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Deer
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated deer population was in each of the last 30 years; by what method the estimates were determined; and if she will make a statement. [48068]
Mr. Meacher: These data are not available to the Department.
Hunting With Dogs
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 26 March, ref. 46360, if she will make a statement on the future duties of Lord Burns in relation to hunting with dogs, with special reference to the issues of cruelty and utility. [47877]
Alun Michael: My noble Friend Lord Burns, was appointed in December 1999 to carry out an inquiry into hunting with dogs. He discharged his task with the submission of his report on 9 June 2000.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Music Teaching
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how much money the Department has spent on encouraging schoolchildren to play a musical instrument in each of the past 10 years; and if she will make a statement; [46587]
- (2) how many schoolchildren have been offered training on a musical instrument in each of the past 10 years; and if she will make a statement; [46586]
(3) how much money the Department and its predecessors have spent on providing schools with instruments in each of the past 10 years; and if she will make a statement. [46588]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
As part of the national curriculum in music, all pupils up to Key Stage 3 are introduced to playing musical instruments. The Department does not, however, collect information on the numbers of schoolchildren receiving additional instrumental music lessons.
We do recognise the value of instrumental music tuition and have taken a number of steps to support Local Education Authorities Music Services. In 1999 the Music Standards Fund was introduced. Between 1999 and 2004, total funding of £270 million will have been made available to music services across England. The Department's contribution towards this was £35 million in 1999–2000, £40 million in 2000–2001 and £50 million in 2001–2002. LEAs may spend Music Standards Fund in any way which enhances the opportunities for pupils to access musical education of high quality, including providing schools with musical instruments or encouraging children to play a musical instrument.
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Our wider opportunities programme will expand existing provision to give all primary school pupils who want to the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. The Department is working with partners, including representatives from LEA Music Services, on the best way to fulfil this pledge. As part of this exercise we are considering what information to ask LEAs to collect in order to monitor the numbers of school children learning a musical instrument.
Ministerial Private Offices
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the running costs were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department in each year from May 1997 to the nearest date for which the information is available. [40979]
Dr. Howells: The running cost information requested for the Department is shown in the table. It reflects information published in the appropriation accounts and resource accounts. Information in the format requested is not held centrally for previous years and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| DCMS running costs | Ministers' private office running costs | Ministers' private office staff running costs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 21.862 | 1.638 | 1.048 |
| 1999–2000 | 25.186 | 1.560 | 1.031 |
| 2000–01 | 26.234 | 1.603 | 1.061 |
Departmental Contracts
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by her Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed. [43679]
Mr. Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1537–38W.
Golden Jubilee
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if awards, other than the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, are to be presented during the Jubilee festivities; and if she will make a statement. [44580]
Tessa Jowell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced last December that the 2002 National Training Awards will include a special Jubilee award for individuals or organisations who have made an exceptional contribution to the community through training. The award of city status and a Lord
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Mayoralty to mark the Queen's Jubilee celebrations have already been announced. No other new awards specifically for the Jubilee are planned to be presented during the festivities.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list Government-sponsored commemorative Golden Jubilee items; what the cost to make each item is; how many of each item will be produced; and if she will make a statement. [44564]
Tessa Jowell: The Golden Jubilee Medal is the only commemorative item being sponsored by the Government. Approximately 370,000 will be produced, at a cost of approximately £21 each.
There are no plans to produce any other Government- sponsored commemorative items.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are working on the planning and organisation of the Queen's Golden Jubilee; what Departments each of those people work for; and if she will make a statement. [44582]
Tessa Jowell: The Golden Jubilee Office in my Department comprises 24 staff (two of whom work part-time) and three temporary staff working on a short-term basis. In the Ministry of Defence, 23 staff are currently employed on planning the Queen's visit to the armed forces in Portsmouth on 27 June. In other Departments the work, which includes representation on the Official Committee for the Golden Jubilee which has met roughly every two months, is spread among staff working on other issues. In so far as this is readily quantifiable, the Northern Ireland Office has the equivalent of four full-time staff; the Foreign and Commonwealth has the equivalent of 1.25 staff; the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has 0.7 of one post; the Department for Education and Skills has 0.7 of one post spread across five members of staff; the Department of Trade and Industry has 0.05 of one post; and the Scotland Office has 0.05 of one post (the work on the Queen's visit programme being largely dealt with by the Scottish Executive).
New Deal
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people have been employed by her Department in each of the last three years under (a) the new deal for young people, (b) the new deal for the over 50s and (c) the new deal for lone parents; and at what cost, listed by category, to public funds. [44919]
Dr. Howells: My Department does not hold information on the category of programme under which new dealers employed by this Department and the Royal Parks Agency are included. Information on the overall number of new dealers employed in the last four years follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 1 |
| 1999–2000 | 2 |
| 2000–01 | 1 |
| 2001–02 | 0 |
My Department expects to offer employment to at least three new dealers shortly as part of a recent external recruitment campaign for administrative staff.
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New dealers take up existing vacancies so extra costs to public funds are limited to the subsidy, where appropriate, and any additional training and development which may be needed. The cost of the latter cannot be readily identified.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people employed by her Department under the new deal for young people in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseeker's allowance or other benefits. [45083]
Dr. Howells: My Department and the Royal Parks Agency does not hold this information for people employed under this scheme who then move on. However, three out of the four people employed under this scheme since 1998–99 were subsequently offered permanent appointments in this Department (one in 1998–99 and two in 1999–2000).
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