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Kosovo

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Nations personnel have been (a) earmarked for and (b) recruited for the United Nations civilian administration in Kosovo; and how many United Nations personnel earmarked for the United Nations civilian administration in Kosovo have already been deployed. [135418]

Mr. Hain: According to the United Nations Secretariat the authorised total for international personnel working in the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is 1,156. Of that figure, 1,088 are currently deployed and a further 68 have been recruited. In addition, UNMIK employs 4,112 locally engaged staff.

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Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the deadline is for setting up an international police task force in Kosovo; and how many of the planned international police officers are deployed in Kosovo. [135419]

Mr. Hain: The United Nations International Police (UNIP) is already operating in Kosovo. According to the United Nations Secretariat, 4,129 of the approved total of 4,718 police officers have now deployed to Kosovo.

Overseas Territories

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what length of time has been given to the Overseas Territories to respond to the KPMG reports. [136676]

Mr. Battle: The Overseas Territories covered by the KPMG review, namely the Caribbean Overseas Territories and Bermuda, have agreed to submit written responses to the recommendations in the reports by 15 January 2001.

ASSIST Programme

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Assistance to Support Stability with In-Service Training programme; and what changes to the programme are planned. [137177]

Mr. Vaz: The ASSIST programme was established on 1 April 1998 to replace the UK Military Training Assistance Scheme (UKMTAS), with the main purpose of refocusing support to the Government's priority of promoting respect for human rights and good governance.

Nigeria

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of recent violence in Nigeria; and if he will make a statement. [136765]

Mr. Hain: I was saddened to hear of the serious outbreak of rioting in Lagos on 15-18 October. At least 200 people were killed, and over 16,000 fled their homes.

The violence was predominantly between the Yoruba and Hausa communities. Its immediate cause remains unclear. The Oodua Peoples Congress, a militant Yoruba organisation, were heavily involved.

The security forces brought the situation under control, and made many arrests.

I deplore all such incidents. I urge the communities involved to resolve their differences through dialogue not violence.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Venues (Small Towns)

14. Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the future viability of arts centres and venues for live theatre and music in small towns. [135349]

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Mr. Alan Howarth: Arts centres are undoubtedly important for the local communities they serve, especially where access to mainstream venues such as theatres and concert halls is difficult. It is for that reason we believe decisions on their future viability and funding needs are best taken locally by the regional arts boards and local authorities. In a number of cases they will also be considered as part of the Arts Council's theatre review.

National Lottery

17. Mr. Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the measures he is taking to ensure that former coalfield areas gain a fair share of national lottery funding, and the effectiveness of those measures to date. [135352]

Mr. Chris Smith: The Government would like to see all parts of the country receiving a fair share of lottery funding. My Department and lottery distributors commissioned research into the impact of the lottery on the coalfields and have established a joint coalfields action group to take forward the report's recommendations. Early indications are that the rate of awards to coalfields areas has increased since Government lottery reforms came into force in August 1998.

18. Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been raised for good causes by the National Lottery since its inception. [135353]

Mr. Chris Smith: Up to the end of September this year, the National Lottery had raised £9.96 billion for good causes.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that the arrangements for auditing organisations in receipt of National Lottery grants are robust. [135909]

Kate Hoey: Distribution of National Lottery grants is a matter for 15 National Lottery distributing bodies. The Secretary of State's directions to these bodies (or, in the case of bodies operating solely in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the directions from the devolved Administrations) require them to establish procedures which ensure lottery resources are being used for the purposes for which grants were given and that the schemes supported represent value for money; that projects are delivering the benefits identified on the application form in accordance with specified financial arrangements; and that assets purchased are being used for the purpose for which they were intended. The distributing bodies are required to set out their performance on this in their annual reports.

My Department requires distributing bodies' accounting officers to submit a statement, verified by the National Audit Office (or equivalent) which states that their systems (including their systems for monitoring arrangements as set out above) are adequate for the distribution of lottery funds before they are permitted to draw down such funds. Other steps include an annual assurance exercise which examines distributors' compliance with their directions.

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the transport vehicles to which the Heritage Lottery Fund has given

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financial support since its foundation; how many such vehicles are on static display only; and how many such vehicles are in use. [136275]

Mr. Alan Howarth: The information requested is held by the Heritage Lottery Fund and I have asked for it to be provided. I will write to my hon. Friend when the information is available and place copies in the Libraries of both Houses.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidelines he has issued to the National Lottery Commission in respect of criteria for awarding the licence to run the National Lottery. [136394]

Kate Hoey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's directions to the National Lottery Commission were placed in the Libraries of the House on 4 February 2000.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria there are for fitness to be granted the licence to run the National Lottery, with particular reference to the personal character and past conduct of bidders. [136244]

Kate Hoey: Decisions on fitness and propriety of the National Lottery operator are a matter for the National Lottery Commission. Section 4(1)(a) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 (as amended) requires the Commission to secure

that the National Lottery is run, and every lottery that forms part of it is promoted with all due propriety.

Section 5(5) of the Act further provides that

In determining whether to grant [a licence to operate the National Lottery] the Commission may consider--


(a) whether any person who appears to it to be likely to manage the business or any of the business of running the National Lottery under the licence is a fit and proper person to do so, and

(b) whether any person who appears to it to be likely to be a person for whose benefit that business would be carried on is a fit and proper person to benefit from it.

Detailed criteria are a matter for the Commission.

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what kind of facilities will be built in schools under the New Opportunities Fund's schools initiative; and if he will make a statement. [136297]

Kate Hoey: Subject to responses to the consultation paper, published today, we would like this initiative to focus primarily on refurbishing existing, and building new, indoor and outdoor sports facilities for schools and community use. The types of facilities we envisage being funded include playing fields, swimming pools, tennis courts, indoor nets, astropitches and facilities for outdoor adventure. This extra money would provide a wider range and greater number of facilities than would be possible through central Government funding alone.

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