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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. [17920]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 27 November 2001]: I have been asked to reply.
The WTO dispute settlement understanding was a major achievement of the Uruguay round of trade negotiations.
Experience has shown a need for some improvements to, and clarifications of, that understanding: I therefore welcome the agreement last month at Doha on negotiations to that end.
World Trade Rules
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 590W, on world trade rules, if she will set out the areas of (a) agreement and (b) disagreement she has had with the collective proposals put forward by NGOs in respect of world trade rules. [19876]
Clare Short: We agree that trade rules must help to eliminate poverty, and that poor countries need a fair and effective rules-based international trading system. We agree on the need for capacity building, and for an approach that recognises more explicitly that WTO members are at different stages of development. However, we disagree with some NGOs on some WTO issues. For example, we believe that the recent campaigning against the GATS has been very misleading. Our position on all these issues is set out in a series of Background Briefing Notes on Trade and Development which I am placing in the Library.
Correspondence
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how many letters she has received in 2001 on third world debt from residents of the Buckingham constituency; [16905]
- (2) how many letters she has received in 2001 on overseas aid from residents of the Buckingham constituency. [16906]
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Clare Short: So far in 2001 I have received four letters from residents of the Buckingham constituency through the hon. Member, three of which were on the subject of third world debt or overseas aid. I am unable to provide information on letters received independent of the hon. Member as details of such correspondents are not kept.
Departmental Expenditure Limits
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate the total unallocated funds within her departmental expenditure limit (a) at the start of the financial year and (b) to date; and what was the month seven forecast on outturn underspend against her departmental expenditure limit in (i) real and (ii) percentage terms. [19445]
Clare Short: DFID's Departmental Report for 2001 (CM 5111) contains the Departmental Unallocated Provision (DUP) set for the present financial year in Annexe 1, Table 2. There has been no draw down of the Department's DUP to date.
Outturn against six month forecast for each Request for Resources will be published in the winter Supplementary Estimates Summary Request for Supply as usual.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Freedom of Information Act
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date her Department established a working group of officials to prepare her Department for the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and on what dates this committee has met since it was set up. [14767]
Dr. Howells: My Department is fully aware of its responsibilities under the forthcoming legislation, not only on its own account but also in respect of its sponsored bodies. No formal working group has been established but a number of responsible officials in DCMS meet as necessary, and will ensure that all appropriate action is taken to prepare both the Department and its NDPBs for implementation.
We wrote to our NDPBs in June to ensure they were aware of the then timetable and will do so again shortly in respect of the changes announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor on 13 November. Plans are currently being developed for training throughout the Department, the creation of written guidance and the development of a departmental publication scheme.
Millennium Dome
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many companies took part in the bidding process for the public relations contract with NMEC (New Millennium Experience Company) for the Millennium Dome; and who was on the panel for appointing the consultancy firm. [18659]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 27 November 2001]: Cardew and Co. were appointed by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) in September 2000, a time of very high press interest. NMEC needed the services
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of a press agency which had previous experience of corporate rescue situations and experience of complex financial matters. NMEC considered that Cardew and Co. met the requirements. The arrangements for the appointment were in line with NMEC's procurement rules covering the situation where insufficient time existed for a competitive process.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the value, per annum, of the contract held between the New Millennium Experience Company and Cardew Consultancy; what sum in total has been paid to Cardew Consultancy by the New Millennium Experience Company since Cardew were employed by NMEC; what period the present contract between the New Millennium Experience Company and Cardew runs for; what services Cardew presently provides for the New Millennium Experience Company; what assessment he has made of those services; and if she will make a statement. [18658]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 27 November 2001]: The new Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) retains Cardew and Co. to provide external press support. Cardew and Co. are paid on an hourly rate, per job, when required. The total sum which has been paid since October 2000 is £339,655. Cardew and Co.'s contract will cease when NMEC has completed the solvent liquidation process. I have not made any assessment of the services provided by Cardews which is a matter for NMEC.
Church Repairs
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the English Heritage budget for church repairs for each financial year from 1997–98 to 2003–04; and if she will make a statement. [19346]
Dr. Howells: English Heritage's budget for repairs to all listed places of worship for 1997–98 to 2003–04 is:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 7,127,000 |
| 1998–99 | 9,550,000 |
| 1999–2000 | 10,169,000 |
| 2000–01 | 11,042,000 |
| 2001–02 | 9,049,000 |
| 2002–03 | 10,370,000 |
| 2003–04 | 12,220,000 |
English Heritage's planned expenditure for 2002–03 and 2003–04 also includes grants to cathedrals, as the individual elements of their planned grants programme have yet to be finalised.
My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for the Arts today launched the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which will offset the cost of VAT on repairs and maintenance to listed buildings which are used as places of worship. The scheme has been welcomed by those responsible for these important parts of our heritage as it represents significant additional new funds.
Channel 5
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which areas of the country are able to access the transmission signal of Channel 5 via a
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terrestrial television; what plans she has to increase the coverage of Channel 5; and if she plans to upgrade the television transmitters unable to broadcast Channel 5's signal. [19620]
Dr. Howells: Analogue terrestrial Channel 5 services reach around 80 per cent. of the UK population and coverage details can be found on Channel 5's website at: www.channel5.co.uk. There are no plans to extend analogue Channel 5 services, as the provision of digital terrestrial television now has priority in the use of scarce spectrum. Channel 5 is carried on all digital platforms. Digital terrestrial coverage information is available on the Digital Television Group website at: www.dtg.org.uk. The Government's aim is to ensure that the main free-to-view analogue channels are available in digital form to those who can currently get these analogue channels.
Parliamentary Ombudsman
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2001, Ref. 18772, on the Parliamentary Ombudsman, on which date the notification was received; and on which date a response was made. [20098]
Mr. Caborn: In the case mentioned in my earlier reply, notification was received on 2 November 2000 and a response made on 12 December 2000.
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2001, Ref. 18772, on the Parliamentary Ombudsman, what formal notices (a) have been received and (b) have been responded to since 31 March. [20097]
Mr. Caborn: My Department has received no formal notices from the Ombudsman since 31 March 2001.
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