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Ticket Sales (London)
Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made as to the effect of the events of 11 September on
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(a) theatre ticket and (b) museum ticket sales in the Cities of London and Westminster; and if she will make a statement. [33704]
Dr. Howells: I have asked the Society of London Theatres, National Gallery, Tate Britain and Museum of London to provide this information. When it is available, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for the Arts will write to the hon. Member, and place a copy of her letter in the Libraries of both Houses.
Fair Trade Fortnight
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to encourage participation by her Department in fair trade fortnight from 4 to 17 March. [33549]
Dr. Howells: The Department has no specific formal participation in fair trade fortnight although some NDPBs may be publicising the event within their own activities. My Department centrally supports the aim of fair trade and seeks to influence the supply chain to utilise fair trade produce wherever possible. A display is being considered for our own staff restaurant and the caterers have been encouraged to mark the event with more than their usual fair trade menus.
Arts Funding
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will respond to the progress report she received on 29 November 2001 about the Arts Council of England's proposals to merge the regional arts boards to create a single organisation for arts funding; and if she will place a copy of her response in the Library. [33310]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 4 February 2002]: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for the Arts responded on behalf of the Secretary of State to the Arts Council's latest proposals for a single organisation for arts funding on 21 December 2001. I am arranging for copies of the letter to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Special Advisers
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the responsibilities of her special advisers. [33126]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The responsibilities of my special advisers are set out in the model contract for special advisers. Special advisers are employed to help Ministers on matters where the work of Government and the work of the Government Party overlap and it would be inappropriate for permanent civil servants to become involved. They are an additional resource for the Minister providing advice from a standpoint that is more politically committed and politically aware than would be available to a Minister from the civil service.
IT Contracts
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what has been the total expenditure of his Department on IT systems and support in each year from May 1997 to date; how many IT contracts have been let in each of those years; of the other main
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contracting party in each of those contracts, how many have been (a) companies whose registered office is in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland and (b) foreign companies; and what are the names of the companies falling within category (a). [33685]
Dr. Howells: Total expenditure on IT systems and support broken down annually from May 1997 is as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 1.9 |
| 1998–99 | 2.1 |
| 1999–2000 | 3.3 |
| 2000–01 | 3.6 |
| 2001–02 | 3.1 |
The number of IT contracts let and relevant companies per year is as follows:
| Company | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | BT, Maine and Vodafone | 4 |
| 1998–99 | BT, and Project Telecom | 2 |
| 1999–2000 | BT | 2 |
| 2000–01 | BT | 1 |
| 2001–02 | BT | 3 |
Contracts
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts were let by her Department and agencies for which she is responsible to (a) PWC Consulting or PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Ernst & Young, (c) Deloitte & Touche, (d) KPMG and (e) Andersen for consultancy services for the financial years (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000, (iv) 2000–01 and (v) 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available, indicating the remuneration in each case. [33844]
Dr. Howells: My Department has let the following contracts:
| Year | Consultancy | £ |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | Deloitte & Touche | 227,000 |
| 1998–99 | KPMG | 23,000 |
| 1999–2000 | PricewaterhouseCoopers | 68,000 |
| 2000–01 | PricewaterhouseCoopers | 61,000 |
| 2000–01 | PricewaterhouseCoopers | 22,000 |
| 2001–02 | PricewaterhouseCoopers | 96,000 |
Royal Parks Constabulary
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what legal advice she has sought on the policy in the Royal Parks constabulary to set retirement age levels depending on length of service; [32659]
- (2) whether it is her policy to permit some officers in the Royal Parks constabulary to work until 65 years of age and not others; and if she will make a statement. [32655]
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Dr. Howells: Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency and I have asked its Chief Executive, William Weston, to reply.
Letter from William Weston to Mr. Chris Grayling, dated 7 February 2002:
- I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the retirement age of officers of the Royal Parks Constabulary, as this is an operational matter which has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency.
- Prior to 1st January 1994 the normal retirement age for officers was 60, but those with less than 20 years service can work until they have completed 20 years service or reached the age of 65, whichever is the sooner, subject to continued satisfactory performance.
- Under an agreement with the Trade Union, all officers recruited after 1st January 1994 retire at the age of 60, regardless of their length of service, in line with the standard conditions for non-uniformed staff in the Agency.
- The Agency has not sought legal advice on this matter.
Lost/Stolen Property
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list those items valued at less than £50 each which have been stolen or lost from her Department in each of the last four years. [34224]
Dr. Howells: All thefts and losses by fraud are immediately reported as security breaches. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has only had cause to report the theft of six SIMM memory modules in 2001 and one mobile telephone charger in 2002. There have been no reported losses of lower value items other than those stated.
Rugby League/Rugby Union (Funding)
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding has been received from the National Lottery by (a) rugby league and (b) rugby union since its inception. [32880]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 6 February 2002]: Total funding received from the National Lottery for (a) Rugby League is £12,557,073 and for (b) Rugby Union is £38,044,111.
Youth Hostel Association
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received from the Youth Hostel Association; and what recent discussions she has had with the Youth Hostel Association on help to individual youth hostels affected by foot and mouth related loss of business. [34472]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Rural Affairs and I met the Chief Executive of the Youth Hostels Association (England and Wales) on 7 February. On 5 February, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced a countryside access recovery fund that will be available to support projects to promote access to and/or understanding of the countryside by not-for-profit organisations, such as the Youth Hostels Association.
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Private Medical Insurance
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many employees in (a) her Department and (b) her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have had private medical insurance provided for them in each year since 1997–98; what the total cost is; and if she will make a statement. [32315]
Dr. Howells: No employees in the Department or in the Royal Parks Agency have had private medical insurance provided for them in any year since and including 1997–98.
Information relating to the Department's non- departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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