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Public Service Orders
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to extend the provision of public service orders. [18724]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
Any application for the imposition of a public service obligation will be considered by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions against the criteria set out in European Regulation 2408/92.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria have to be met in order for a route to be granted a public service order. [18729]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
The use of public service obligations is governed by European Council Regulation 2408/92 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes. This empowers members states to impose a PSO in respect of scheduled air services on a route serving a peripheral or development region or on a thin route to any regional airport, where such a route is considered vital for the economic development of the region in which the airport is located and where an adequate standard of service would not be provided by carriers having regard
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solely to their commercial interest. Standard of service covers continuity, regularity, capacity and pricing. In assessing adequacy, member states are expected to have regard to the public interest and to the availability of other forms of transport and whether these offer a reasonable alternative to flying.
SCOTLAND
Departmental Publications
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many publications were issued by her Department in each of the last four years. [11822]
Mrs. Liddell: In 1997–98 the Scottish Office issued 92 publications, in 1998/99 it issued 121 publications and in the period 1 April 199 to 30 June 1999 it issued 13 publications.
The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Since then the Department has issued seven publications.
Consultation Documents
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many consultation documents were issued by her Department from (a) 15 October to 14 January, (b) 15 January to 14 April, (c) 15 April to 14 July and (d) 15 July to 14 October in each year from 1996. [12877]
Mrs. Liddell: From 1996 the Scottish Office issued the following number of consultation documents for the periods 15 October to 14 January. 15 January to 14 April, 15 April to 14 July and 15 July to 14 October:
| Issued: | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October—14 January(7) | 23 | 18 | 31 | - |
| 15 January—14 April | 29 | 11 | 33 | 27 |
| 15 April—14 July | 26 | 16 | 27 | 12 |
| 15 July—14 October | 28 | 20 | 20 | - |
(7) Of following year
The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. The Department since that date has issued no consultation documents. The Scotland Office is a small Government Department with minimal programme expenditure and no responsibility for service delivery functions.
Scottish Borders Council
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the ability of Scottish Borders Council to carry out its statutory functions in relation to reserved matters. [17388]
Mrs. Liddell: Most of the statutory functions of the Scottish Borders Council relate to devolved matters. To the best of my knowledge, reserved matters have been dealt with appropriately by the Council.
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Nuclear Installations
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what representations she has made to the Nuclear Inspectorate relating to security at nuclear installations in Scotland following the events of 11 September; [16781]
- (2) what representations she has made to the Energy Review Group relating to security at nuclear power stations in Scotland following the events of 11 September; [16780]
(3) what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive on the security of (a) nuclear power stations and (b) nuclear installations in Scotland folllowing the events of 11 September. [16777]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 22 November 2001]: Security at nuclear installations is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry acting through the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS). The OCNS works closely with the Health and Safety Executive—the safety regulator for the industry—and which provides advice on the safety implications of events including external hazards, at nuclear installations. Security and safety precautions at nuclear sites are kept under constant review. Both regulators are reviewing all relevant precautions in the light of the recent terrorist attacks in the USA. It is not Government policy to disclose details of security measures taken at civil nuclear sites.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Sports Clubs
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what European Union funding schemes are available to sports clubs in the United Kingdom for (a) capital and (b) training projects. [17466]
Mr. Caborn: All European Union funding is channelled towards precise objectives and priorities under the various common policies, which, in turn, are based on provisions of the EU Treaties. The European Union does not have a legal base for sport in its Treaties. As such, there are no funding programmes designated specifically to sport.
However, sports clubs in the United Kingdom may be eligible for funding under other European Union programmes which integrate sport into such actions as regional development or training and education. These programmes include:
- Structural Funds/Regional Development Programmes—such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) may be relevant to sports organisations where their activities include vocational training opportunities and/or are part of the economic development of deprived areas. Many of these funding programmes are restricted to specific regions and it is usually national or regional authorities specified in each programme that are fully responsible for the choice of projects. These programmes tend to focus on the development of small and medium enterprises to encourage job creation and social inclusion and require applicants to identify the specific economic and local benefits their scheme will achieve.
Vocational Training/Education for young people/Youth Programmes—initiatives such as Leonardo and Socrates support vocational training and cultural exchange programmes for young people. There is a clear emphasis on any Europe-wide dimension to the activities.
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Playing Fields
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many playing fields were disposed of in each of the last five years. [17463]
Mr. Caborn: Information on the number of playing fields disposed of for the last five years is not collected. Sport England does, however, monitor the number of planning applications concerning playing fields in their role as statutory consultee. The Government intend to publish, with Sport England, detailed statistics on planning applications concerning playing fields when the data are finalised, in the new year.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has published figures on applications by state schools to dispose of or change the use of school playing fields since October 1998 when the Amendment to Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act was brought in to halt the previous administration's policy of forcing schools to sell off playing fields. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for School Standards gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 18 October 2001, Official Report, column 1292W.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) school and (b) community playing fields have been sold for development in East Devon in each of the last five years. [18283]
Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has not approved any applications made by schools under Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to sell school sports pitches sized areas or larger in the constituency of East Devon.
Information on the number of local authority owned playing fields available to the local community and disposed of in the last five years is not collected. Sport England does, however, monitor the number of planning applications concerning playing fields in their role as statutory consultee. The Government intend to publish, with Sport England, detailed national statistics on planning applications concerning playing fields when the data is finalised, in the new year.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) community and (b) school playing fields have been sold for development in the Buckingham constituency in each of the last five years. [17843]
Mr. Caborn: Information on the number of local authority owned playing fields available to the local community and disposed of in the last five years is not collected. Sport England does, however, monitor the number of planning applications concerning playing fields in their role as statutory consultee. The Government intend to publish, with Sport England, detailed national statistics on planning applications concerning playing fields when the data is finalised, in the new year.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has not approved any applications made by schools under Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to sell school sports pitches in the constituency of Buckingham.
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