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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Opinion Research

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 25 May 2000, Official Report, column 581W, if he will place copies of all unpublished results of market and opinion research relating to the work of the Millennium Commission and the operation of the Dome in the Library. [124905]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 8 June 2000]: The main focus of the Millennium Commission is the distribution of grants through its funding programmes. A small amount of market research has been carried out in relation to the way in which the Millennium Commission is viewed rather than the work that it has funded. The results have only internal relevance and are used by the Commission's Communications Department to assess the impact of their communications strategy. For this reason it would not be appropriate to publish or release this research. However, the Commission did undertake

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opinion research which looked at how MPs regard the work of the Commission. A summary of the results of this work will be placed in the Library.

The majority of market research relating to those projects funded by the Millennium Commission is undertaken by the projects themselves. As part of the application process and subsequent development and operation of projects, market research is often carried out. However, this research is the property of the projects and is provided to the Commission on a confidential basis.

Osborne Convalescent Home

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what legislative process is required to (a) repeal the Osborne Estates Act 1902 and (b) close the Osborne convalescent home. [127308]

Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 22 June 2000]: An Act of Parliament is required to repeal the Osborne Estate Act 1902. Closure of the King Edward VII Convalescent Home does not require legislation. My responsibility under the 1902 Act is to devote part of Osborne house to

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the benefit of members of the Armed Forces and Civil Service, but the running of a convalescent home is not a specific requirement.

Dome (Loans)

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with interested parties concerning the loaning of public money to the Dome; and if he will make a statement. [129280]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 6 July 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions with interested parties concerning the loaning of public money to the Dome.

New Millennium Experience Company

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reason the signed-off accounts of the NMEC relating to the period ended 31 December 1999 have not been placed in the Library. [130395]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 13 July 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) will publish its Annual Report and Financial Statement before the start of the Parliamentary recess as planned. Copies of the Report will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Annual Reports

Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of producing the annual report of (a) the Arts Council of England and (b) the National Lottery was in each of the two most recent years in which they were published. [131121]

Kate Hoey [holding answer 18 July 2000]: I have asked the Arts Council of England to provide the separate costs of producing their grant-in-aid and National Lottery reports for 1998 and 1999. When this information is available, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library of the House.

World Cup 2006

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the value for money obtained by the England bid to host the 2006 World Cup. [130844]

Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 17 July 2000]: The Football Association's funding agreement with Sport England set out in detail how Lottery money could be used to support the 2006 World Cup bid--primarily the costs of staff, administration, events, exhibitions and technical studies. Sport England is fully satisfied with its monitoring arrangements for ensuring that the Lottery funding allocated to supporting the bid has been used with the maximum of economy.

The uses to which the bid's other sources of funding have been put are entirely matters for the FA, the Premier League and the bid's commercial sponsors.

World War II Commemoration

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will implement the recommendation

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of Sir John Mortimer's Advisory Group that there should be in an open space a statue commemorating Women in World War II; and if he will make a statement. [130814]

Mr. Alan Howarth: Sir John Mortimer's advisory group considered that, rather than being placed on the vacant plinth in Trafalgar Square, the proposed memorial to Women in World War II should be located in a park or an open space where it could be more easily enjoyed. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State agrees with the Mortimer group's recommendations. Finding an appropriate location for the memorial is a matter for the Women in World War II campaign charity. My Department is, however, currently exploring the possibility of a site in Whitehall which might be used for the proposed memorial.

Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Cultural

Consortium

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what has been the total cost to public funds from its inception to the most recent date for which figures are available of administering the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Cultural Consortium. [131243]

Janet Anderson: At 11 July 2000, the Regional Cultural Consortium for Yorkshire and the Humber had spent £15,000 from the budget allocated to it by my Department. Within that total, £12,000 has been spent on work in connection with the preparation of a regional cultural strategy, including the publication of a consultation paper "Towards a Cultural Strategy for the Yorkshire Region", while £3,000 has been spent on what might be deemed administration, for example organising and facilitating meetings and the travel and subsistence costs of Consortium members. It is not possible to cost staff time associated with the work of the Consortium for either the one staff member from my Department in the region, or for other help received from staff of the regional cultural agencies, regional partners and local authorities.

Note:

Figures have been rounded to the nearest £1,000.

ITV Nightly News

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will call for a report from the Independent Television Commission stating the deadline for compliance by ITV with the ITC's requirement to bring forward the timing of the nightly news. [130857]

Janet Anderson: I understand that the Independent Television Commission will consider the matter at their meeting on 20 July.

Hotel and Restaurant Regulation

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the Better Regulation Task Force report entitled "Tackling the Impact of Increasing Regulation--A Case Study of Hotels and Restaurants"; and if he will make a statement. [130539]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 17 July 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I welcome the Better Regulation Task Force's report. It recognises the key importance of hotels and restaurants to the national

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economy, and the industry's concern about the possible impact of regulation on its successful development. This is something we are already addressing by improving the machinery for considering the effects of policies on hotels and restaurants--one of the outcomes of the first Tourism Summit of Ministers held earlier this year. My Department, as lead sponsor for the tourism industry, will be co-ordinating the Government's formal response to the report over the next three months. The response will be reported to the House.

PRIME MINISTER

Electronic Test Facility (Capenhurst)

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from the Irish Government with regard to the Ministry of Defence's Electronic Test Facility formerly sited at the British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. site at Capenhurst, Cheshire, since 26 July 1999; when they were received; and from which Irish Government Departments. [130494]

The Prime Minister: The Irish Foreign Minister spoke to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 24 January about the allegations raised last year in a Channel 4 television programme about the Ministry of Defence's former Electronic Test Facility at Capenhurst.

I understand that the Irish Ambassador also raised these allegations at meetings with FCO officials on 12 October 1999 and 10 January 2000.

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