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World Cup

30. Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the network television broadcasting of World Cup matches in the United Kingdom. [10051]

Tessa Jowell: The whole of the World Cup Finals tournament is protected as a listed event in the UK, reflecting its importance to many millions of people. I therefore welcome the announcement made by the BBC and ITV on 18 October that they have signed an exclusive deal to broadcast the World Cup Finals tournaments in 2002 and 2006. This deal upholds the objective of the listed events legislation and will ensure that UK viewers are able to watch the entire 2002 and 2006 tournaments live on free-to-air, terrestrial television.

Sports Coaching

31. Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of the Minister for Sport of 16 July 2001, Official Report, column 4, if she will report the outcome of the meeting of 28 June on sports coaching facilities, and outline progress of subsequent meetings. [10052]

Mr. Caborn: At the first meeting of the coaching task force on 28 June the Terms of Reference set out in "The Government's Plan for Sport" were agreed and three sub-groups were established. The sub-groups have met on a number of occasions and reported back to the second meeting of the taskforce on 25 September. This meeting considered a draft model for a national coaching qualification and agreed to undertake an international bench-marking exercise on coaching structures in a number of other countries. The next meeting of the taskforce will take place on 22 November.

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has for parents and grandparents to take basic sport coaching courses; and what links they will have to the National Experience Corps. [12226]

Mr. Caborn: The coaching taskforce established earlier this year has a remit to review the co-ordination of coach education and training. As part of the groups' wider

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tasks they are currently exploring the opportunities for encouraging more parents and grandparents to become involved in coaching.

My Department are currently examining ways in which the National Experience Corps can contribute to achieving this aim.

Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to promote coaching skills among parents. [12530]

Mr. Caborn: The coaching taskforce established earlier this year has a remit to review the co-ordination of coach education and training. As part of the groups' wider tasks they are currently exploring the opportunities for encouraging more parents to become involved in coaching.

Museum and Gallery Entry

23. Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress she has made towards ensuring free entry to national museums and galleries. [10043]

Tessa Jowell: Our policy is to encourage all museums to offer the widest possible access to their collections. We have enabled those museums and galleries funded by my Department which already offer free admission to continue to offer it. We have scrapped entry charges for children and people over 60 at the main museums and galleries sponsored by my Department that currently charge and have made available from 1 December 2001 additional resources to allow them to introduce free admission for all from that date.

The restoration of free access will enable the greatest collections we have, built up by public funds over generations, to be available to everyone, no matter what their income or background.

Lottery Moneys

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the total amount of lottery moneys paid by parliamentary constituency in each of the last four years. [11859]

Mr. Caborn: I will place copies of the information requested in the Libraries of both Houses.

National Lottery

Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to review the procedure for awarding the national lottery operating licence. [12983]

Mr. Caborn: Following the announcement earlier this year by my right hon. Friend the Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) that the Government would review the process for selecting the national lottery operator, we are now considering options for change and will be seeking the views of interested parties. We expect to publish our conclusions next year as the basis for wider public consultation.

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Public Libraries

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in improving the service provided by public libraries. [10036]

Tessa Jowell: The Government have encouraged better planning and accountability in public library services through the introduction of Annual Library Plans and a more rigorous enforcement of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. Standards of service for library authorities were introduced from 1 April this year. Additionally, £170 million of lottery money is being made available to libraries through the People's Network programme to upgrade their ICT infrastructure, create innovative digital content and train library staff in the use of ICT.

Sport and Recreation Facilities

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what figures she has collated on spending by local authorities in England on sport and recreation facilities since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [10026]

Tessa Jowell: Local authorities are key providers of sport and recreation and play a central role in the delivery of sport in and for the community. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions publishes annual figures on spending by local authorities on sport and recreation. Since 1997 local authorities have spent over £549 million on new construction, conversion and renovation of sport and recreation facilities, which includes a substantial investment from the national lottery, to improve facilities for local communities.

TREASURY

Cancer Patients

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of prostate cancer patients live for at least five years after treatment in the United Kingdom, and what is the average such percentage in the European Union; [11869]

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Robyn Lynch to Mr. John Bercow, dated 5 November 2001:


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Mobile Phone Licences

Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Department of Trade and Industry and (b) Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions concerning 3G mobile phone licences. [12405]

Mr. Andrew Smith: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer meets regularly with Cabinet colleagues and others to discuss a wide range of issues.

Illegally Imported Alcohol

Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue lost each year to the Treasury because of illegally imported alcohol; and what plans he has to reduce the loss. [10410]

Mr. Boateng [holding answer 26 October 2001]: Estimates of alcohol fraud were published in the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General "Losses to the Revenue from Frauds on Alcohol Duty" (HC 178) in July 2001.

Details of the Government strategy to tackle alcohol fraud will be published in due course.

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