---

Television Licences (Prosecutions)

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many prosecution statements were taken in relation to television licence fee evasion and how many prosecutions there were for television licence evasion in each of the last four years. [27691]

Dr. Howells: The number of prosecution statements taken and prosecutions heard for television licence fee evasion in the United Kingdom in the last four years was:

Thousand

Year	Prosecution statements taken	Prosecutions heard
1998–99	374	98
1999–2000	320	89
2000–01	366	151
2001–02(31)	268	104

⁽³¹⁾ To December 2001

Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from what sources the (a) administrative and (b) other costs of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme will be met. [30783]

Dr. Howells: The Listed Places of Worship (LPW) Grant Scheme is largely being funded by the Treasury. This Department has been asked to make a small contribution to the costs of the scheme. We have asked English Heritage to help us meet this commitment, which they have chosen to do through the redirection of £2 million in grant in aid from the Joint Places of Worship (JPOW) Scheme. Initial estimates are that the LPW scheme could be worth up to £30 million per year. There is no cap on the scheme; all listed places of worship that meet the criteria will receive a grant.

English Heritage (Grants)

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what effect shifting English Heritage grant schemes towards maintenance will have on current sources of grant aid. [30857]

Dr. Howells: Government grant in aid to English Heritage will be increased by £5 million in 2002–03 and £11 million in 2003–04 to £115.5 million and £121.4 million respectively.

It is for English Heritage to decide what priority to give expenditure on their grant schemes from the overall resources available to it from Government grant in aid, as well as from its own fund raising activities.

Sport

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has

31 Jan 2002 : Column 543W

had with the New Opportunities Fund about the planned investment in school sport; and if she will make a statement. [31173]

Mr. Caborn: I regularly meet representatives of the New Opportunities Fund to discuss their full range of programmes, including the new opportunities for PE and sport programme and will continue to do so to ensure their successful delivery.

Libraries (Hillingdon)

Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many libraries in the London Borough of Hillingdon are (a) internet-connected and (b) linked to National Grid for Learning. [31358]

Dr. Howells: All public libraries connected to the internet have access to the National Grid for Learning. In the London borough of Hillingdon all 17 libraries have public internet access and therefore are linked to the National Grid for Learning.

Contracts (KPMG)

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contracts her Department has with KPMG; and what the value is of each one. [31325]

Dr. Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no current contracts with KPMG.

31 Jan 2002 : Column 544W

Free TV Licences (Cathcart)

Mr. Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioner households in Glasgow, Cathcart are benefiting from free television licences. [31215]

Dr. Howells: TV Licensing, which administers for the BBC as Licensing Authority the free television licence concession for the over-75s, 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 5,000 people aged 75 or over living in the Glasgow, Cathcart constituency.

Public Bodies

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was (a) the total bill for salaries and expenses for board members, (b) the administrative operating costs and (c) the total annual budget in the latest year for which figures are available for each regional arts board in England. [30198]

Dr. Howells: Information about salaries of board members to public bodies is included in the Cabinet Office's annual report, "Public Bodies". Copies of this are placed in the Library of the House and the report is published on the Cabinet Office's internet website. The next edition of "Public Bodies", which will include numbers of appointments at 31 March 2001, is shortly to be published.

The table, supplied by the Arts Council of England on behalf of the regional arts boards contains the information requested by the hon. Member:

All RABs 2000–01	EEA	EMA	LA	NA	NWA	SA	SEA	SWA	WMA	YA	Total
Income
Total ACE funding (incl.)	9,718,024	9,682,517	32,014,120	11,714,473	18,016,684	11,192,305	6,999,710	9,133,900	13,598,401	12,458,582	134,528,716
Total Other public funding	463,201	504,501	0	1,170,225	1,032,724	583,693	451,610	285,322	543,121	487,244	5,521,641
Total Other income	372,480	139,473	218,115	1,002,746	1,618,562	209,921	148,699	196,246	79,096	202,257	4,187,595
Total income	10,553,705	10,326,491	32,232,235	13,887,444	20,667,970	11,985,919	7,600,019	9,615,468	14,220,618	13,148,083	144,237,952
Total Admin and Overheads	1,650,559	1,689,075	3,411,655	1,509,698	1,905,629	1,495,355	1,606,140	1,461,385	1,574,264	1,548,786	17,852,546
Board members' expenses	2,510	3,804	1,422	7,204	—	6,368	—	1,564	—	—	22,872
Board members' salaries	0	0	0	0	—	0	—	0	0	—	0

Notes:

1. Figures for LA, NWA, SA, SEA, WMA and YA are taken from their published report and accounts for 2000–01.

2. Figures for EEA, EMA, NA and SWA are taken from their audited accounts for 2000–01

3. Figures for board members' expenses are given only when they are specifically detailed as such within the accounts. A nil figure is given only for Board members' salaries when this is stated in the accounts.

Board members' expenses/salaries

4. NA's figure is referred to as travel and committee costs in respect of the reimbursement of travel expenses incurred by seven trustees/directors. NWA make no reference to directors or board members in their R&A.

5. SEA make no reference to directors or board members in their R&A.

6. SWA's list as £4,021 as Board Expenses—it has been assumed that this means expenses related to board meetings, as they detail a separate amount of £1,564 as Directors' Reimbursed Expenses.

7. WMA give a figure of £11,667 as Company Expenses, but do not detail amounts reimbursed to board members.

8. YA's give a figure of £45,630 as Company Expenses, but make no reference to, nor give figures related to, directors or board members in their R&A.

Theft and Fraud

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what additional security measures are planned by her Department to deter and detect theft and fraud. [31799]

Dr. Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport have had no incidents of fraud to report in recent years but systems in place are constantly reviewed. Two recent thefts have been investigated by the police and physical security and other measures have been taken to either prevent a repeat or detect and apprehend the

31 Jan 2002 : Column 545W

perpetrator. Security cover at departmental premises is 24 hours, seven days a week with closed circuit television surveillance in place. Security staff patrolling and CCTV unit placement is under review. Security risk assessments are standard practice, as is the vetting of prospective recruits. In common with other Departments, staff are encouraged to report any suspicions they may have that fraud and/or theft is taking place in the workplace.

HEALTH

Nursing Care

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer, of 16 November 2001, Official Report, column 942–43W, on nursing care, when the evaluation of the implementation will be published. [31383]

Jacqui Smith: A report of the evaluation of the implementation of free nursing care will be available in autumn 2002.

---