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Departmental Sickness
Mr. Bercow: To ask the President of the Council how many days were lost owing to sickness absence by staff in his Department in each of the last four years. [23377]
Mr. Robin Cook: The information requested is as follows:
| Year ending 31 December | Number of days lost to sick absence |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 265 |
| 1998 | 295 |
| 1999 | 178 |
| 2000 | 363 |
As a small Department the Privy Council Office is not included in the published annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" but it is fully committed to working to the overall target to reduce the level of sick absence to five days per person by 2003. The Privy Council Office Service Delivery Agreement confirms this commitment and our requirement to monitor sickness levels quarterly.
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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Regulations
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many regulations her Department has proposed to Parliament since June; what regulatory impact assessments have been made for those regulations her Department has implemented in 2001; and what plans her Department has to reduce the number of regulations affecting small businesses. [21970]
Dr. Howells: My Department has proposed the following regulations since June 2001:
- The Broadcasting (Subtitling) Order 2001
The European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2001
The Football Spectators (Seating) Order 2001
The Gaming Act (Variation of Monetary Limits) Order 2001
The Gaming Machines (Maximum Prizes) Regulations 2001
The National Lottery (Licence Fees) Order 2001
The Protection of Wrecks (Designation) Order 2001
The draft Regulatory Reform (Golden Jubilee Licensing) Order 2002
The Regulatory Reform (Special Occasions Licensing) Order 2001
The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2001.
My Department's contribution to the Government's forthcoming Regulatory Reform Action Plan will reaffirm our commitment to important regulatory reforms, such as modernising regulation of the converging telecommunications and broadcasting sectors, reforming alcohol and entertainment licensing law and reforming gambling law and regulation.
BBC3
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date she received the revised proposals from the BBC for BBC3; by what process she will determine her decision on the new proposals; and on what date she will announce her decision on the new proposals. [22362]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 11 December 2001]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received a new proposal from the BBC for BBC3 on 4 December. My
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right hon. Friend will consider the proposal against my published guidelines for assessing BBC public services approvals. In accordance with these guidelines, my right hon. Friend has invited comments on the proposals from interested parties. The consultation period will end on 25 January 2002. Having given proper consideration to all the information and responses received, my right hon. Friend will announce my decision as soon as possible thereafter.
Ecotourism
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Government have taken to participate in the International Year of Ecotourism 2002; and if she will make a statement. [22496]
Dr. Howells: The Government have made no plans to participate in the United Nations International Year of Ecotourism.
Free TV Licences
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners over 75 in the Buckingham constituency receive a free television licence. [22637]
Dr. Howells: Everyone aged 75 or over is entitled to benefit from a free television licence. TV Licensing, which administers this concession for the BBC as Licensing Authority, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 4,300 people aged 75 or over in the Buckingham constituency.
Digitally Originated Graphics
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 6 December 2001, Official Report, column 502W, on digitally originated graphics, what assessment she has made of the (a) benefits and (b) disadvantages to television viewers of the use of on screen digitally originated graphics, other than electronic programme guides, to identify and promote (i) television channels, (ii) programme strands, (iii) internet links and (iv) other programmes. [22797]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 13 December 2001]: The Government have made no such assessment.
Culture Online
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will make an announcement on the funding arrangements for Culture Online; and when it will open. [22843]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 13 December 2001]: We are currently considering a number of options for Culture Online. We hope to make an announcement in the near future.
Correspondence
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she intends to reply to
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the letter to her dated 6 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Ms Pamela Flynn. [23807]
Tessa Jowell: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 22 November 2001 and I have sent him another copy of my reply.
Pirate Tapes
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the costs (1) to (a) the television industry and (b) the Exchequer of illegal copying in each of the last five years; [22988]
- (2) to (a) the music industry and (b) the Exchequer of illegal copying of music in each of the last five years; [22986]
(3) to (a) the film industry and (b) the Exchequer of illegal copying of films in each of the last five years; [22987]
(4) to (a) the arts industry and (b) the Exchequer of illegal copying in each of the last five years. [22989]
Dr. Howells: The Government recognise the importance of combating counterfeiting and piracy for all the creative industries, and are working with the industries concerned towards achieving this objective. My Department does not collect independent figures for the financial impact piracy has on these industries and the Exchequer. Figures from a survey carried out by the Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy indicate, however, that the cost of counterfeiting and piracy to UK industry as a whole was almost £9 billion in 2000, an increase of 8.36 per cent. on the figure for 1999. This is estimated to be equivalent to approximately £1.55 billion in lost revenue to the Exchequer. Within this total, it is estimated that the loss to the music industry in 2000 was £20 million and to cinema and home entertainment £180 million. There are no separate sectoral figures for the arts and television industries.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Human Rights Commission
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Government intend to respond to the recommendations made in the report on its effectiveness submitted by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to the Secretary of State in February in accordance with section 69(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998; and if he will make a statement. [22457]
Jane Kennedy: We are pleased to have received the report from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and are currently considering the Commission's recommendations.
The report is 78 pages and contains 25 recommendations. Detailed consideration is at present being given to the recommendations, all of which recommend changes to primary legislation. Given the importance and complexity of the proposals, the Government intend to publish its report in the new year.
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Departmental Sickness
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many days were lost owing to sickness absence by staff in his Department in each of the last four years. [23376]
Jane Kennedy: The Northern Ireland Office is committed to the effective management of sick absence and our current Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) sets out our proposal to reduce average sickness absence rates for Home Civil Servants (HCS) during the planning period as follows:
| Target | |
|---|---|
| Baseline (1998) | 6.5 absences per staff year |
| 2001–02 | (10)5.2 absences per staff year |
| 2002–03 | (11)4.9 absences per staff year |
| 2003–04 | (12)4.6 absences per staff year |
(10) 20 per cent. saving
(11) 25 per cent. saving
(12) 30 per cent. saving
It will seek reductions of a similar order for the larger Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) group in the Department in conjunction with other Northern Ireland Departments.
Within the last four years sick absence data are available only for 1998 and 1999. The figures are as follows:
- 1999: 8.0 absences per staff year
1998: 6.5 absences per staff year.
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