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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Millennium Dome

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals he has received to use the Millennium Dome to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee; and what response he has made. [125698]

Mr. Chris Smith: I have received one proposal from a member of the public suggesting that the Dome is kept within the public sector and used to celebrate events such as the Queen's Golden Jubilee. My officials responded on 19 July stating that the Government believe that a sale to the private sector is the best way to secure the Government's objectives for future use of the Dome. The selection criteria used to shortlist proposals for the future use of the Dome specifically aim to maximise the public benefit.

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Racism (Football)

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action he is taking to eliminate racism in football. [131758]

Kate Hoey [holding answer 21 July 2000]: The Government believe that the Football Task Force's first report provided an effective blueprint for eliminating racism in football. The report's one recommendation for the Government was implemented by means of Section 9 of the Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999, which made the chanting of racist material by individual supporters an offence.

The report's other recommendations were intended for the football authorities, and a number of these have already been implemented under the aegis of the Kick it Out campaign. I understand that the sport's governing bodies will shortly announce a review of the implementation of the Task Force's reports on racism, disabled access and community involvement.

Football Investment

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Football Association and the FA Premier League about the investment of the proceeds of the funds of their new television contracts in grass roots football; and if he will make a statement. [132676]

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Mr. Chris Smith: Following extensive discussions with the Football Association, FA Premier League and other interested parties, the Football Foundation became operational last month. The Foundation is a partnership between the sport and Government. The Foundation will receive funding from the Football Association, the FA Premier League, the Lottery Sports Fund and other Government sources. The primary aim of the Foundation will be to improve facilities for grassroots football.

The Government have nominated my hon. Friend the Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) to be its representative on the board of the Foundation. Sport England has nominated its Chairman, Trevor Brooking, to be its representative on that board to sit alongside those of the Football Association and FA Premier League. The Foundation will be launched tomorrow when full details of its plans will be published.

National Lottery (Ribble Valley)

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of lottery ticket receipts has been spent in the Ribble Valley through the National Lottery Charities Board in each year since 1994. [131658]

Kate Hoey: The proportion of total National Lottery ticket sales awarded by the National Lottery Charities Board (NLCB) in the Ribble Valley constituency is shown in the table. The figures for NLCB awards in the Ribble Valley constituency are taken from my Department's National Lottery Awards Database, based on data provided by the Lottery distribution bodies.

Financial Year	NLCB awards in Ribble Valley constituency (£)	Total National Lottery ticket sales (£ million)	Proportion of total receipt awarded in Ribble Valley constituency by NLCB (percentage)
1994-95	--	1,191	0.0000
1995-96	24,836	5,217	0.0004
1996-97	343,930	4,723	0.0072
1997-98	378,641	5,514	0.0068
1998-99	335,770	5,228	0.0064
1999-2000	835,019	5,094	0.0163
Total	1,918,196	26,967	0.0071

National Athletics Stadium

Mr. Faber: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on progress in the development of the national athletics stadium at Pickett's Lock. [132369]

Kate Hoey: I chaired the first meeting of the Lee Valley Stadium Forum on 26 June. The purpose of the Forum is to keep Ministers and interested parties up to date with developments and highlight any emerging difficulties which can then be dealt with through separate discussions. The Forum includes representatives from the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority--the site's owners, UK Athletics, Sport England, the Mayor of London, the London Borough of Enfield, the London Development Agency, the Government Office for London and Transport for London. The British Olympic Association

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are also represented to ensure that any Olympic issues are addressed. The next meeting of the Lee Valley Stadium Forum will be held on 2 October 2000.

The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and UK Athletics have appointed consultants to undertake business and technical feasibility studies for this project. Ernst & Young have been appointed to carry out a business feasibility study which will seek to identify long-term revenue options, set out possible models for project delivery and highlight suitable management structures post World Championships. Drivas Jonas have been appointed to conduct the various design and technical studies needed. This will include an assessment of transport issues and environmental impacts. Both studies will be funded jointly by the National Lottery Sports Fund and by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

Mr. Faber: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister for Sport on 4 May 2000, Official Report, column 156WH, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter which the Minister for Sport undertook to write to the hon. Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) concerning Pickett's Lock. [132385]

Kate Hoey: I will write to the hon. Member and will place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

World Cup Bid

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Football Association about the loss of the World Cup 2006 bid since 6 July [132384]

Kate Hoey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State discussed FIFA's decision with the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the bid on 6 July. I have corresponded with the Chief Executive of the Football Association about the costs of the bid since that day.

Football Task Force

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the Football Task Force; [132387]

(2) what plans he has to appoint a Commissioner for Football. [132389]

Kate Hoey: The Football Task Force made a number of recommendations in its final report, "Football: Commercial Issues", including a proposal for a Football Audit Commission. The Government will announce their response to the report shortly.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of the written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April have not received substantive answers, citing as the reason that the information is (a) not held centrally, (b) not held in the form requested or (c) not available. [132135]

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Mr. Chris Smith: Three questions did not receive substantive answers as the information was not held centrally.

Six questions did not receive substantive answers as the information was not held/available in the form requested.

Nine questions did not receive substantive answers as the information was not available.

My Department always aims to provide a substantive reply to hon. Members' questions. Where this is not possible, we would endeavour to provide the information that is available even though it is not precisely what has been requested or in the form requested.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Working Time Directive

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Shrewsbury and Atcham received the right to four weeks paid holiday under the Working Time Directive; and if he will make a statement. [131145]

Mr. Alan Johnson: It is estimated that 3.1 million people have gained additional paid leave as a result of the entitlement to four weeks paid leave introduced by the Working Time Regulations. It is not possible to estimate numbers of beneficiaries by parliamentary constituency.

Part-time Workers

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many part-time workers from Shrewsbury and Atcham have benefited from the provisions relating to equal pay and conditions in the Part-Time Workers Directive; and if he will make a statement. [131144]

Mr. Alan Johnson: The Regulations introduced on 1 July 2000 provide a guarantee of fair treatment to all 6 million part-time workers in Britain. It is estimated that over 400,000 workers will benefit from the Regulations. No information on numbers of beneficiaries is available below the national level.

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many part-time workers will benefit from the Part-Time Workers Directive (a) nationally, (b) in Teesside and (c) in the constituency of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East; and if he will make a statement. [131204]

Mr. Alan Johnson [holding answer 18 July 2000]: The Regulations introduced on 1 July 2000 provide a guarantee of fair treatment to all 6 million part-time workers in Britain. It is estimated that over 400,000 workers will benefit from the Regulations. No information on numbers of beneficiaries is available below the national level.

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