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Climate Change

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what strategic measures he is taking to allow for environmental changes induced by climate change. [137182]

Janet Anderson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment on 13 November 2000, Official Report, columns 469-70W.

Free Television Licences

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the cost of providing free television licences for retired people over the ages of (a) 70 years and (b) 65 years. [138523]

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Janet Anderson: The estimated cost of providing free television licences for everyone aged 70 years or over is £529 million a year, and providing free television licences for everyone aged 65 years or over would cost an estimated £714 million a year, excluding administrative costs in both cases. Estimating the cost of providing free licences only to people who are retired is subject to the difficulty of defining who is "retired". For example, someone may have retired from their main occupation but may still be in employment, such as part-time work. The costs have therefore been estimated for all people in the relevant age groups, irrespective of their employment status.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners will benefit from free television licences (a) nationally and (b) in Coventry South in 2000. [139080]

Janet Anderson: Television licences cover households rather than individuals. The estimated number of households in the United Kingdom currently entitled to the free television licence for the over-75s is 3.6 million. 2.8 million applications have been received to date. In addition, approximately 500,000 eligible households are beneficiaries of the £5 Accommodation for Residential Care scheme and will benefit from the free licence when their current licence is renewed. TV Licensing, which administers this concession for the BBC as Licensing Authority, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates of the over-75 population based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 6,400 people aged 75 or over in the Coventry, South constituency.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if residents of sheltered housing who are aged 75 years or above and who have hitherto paid £5 per year in television licence are entitled to free TV licences under his concessionary scheme for the over-75s; and if he will make a statement. [139062]

Janet Anderson: Yes. The directions issued by the Secretary of State to introduce this concession have the effect that on the issue or renewal of an Accommodation for Residential Care licence, no fee will be payable in respect of residents who are aged 75 or over.

National Centre for Popular Music

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the future of the National Centre for Popular Music. [139029]

Mr. Alan Howarth: The National Centre for Popular Music is currently undertaking a major redevelopment plan, working with local, regional and national partners to secure and develop the long-term viability of the organisation. A meeting is to be held with key stakeholders to establish the future of the organisation.

Sports Tourism

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what further recommendations he has made to incorporate sport into Britain's tourism industry more effectively. [139069]

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Janet Anderson: Earlier this year the Minister for Sport and I presided over the launch of the British Tourist Authority's sports tourism strategy. This strategy sets out how the BTA will work with key partners such as Sport England to attract overseas visitors to the UK to participate in and to watch sport. The BTA has since taken forward a number of initiatives, including the launch of a new sports tourism website as part of its participation in the important international World Travel Market Exhibition at Earl's Court earlier this month. In addition, the BTA is due to launch its new UK sports tourism map in Paris in January 2001.

I am also delighted that £150,000 has been allocated from the Single Regeneration Budget for marketing the 2002 Commonwealth Games. This will give the whole North-West region a tremendous boost.

Spoliation

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 13 November 2000, Official Report, column 448W, when he expects to receive responses from the individuals whom he is consulting; and what the timetable is for any subsequent actions. [138835]

Mr. Alan Howarth: While some responses have already been received, I am awaiting a reply from others who have indicated that I can expect to hear from them relatively shortly. I wish to consider all responses before deciding upon a course of action and the subsequent timetable will ensure that the need to proceed swiftly is balanced by our responsibility to consult widely.

Accommodation Grading Scheme

Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made since December 1999 towards a unified accommodation grading scheme for the whole of the UK. [139268]

Janet Anderson: Responsibility for tourism policy, including accommodation grading, in the other countries of the United Kingdom now rests with the devolved Administrations. In England a number of new voluntary schemes have been successfully introduced over the last 15 months following extensive research into visitor expectations. Our key priority is to ensure that these schemes, which cover hotels and guest accommodation, holiday parks and self-catering accommodation, make a noticeable impact on increasing accommodation quality.

Since December 1999, we have not made any significant progress towards a unified accommodation grading scheme for the whole of the UK. The hotels and guest accommodation scheme applies across the UK for establishments inspected by the AA and RAC, which inspect to exactly the same standards as the English Tourism Council in England--the other national tourist boards each operate different schemes and in Northern Ireland tourism accommodation is subject to statutory regulation (but voluntary classification). The holiday parks scheme was jointly developed by all four countries and has identical standards across the UK and so represents some progress towards a unified approach. The self-catering scheme in England is also broadly similar to those in Scotland and Wales.

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Ministers have previously looked at the possibility of moving towards a UK-wide accommodation grading scheme but there was no straightforward solution. My own initial discussions confirmed that but I am more than willing to discuss the matter again with my counterparts in Scotland and Wales, should they so wish.

Royal Opera House

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects a new executive director to be appointed to the Royal Opera House. [139308]

Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 20 November 2000]: When the current selection process has been completed, which I understand will be before the end of the year.

Digital Radio

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to secure a switchover from analogue to digital radio. [139040]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 20 November 2000]: The Government have not yet set out a framework to secure the switchover to digital radio, which is still at a relatively early stage of development. We shall keep this issue under review as further digital radio services are rolled out across the UK.

TV Regulation

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for further regulation of sex and violence on television. [139471]

Janet Anderson: Under the United Kingdom's arrangements for broadcasting, it is the responsibility of the broadcasting regulators and broadcasters to set and enforce standards. In doing so, they maintain guidelines for programme makers on the standards to be observed. This guidance draws on research into public attitudes and includes advice on the portrayal of sex and violence in programmes. The future of the regulation of electronic communications, including broadcasting, is being considered in a White Paper to be published later this year.

TREASURY

Euro

Mr. Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact on the UK's economy of the trading performance of the euro. [138654]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The November pre-Budget Report (Cm 4917) contains the Chancellor's latest economic forecast of the UK economy, including discussion of the impact of recent currency developments on trade (pages 158-159).

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