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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Sporting Opportunities
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action the Government are taking to increase the level of sporting opportunity in areas of high deprivation and social exclusion. [123524]
Kate Hoey: Our recently published sports strategy-- A Sporting Future for All--and the report of Policy Action Team 10, recognise the unique contribution which sport can make to tackling social exclusion. As a result, we will be working with other agencies to develop creative and innovative ways of using sport to re-engage people and equip them with the skills and confidence to re-join the main stream of society. We have also asked all funding bodies in sport to ensure that the promotion of social inclusion is a key part of all their work, and have called for a concerted effort to recruit, train and support more women, people with disabilities and people from ethnic minority groups as coaches, officials and sports administrators. All agencies receiving public funding will be required to demonstrate that they have adopted pro-active solutions to any inequities which exist.
Sport England's Lottery Strategy, which was published in May last year, sets out its commitment to target funding at social inclusion and deprived areas. This means that at least two-thirds of its Lottery funds are invested in community facilities or activities, of which at least 50 per cent. will go to areas of greatest need; young people, recreationally deprived groups and people with disabilities are a priority; and equality of access for all. Specific programmes include the Priority Areas Initiative which targets deprived areas and allows a higher rate of funding and Sport Action Zones, the first 12 of which were announced in January, which aim to provide comprehensive sports development infrastructures aimed at increasing opportunities for participation in some of the most recreationally deprived areas of the country. Sport England will also be using its powers of solicitation to invite applications for funding from schools in Sport Action Zones, Education Action Zones and Excellence in Cities areas.
Millennium Experience (Financial Support)
Mr. Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the Millennium Commission has any further plans to provide financial support to the Millennium Experience at Greenwich; and if he will make a statement. [124339]
Mr. Chris Smith: On 22 May the Millennium Commission considered an application for additional grant totalling £38.6 million from the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC). While the Commission had serious reservations about providing further grant, they concluded that it would be foolish to withdraw support when the best of the year for visitor attractions is yet to come. They also felt that the value of the Dome as the centrepiece of the nation's millennium celebrations
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should be recognised and continued. The potential costs to the public sector arising from immediate closure, along with the economic impact on employment and tourism were other factors taken into account.
In light of this, the Commission announced that a further grant of £29 million, subject to stringent conditions, would be made available to NMEC. The Commission's decision was taken after an independent review of the NMEC's financial systems and business plans. The conditions are that there should be:
- strengthening and restructuring of NMEC's management and governance;
- a revised business plan showing substantial additional cost savings and enhanced marketing plans; and
- an enhanced financial team at NMEC, to be joined by a dedicated member of the Millennium Commission's own financial staff.
Despite lower than predicted visitor numbers, the Dome is the most popular and highly rated paid visitor attraction in the UK, with a wide range of educational benefits. NMEC is also running a National Programme of events and activities across the UK. In addition, the largest derelict site in southern England has been regenerated and the foundations have been laid for a lasting legacy providing jobs and homes for thousands of people.
In line with the commitment made by the previous administration that any additional Lottery funds required to support the Dome should not be at the expense of the Millennium Commission's wider programme of work, the Government confirmed that Lottery money would, if necessary, be made available to the Commission to ensure that it's wider programme does not suffer.
Lottery Grants (Coalfields)
Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how he intends to help coalfield areas to benefit further from the National Lottery. [124188]
Mr. Chris Smith: I am committed to ensuring that Lottery funding is distributed fairly and equitably both geographically and across all groups of society. On 5 June my Department will be publishing a report which examines the impact of the National Lottery on coalfield areas. Copies of the report will be available in the Library of the House. My Department and distributors will follow up the recommendations in that report in order to help coalfield and other areas of low take-up to benefit.
Opinion Research
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was his Department's budget for opinion research in the financial year 1999-2000. [123850]
Mr. Chris Smith: None. My Department has no budget set aside for this purpose.
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Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place copies of the results of all market and opinion research carried out by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, in the Library. [123805]
Mr. Chris Smith: Given the extensive number of sources and documents, many unpublished, this material could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Statistics
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what statistics relating to the responsibilities of his Department are collated by parliamentary constituency, indicating the dates covered in each case. [123842]
Mr. Chris Smith: Since 1993 my Department has maintained a database of National Lottery awards, from which a breakdown by parliamentary constituency is available on the DCMS website (http:/www.culture.gov.uk).
Art Loans
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many indemnity undertakings were given by departments under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980 for the six month period ended 31 March; and what was the value of (a) any contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given at any time under that section which remain outstanding as at 31 March, (b) non-statutory Government indemnities in respect of loans handled by the Government Art Collection which remain outstanding as at 31 March and (c) non-statutory undertakings to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection which remain outstanding at 31 March. [124189]
Mr. Chris Smith: The provision for the Government Indemnity Scheme is made by the National Heritage Act 1980. The scheme facilitates public access to loans of works of art and other objects for public display made to museums, galleries and other such institutions by private owners and non-national institutions. It does this by indemnifying lenders against loss or damage to their loan. Loans covered by the scheme must be for public benefit. The scheme also covers loans of such objects for study purposes within borrowing institutions where this would contribute materially to the public's understanding or appreciation of the loan. Examples of this are enhancing interpretation or explanation to the public of objects or bringing into the public domain, the conclusions of any study.
In the six month period ended 31 March 2000, the following undertakings to indemnify were given under section 16 by the relevant Departments for objects on loan to national and non-national institutions:
| Department | Number |
|---|---|
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 626 |
| Scottish Executive Education Department | 102 |
| The National Assembly for Wales | 59 |
| Department of Education for Northern Ireland | 11 |
The value of contingent liabilities in respect of undertakings given at any time under section 16 and which remained outstanding as at 31 March 2000 is:
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| Department | £ |
|---|---|
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 1,829,371,639 |
| Scottish Executive Education Department | 795,068,302 |
| The National Assembly for Wales | 54,029,174 |
| Department of Education for Northern Ireland | 4,727,317 |
The value of non-statutory Government indemnities to cover loans handled by the Government Art Collection and which remained outstanding as at 31 March 2000 is:
- Value: £5,475,000.
- Value: £227,307,975.
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