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Departmental Policies
(Meirionnydd Nant Conwy)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Meirionnydd Nant Conwy constituency, the effects on Meirionnydd Nant Conwy of the Lord Chancellor's Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [154989]
Jane Kennedy: The Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for the administration of the courts and for legal services. We have taken steps to improve the management and effectiveness of the services we provide and to meet customer needs, including working closely with other agencies to provide a fair, swift and effective system of justice, to improve the availability of affordable and good quality legal services and to improve the lives of children and help build and sustain strong families.
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy falls within the Gwynedd Community Legal Service Partnership (CLSP) area. Across Gwynedd, contracts have been awarded to local law firms for 2001-02 with a total value of £197,000. These cover categories of law including family, debt, housing and welfare benefits. Contracts with Gwynedd CAB, Shelter Cymru and Bangor Disablement Welfare Rights will also benefit local residents.
The Legal Services Commission is considering expressions of interest in the provision of bilingual telephone advice services for financially eligible clients in Gwynedd, in acknowledgement of the fact that this is a large rural area with significant numbers of people unable easily to access services delivered through offices in the larger towns. An announcement on the award of a telephone contract for Gwynedd is anticipated within the next two months.
Departmental Policies (Caernarfon)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Caernarfon constituency, the effects on Caernarfon of the Lord Chancellor's Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [154988]
Jane Kennedy: The Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for the administration of the courts and for legal services. We have taken steps to improve the management and effectiveness of the services we provide and to meet customer needs, including working closely
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with other agencies to provide a fair, swift and effective system of justice, to improve the availability of affordable and good quality legal services and to improve the lives of children and help build and sustain strong families.
Caernarfon falls within the Gwynedd Community Legal Service Partnership (CLSP) area. Across Gwynedd, contracts have been awarded to local law firms for 2001-02 with a total value of £197,000. These cover categories of law including family, debt, housing and welfare benefits. Contracts with Gwynedd CAB, Shelter Cymru and Bangor Disablement Welfare Rights will also benefit local residents.
The Legal Services Commission is considering expressions of interest in the provision of bilingual telephone advice services for financially eligible clients in Gwynedd, in acknowledgement of the fact that this is a large rural area with significant numbers of people unable easily to access services delivered through offices in the larger towns. An announcement on the award of a telephone contract for Gwynedd is anticipated within the next two months.
Family Visit Appeals
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) oral and (b) paper-only family visit appeals were received by the Immigration Appellate Authority in February. [155572]
Jane Kennedy: In February 2001, the Immigration Appellate Authority received 65 cases for oral hearing and 67 cases for paper-only hearing.
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many family visit appeals were (a) determined, (b) allowed and (c) dismissed by the Immigration Appellate Authority (i) at an oral hearing and (ii) on the papers only, in February. [155573]
Jane Kennedy: The breakdown of family visit appeals determined, allowed and dismissed by the Immigration Appellate Authority in February 2001 is:
| Oral cases | Paper cases | |
|---|---|---|
| Determined | 13 | 57 |
| Allowed | 12 | 17 |
| Dismissed | 1 | 40 |
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Lottery Funding
16. Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement about funding for arts buildings allocated from the national lottery. [153877]
Mr. Alan Howarth: Between 1995 and 2000 the Arts Council of England, through its Capital Programme, has awarded £913,752,038 to projects with a building element.
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18. Mr. St. Aubyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement about the speed with which lottery funding reaches the good causes. [153880]
Mr. Chris Smith: All Lottery funds left after paying expenses allowed under the legislation are allocated immediately to one of the 15 National Lottery distributing bodies. The distributing bodies make payments to award recipients as funds are required.
Lottery Liaison Officers
17. Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on his Department's assistance to lottery liaison officers employed by local authorities. [153879]
Mr. Chris Smith: My Department recognises the important role which local authority Lottery liaison officers can play in attracting Lottery funding into their areas, and is supporting the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association in their plans to draw up best practice guidance. The guidance will focus on what Lottery liaison officers can do to help small organisations and community groups secure Lottery funding. We also encourage our Lottery distribution bodies to work closely with Lottery liaison officers to ensure that they are kept up to date on new Lottery funding initiatives and programmes.
Olympic Games 2012
19. Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the facilities required for the United Kingdom to host the Olympic games in 2012. [153881]
Kate Hoey: My Department has not made any assessment of the facilities required to host the 2012 Olympic Games. The British Olympic Association (BOA) have primary responsibility for UK bids and have not yet taken a decision on whether to bid for 2012. However, we have seen a draft of the BOA's feasibility report on what is required for a possible London bid for 2012. The Government will consider with the BOA, the Mayor, the Greater London Authority and other interested parties what further work will be needed to assess the costs and requirements of a London bid.
Foot and Mouth
20. Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance his Department offers to hoteliers and bed-and-breakfast businesses which have been affected by the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease. [153882]
Janet Anderson: My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Head of the Rural Task Force announced on 20 March a preliminary package of measures to alleviate immediate financial hardship of small businesses, including tourism businesses, in rural areas. My right hon. Friend also announced that extra funding will be made available to promote rural attractions. The Rural Task Force will continue its work and we will want to consider any further Government response in the light of the latest developments.
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Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the meetings and conferences organised by his Department and agencies of his Department which have been (a) cancelled and (b) postponed owing to foot and mouth disease; and if he will make a statement. [155359]
Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 23 March 2001]: No meetings or conferences have been cancelled or postponed by my Department or by the Royal Parks Agency. On the contrary, Ministers and officials in my Department have held many additional meetings, particularly with representatives of the tourism and leisure sectors, to explore ways of dealing with the consequences of the foot and mouth outbreak.
28. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the effect on tourism of the foot and mouth epidemic. [153890]
Mr. Chris Smith: I refer the hon. Member to my statement in the House on 14 March 2001, Official Report, columns 1021-36.
Church Repairs (Grants)
21. Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will make an announcement on grants to places of worship which need repair. [153883]
Mr. Chris Smith: The new grant scheme for listed places of worship will be a considerable help to churches and congregations around the country. My Department is now in the process of consulting interested parties on how best to deliver the new scheme. I hope to make an announcement about the availability of the grants as early in the new financial year as possible.
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