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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
ITV Digital
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the implications for future broadcasting rights contracts of ITV Digital's stated inability to meet the terms of its agreement with the Football League. [50897]
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the implications for future broadcasting rights contracts of ITV Digital's stated inability to meet the terms of its agreement with the Football League. [50898]
Dr. Howells: Subject to the requirements of the 1996 Broadcasting Act, relating to "listed events", contracts for the broadcasting rights to sports events are matters for commercial negotiations between the rightsholders and the broadcasters concerned.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings she has had with representatives of (a) Granada plc and (b) Carlton Communications plc since ITV Digital's entry into administration; [50710]
Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from the Chairmen and chief executives of (a) Granada plc and (b) Carlton Communications plc since 27 March. [50668]
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with representatives of Granada plc and Carlton Communications plc since ITV Digital went into administration. [50847]
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Dr. Howells: Over the past weeks I have been kept closely in touch by all sides involved in the ITV Digital negotiations. However the decisions taken by ITV Digital are commercial decisions for them, and them alone, to take.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts her Department has with consultants; what level of professional indemnity insurance is standard in contracts with small consultants; whether she can make exceptions to the level of professional indemnity insurance; and what recent discussions she has had with other Government departments about the level of professional indemnity insurance. [50825]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The DCMS does not maintain a register of contracts under £5,000 in value. Over that value there are fifteen current contracts in which contract conditions stipulate "that policies of insurance should be effected and maintained providing an adequate level of cover in respect of all risks". To date there have been no discussions with other Government Departments concerning levels of professional indemnity insurance.
Religious Broadcasting
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what criteria she will assess the continuing need for the statutory ban on Christian broadcasters holding different categories of broadcasting licence when reaching a conclusion on these issues prior to the publication of the Communications Bill. [50579]
Dr. Howells: In considering whether to restrict religious bodies holding broadcasting licences, the Government takes into account, amongst other things, the need to promote the efficient use of scarce resources in order to safeguard pluralism, cater for a variety of tastes and interests and avoid discrimination between the many different religions practised in the United Kingdom.
Television Licences
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the circumstances under which a television licensing officer can enter a private dwelling. [51073]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 18 April 2002]: TV Licensing officials may enter a private dwelling only with the consent of the occupier or if authorised to do so by a warrant issued by a magistrate. Under section 15(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (as amended), a magistrate may issue such a warrant if satisfied, by information provided on oath, that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence under the Act has been or is being committed.
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the circumstances in which the owner of a television in the United Kingdom (a) does not and (b) does require a television licence. [51072]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 18 April 2002]: A television licence is required to instal or use television receiving apparatus to receive television programme
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services, as defined by section 2(4) of the Broadcasting Act 1990. The BBC, as Licensing Authority, has responsibility for determining television licensing requirements in individual cases, subject to the ultimate authority of the courts.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many private finance initiative projects have been subject to refinancing after the contracts have been signed; and what has been the financial effect in each case. [50279]
Performance Targets
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the target has been in each of the last five years for efficiency savings as a percentage of total running costs for each of the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible; and if the target was met. [49640]
Dr. Howells: Information about the efficiency targets and performance of the Department's sponsored bodies can be found in their published Annual Reports, which may be obtained from the Library of the House.
Creche Facilities
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 22 March 2002, Official Report, column 575W, regarding creche facilities, how many places were taken up in 2001–02 at the four central London sites to which she refers. [50427]
Dr. Howells: During 2001–02 a total of five places were taken up at the four central London sites referred to.
Non-Departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost in 2001–02 was of the pay increase to staff in her Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible; and what the cost of the forthcoming increase will be in 2002–03. [50403]
Dr. Howells: With regard to pay settlements made in 2001 by the sponsored bodies for which information is available, estimates of the annual cost of the pay increase at the time of the settlement are set out below. The average headline settlement was 3.48 per cent. The Department cannot give costs for 2002–03 because pay increases have not yet been agreed.
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Televised Music
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will introduce proposals in the Communications Bill for the Government to take responsibility for reviewing the amount of televised music on terrestrial television. [48737]
Dr. Howells: The Government's proposals for the future regulation of communications will be set out in a draft Communications Bill which we expect to publish shortly. It is, however, a long-standing principle that the Government does not itself take responsibility for the scheduling or content of broadcasting and we do not propose to do so.
Bishopsgate Goods Yard
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what communication she has received from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions since 20 January about Bishopsgate Goods Yard. [37872]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and DCMS officials have had contact with DTLR Ministers and officials since 20 January about Bishopsgate Goods Yard.
Discussions centred on the impact of any listing of the Braithwaite Viaduct or the buildings in the Goods Yard on the new East London Line Extension project. The Secretary of State's decision to add the Braithwaite Viaduct to the list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest was announced on 8 March.
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