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Saltwood Post Office
Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the closure of Saltwood post office is consistent with her policy on rural post offices. [57798]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 20 May 2002]: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that Saltwood post office is classified as an urban outlet. As a result of representations received by the company this has been reviewed recently and the classification reconfirmed.
The Government's formal requirement placed on Consignia in November 2000 to maintain the rural network and to prevent avoidable closures remains in place.
Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the classification by Consignia of Saltwood post office as an urban post office is in accordance with her policy. [57789]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 20 May 2002]: The Government's formal requirement placed on Consignia in November 2000 to maintain the rural network and to prevent avoidable closures remains in place. A rural post office is one defined as serving up to 10,000 inhabitants and it is the responsibility of Post Office Ltd. to classify outlets accordingly.
Post Office Closures
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when information relating to post office closures ceased to be made available on a constituency basis; and for what reason this was done. [55024]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 9 May 2002]: I am informed by Post Office Ltd. that information on the total number of post offices and a breakdown of urban and rural outlets for each Government office region is provided to Postcomm and Postwatch on a quarterly basis.
Information has not been maintained on the basis of parliamentary constituencies as the company does not require these data for operational reasons. The latest information available remains a special exercise undertaken by the Post Office in 1999 to determine the numbers of post offices in each parliamentary constituency and how many of them derive more than
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40 per cent. of their income from benefits work. That information is set out in the reply given to the then hon. Member for Birmingham on 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 22W.
However, I understand from Post Office Ltd. that it is now conducting additional work on a further exercise to identify the number of post offices in each parliamentary constituency as at the end of the financial year 2001–02.
Post Offices
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices there were in each constituency in each year since 1995; and how many in each constituency in each year covered a population of 10,000 or less. [58212]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 23 May 2002]: I am advised by Post Office Ltd. that information on post office numbers has not been maintained on the basis of parliamentary constituencies as the company does not require these data for operational reasons. However, I understand from the company that it is now conducting additional work on an exercise to identify the number of post offices in each parliamentary constituency as at the end of the financial year 2001–02.
The latest constituency-based information available remains a special exercise undertaken by the Post Office in 1999 to determine the numbers of post offices in each parliamentary constituency and how many of them derive more than 40 per cent. of their income from benefits work. That information is set out in the reply given to the then hon. Member for Birmingham on 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 22W.
Postcodes
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received regarding requests from communities to change their postcode; and if she will make a statement. [59591]
Mr. Timms: This is a matter that falls within the day to day responsibility of Consignia and I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to my hon. Friend.
Disclosure of Interests
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what rules apply to the disclosure of interests on the part of those serving on public bodies which are responsible to her Department. [56461]
Ms Hewitt: All advisory and executive non- departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are required to adopt a board members' code, based on guidance produced by the Cabinet Office, and this includes maintaining a register of interests. The definition of interests is for individual Departments to decide since they are best placed to judge what might be thought to influence members of their NDPBs.
The table which lists the NDPBs sponsored by this Department and in each case indicates where the relevant Code of Practice is available has been placed in the Library.
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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Golden Jubilee
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with Southwark council on flying the Union Flag to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee; and if she will make a statement. [57788]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 20 May 2002]: I have had no discussions with Southwark council about the flying of the Union Flag to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 14 May 2002, Official Report, column 589W, to the hon. Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale), which outlines flag arrangement including those for the Golden Jubilee weekend.
Playing Fields
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will provide a breakdown by site owner type/category of planning consultations received by Sport England in relation to change of use on playing fields received in the years (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02; and how many had planning permission granted. [57629]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 20 May 2002]: The breakdown by site owner type/category of planning applications affecting playing fields received by Sport England in their capacity as statutory consultee are listed in the table. Data for the year 2001–02, and that relating to whether planning permission was granted to applications from particular types of site ownership or categories are not available.
| Site owner type/category | 1999–2000 | 2000–01 |
|---|---|---|
| Private sports club | 117 | 148 |
| Local authority | 112 | 180 |
| Local education authority/ community school | 294 | 404 |
| Foundation school | 20 | 24 |
| Higher education/college | 36 | 43 |
| Health authority | 3 | 4 |
| Ministry of Defence | 3 | 3 |
| Other | 67 | 90 |
| Not known | 5 | 6 |
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many consultations were received by Sport England in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02 in relation to change of use of playing fields; on how many in each year Sport England raised no objections; and how many had planning permission granted. [57630]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 20 May 2002]: Sport England in their role as statutory consultee for planning applications affecting playing fields received 657 such applications for the year 1999–2000, and of those, 625 applications fell under their remit as a statutory consultee. Of this number, Sport England raised no objection to 492 applications, all of which contained proposals which had no detrimental effect on the stock or
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quality of playing pitches on playing fields, or to sport as a whole. 431 of these applications received planning permission.
Sport England in their role as statutory consultee for planning applications affecting playing fields received 902 such applications for the year 2001–02, and of those, 875 applications fell under their remit as a statutory consultee. Of this number, Sport England raised no objection to 743 applications, all of which contained proposals which had no detrimental effect on the stock or quality of playing pitches on playing fields, or to sport as a whole. 611 of these applications received planning permission. Figures for the year 2001–02 are not available.
Planning applications affecting playing fields can often involve a change of use that benefits sport rather than resulting in the outright sale of playing fields or their development. It should also be noted that where planning permission is granted this does not necessarily mean that the proposed development or change of use went ahead. Data are not collected centrally on whether planning applications are actually implemented.
National Stadium
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what payment was made to CITEX/ Sport Concepts for their report to Sport England on athletics' provision at the English National Stadium, Wembley. [57503]
Tessa Jowell: I understand that Sport England have paid £50,723 plus VAT to CITEX/Sports Concepts for the athletics report.
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