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Wildlife Projects
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which global wildlife projects her Department has funded in 2001–02. [61169]
Mr. Meacher: In addition to funding for the Darwin Initiative, my Department paid a total of #1.212 million in 2001–02 on assessed contributions to a number of international conservation Conventions and Agreements, and on voluntary payments to those conventions' grants funds to finance specific initiatives. The projects supported are listed below.
United Nations Environment Programme
- Great Ape Survival Project (GrASP)
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Bushmeat working group
Seahorse workshop
Range State meeting for the hawksbill turtle
- Contribution to the costs of a range state meeting and set-up costs for the Memorandum of Understanding for the conservation and management of marine turtles in the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia
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The production of a brochure on Bactrian camels
Guidelines on avoidance of introduction of non-native migratory waterbirds
A study on the potential impacts of marine fisheries on migratory waterbirds
Rehabilitation of important sites for migratory waterbirds, which have been degraded by invasive species of aquatic weeds
Surveys on cetacean abundance and seismic surveys have been supported under the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS)
A project to establish effective national bat conservation and monitoring programmes in Romania and Moldova under the Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (Eurobats).
- Western Palaearctic Waterbird Monitoring Programme
Contribution to the Ramsar small grants fund
- Species Specialist Group on African Elephants
Species Specialist Group on Sharks
Darwin Initiative
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding, broken down by project and amount, was provided by her Department through the Darwin Initiative in each of the last five years. [61166]
Mr. Meacher: The Darwin Initiative is a #3 million annual programme of grants which was launched at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. It uses UK expertise to help countries that are rich in biodiversity but poor in resources to help safeguard the world's biodiversity. Information on the total funding for each project is contained in the reports on the Darwin Initiative covering the periods from 1997–98 to 2000–01. The first three are already available in the House of Commons Library. I am arranging for copies of the fourth report to be placed in the House Library. The fifth Annual report, covering the period 2001 to 2002 will be published on 17 June 2002. I will also arrange for a copy to be placed in the House Library.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Subtitling/Sign Language
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to introduce for full TV licence fee payers the opportunity to receive a full service with the option of (a) 100 per cent. subtitling and (b) British Sign Language translation. [60109]
Dr. Howells [holding answer Monday 10 June 2002]: Statutory requirements for the provision of subtitling on Channel 3 and Channel 5, and for the provision of subtitling and sign language translation on digital terrestrial television (DTT) services are included in the 1990 and 1996 Broadcasting Acts respectively. The targets for DTT services are that 80 per cent. of programming should be subtitled and 5 per cent. signed by the tenth anniversary of the start of the service. The
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recently published draft Communications Bill (Cm 5508–1) extends these targets on DTT to digital cable and digital satellite channels.
In setting these targets, we have aimed to strike the right balance between practicability and benefit. It would be extremely difficult and expensive to meet 100 per cent. targets. In addition, there are a number of unresolved technical issues in the development of a reliable closed signing system, and resultant problems caused by open signing. We believe that the current targets are challenging but achievable, but will keep them under regular review.
Computers
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many computers were replaced in her Department in each of the past three years; how the replaced units were disposed of and by which companies; and at what cost. [60742]
Dr. Howells: My Department replaced two computers in 1999–2000, 23 in 2000–01 and 327 in 2001–02. All machines were disposed of through our outsourced service provider, SchlumbergerSema, and the proceeds from the disposal of the equipment was used to offset future purchases. There was no cost to the Department.
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Ministerial Visits
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last visited (a) Wembley, (b) Coventry and (c) Birmingham. [60159]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last visited Coventry on 19 March 2002 to attend the Cultural Services conference organised by the Local Government Association. She has yet to visit either Wembley or Birmingham in an official capacity but she has visited both during recent months on party business or in a personal capacity.
Public Consultations
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the public consultations undertaken by her Department since June 2001, stating in each case the (a) number of respondents and (b) percentage of those specifically consulted who responded. [60140]
Dr. Howells [holding answer Monday 10 June 2002]: The Department is actively following the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultation. The table below lists the public consultations carried out by the Department since June 2001, indicating (a) the number of respondents and (b) the approximate percentage of those specifically consulted who responded where known.
| Document Name | Date | (a) Number of Responses | (b) Percentage of those specifically consulted who responded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consultation of cricket bodies on measures to address disorder | July 2001 | 9 | 100% |
| Report of the Gambling Review Body | 17 July 2001 | 4,996 | Not known |
| National Museum of Science & Industry Review: stage one consultation | 1 August 2001 | 44 | 16% |
| Geffrye Museum/Horniman Museum/Museum of London Review: stage one consultation | 8 August 2001 | 50 | 57% |
| Consultation on the draft Digital Television Action Plan | 12 October 2001 | 36 | 52% |
| English Heritage Review: stage one consultaiton | 16 October 2001 | 136 | 40% |
| National Maritime Museum Quinquennial Performance Review | 22 November 2001 | 14 | 14% |
| Consultation on Media Ownership Rules | 26 November 2001 | 8,093 | 22% |
| Public Lending Right. Quinquennial Performance Review: Consultation Paper | 13 November 2001 | 49 | 85% |
| Fixed Term Directive | November 2001 | 30 | 56% |
| Quinquennial Review on the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art | 19 November | 50 | 14% |
| Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester Quinquennial Performance Review | 5 December 2001 | 42 | 56% |
| Spectrum Planning Consultation | 11 December 2001 | 52 | 36% |
| Council of Europe—Convention on the Protection of Audiovisual Heritage | 20 December 2001 | 32 | 86% |
| Review of Progress towards digital switchover | 14 February 2002 | 11 | 11% |
| The Draft Communication Bill | 7 May 2002 | Not yet completed | |
| Regent's Park Sports Facilities Consultation | March 2002 | 151 | 35% |
| Changes to Licensing Hours during All New Year's Eve | 24 April 2002 | Not yet completed | |
| UK's Open General Export Licensing (OGEL) Limits | April 2002 | Not yet completed | |
| Prize Competitions | 23 May 2002 | Not yet completed |
Sports/Leisure Database
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in the establishment of a national database of sports and leisure facilities for England; and if she will make a statement. [61288]
Dr. Howells: Information on sports facilities in England is currently held by a variety of organisations and a single database will enable more strategic Government investment in those areas and facilities which are most important. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport has recently written to Ministerial colleagues at the DfES, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Health, Home Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Local Government Association seeking their views on the scope, content and funding of the proposed database of sports facilities in England.
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