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Museums

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Government funding has been

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made available in each of the last five years for museums in (a) London, (b) the South East, (c) Birmingham, (d) the West Midlands and (e) England; what her projections are for the next three years; and if she will make a statement. [38094]

Dr. Howells: My Department's grant funding to its 20 sponsored museums and galleries in England and their branch museums is shown in the table.

Table 1: Allocation of grant-in-aid to DCMS sponsored museums and galleries£ million

Region	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
England	206	203	219	229	246	268	275
London	184	185	197	205	218	238	243
South East	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Birmingham	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
West Midlands	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

My Department does not provide core funding for other museums, but supports the wider museum sector in England through Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries.

Following the creation of the Designated Museums Challenge Fund (DMCF) in 1999 Resource and its predecessor the Museums and Galleries Commission have made the following awards of non-core funding to museums with pre-eminent collections across England:

Table 2: Non-core support for regional museums via Resource£ million

Region	1999–2002
England	15.0
London	2.4
South East	1.6
Birmingham	0.6
West Midlands(18)	0.9

⁽¹⁸⁾ Excluding Birmingham

In the Government Spending Review 2000 Resource was allocated an additional £10 million per year to support regional collections. This will now be used to implement the proposals set out in the report of the Regional Museums Task Force "Renaissance in the Regions".

Royal Parks Police

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what progress has been made on the recommendations made on the Royal Parks Police by Tony Speed and Dan Foley; and when changes will be implemented; [39984]

(2) if she will list the retirement ages and conditions of retirement of (a) former police officers serving in the Royal Parks Police and (b) officers of the Royal Parks Police who have not served in the police; [39986]

(3) how many retired police officers receiving a police pension are fully employed by the Royal Parks Police; [39985]

(4) when the pay rise, due in September 2001, for the Royal Parks Police will be implemented; and if the pay will be backdated. [39983]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 4 March 2002]: Responsibility for the subject of these questions have been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, William Weston. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Sandra Smith to Mrs. Cheryl Gillan, dated 4 March 2002:

I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to Parliamentary Questions concerning the Royal Parks Constabulary because these are operational matters for which the Royal Parks Agency is responsible.

Most of the recommendations of the Speed Report have been implemented. We are currently discussing with the Metropolitan Police Service the option that the Royal Parks Police should become a ring-fenced operational command unit of the Metropolitan Police Service.

The normal retirement age for officers of the Royal Parks Constabulary, regardless of previous police service, is aged 60. The only exception is for staff in post before 1 January 1994 who have completed less than 20 years service at the age of 60: they have a right to stay on until they have either completed 20 years service or reached the age of 65, whichever is the sooner.

The Agency is not required to hold records of how many serving RPC officers are retired from other police services and receiving a pension from them.

The Department are considering the Agency's pay remit, and as soon as they have agreed it we will begin negotiating this year's pay settlement. Whatever is agreed will be backdated to 1 September 2001.

New Millennium Experience Company

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 14 February 2002, Official Report, column 592W, for what reason ownership of the sculpture did not accrue to NMEC. [39147]

Tessa Jowell: In common with other sculptures at the dome site, NMEC paid only for construction and installation in order to keep the cost affordable. Ownership rights remain with Anthony Gormley, therefore. He has, however, made it clear that he wishes the sculpture to remain on the site. The necessary permissions are being pursued to make this happen.

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Ice Sports (Gloucestershire)

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to site new ice sports facilities in Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement. [40709]

Mr. Caborn: The provision of ice sports facilities is a matter for local authorities to consider. Local authorities are best placed to determine the level of provision required in the light of local needs and the appropriate mixture of public and private provision.

The Government support the provision of sport and leisure facilities through various means including funding from the Sports Lottery Fund, administered by Sport England. It is for local authorities to apply for this funding. No applications have been received for any new ice sports facilities in Gloucestershire.

Sport England have informed us there are no plans for the provision of an ice sports facility in Gloucestershire. Sport England's regional strategy report in 1995 recognised the need for new ice sport facilities in the south-west. As ice rinks are relatively expensive to build, any applications for lottery funding would be considered in the context of Sport England's priorities.

Sports Training

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received concerning funding for sports training for those aged 16 to 18 years; and if she will make a statement. [40379]

Mr. Caborn: Following a recommendation in the March 2001 Government's Plan for Sport, a review of the role that further and higher education can play in the delivery of sport was undertaken by a national advisory group. The group reported back to Ministers in December 2001, and funding issues were covered in its conclusions and recommendations. The Government are currently consulting on the report, and expects to respond to it in April this year.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial assistance is provided by the Government for sports training for those aged 16 to 18 years. [40378]

Mr. Caborn: The Learning and Skills Act 2000 imposes a duty on the Learning and Skills Council to secure provision of organised leisure time activities connected with the training and education of young people aged 16–18. Funds are allocated to learning providers for this purpose.

Sports Clubs

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 409W, on sports clubs, if she will list those sports representative bodies which provided evidence that the majority of local authorities grant 100 per cent. rate relief. [39973]

Mr. Caborn: In my answer of 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 472–73W, to the hon. Member, I stated that the majority of local authorities grant rate relief of up to 100 per cent. to local amateur sports clubs.

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That was not intended to imply that the majority of such clubs receive rate relief at 100 per cent.—simply that the majority of local authorities grant some measure of discretionary relief, and that the majority of amateur clubs benefit from this in some degree.

That statement was based on informal discussions with Sport England and the Central Council for Physical Recreation. As I informed the hon. Member in my answer of 13 February, no detailed figures exist.

Press and Public Relations

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people were employed in a press or public relations function in her Department on 1 January in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002. [39935]

Dr. Howells: The number of press officers and publicity officers in my Department at 1 January in each of the last six years was as follows:

Date	Press officers	Publicity officers
1997	8	4
1998	19	14
1999	8	4
2000	9	25
2001	8	24
2002	8	25

Note:

1. Includes two officers working part-time

2. Includes one officer working part-time

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