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Sport (Funding)
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the percentage increase in direct Exchequer funding for sport was in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland between 1999-2000 and 2000-01. [130519]
Kate Hoey: The information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:
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| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | ||
| Exchequer funding (outturn) | Exchequer funding (plans) | Percentage increase | |
| England/Sport England | 37,900,000 | 37,973,000 | +0.2 |
| Scotland/SportScotland | 10,100,000 | 10,309,000 | +2.1 |
| Wales/Sports Council for Wales | 6,799,000 | 7,417,000 | +9.1 |
| Northern Ireland/Sports Council for Northern Ireland | 2,380,000 | 2,322,000 | -2.4 |
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Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much direct Exchequer funding per head was spent on supporting sport in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in
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1999-2000; and what the planned figures are for 2000-01. [130518]
Kate Hoey: The information requested by the hon. Members is as follows:
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| 1999-2000 (1), (1), (1) | 2000-01 (1), (1), (1) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (1998 Census) | Exchequer funding (£) | Per capita | Exchequer funding (£) | Per capita | |
| England/Sport England | 49,495,000 | 37,900,000 | 0.77 | 37,973,000 | 0.77 |
| Scotland/SportScotland | 5,120,000 | 10,100,000 | 1.97 | 10,309,000 | 2.01 |
| Wales/Sports Council for Wales | 2,933,000 | 6,799,000 | 2.32 | 7,417,000 | 2.53 |
| Northern Ireland/Sports Council for Northern Ireland | 1,689,000 | 2,380,000 | 1.41 | 2,322,000 | 1.37 |
(1) Outturn
(1) Plans
(1) In 1999-2000 and 2000-01, UK Sport received Exchequer funding of £12.6 million to provide support to those sporting programmes and policies that are of benefit for the United Kingdom as a whole. It is not possible to determine the amount of benefit provided by UK Sport to sport in individual home countries. Funding of £0.9 million per annum is also provided to the Football Licensing Authority.
(1) The local authority estimated outturn on current and capital expenditure on sport and recreation activities in 1999-2000 totalled £767 million in England and £55 million in Wales. Expenditure details for 1999-2000 for Scotland and Northern Ireland and Planning figures for 2000-01 are not available.
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World Cup
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the (a) officials and (b) members of FIFA regarding (i) the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany and (ii) reported attempts to influence improperly the voting of the members of FIFA; and if he will make a statement. [131376]
Kate Hoey: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I have discussed the decision to hold the 2006 World Cup in Germany, or the circumstances of the voting on 6 July, with FIFA officials or members.
Television Inquiry
Ms Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he intends to publish the Government's response to Phase I of the Creative Industries Task Force Television Inquiry; and what Phase II will cover. [131480]
Mr. Chris Smith: I have today written to the three sub group chairs involved in Phase I of the Inquiry thanking
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them for their report, "UK Television Exports Inquiry", which was published in November 1999. The report makes valuable recommendations both for the industry and for Government and we have responded by drawing up a joint Action Plan. Government remain committed to working in partnership with the industry to improve the UK's export performance, not only in television but in all the creative industries.
I have also today announced the Terms of Reference for Phase II. This stage of the Inquiry will look at how the UK television programme supply market could best be adapted to realise the potential of UK creative talent to satisfy the growing audio-visual economy. We are currently tendering for a consultant to undertake this work which will feed into the Communications White Paper.
Copies of the Action Plan and Terms of Reference will be placed in the Library of the House and made available on my Department's website: www.culture.gov.uk/ creative/forms--documents.html.
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CABINET OFFICE
British-Irish Council
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the establishment of the British-Irish Council, its composition, and the consultations held with the executives and presiding officers of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly prior to its establishment. [128622]
Marjorie Mowlam: The inaugural summit meeting of the British-Irish Council was held at Lancaster House, London, on Friday 17 December 1999. The next meeting is expected in the autumn of this year.
As envisaged in the Belfast Agreement, the British- Irish Council comprises representatives of the British and Irish Governments, the devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, together with representatives of the Isle of Man, and the Baliwicks of Jersey and Guernsey.
Special Advisers
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what criteria are used to distinguish between a special adviser and Civil Service appointment; and who approves an increase in numbers in either category. [128806]
Marjorie Mowlam: Recruitment into the Home Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Order in Council. Appointments are made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition unless covered by one of the exemptions set out in the Civil Service Order in Council. Special Adviser appointments are one such exemption.
With the exception of the most senior (SASC) posts, Ministers and office holders in charge of Departments determine the number of permanent Civil Service posts within their organisation. All appointments to the SASC group are approved by the Prime Minister.
Under the terms of the Ministerial Code, the Prime Minister approves the appointment of Special Advisers.
Departmental Initiatives
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list each departmental initiative since May 1997 requiring bids for funding together with the total resources available, the number of successful bids and the proportion this represents of total bids received; and what data she collects on the average expenditure of organisations bidding for funding through each initiative. [131083]
Mr. Stringer: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July 2000, Official Report, column 93W.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions she has deposited papers in the Library in response to parliamentary questions tabled to her Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April. [131128]
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Mr. Stringer: Between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000 there have been 35 parliamentary questions tabled to the Cabinet Office which received full answers including a commitment to place documents in the Libraries of the House.
Sickness Absence
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she will publish statistics on progress towards reducing sickness absence in the civil service in 1998 and 1999; and if she will make a statement. [130715]
Mr. Stringer: The civil service is collectively working towards reducing sickness absence by 20 per cent. by 2001 and 30 per cent. by 2003, against a 1998 baseline. Details of sickness absence in the civil service for 1998 were given in the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Barbara Follett) on 11 May 2000, Official Report, columns 433-34W. Figures for 1999 will be available shortly.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Queen's Counsel
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy for Queen's Counsel who have not practised at the bar for five years to be examined to establish their fitness to return to practise as a Queen's Counsel; and if he will make a statement. [130629]
Mr. Lock: The Lord Chancellor recognises the need to ensure that all lawyers are competent to do the job. He has no plans, however, to introduce the policy proposed for QCs, the regulation of whose professional standards is primarily for their professional bodies.
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