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Bereavement Benefits
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make arrangements for the payment of bereavement benefits to widows who were otherwise qualified to receive them but were excluded on grounds of gender prior to the coming into force of the Welfare and Pensions Act 1999. [61370]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 24 June 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Northavon (Steve Webb) on 27 June, Official Report, column 1061W.
Doctors
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) complaints and (b) comments have been received concerning each doctor working for the Medical Services since 1997. [65192]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: There are over 2,000 doctors carrying out examinations for Medical Services. Information relating to individual doctors is held on personal files and could be disclosed only with the consent of the individual doctor. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. All complaints are investigated individually by Medical Services, and appropriate remedial action taken.
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Universal Banking Services
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) of 18 June 2002, Official Report, column 289W, what assessment he has made of the implications of a delay in the provision of universal banking services for the extension of automated credit transfer from 2003. [66558]
Malcolm Wicks: The Post Office tell us they are on schedule for the introduction of universal banking services in April 2003. In line with the recommendations of OGC reviews, contingency arrangements are part of the planning for this project as they are for all projects.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many statutory instruments have been (a) introduced, (b) removed and (c) amended by her Department since 1 January; and what the (i) cost and (ii) saving has been in each case. [64630]
Mr. Caborn: DCMS have introduced 15 Statutory Instruments since 1 January 2002 including one Instrument which was originated in this Department but eventually made by the Privy Council. Endorsed on each is an Explanatory Note, which identifies the legislation revoked or amended by the instrument.
An assessment of the costs and savings attributable to each could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Oral Questions
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many oral questions she transferred to other Departments in each of the last 18 months. [67031]
Mr. Caborn: Between 1 January 2001 and 30 June 2002 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport transferred five oral questions to other Departments as follows:
- October 2001—1;
January 2002—1;
February 2002—1; and
March 2002—2.
New Opportunities Fund for Children's Play
Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who will lead the review of the New Opportunities Fund for Children's Play; what the review process will be; how she proposes to involve children and young people in the review; and when it will conclude. [66776]
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Mr. Caborn [holding answer 4 July 2002]: These issues are still under discussion. We hope to make an announcement shortly.
Football and Hockey
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding Sport England gives to (a) football, (b) hockey, (c) men's football, (d) women's football, (d) men's hockey and (f) women's hockey. [66771]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 4 July 2002]: The following figures show the amount of funding Sport England has given to football and hockey since the inception of the Lottery.
There have been 429 community capital awards to football up to March 2002, totalling #187,106,898 (of which #120,000,000 went to Wembley National Stadium) and 1,504 Awards for All totalling #4,468,471. There have been 137 community capital awards to hockey up to March 2002, totalling #57,638,283, and 360 Awards for All totalling #1,144,680.
No further breakdown is available.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last met television executives to discuss the broadcasting of (a) football and (b) hockey. [66768]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 4 July 2002]: I met executives from ITV Digital on 16 March, and the Director-General of the BBC on 18 March, to discuss the broadcasting of football. I have not discussed the broadcasting of hockey with television executives.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding per participant Sport England gives to (a) football, (b) hockey, (c) men's football and (d) women's football, (e) men's hockey and (f) women's hockey. [66772]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 4 July 2002]: According to the Football Association, there are a total of 1.2 million football players.
Funding from Sport England to Association Football in 2001–02 totals #6,951,295.
From these figures funding per participant is therefore #5.79.
According to the English Hockey Association there are approximately 68,000 regular national, regional and local league players, in addition to an estimated 165,000 active club members.
Funding from Sport England to the English Hockey Association in 2001–02 totals #3,827,861.
From these figures funding per participant is therefore #16.42.
No further breakdown is available.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people participate in (a) football, (b) hockey, (c) men's football, (d) women's football, (e) men's hockey and (f) women's hockey. [66770]
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Mr. Caborn [holding answer 4 July 2002]: According to the Football Association, there are 36,000 affiliated football clubs and a total of #1.2 million football players. Of this total 60,000 are women and girls who participate in the sport.
According to the English Hockey Association there are approximately 68,000 regular national, regional and local league players, in addition an estimated 165,00 active club members. No figures by gender exist.
Sport Activities
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list those activities which her Department recognises as sport. [67018]
Mr. Caborn: The Sports Councils currently recognises 112 activities. Recognition is based on a number of criteria used by the Councils within a framework agreed with Government . The main criteria used by the Councils are Xphysical" effort and Xskills". I am arranging for a full list of activities recognised by the Sports Councils and recognised Government bodies with English or GB/UK remit (which is publicly available) to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Sub-continent
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Governments of (a) India and (b) Pakistan about the deployment of landmines along their shared border. [66172]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing North (Mr. Pound) on 25 June 2002, Official Report, column 791W.
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current situation with respect to cross-border terrorist incursions into India. [66176]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: There are welcome reports that infiltration across the Line of Control has reduced in recent weeks. This has helped to reduce tensions in the region. But the situation still remains fragile. Pakistan must continue taking steps to bring about a permanent end to cross-border infiltration and militancy. And, in parallel, India must respond with further de-escalatory steps. As I said in the House on 25 June, Official Report, column 736, we want support for cross-border terrorism to stop and a verifiable end to infiltration as the first step towards reducing the current tensions. We want both Governments to talk through the issues that divide them and to talk to the people of Kashmir about how they want to go forward.
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his assessment of the sequence of activities required to decrease tensions in the South Asian region. [66175]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have welcomed recent moves by India and Pakistan to reduce tensions in the region, but the situation there still remains fragile. Pakistan must continue taking steps to bring about a permanent end to cross-border infiltration and militancy. And, in parallel, India must respond with further de-escalatory steps. We have also made clear our concerns about the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the importance of holding free, fair and inclusive elections there in the autumn. Although India and Pakistan can only resolve their differences by direct bilateral dialogue, the international community can help by remaining fully engaged.
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