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Seaside Towns
16. Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the allocation of national lottery funds to seaside towns. [119889]
Mr. Chris Smith: The National Lottery funds numerous projects which bring widespread benefits to seaside towns. Research jointly commissioned by my Department and the Lottery distributors into Lottery funding in the coalfields and other areas does however suggest that resort and retirement towns have made relatively fewer applications and have received less per capita than the national average. A second phase of the research, to be published shortly, will seek to identify the reasons for the low level of Lottery funding in certain areas and recommend ways of redressing the balance. I have directed distributors to ensure that there is the widest possible access in all parts of the country to Lottery funding and that funding contributes to reducing social and economic deprivation.
Creative Industries
17. Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to support new businesses in the creative industries sector. [119890]
Janet Anderson: Through the work of the Creative Industries Task Force, we are tackling a number of generic issues of importance to creative businesses, including the problem of accessing seed and start up capital. We are also addressing these issues at a sectoral level, for example through the work of the Music Industry Forum and the Film Finance Forum. My Department works closely with the Department of Trade and Industry and HM Treasury in taking this work forward.
Professional Football
19. Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he last met representatives of the Football Association and the Football League to discuss the state of professional football in England. [119892]
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Kate Hoey: With my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, I met the Chief Executive of the Football Association and the chairman of the Football League on 16 March to discuss a range of football issues. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State subsequently met the Chief Executive of the Football Association on 6 April.
National Lottery
20. Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he next plans to review the guidelines for the allocation of money to good causes by the national lottery. [119893]
Mr. Chris Smith: The guidelines for applicants for National Lottery funds are a matter for the National Lottery distributing bodies within the framework of the directions I have given them. My Department is working with the Lottery distributing bodies to ensure that their application systems are as user-friendly as possible.
Space for Sport and Arts Scheme
21. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the first grants will be made to primary schools under the Space for Sport and Arts scheme. [119894]
Kate Hoey: My officials are now in the process of working up further details about the scheme with the Department for Education and Employment and Lottery distributors and we hope to be in a position to invite applications in the autumn.
Sports (Eastern Region)
22. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support he plans to give for sports development in the Eastern region. [119895]
Kate Hoey: A great deal of support is already being given to sports development in the Eastern Region through the Lottery Sports Fund and other programmes operated or funded by Sport England.
Film Industry
23. Ms Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what benefits the new Film Council will bring to the British film industry. [119896]
Janet Anderson: The Film Council brings together in one body the previous mechanisms for Government film support. It has the remit and resources to deliver, for the first time, a comprehensive strategy for the development of a sustainable film industry.
Mr. White: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact of his recent measures to support the film industry. [119891]
Janet Anderson: Over the past three years, we have put in place a more effective framework of support for film and have forged a much closer working relationship with the film industry. The Film Policy Review led to a range of positive developments, including the creation of the Skills Investment Fund and the British Film Office in Los Angeles, and culminated in the launch of the Film
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Council, which last week announced the first phase of a comprehensive strategy for the development of the film industry.
Football Clubs
24. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to encourage football clubs to give supporters a greater say in the running of their clubs. [119897]
Kate Hoey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the Supporters Trusts initiative last October. The resulting body--Supporters Direct--has been operational in shadow form since 27 January. Supporters Direct is designed to offer advice and funding to groups of supporters wishing to invest responsibly in Premiership and Football League clubs.
Free Television Licences
25. Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many families in Luton, North will benefit from the introduction of free television licences for households with a member aged 75 or over. [119898]
Janet Anderson: I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones), of 2 March 2000, Official Report, column 350W.
Digital TV (Wales)
26. Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on digital television broadcasting in Wales. [119899]
Mr. Chris Smith: The Government will ensure that all viewers in Wales who presently receive analogue television will be able to receive the main free-to-air channels digitally, before the analogue transmissions are fully switched to digital. Digital television has extended choice to Welsh viewers by enabling S4C and Channel 4 to be broadcast as separate digital services in Wales.
School Sports
27. Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his plans are for increasing the number of sports taught at or by schools. [119900]
Kate Hoey: The National Curriculum requires schools to offer the opportunity to participate in games, athletics, dance, gymnastics, outdoor and adventure activity and swimming. Within these broad areas it is for schools to determine which sports to pursue. The Government would encourage schools to offer as broad a range of sporting activity as possible, but recognise that this can sometimes be difficult. That is why we are working with Sport England and the Youth Sports Trust on a scheme to establish up to 600 schools sport co-ordinators, who will work in families of schools to encourage better links and sharing of facilities. This will mean that pupils will benefit from a wider range of activities than if their school were operating in isolation.
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Analogue Television
28. Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his latest estimate is of the date for the switch-over from the analogue TV signal. [119901]
Mr. Chris Smith: We have estimated 2006-10 for switch-over.
Scientists
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to encourage young scientists to apply to NESTA for financial support. [119887]
Mr. Alan Howarth: NESTA exists to support creative and talented individuals of all ages. Anyone with exciting and new ideas for products and industrial processes can apply for support under NESTA's Invention and Innovation programme, which came on line last December and will shortly be making its first awards. Exceptionally talented individuals, including promising young scientists identified by NESTA appointed nominators, may be supported under NESTA's Fellowship programme. Finally NESTA's Education Programme is intended to support schemes aimed at popularising science, technology and the arts, particularly among the young.
HEALTH
Cancer Services
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) Irinotecan and (b) Oxaliplatin; and if he will make a statement; [118961]
- (2) what steps he has taken to mark National Bowel Cancer Awareness Week; [118962]
(3) if he will list those health authorities which fund all eligible bowel cancer patients with (a) Irinotecan and (b) Oxaliplatin in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [118964]
Yvette Cooper: On the 2 May, the Minister of State for Health announced that the National Institute of Clinical Excellence will be asked to consider a range of cancer drugs for appraisal of their clinical and cost effectiveness. These will include irinotecan, oxaliplatin and raltitrexed for colorectal cancer.
Detailed spending information on cancer services, including drugs, is not currently held centrally.
I attended the launch of the National Bowel Cancer Week on 10 April. In addition, we have made available £10 million each year since 1998 to improve access to diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. From July 2000, all patients suspected of having colorectal cancer will be guaranteed an outpatient appointment within 14 days of their general practitioner marking an urgent referral.
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