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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Commonwealth Games

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the organisers of the Commonwealth Games about drug testing at the Games; and if she will make a statement. [43492]

Mr. Caborn: We continue to work with the Commonwealth Games Federation (who have formal responsibility for the development of the drug testing regime for the Commonwealth Games) as well as Games' organisers, Manchester 2002 Ltd., and UK Sport to ensure that a robust and reliable regime is in place for the Games; and which is consistent with internationally accepted standards of anti-doping

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans United Kingdom Sport has to conduct (a) blood and (b) urine tests at the Commonwealth Games; and if she will make a statement. [43493]

Mr. Caborn: We are committed to ensuring that a rigorous testing programme is in place for the Games and with the other Games funders have ensured that adequate funds are made available to the Games to allow for a full testing programme.

We understand that the tests, which will be carried out for the Games by UK Sport on behalf of the Games organisers, Manchester 2002 Ltd. and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), may include both blood and urine tests. A decision on testing for EPO (Erythropoietin) using blood sampling is awaited from the CGF and will need to take account of any improvements identified by the International Olympic Committee from the protocols for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. The final decision on the number and type of drug tests rests with the CGF.

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what efforts have been made to use this summer's Commonwealth Games as a vehicle to promote inbound tourism. [43206]

Mr. Caborn: The Commonwealth Games form a key part of the British Tourist Authority's (BTA) overseas marketing strategy.

Examples of promotion include a BTA stall at the Edmonton Games last year, a Commonwealth Games colour supplement for inclusion in marketing brochures and a special Commonwealth Games pack. BTA offices

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in both Canada and Australia have recently taken groups of journalists to Manchester to see preparations for the Games.

BTA is a member of the Regional Tourism Marketing Working Group created to maximise the tourism opportunities created by the Games and has seconded a marketing expert to Manchester.

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the tickets for this summer's Commonwealth Games have now been sold. [43205]

Mr. Caborn: More than 460,000 tickets have been sold here in the UK—this equates to 60 per cent. of the available tickets. A further 110,000 tickets have also been sold to Commonwealth Games Associations and other bodies.

Celebrations

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements her Department has made to celebrate (a) St. Patrick's day, (b) St. George's day, (c) St. Andrew's day and (d) Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee; and how her Department celebrated St. David's day. [42294]

Tessa Jowell [holding answer 11 March 2002]: There are certain days of the year known as 'named days' when the Union flag must be flown from Government buildings. The days include St. David's day (in Wales), St. George's day (in England), St. Andrew's day (in Scotland) but not St. Patrick's day. In the Department for Culture, Media and Sport there are no celebrations other than raising the Union flag.

Consideration is being given to the Union flag flying protocol for the Jubilee. The Union flag will fly on Coronation Day (2 June) as this is a named day.

The Golden Jubilee Office in DCMS is supporting, facilitating and co-ordinating the overall planning for the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations. I would also refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 11 February 2002, Official Report, columns 58–59W. In DCMS all staff will be given the additional public holiday on 4 June 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Stolen Equipment

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 727W, on stolen equipment, what criminal proceedings have been undertaken for cases of theft against her Department, stating in each case (a) whether the proceedings (i) led to a criminal conviction and (ii) were unsuccessful, (b) the cost incurred by her Department in pursuing a conviction and (c) the value of items recovered; and if she will make a statement. [41503]

Dr. Howells: No criminal proceedings have been undertaken for cases of theft against the Department.

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Ministerial Group on Sport

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the progress of the cross-departmental Ministerial Group on Sport. [43208]

Mr. Caborn: The Inter-Ministerial Group on Sport, which I chair, continues to meet monthly. It provides an opportunity for my Department, along with the Department for Education and Skills, the Department of Health, the Home Office, the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Sport England and the New Opportunities Fund to get a cross-departmental perspective of the sport-related issues of the day, and to discuss options for addressing those that take into account the wishes and concerns of all involved. In addition, the group also receives feedback from the School Sport Alliance, which meets quarterly at official level to discuss the practicalities of putting the Government's Plan for Sport into practice.

Jubilee Medals

Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the Yeoman of the Guard at the Tower of London will receive Jubilee Medals. [43126]

Tessa Jowell: The medal is being issued to members of the armed forces and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and to the emergency services. Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London do not fall within these categories and are therefore ineligible to receive the medal.

Charities

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to change Community Fund regulations to allow money to be made available to charities for more than six years at a time. [43437]

Mr. Caborn: Decisions about the time limits on funding are for the Community Fund. Its directions require it to set specific time limits on the periods for which grants are payable, although the precise periods are a matter for the fund alone and are not subject to regulation by the Government.

Sports Facilities (Doomsday Book)

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on the Doomsday Book of Sports Facilities. [43207]

Mr. Caborn: Information on sports facilities is currently held by a variety of organisations and a single database will enable more strategic Government investment in those areas and facilities which are most important. My Department is continuing discussions with Sport England on the scope, content, and cost of the proposed database and how the project will be taken forward.

Lottery Grants

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects the first awards to be made by the National Lottery's joint Community Fund and New Opportunities Fund fair share project; what the

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final date is by which she expects all funds to have been distributed; and what measures are in place to ensure that all funds are distributed by this date. [44036]

Mr. Caborn: Fair Share will begin distributing funds from April this year. It will operate for three years until March 2005 and by then we estimate that £169 million of Lottery funding will have been distributed under Fair Share to benefit the areas selected. The Community Fund and NOF are developing a monitoring and evaluation strategy for ensuring that these funds go where they are most needed.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 708W, if she will list the 50 areas which are likely to benefit from Lottery grants following the review; and if she will make a statement. [43788]

Mr. Caborn [holding answer 15 March 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1539–40W to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East (Tom Watson).

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many projects have (a) been supported by the National Lottery and (b) subsequently failed; what the average value is of grants made by the National Lottery; and what steps are being taken to ensure that projects are revenue-funded to ensure their long-term success. [43555]

Mr. Caborn: To date 103,586 projects have been supported by the National Lottery and the average value of the awards amounts to £98,017. Comprehensive information on the number of failed Lottery projects is not centrally held at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Revised policy Directions issued by my Department in June 1998 freed Lottery distributors from past restrictions on revenue funding. It is for the distributors to decide the maximum period of time for which they will provide funding. It remains an important principle of Lottery funding that individual projects are for a defined period, to avoid commitments which would reduce the availability of resources for new projects.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department stopped recording information regarding (a) the number of applications made and (b) the amount of money asked for, by organisations per constituency; and if she will make a statement. [43789]

Mr. Caborn [holding answer 15 March 2002]: This Department has never held comprehensive information on applications for Lottery grants by constituency, either in terms of the number of applications made or the amount of money requested.

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