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Special Advisers and Press Officers

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers were employed (i) full time, (ii) part time and (iii) on a contract basis by his Department in each year since 1992. [6893]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Information is not available in the detail requested. However, during the period from 1994 until June 1999, the former Welsh Office employed a maximum of two special advisers and between eight and nine press officers. Since its establishment on 1 July 1999, the Wales Office has employed two special advisers and three press officers, including my Press Secretary.

SCOTLAND

Boundary Commission

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest date by which the Boundary Commission for Scotland's recommendations for the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies in Scotland would have to be enacted by Order in Council in order to take effect for a Scottish parliamentary election in 2007. [8864]

Mrs. Liddell: This will depend on the nature of the recommendations in the Boundary Commission's report.

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the circumstances in which she would seek to make modifications under the terms of section 4 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 to the recommendations contained in the next report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland on the general review of the parliamentary constituencies in Scotland. [8848]

Mrs. Liddell: I will be able to consider whether modifications to the Boundary Commission's recommendations might be appropriate only once I have received and studied its report.

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 353W

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she expects to receive from the Boundary Commission for Scotland their final report on the general review of parliamentary constituencies in Scotland. [8863]

Mrs. Liddell: The Boundary Commission for Scotland is required, by the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, to submit its report to me between December 2002 and December 2006. It is a matter for the Commission when, within that time scale, it reports.

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the revised constituency and regional boundaries to be recommended by the Boundary Commission for Scotland by December 2006 will be used for the 2007 Scottish parliamentary elections. [8865]

Mrs. Liddell: This will depend on the date the Boundary Commission submits its report. It is not envisaged that changed boundary arrangements for the Scottish Parliament would be implemented before 2007.

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is her policy that (a) the boundaries of Scottish parliamentary constituencies should be coterminous with constituencies used to elect Scottish hon. Members of the House of Commons and (b) the ratio of constituency to regional members should remain as set out in the Scotland Act 1998. [8847]

Mrs. Liddell: The statutory position on the boundaries of Scottish parliamentary constituencies and the ratio of constituency to regional members is set out in Schedule 1 of the Scotland Act 1998.

The Government have, however, made it clear that if a good case for changing the Scotland Act is made, in the light of experience in the Scottish Parliament, we will consider it.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the parliamentary Boundary Commission for Scotland began its review of Scottish constituencies; when she expects to receive its report; and if she will make a statement. [9740]

Mrs. Liddell: The Boundary Commission for Scotland gave notice in the Edinburgh Gazette on 29 June 2001 of its intention to commence forthwith its general review of constituencies in Scotland.

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 354W

The Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 requires the Commission to submit its report to me not less than eight or more than 12 years from the date of its last report. Its next report is therefore due between December 2002 and December 2006. It is a matter for the Commission when, within that time scale, it reports.

Regional Television

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she plans to meet Scottish Television to discuss regional television coverage. [9337]

Mrs. Liddell: I have regular discussions with broadcasters in Scotland about a wide range of matters, including regional television coverage and the wider implications for Scotland of the forthcoming Communications Bill. I last met representatives from the Scottish Media Group on 23 August.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Government Art Collection

Mr. Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is in respect of disposals from the Government art collection. [10078]

Dr. Howells: It is the general policy of the Government art collection (an Exchequer-funded national collection) to retain for posterity and to preserve to the best of its ability all items accepted into its core holdings. The Government art collection has a disposals policy which closely follows the ethical guidelines for disposals recommended by the Museums Association. A number of items purchased with specific funds or donated with specific conditions attached may not be disposed of at all.

Film Industry

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support the Government have given to the British film industry in (a) direct funding and (b) tax breaks in the last five years. [8247]

Dr. Howells: The table gives details of Government funding for film. In addition to direct Government funding, the Film Council, Scottish Screen and the Arts Councils for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland distribute lottery funding for film.

£ million

Grant receiving body	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Scottish Screen	1.8	2.0	1.8	—	—
Sgrîn	0.3	0.3	0.3	—	—
Northern Ireland Film Commission and other grants	0.3	0.7	0.8	1.1	—
British Film Institute	16.5	16.0	15.1	16.91	—
British Screen Finance	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	—
British Film Commission	0.8	0.85	0.85	0.85	—
European Co-Production Fund	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	—
National Film and Television School	1.9	2.1	2.1	2.2	2.3
Film Council	—	—	—	0.5	21.8
Total	25.6	25.9	24.9	25.6	24.1

Notes:

The Film Council became operational in April 2000. It now funds the British Film Institute from the grant-in-aid it receives from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The British Film Commission is now part of the Film Council. British Screen Finance and the European Co-Production Fund have been absorbed into the Film Council.

Figures shown for Sgrîn, Scottish Screen and the Northern Ireland Film Commission are pre-devolution.

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 355W

The estimated tax cost of relief provided to British qualifying films under section 48 Finance (No. 2) Act 1997 is £200 million in the period 1997–98 to 2000–01. The additional estimated tax cost of relief provided to British qualifying films under section 42 Finance (No. 2) Act 1992 is £150 million in the period 1996–7 to 2000–01. Finally, the estimated tax cost of relief to other films produced in the UK under sections 40A to D of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1992 (formerly, section 68 Capital Allowances Act 1990) is £250 million over the same period. In total tax relief for films produced in the UK is around £600 million in the period 1996–7 to 2000–01.

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 356W

Civil Servants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what proportion of each Civil Service grade in her Department is located in each region and nation of the UK; what the average salary is for each grade; and if she will make a statement. [6778]

Dr. Howells: The information regarding the number and proportion of staff in my Department, and the average salary of each grade is set out in the table.

Government Office region	All grades	SCS level	Level 6/7	SEO/HEO level	EO level	AO/AA level	Industrial/ other grades
	Number of staff by grade level and region (WTE)
London	461	25	74	133	107	122	0
South East	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
South West	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
West Midlands	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
North West	2	0	1	0	0	1	0
North East	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
Merseyside	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Yorkshire & Humberside	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
East Midlands	2	0	1	0	0	1	0
Eastern	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
England total	471	25	82	133	107	124	0
Wales	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Scotland	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
UK total	472	25	82	133	107	125	0
Northern Ireland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Grand total	472	25	82	133	107	125	0
Average salary	—	55,700	37,028	26,056	18,560	14,893	—
	Percentage of staff by grade level and region
London	97.7	100	90.2	100	100	97.6	0
South East	0.2	0	1.2	0	0	0	0
South West	0.2	0	1.2	0	0	0	0
West Midlands	0.2	0	1.2	0	0	0	0
North West	0.4	0	1.2	0	0	0.8	0
North East	0.2	0	1.2	0	0	0	0
Merseyside	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Yorkshire and Humberside	0.2	0	1.2	0	0	0	0
East Midlands	0.4	0	1.2	0	0	0.8	0
Eastern	0.2	0	1.2	0	0	0	0
England total	99.8	100	100	100	100	99.2	0
Wales	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Scotland	0.2	0	0	0	0	0.8	0
UK total	100	100	100	100	100	100	0
Northern Ireland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Grand total	100	100	100	100	100	100	0

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