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15 Oct 2002 : Column 620W—continued
Playing Fields
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many new playing fields have been created under the Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities project. [74301]
Mr. Caborn: Under the New Opportunities Fund's Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities initiative, #22 million has been allocated for schools and community playing fields. Hitherto, nineteen projects have been awarded grants amounting to #2,071,997. Of these, five include the creation of new playing fields.
Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities Project
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the projects which have been funded under the Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities project. [74302]
Mr. Caborn: Under the Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities initiative, the New Opportunities Fund will deliver projects worth #125 million across The United Kingdom through 11 award partners. Hitherto,
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#38,027,240 has been committed to 1,230 projects under this initiative. The table below details the number of projects funded, and the amount committed so far, by each award partner.
| Organisation | Number of Projects | Amount committed (#) |
|---|---|---|
| England | ||
| Barnardo's | 50 | 2,933,620 |
| BTCV | 93 | 715,346 |
| The Countryside Agency | 134 | 1,933,602 |
| English Nature | 111 | 4,946,078 |
| RSNC | 231 | 7,605,950 |
| Sustrans | 57 | 5,043,000 |
| Sport England | 337 | 5,843,692 |
| Northern Ireland | ||
| NIHE | 52 | 500,725 |
| Scotland | ||
| Fresh Futures | 35 | 704,368 |
| SLF | 72 | 6,254,271 |
| Wales | ||
| WCVA | 58 | 1,546,588 |
| UK Total | 1,230 | 38,027,240 |
Communications (Northern Ireland)
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if the Government will consider (a) satellite and (b) cable delivery platforms to implement the commitments regarding the extension of reception of the signal TG4 in Northern Ireland made by the Government in the Belfast Agreement in 1998; [74087]
- (2) if the Government have identified terrestrial delivery options from transmitters located in Northern Ireland in seeking to implement the commitments regarding the extension of reception of the signal TG4 in Northern Ireland made by the Government in the Belfast Agreement in 1998. [74086]
Dr. Howells: We are considering the technical feasibility of improving the coverage of Irish language television services in Northern Ireland terrestrially. It is already open to Irish broadcasters to negotiate the carriage of their services on digital satellite, for reception in Northern Ireland, with the platform provider. Similarly, it is for the broadcasters to determine the viability of providing cable television services in Northern Ireland.
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she intends to include provisions in the Communications Bill to provide statutory implementation measures for the commitments regarding Irish language television production in Northern Ireland made by the Government in the Belfast Agreement in 1998; [74082]
- (2) if she will provide for the establishment of an Irish language production fund in Northern Ireland in the Communications Bill to implement the commitments regarding financial support for such production in Northern Ireland as made by the Government in the Belfast Agreement of 1998. [74085]
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Dr. Howells: We are currently giving careful consideration to these issues following responses to the consultation on the draft Communications Bill. I will write to the hon. Member shortly with a more detailed response.
Screen South
Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding is provided by the Film Council to Screen South in 2002–03; what element of that funding is provided for (a) the salaries of Screen South staff and internal administration and (b) for direct support of appropriate activities in the region. [73356]
Dr. Howells: In the financial year 2002–03 the Film Council will provide #879,267 to Screen South through the Regional Investment Fund for England (RIFE). Screen South staff carry out many activities in the region, for example location services for incoming film productions, which are funded from #300,200 of the RIFE allocated to salaries and internal administration. The remaining funds (#579,067) are used to support a range of other activities in the region including film production, exhibition, education and training.
Broadcasting
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many representations he has received from hon. Members, other individuals and organisations in connection with the statutory ban on religious organisations holding several categories of broadcasting licence; and how many and what percentage of those representatives supported the continuation of such a ban. [73830]
Dr. Howells: The Government's papers, ''A New Future for Communications'' published in December 2000, and ''Consultation on Media Ownership Rules'' published in November 2001, confirmed that we planned to bring forward legislation to allow religious bodies to hold a local digital sound programme licence. Both papers invited further views on whether the restrictions on ownership of other terrestrial licences by religious bodies should be relaxed. We received approximately 14,500 (6,500 and 8,000 respectively) responses from MPs, organisations and members of public, virtually all of which, broadly supported the lifting of the current restrictions.
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what limitations there are on the spectrum available to broadcasters allocated on new digital muliplexes; and if she will make a statement. [73943]
Dr. Howells: Multiplex service licences have been granted to the BBC and to Crown Castle by the Independent Television Commission under the terms of the Broadcasting Act 1996, as described in the ITC invitation to apply for digital licences issued on 1 May 2002. The Act currently requires that at least 90 per cent. of the capacity on any multiplex must be available for programme or programme-related services.
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons there are restrictions on the broadcast of religious music. [73985]
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Dr. Howells: There are no restrictions on the broadcast of religious music.
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons religious persons are limited in the broadcast licences for which they can apply. [73986]
Dr. Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 18 June, Official Report, columns 273W–274W.
Gambling
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what action her Department is taking to improve research into the incidence of problem gambling and if she will make a statement; [74498]
- (2) what action her Department is taking to improve services to problem gamblers; and if she will make a statement. [74497]
Mr. Caborn: We have encouraged the gambling industry to support the charitable trust which it has established with a remit to fund both research into problem gambling and services for its treatment. The trust has already made good progress towards the target of #3m a year which was proposed by the Gambling Review Body; and my officials have been helping the trust to develop a sound strategy for improving prevention and treatment provision. Looking ahead, we have also made clear our intention to include in legislation to reform and modernise the regulation of gambling in Great Britain both: (a) reserve powers to require licensed gambling operators to fund this work; and (b) an obligation on them in any event to comply with a code of practice on social responsibility, to be published by the new Gambling Commission when established. We intend that one of the Commission's duties should be to keep the regulatory requirements under review in the light of evidence about problem gambling and to consider whether adjustments may be required accordingly.
Sports Clubs (Charitable Status)
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how sports clubs which are industrial and provident societies are able to secure charitable status. [73530]
Mr. Caborn: Under the Charities Act 1993, sports clubs which are set up as charitable industrial and provident societies are considered to be exempt charities and are therefore unable to register with the Charity Commission. However, charitable industrial and provident societies are already eligible for the tax advantages of charitable status without having to register with the Commission.
It is possible to set up an industrial and provident society as a non-charitable organisation and clubs which have chosen to do this would be eligible to register with the Charity Commission as community amateur sports clubs with charitable status.
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