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Reports and Documents
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's policy is on releasing reports and documents that (a) it and (b) its agencies, have commissioned; how long after receiving reports and documents that her Department has commissioned her Department publishes them; what her Department's policy is on announcing the publication of reports and documents it commissions; and if she will make a statement. [59602]
Dr. Howells: My Department will consider the general publication of commissioned reports and documents where there is a recognised interest in the subject and where there are no bars to a wider publication on grounds of confidentiality or sensitivity.
In general my Department aims to publish material we commission and all such publications are available through the Department's website, www.culture.gov.uk and, where appropriate, HMSO.
The time between receipt of a document and its wider publication will depend upon the nature of the document but the intention would be to avoid any unnecessary delays.
Documents may be accompanied by a press release or will be flagged up on the Department's website. The website is currently being redeveloped and the new site will make publications even easier to find.
This is an area which my Department is currently reviewing as part of our commitment to Freedom of Information and a statement of our policy will accompany the issue of my Department's publication scheme in the autumn.
Capital Projects
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many PFI capital projects fall under the responsibility of her Department; what the capital value and nature of each project is; and what stage they are at in the PFI procurement process. [59835]
Dr. Howells: My Department has not itself entered into any PFI or PPP contracts. The Royal Parks Agency, which is an executive agency, has entered into one PFI contracts, Pembroke Lodge, Richmond, relating to the restoration of building and operation of catering facilities. Its capital value is £1 million. This contract has been operational since 1997. The British Library, which is an executive
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NDPB, has entered into one PFI contract, to provide a full catering and events facility. Its capital value is £0.9 million, and has been operational since 1997.
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many non-PFI capital projects fall under the responsibility of her Department and related NDPBs; and what the capital value and nature is of each project. [59816]
Dr. Howells: The Department undertakes directly only a small number of low value non-PFI capital projects each year to improve the working environment for staff, to enable it to meet its electronic service delivery commitments, and to improve communications with its NDPBs.
The Royal Parks Agency has one non-PFI capital project planned in the current year involving the replacement of catering facilities at St. James' park. The capital value is £3.2 million.
The Department provides support to its NDPBs through grant-in-aid finance capital expenditure. In addition to this source of funding NDPBs supplement their funding with donations and sponsorship from individuals and corporate bodies, funding from the National Lottery and other sources. The Department does not hold centrally information on all the non-PFI capital projects undertaken by its NDPBs. However, the Departmental Investment Strategy (DIS), published and printed separately as an outcome of the 2000 spending review, describes the Department's strategic plans for both new investment and for the use of existing assets. The DIS can be viewed on the website: www.culture.gov.uk.
Certified Timber
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start within the next six months; and what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure certified timber. [59765]
Dr. Howells: There are no plans for any refurbishments for at least the next 12 months. In all procurement of timber and timber products the Department will, where possible, specify timber supplies which are FSC certified or WWF 95+ approved.
Religious Broadcasters
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she informed the BBC of the Government's proposal to lift the ban on ownership of a digital audio broadcasting programme licence by religious broadcasters while applying such a ban on ownership of a multiplex licence. [59110]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 24 May 2002]: The BBC would have been informed of the Government's intentions for religious broadcasting at the same time as everyone else, with the publication of the White Paper "A New Future for Communications" in December 1999. I should clarify that our proposals published recently with the draft Communications Bill propose the lifting of the restrictions on religious bodies owning local digital broadcast licences, and not national digital broadcast licences.
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International Sports Federations
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the international sports federations and organisations on which United Kingdom nationals hold senior positions, stating for each (a) the name of the United Kingdom national, (b) the date on which the position was attained, (c) the length of the term of office and (d) the nature of the office. [59878]
Mr. Caborn: Part of UK Sport's responsibilities is to encourage and maintain UK influence within international sports federations. To support this objective they operate an International Representatives Grant Aid Programme. This programme offers financial support to elected British postholders and in addition supports governing body delegates attending formal meetings to international sports bodies. I am arranging for copies of the list of UK nationals supported by UK Sport who hold senior positions in international sports organisations to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The definition used for 'senior position' is Chair or President, Vice-Chair or Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer.
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on progress made towards the method used to determine the Government's target number of United Kingdom nationals holding senior positions on international sports federations and organisations. [60001]
Mr. Caborn: It is one of UK Sport's responsibilities to maintain and encourage UK influence within international sports administration. My Department has agreed with UK Sport that it is not appropriate to set a numerical target for the number of UK nationals holding senior positions. Instead, performance is measured based on a qualitative assessment of the work of selected UK nationals holding senior positions in international sports federations and organisations from the annual reports these postholders are required to submit to UK Sport. The definition used for 'senior position' is Chair or President, Vice-Chair or Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer.
Age Discrimination
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if (a) her Department and (b) its agencies have a policy of not considering applications for employment by persons over a particular age. [59461]
Dr. Howells: Neither my Department nor its agency—the Royal Parks Agency—has a policy of refusing applications for employment by persons of any age up to its current normal age of retirement of 60.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Fire Service
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees were at the Fire Service College in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002. [58736]
Mr. Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is set out in the table.
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| 1 April 2001 | 1 April 2002 | |
|---|---|---|
| UK Fire Service Secondees | 37 | 37 |
| Other Full-Time Employees | 181 | 179 |
| Part-Time Employees | 19 | 19 |
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many
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people applied to the Fire Service in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) ethnic origin. [58902]
Mr. Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
The number of applicants to fire services are set out in the tables, broken down by ethnicity and gender. Information on the age of applicants is not held centrally.
| Total number of applicants | Men | Women | White | Black | Asian | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wholetime | |||||||
| From 1 April 1997–31 March 1998 | 42,573 | 40,657 | 1,916 | 41,065 | 699 | 274 | 535 |
| From 1 April 1998–31 March 1999 | 34,400 | 32,731 | 1,669 | 33,339 | 525 | 255 | 281 |
| From 1 April 1999–31 March 2000 | 30,206 | 28,345 | 1,861 | 29,107 | 518 | 335 | 246 |
| From 1 April 2000–31 March 2001(58) | 29,749 | 27,505 | 2,244 | 28,052 | 750 | 309 | 400 |
| Retained | |||||||
| From 1 April 1997–31 March 1998(59) | 4,013 | 3,759 | 254 | 3,963 | 13 | 5 | 32 |
| From 1 April 1998–31 March 1999 | 3,067 | 2,899 | 168 | 2,999 | 5 | 9 | 54 |
| From 1 April 1999–31 March 2000 | 3,658 | 3,373 | 285 | 3,598 | 27 | 14 | 19 |
| From 1 April 2000–31 March 2001(60) | 3,844 | 3,498 | 346 | 3,783 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
(58) 238 applicants were of undetermined ethnic origin. Figures not included in the table. Data were not available for three fire services.
(59) One fire service was unable to monitor the ethnic origin of applications made. Figures have not been included.
(60) Data were not available for one fire service. 15 applicants were of undetermined ethnic origin. Figures not included in the table.
Notes:
The 1997–98 figures are for England, Wales and Scotland.
The 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 figures are for England and Wales only.
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the proposals for consultation on the SSA for the Fire Service, announced in his oral answer of 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 131, will be made available; and if he will make a statement. [60562]
Mr. Leslie: As announced in the Local Government White Paper Implementation Plan, published on 10 April, we will consult over the summer on options for the new system of revenue grant distribution to local authorities. The Government will then implement decisions in time for the 2003–04 local government finance settlement.
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