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Ofcom

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what relationship Ofcom will have with the devolved assemblies. [44486]

Dr. Howells: The Communications White Paper stated that Ofcom would be expected to develop good links with the relevant policy committees and executives of the devolved assemblies and with representatives of the English regions. We will expect Ofcom to consult closely with the devolved assemblies on how best to establish the most meaningful relationships with them and to build on some of the arrangements which some of the existing regulators have already established, such as holding

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regular meetings with assembly officials and establishing regular links between senior Ofcom representatives and the assemblies themselves.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the relationship will be between Ofcom and the OFT; and in the event of a dispute on jurisdiction who will decide. [44487]

Dr. Howells: As the White Paper made clear, Ofcom will be able to exercise powers under the Competition Act 1998 and the Fair Trading Act 1973 concurrently with the Director General of Fair Trading, in respect of communications matters. The Government are confident that Ofcom and the OFT will be able to work closely and constructively together in the exercise of these powers. This would reflect the existing relationship between regulators with concurrent powers and the OFT. The Competition Act moreover makes provision for formal co-ordination between the OFT and those regulators who have concurrent powers under that Act, including co-ordination of case handling under the Competition Act 1998 (Concurrency) Regulations 2000. The regulations provide that in the event of a dispute between the Director General of Fair Trading and any regulator as to which should handle a particular case, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will decide. To date my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not been required to be involved in this way. The OFT and regulators have always been able to agree on who is best placed to deal with each case and therefore its allocation. The provisions for formal co-ordination will be applied to Ofcom in the same way as to other regulators having concurrent powers.

Communications White Paper

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what provision she plans to make for those (a) with disabilities, (b) with imperfect sight and (c) hard of hearing in implementing the White Paper on Communications. [44485]

Dr. Howells: The Government fully recognise the importance of access to communications services for people with disabilities.

As proposed in the White Paper, the forthcoming Communications Bill will extend to digital cable and digital satellite broadcasters the current requirements for broadcasters on digital terrestrial television to provide subtitling, sign language and audio description services on their channels.

More generally, Ofcom will be placed under a duty, wherever relevant, to have regard to the needs of persons with disabilities.

National Stadium

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether EU directives for the administration of public projects apply to the building of the national stadium at Wembley; and if she will make a statement on the national stadium. [44445]

Mr. Caborn: Responsibility for the development of the National Stadium project lies with the Football Association and their wholly owned subsidiary company Wembley National Stadium Ltd. (WNSL). The FA are

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committed to making a significant equity investment in the project and to raising debt financing to fund the majority of construction and other related costs.

WNSL are required, under the terms of the lottery funding agreement concluded with Sport England, to fully comply with EU procurement legislation unless WNSL has been properly advised that EU procurement legislation does not apply. In such circumstances, the lottery funding agreement requires WNSL to adopt commercial competitive tendering procedures unless it can demonstrate to the satisfaction of Sport England that there is some overriding reason why that is not appropriate. I understand that WNSL's legal advisers advised WNSL in 1998 that EU procurement legislation does not apply to the national stadium project.

Mr. Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps have been taken to ensure that an independent assessment is made of any future contract between Wembley National Stadium Ltd. and Multiplex to ensure value for money and conformity to best practice in corporate governance and procurement practice. [46246]

Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out the Government's position on the national stadium project to the House on 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 292. One of the conditions of Government support was that the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. should commission an independent value for money assessment of the proposed contracts with Multiplex. That assessment is currently under way following the appointment by WNSL of Cyrill Sweet Ltd. to carry out this study. A copy of Cyrill Sweet Ltd.'s terms of reference were placed in the Library on 12 March.

Another of the Government conditions laid out on 19 December relates to corporate governance changes required of the Football Association and WNSL to produce a management structure capable of delivering a complex project within procedures acceptable to the public sector. The FA and WNSL are currently engaged in producing proposals to meet the Government's conditions and we expect the FA's work to be completed in April. The FA/WNSL proposals will be subject to scrutiny by Patrick Carter's review team and Sport England as well as by the Government.

Criminal Damage

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost has been of criminal damage to her Department's buildings in each of the last four years. [44827]

Dr. Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no reported incidents of criminal damage at any building on the Departmental estate.

Crèche Facilities

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what crèche facilities are provided by her Department; and at what cost. [44860]

Dr. Howells: The Department offers holiday places at four Central London sites. The scheme operates during all main school holidays for children aged between five and 12 years. The cost per day is £26.00 of which the Department subsidises 50 per cent.

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Correspondence

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the target time will be in 2002–03 for (a) Ministers to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) officials in her Department to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. [44958]

Mr. Caborn: In 2002–03 we will continue to aim to answer all correspondence, whether it be from hon. Members or the general public, within 18 working days.

Landmark Projects

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the progress of each Landmark project supported by the Millennium Commission as part of the Millennium Celebration has been; which Landmark projects supported by the Millennium Commission have exceeded projected time and cost to be brought into operation; and if she will make a statement. [44734]

Tessa Jowell: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I will write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chair of the Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many, and which, Landmark projects depend on local authority money; how much money local authorities have provided; and if she will make a statement. [44744]

Tessa Jowell: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I will write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chair of the Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Landmark projects have failed to match the Millennium Commission funding with private finance; how much the shortfall is in each case; what has been done to fill the gap; and if she will make a statement. [44740]

Tessa Jowell: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I will write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chair of the Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Landmark projects (a) her Department and (b) the Millennium Commission have encouraged local authorities to support with council tax funds or their capital funding; how much money was provided; and if she will make a statement. [44742]

Tessa Jowell: I will write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chair of the Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

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