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Publicity Expenditure
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the total real terms expenditure of her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on publicity in each of the years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) 2001–02 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole of the present year; and if she will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (A) advertising and (B) press and public relations. [36164]
Dr. Howells: Using the GDP deflators notified by HM Treasury, the Department's real term expenditure on press and public relations since 1997–98 based on 2001–02 prices was:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 541,483 |
| 1998–99 | 503,476 |
| 1999–2000 | 795,289 |
| 2000–01 | 795,302 |
| 2001–02 | (10)602,700 |
(10) Estimated outturn
No advertising expenditure was incurred by the Department during this period.
The information requested for the Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and the costs of collating it would be disproportionate.
Health and Safety (Computers)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many employees in her Department who regularly use computers have taken up the provision of a free eye test; and how this service is advertised to (a) current and (b) new staff. [36697]
Dr. Howells: Computer use is almost 100 per cent. across the Department. Of a staff of 450 some 67 (14.8 per cent.) have availed themselves of the free eye test provision during the 10 months of this financial year. The availability of, and entitlement to, eye test vouchers is set out in an induction pack and on the induction session given to all new staff. Office notices are used to draw attention to all staff matters including eye care vouchers and the subject is a permanent item on the departmental intranet accessible by all staff.
Throckmorton Airfield
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what consideration is being given to
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designating land on and around the Throckmorton airfield as an ancient monument; and if she will make a statement. [34655]
Dr. Howells: Under the Monuments Protection Programme, this Department and English Heritage are undertaking a systematic review of England's archaeological resource, with a view to providing statutory protection, through scheduling, to those sites identified as being of national importance. Once a site has been scheduled, specific consent has to be obtained from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State before any works can be carried out that could damage the monument.
We are, of course, prepared to look at sites which are under threat, or of particular significance, out of sequence. I understand that English Heritage is currently considering whether land on and around Throckmorton airfield merits scheduling, following archaeological investigation work undertaken there last year in response to the excavation of foot and mouth mass burial pits. English Heritage will be making recommendations to my Department shortly.
Camelot
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action the Government propose to take if Camelot fail to achieve its target of £15 billion for good causes over the seven year length of the contract. [36730]
Mr. Caborn: Camelot's bid for the second National Lottery licence forecasts sales at a level which would yield £15 billion for good causes over the licence period; but this was not a contractual commitment. It is for the National Lottery Commission, exercising its independent responsibilities under the National Lottery Acts 1993 and 1998, to supervise Camelot's operation of the licence and enforce its conditions.
Government Expenditure (Sports Associations)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the total Government expenditure, excluding National Lottery grants, to sports associations within Great Britain in each financial year since 1994–95. [36722]
Mr. Caborn: Government funding for national governing bodies of sport and other sports organisations is channelled through the Sports Councils. The exchequer funding provided for such bodies in England and for UK wide bodies is as follows. Funding for sport in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and an issue for those Administrations.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 11.34 |
| 1995–96 | 13.24 |
| 1996–97 | 11.12 |
| 1997–98 | 14.75 |
| 1998–99 | 13.69 |
| 1999–2000 | 13.81 |
| 2000–01 | 14.37 |
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Departmental Website
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost of her Department's website was in real terms in each of the last four years; and how many hits it received in each of those years. [36143]
Dr. Howells: The website was redeveloped two years ago at a cost of £81,134. Prior to that, the site was developed in-house at zero cost. The website is maintained in-house at zero cost. The hosting cost is £5,000 per year.
We do not retain website statistics beyond the current year. The number of hits over the year is of the order of 4,160,000.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Afghanistan
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that British citizens detained (a) by United States, (b) United Front and (c) other local forces in Afghanistan (i) have their rights respected, (ii) are not subjected to cruel or unusual conditions or punishments and (iii) are not placed in other jurisdictions against their will. [27226]
Mr. Bradshaw: We are in regular contact with the US authorities about British nationals detained by them. They have said that the detainees are being treated humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Conventions. The question of jurisdiction is a matter for the US as the Detaining Power. We have asked the interim Afghan authorities to notify us of any British nationals detained by them and have said that all prisoners must be treated in accordance with international practice.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British officials will have access to UK nationals held in Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan without the presence of representatives of the US. [36512]
Mr. Bradshaw: Access to the detainees is a matter for the US as the Detaining Power.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that UK citizens held prisoner in Guantanamo Bay are sent before a competent tribunal to determine whether they are entitled to prisoner of war status. [36509]
Mr. Bradshaw: This is a matter for the US as the Detaining Power. The US authorities said in their statement of 7 February that they have no doubt that the Taliban and al-Qaeda detainees are not prisoners of war, and that the Geneva Convention requires a tribunal only where there is any doubt.
They also confirmed that, notwithstanding the question of status, all detainees would continue to be treated humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Conventions.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the two British nationals who are detained in Kandahar by the US authorities are being held under the conditions of the Geneva Convention. [36511]
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Mr. Bradshaw: The two British nationals who were being detained in Kandahar were transferred to Guantanamo Bay on 11 February. The US authorities have said that all detainees are being treated humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Conventions.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the US authorities to charge the UK citizens who are detained in Guantanamo Bay with violations of criminal law. [36522]
Mr. Bradshaw: That is a matter for the US authorities once evidence has been gathered and analysed. The US is aware of our desire that this should proceed as quickly as is practicable.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making to the US Administration regarding the application of Article 5 of the Geneva Convention to prisoners held in US custody in Cuba and Afghanistan. [37062]
Mr. MacShane: We remain in regular contact with the Americans on many aspects of this matter.
The US authorities said in their statement of 7 February that they have no doubt that the Taliban and al-Qaedi detainees are not prisoners of war and that the Geneva Convention requires a tribunal only if there is any doubt.
They again confirmed that, notwithstanding the question of status, all detainees would continue to be treated humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Convention.
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