first meeting of the Committee on 17 February. Following informal discussions between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Chief Executive of English Partnerships in February 1999 about the concept of establishing a Task Force to co-ordinate the regeneration around the stadium, representatives of English Partnerships were invited to attend subsequent meetings held on 20 May 1999 and 15 July 1999.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had since May 1997 about the establishment of a national sports museum. [113736]
Kate Hoey:
The Secretary of State and the previous Minister for Sport had two discussions about a proposal for a Museum of British Sport on London's South Bank, and one on a proposal for a National Museum of Sport near the Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received since May 1997 from individuals and organisations requesting that a national sports museum be established. [113735]
Kate Hoey:
My Department has received three representations: One for a museum of British Sport on London's South Bank, one for a National Museum of Sport near the Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent and one for a Museum of Sport and a new sporting arena in Coventry.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action he is taking to encourage links between schools and local sports clubs; and if he will make a statement. [113656]
Kate Hoey:
The Government are committed to encouraging links between schools and sport clubs that have quality junior sections.
A role of the new School Sports Co-ordinators will be to promote links between schools and clubs. Sports Colleges, supported by the Youth Sport Trust, are beginning to develop excellent models of good practice of links between primary schools, secondary schools and sports clubs.
Mr. Page:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library the financial accounts of the Millennium Experience as at the end of January. [R] [113116]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 6 March 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company's Annual Report and Financial Statements for the period 1 April- 31 December 1999 are due to be published by 30 June. The full year of operation will be covered in the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the period 1 January
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 252W
2000 to 31 December 2000 which will be published in 2001. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the House Libraries.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the creditors of the New Millennium Experience Company whose bills are disputed; when such bills were invoiced; and the amount in dispute in each case. [114118]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 10 March 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 10 March 2000, Official Report, column 838W.
Mr. Marshall-Andrews:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what are the terms and conditions of contract of new (a) directors and (b) officers appointed to the New Millennium Experience Company since 1 January; and if he will provide details of all financial payments and benefits to be provided in each case. [110475]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 17 February 2000]: I refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 28 February 2000, Official Report, column 90W. No other directors have been appointed since 1 January. NMEC will continue to publish details of Directors' remuneration and benefits in its Annual Report and Financial Statements.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on his proposals for the rescinding of free TV licences in households where the sole person aged 75 years or over dies; what period of time will be given after such a death before members of the household are informed of the rescinding of the free licence; who will be responsible for informing the household of the decision to rescind; and what consideration he has given to introducing a grace period in such cases. [112852]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 7 March 2000]: The Government have made no such proposals. A free television licence issued to a person aged 75 or over will not be rescinded but will remain in force until it expires, even if that person dies and there is no other person of qualifying age within that household.
Dr. Brand:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many accounts and what value of accounts are (a) outstanding and (b) under dispute between suppliers to the Millennium Dome and the management company. [113896]
Janet Anderson:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth) on 10 March 2000, Official Report, column 838W.
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with zone sponsors in the Dome about access by the public. [111376]
Janet Anderson:
I have had no recent discussions with any sponsors of the Millennium Experience exhibit zones about access by the public.
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 253W
Mr. Faber:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the statements in paragraph 27 of his Department's memorandum to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of December 1998 (HC124-II, Session 1998-99, page 169) represent the Government's current policy. [113779]
Kate Hoey:
The statement in paragraph 27 of my Department's memorandum to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee Inquiry into Staging Major Events remains Government policy. We recognise that a flexible approach is needed to ensure that governing bodies are able to put forward a bid which maximises Britain's chances of securing the event in question.
Mr. Levitt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the new targets are for subtitling on (a) BBC and (b) other digital television services. [114246]
Janet Anderson:
The provision of subtitling on BBC services is a matter for the BBC Governors and their policy is at least to match the targets set for any other broadcaster. The BBC has recently increased its targets for its new digital channels to 50 per cent. of subtitling within five years and 100 per cent. within 10 years. For other digital television services, the Broadcasting Act 1996 requires digital terrestrial broadcasters to provide subtitles on at least 50 per cent. of their services within 10 years of the start of the service. We will be beginning a review of this target in early summer.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |