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Written Answers to Questions

Monday 22 July 2002

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Licences

2. Mr. Mole: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the awarding of digital licences by the Independent Television Commission. [68958]

Tessa Jowell: The Independent Television Commission are solely responsible for the award of licences under the Broadcasting Acts. They considered that the BBC/Crown Castle joint proposal was best suited to ensure the long-term future of digital terrestrial television, subject to conditions mainly designed to prevent any competition issues. This will give a fresh start to the platform, offering free-to-view digital TV and enabling many consumers to enjoy the benefits of digital television.

School Sport

12. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last discussed the subject of sport and physical education in schools with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. [68969]

Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions on this subject with her right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, and their last formal meeting was on 2 July.

25. Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding is available to local councils for sports facilities for schools. [68983]

Mr. Caborn: Funding for the development and improvement of sports facilities at schools is available to local education authorities through the New Opportunities Fund PE and Sport Programme which is providing £581 million in England, the Space for Sport and Arts Programme which is providing £130 million in England and Sport England's Lottery funded School and Community Sports Initiative. All facilities provided under these programmes are available to the local community.

Theatres (Barnsley)

13. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received regarding theatre provision in Barnsley. [68970]

Dr. Howells: I have received no representations regarding this subject.

Sydonia Swimming Pool

14. Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to promote the reopening of Leominster's Sydonia swimming pool. [68972]

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Mr. Caborn: Local authorities are key providers of sport and recreation facilities and play a central role in the delivery of sport in the community. The provision of swimming facilities is a matter for local authorities to consider in the light of local needs and the appropriate mixture of pubic and private provision. The Government support the provision of sport and leisure facilities through various means including funding from the Sports Lottery Fund, and I understand that Leominster city council has applied to Sport England for such funding.

Arts (North-East)

15. Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on Government support for the arts in the north-east. [68973]

Tessa Jowell: In 2003–04 Northern Arts will distribute almost £14 million in grant in aid in the north-east.

A further £4 million has been earmarked for Creative Partnerships to invest in the Tees Valley, Durham and Sunderland. Since 1995, almost £132 million of Lottery funding has been awarded to the north-east region by the Arts Council of England.

These awards have funded 956 projects including the BALTIC and Music Centre, Gateshead.

Arts Board

16. Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the changes proposed to the regional structure of the Arts Board. [68974]

Tessa Jowell: On 1 April 2002 North West Arts Board joined with other Regional Arts Boards and the Arts Council of England to create a new single arts funding and development organisation for England. The Arts Council will be producing a progress report on the development of the new organisation which I will consider in due course.

Sport (Young People)

17. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with Sport England and other sports councils in the UK to discuss provision made to nurture sporting talent to compete successfully on the world stage. [68975]

Mr. Caborn: Officials from my Department hold regular meetings with members of Sport England to discuss the programmes in place to nurture sporting talent. My Department also maintains contact with the devolved Administrations concerning their programmes to support talented young athletes as well as fund athletes with the potential to win medals in significant future international competitions through Lottery funds.

Lord Nelson

18. Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to (a) purchase and (b) put on public display the collection of Lord Nelson's personal artefacts to be auctioned in the autumn. [68976]

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Tessa Jowell: My Department does not acquire historical artefacts for public display and has no locus to intervene in the sale of private property. The purchase and subsequent display to members of the public of any of Lord Nelson's personal artefacts to be auctioned in the autumn is a matter for the Trustees or governing bodies of museums with an interest in such material.

Tourism

19. Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the tourism industry's recovery since the foot and mouth outbreak and 11 September last year. [68977]

Dr. Howells: According to the latest International Passenger Survey, in the three months to May this year, inbound visits and expenditure by overseas visitors were both 2 per cent. up on the same period in 2001.

Domestic tourism has also performed well. Data from the UK Tourism Survey show that, in the first quarter of 2002, trips were up 13 per cent. on 2001, while tourist spending was up by 18 per cent.

22. Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to support tourism in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds; and if she will make a statement. [68980]

Dr. Howells: The Southern Tourist Board has produced a tourism strategy setting out the potential role for tourism in Oxfordshire and has distributed promotional literature to both domestic and overseas markets. The Regional Development Agency is also working with South West Tourism on a 10-year plan for tourism which directly involves representatives from around the Cotswolds.

The Government have also put £20 million into their biggest ever campaign for attracting visitors from abroad to the United Kingdom—the Million Visitors Campaign, whose aim is to attract that additional number to Britain, benefiting the whole country, including Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. On 13 May, we announced proposals for the modernisation and reform of tourism in England. Our intention is for more resources to be devoted to marketing all of the English regions.

Music

20. Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures she will take to promote music as a cultural and economic activity. [68978]

Tessa Jowell: I recognise the central role played by music in our economic and cultural life. My Department works closely with all sections of the music industry and other Government Departments to identify and take forward a wide ranging work programme to ensure the continued success of the UK industry and our artists, at home and abroad.

Summer Play Schemes

21. Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department is giving for summer play schemes involving sport. [68979]

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Tessa Jowell: We are today, jointly with the Youth Justice Board, launching a comprehensive programme of summer activities aimed at children and young people at risk of offending. The programme—Splash Extra—builds on the board's excellent Summer Splash programme.

Resourced through the New Opportunities Fund, Splash Extra is aimed at children and young people aged nine to 17 identified as at risk of offending and living in 300 estates in and around the street crime 'hotspot' areas.

It will provide a varied programme of quality sports, arts and other cultural activities, as well as personal development and education. We expect to reach at least 48,000 children and young people and possibly many more.

Splash Extra will be supported by key workers from Youth Offending Teams, the Connexions Service and the Children's Fund. As well as providing something to do over the summer for those at risk of offending, the programme will also support them back into education and training once it finishes.

Sport England is also supporting a range of activities mainly through work in Sport Action Zones including in West Cumbria, Luton, Bradford, Liverpool and East Manchester.

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