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Tobacco Sponsorship

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what help has been given to those sports which have relied on tobacco sponsorship; and if he will make a statement. [157315]

Kate Hoey [holding answer 6 April 2001]: Over the past two years, there has been extensive contact with the seven sports that sought assistance to make the transition from tobacco sponsorship. The taskforce of business and sponsorship has been there to make information available, offer advice to support the development of new marketing strategies, make initial contact with potential sponsors and offer professional advice on how the sports can start to position themselves in a changing marketplace.

The taskforce has now concluded the first phase of its work to identify the needs of the sports and ascertain how best it can assist them. Assistance with the replacement of existing contracts can most effectively be targeted in the 12 to 18 months before they lapse, which is the normal lead-in time for negotiating new sponsorship agreements.

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I am in close touch with the seven sports affected and the taskforce has made clear to them that its assistance is still available as and when they require it.

The "Hanover"

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if the Advisory Committee on historic wreck sites was consulted about the length of the licence granted to excavate the wreck site of the "Hanover"; and if he will make a statement; [157425]

(2) for what reason the licence to excavate the wreck site of the "Hanover" is without a specific time limit; and if he will make a statement. [157426]

Mr. Alan Howarth: In July 1997 the "Hanover" wreck site was the subject of an emergency designation under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. Mr. Colin Martin, who was working on the site at the time, immediately applied for leave for judicial review of the Designation Order. The terms of the licence were agreed as part of the settlement of the action. The Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites was not formally consulted on the terms of the licence but they were kept informed of developments throughout. Decisions on the granting of licences are for the Secretary of State to make, consulting as he sees appropriate. There is no set time limit for licences granted under the Protection of Wrecks Act.

Listed Buildings (Liverpool)

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the listed buildings there are in (a) the City of Liverpool and (b) Riverside constituency; and how much funding has been allocated to them to assist conservation in the last three years. [157432]

Mr. Alan Howarth: Statistics are not available for these geographical areas, but there are 3,125 listed buildings on Merseyside. The list can be consulted at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, at Liverpool City Council or at the National Monuments Record Centre in Swindon. Over the last three years, buildings in Liverpool have attracted conservation grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and English Heritage totalling £43.4 million, of which £42.8 million was for buildings in Liverpool Riverside. These figures include a grant of £26.7 million from the HLF for development and refurbishment of the Liverpool Museum and Walker Art Gallery.

Royal Opera House

Mr. Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions he has had with the Royal Opera House regarding its concessionary ticketing policy; and if he will make a statement; [157534]

(2) what discussions he has had with the Royal Opera House regarding the availability of standby tickets; and how many performances since the Royal Opera House reopened there have been for which standing tickets were available. [157535]

Mr. Alan Howarth: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have discussions from time to time with the Chairman and management of the Royal

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Opera House to ensure that Covent Garden is open to a broader audience and for the public to have the widest possible access to performances.

The Royal Opera House currently offers a number of concessionary and standby rates. These include:

For performances in the main auditorium where standby tickets have been made available on the day of performance, senior citizens, students, under 18s, those in receipt of Job Seeker's Allowance or Invalid Care Allowance, members of BECTU, MU, Equity, Incorporated Society of Musicians, the Friends of Covent Garden and Stage Pass, holders of a City of Westminster ResCard and residents of London WC2 postal area can buy one reduced-price ticket per person from the Box Office. Stand-by tickets for the best available seat are £12.50 for ballet and £15 for opera performances and, when available, will be released for sale four hours before curtain-up.

Customers with disabilities who join the free Royal Opera House Access List receive a 50 per cent. discount on tickets for themselves and a companion.


Senior citizens, students, under 18s and those in receipt of Job Seeker's Allowance receive a £1 discount off the ticket price of Backstage Tours.


Standing tickets are available at all performances of ballet and opera in the main auditorium.


Outside companies using the Linbury Studio Theatre or the Clore Studio Upstairs must honour the existing concessionary schemes.


Each season, at least two productions of opera will be relayed into the Covent Garden piazza free of charge.

The Royal Opera House companies continue to attract a large and varied audience for their work. In the first season after re-opening the House achieved over 90 per cent. capacity for performances of opera and ballet with ticket prices reduced in many areas. A broad and innovative programme of education work has involved over 100,000 school children as well as young people and adults from all backgrounds. I commend the board and management of the House for their commitment to making the Royal Opera House accessible to the widest possible audience.

Richmond Park

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will reopen Richmond Park to vehicular traffic. [157764]

Mr. Chris Smith: Discussions are under way between the relevant bodies, including the Royal Parks Agency and Historic Royal Palaces. I am hopeful that an announcement about the re-opening of Richmond Park, Bushy Park and the Home Park at Hampton Court will be made in the next few days.

Regional Arts Boards

Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will initiate consultations upon the proposals made by the Arts Council of England to wind up the regional arts boards prior to their implementation; and if he will make a statement. [157988]

Mr. Alan Howarth: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was consulted personally by the Chairman and the Chief Executive of the Arts Council prior to the announcement of the proposed changes, and the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions was also informed. The development of the proposals will involve

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further consultation with colleagues and stakeholders, and the views of the Regional Arts Boards themselves are being sought and will be considered closely.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A/F Protein Inc.

Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if (a) she and (b) her Department's officials met representatives of A/F Protein Inc. of Waltham, Massachusetts, USA; [157759]

(2) what representations (a) she and (b) her officials have received from representatives of A/F Protein Inc. of Waltham, Massachusetts, United States and what her response was. [157760]

Clare Short: Neither I nor any of my officials has met representatives of A/F Protein Inc. or have received representation from them.

Fish (Research)

Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will list the overseas academic private sector, Governmental and non-Governmental organisations which have been funded partly or wholly by her Department to (a) conduct and (b) co-operate in, transgenic and genetic research into fish; and if she will list the purpose, timescale, costs and titles of that research; [157757]

(2) if she will provide a full project summary for project R7284, genetic improvement and utilisation of indigenous tilapia in Southern Africa, and the names of participating institutions and organisations in the United Kingdom and Africa. [157758]

Clare Short: This information is available on the DFID website www.dfid.gov.uk.

Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the international visits her Department has undertaken in connection with fish genetics programmes. [157277]

Clare Short: Staff in my Department participated in a workshop on "Practical Strategies for Poverty Targeted Research" which took place in Hanoi in November 2000.

Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will list the members of the Aquaculture Research Programme, indicating their (a) scientific qualifications and (b) commercial interests; [157272]

(2) if she will list the advisers (a) to and (b) within the Fish Genetics Programme, indicating their commercial interests. [157273]

Clare Short: The information requested is available in the Bibliography of DFID fisheries research programmes, 1990-98.

Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the commercial partners involved in her Department's programmes working on GM fish stocks (a) in the UK and (b) internationally. [157278]

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Clare Short: There are no UK or international commercial partners involved in our programme on GM fish stock which is entirely funded by my Department.

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