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Museum Charges
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds, in the case of each of the national museums which currently charge adult entry fees, of reducing the entry fee to £1. [118257]
Mr. Alan Howarth [holding answer 7 April 2000]: The overall cost is currently estimated at £7.1 million in 2001-02. Detailed allocations are subject to discussion with individual institutions.
Digital Television
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action he is taking to ensure that communal aerials in social housing are upgraded to enable the tenants to purchase and use digital television and receive an adequate digital signal. [117585]
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Janet Anderson: The installation of domestic television aerials is a matter for those responsible for individual properties. I appreciate that many consumers rely on shared aerial systems, over which they have no direct control. My officials are in touch with the ITC, the BBC, and the digital broadcasters to ensure that this does not present a significant obstacle to those consumers having access to digital television. I understand that many homes with shared aerial systems can obtain satisfactory reception of digital television using their existing receiving equipment. Where upgrades are required, I would encourage tenants or landlords to approach the digital broadcasters, the ITC or the BBC who can advise on how to achieve this in the most cost-effective manner.
Charleroi Stadium
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received regarding the suitability of the Charleroi Stadium for hosting the England v Germany football international. [117242]
Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 3 April 2000]: My hon. Friend the Minister for Sport has received one representation on this subject, a letter from BBC Production.
National Athletics Stadium
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with Sport England about the development of a major athletics facility at Picketts Lock. [118115]
Kate Hoey: The Government have given no financial help or guarantees to UK Athletics to date. However, the Picketts Lock project is still at its very early stages and my officials remain in close contact with UK Athletics and Sport England to offer what non-financial assistance they can in taking forward the project.
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what undertakings he gave to the International Amateur Athletics Federation about the development of an athletics stadium at Picketts Lock, Enfield, as a suitable venue for the World Athletics Championships 2005; and if he will make a statement. [118119]
Kate Hoey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State assured the IAAF that the Government would ensure that a suitable London stadium would be ready to stage the World Athletics Championships in 2005.
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what undertakings he has received from Sport England on the availability of Lottery funding to finance the proposed athletics facility at Picketts Lock. [118118]
Kate Hoey: None. Sport England will assess any application for Lottery funds related to any athletics facility at Picketts Lock on its merits. However, Sport England are fully supportive of UK Athletics successful bid for the 2005 championships and have already given UK Athletics an in principle agreement to contribute £15 million towards event costs which was included in UK Athletics outline bid submitted to the IAAF.
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Workplace Parking
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many workplace car parking spaces are available at the buildings used and controlled by his Department. [116763]
Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 30 March 2000]: The number of workplace car parking spaces available at buildings used and controlled by my Department is 14. We have prepared a travel plan for all our key buildings in line with the commitment set out in the Transport White Paper and have reviewed the scope for reducing our car parking requirements in that context.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Compensation Claims
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the total payments made to date to each firm of solicitors in Yorkshire involved in the compensation claims for (a) chest disease and (b) vibration white finger. [118197]
Mrs. Liddell: Payments to firms in Yorkshire to date are as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Ashton Morton Slack | 60,150 |
| Attey Dibb & Clegg | 9,483 |
| Beresfords (incorporating R. A. Swift) | 7,005 |
| Burton Green Williamson | 1,057 |
| Frank Allen Pennington | 2,567 |
| Graysons | (6)410,387 |
| Hickmotts | 7,402 |
| Hopkins | 64,544 |
| Irwin Mitchell | (7)3,798,443 |
| John E. Millar & Co. | 3,304 |
| Keeble Hawson Moorhouse | 44,779 |
| Malcolm C. Foy & Co. | 2,511 |
| Nelson & Co. | 13,405 |
| Oxley & Coward | 7,543 |
| Raleys | 362,772 |
| Saffmans | 15,788 |
| Simpsons Millar | 1,057 |
| The Beaumont Partnership | 2,115 |
| Thompsons | 56,065 |
| Towells | (8)656,245 |
| W. Brook & Co. | 1,057 |
(6) This includes some £48,000 in respect of trial costs
(7) This includes some £3.6 million in respect of trial costs
(8) This includes £0.5 million in respect of trial costs
(9) This includes some £1.1 million in respect of trial costs
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Anti-bribery Convention
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the OECD's Anti-bribery Convention. [118101]
Mr. Caborn: The Government strongly support the OECD Convention on Combating the Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. We played a leading role in the negotiations of the Convention and were among the first countries to ratify it. We have played a full part in the peer review process associated with the Convention. The Government are not, however, complacent. The Home Office will publish in May the Government's proposals aimed at modernising the existing legislation, with a view to introducing new legislation as soon as possible thereafter.
Hydropower
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what discussions he has had recently with the Environment Agency over its policy of finding suitable mill sites for the generation of hydropower; [117428]
- (2) what role he plays in providing suitable mill sites for the generation of hydropower in co-operation with the Environment Agency. [117630]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 6 April 2000]: Our new policy to encourage the development of renewable energy, including new hydropower installations, was published as "New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century: Conclusions in Response to the Consultation" on 1 February. The Environment Agency was among the bodies consulted in the formulation of our policy.
The Government have adopted a new strategic approach to renewable energy from the regional level downwards. We intend that regional sustainable development frameworks will include regional targets for renewable energy provision, based on assessments covering all relevant renewable technologies. In turn, this will assist regional planning bodies in defining broad locations for renewable energy development and setting criteria for site selection. In dealing with applications for
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new hydropower installations, the Environment Agency will need to balance potential wider environmental benefits against any local interest.
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