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18 Nov 2002 : Column 12W—continued
Elite Athletes
21. Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the world class performance funding programme. [81388]
Mr. Caborn: This is a lottery funded programme which supports the training and preparation programmes for elite athletes who have the potential to win medals, or equivalent, in significant international competitions and events such as the Olympics and Paralympics, now and within the next four years. UK Sport provides funds to UK governing bodies for athletes who compete exclusively or primarily for the UK or Great Britain, while Sport England funds English governing bodies for athletes who represent England.
Elgin Marbles
22. Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to visit Athens to discuss the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures with the Greek Government. [81389]
Tessa Jowell: I have no plans to visit Greece. However, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport will be visiting Greece in December when I hope that he will have the opportunity to meet the Greek Under Secretary for Culture to discuss other cultural issues.
Football
23. Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she will make a statement on the future governance of football in England. [81390]
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Mr. Caborn: The Football Association remains the overall governing body for football in England. The Association will shortly begin the process of appointing a new Chief Executive, and that is no concern of the Government. The Independent Football Commission will continue its important work of considering complaints made against the Association, and football's other governing bodies, under the sport's customer service charters.
Sporting and Fitness Activities
25. Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health about increasing the effectiveness of preventive health care through the encouragement of greater national participation in sporting and fitness activities. [81392]
Mr. Caborn: I chair monthly cross-governmental ministerial meetings, attended by Ministers from the Department of Health, where issues relating to sports policy are discussed, including the role that greater participation in sport and physical activity can have in improving health. My Department has also been working closely with the Department of Health to ensure effective coordination of sport and health policy.
Media Regulation
26. Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent meetings she has had with the Press Complaints Commission about regulation of the media. [81393]
Dr. Howells: Whilst my right hon. Friend has not met with the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) recently, the Department continues to monitor closely the effectiveness of the newspaper industry's self regulatory system, and my Ministerial colleagues and I have no hesitation in suggesting improvements to the PCC and the industry, as and when appropriate.
Local Radio
28. Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to ensure that independent local radio reflects the identity of local communities. [81396]
Dr. Howells: We recognise the importance of maintaining the distinctive local basis of commercial radio. We therefore propose to retain key local ownership rules, and to give Ofcom a duty to protect and promote local content.
Young Artists
29. Miss Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial support is available to young British artists. [81397]
Dr. Howells: The Arts Council of England has provided #1.5 million over the last three years for developing and supporting individual artists. In addition, ACE funds a number of organisations to provide studio space, resource and training to artists like Studio Space in London which receives #60,000 per annum and offers 400 studios to artists. The
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Government has also invested #40 million in Creative Partnerships which will help develop the artists of the future.
Olympic Games
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations and discussions she has had about a potential London bid for the 2012 Olympics. [81391]
Mr. Caborn: Officials from my Department have held regular meetings during this year with all the key stakeholders to discuss the implications of London bidding to host the 2012 Olympic Games. These stakeholders were the Greater London Authority, the British Olympic Association, UK Sport and Sport England. In addition all interested Government Departments have been involved in assessing the ARUP report on the Costs and Benefits of a 2012 London Olympic Bid. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has met the Mayor of London and will meet the British Olympic Association and other non-government stakeholders to discuss the practicalities of such a bid.
DEFENCE
Bullying
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps has he taken to eliminate bullying from HM armed forces. [80614]
Dr. Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 4 November 2002, Official Report, column 57W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to my hon. Friend the Member for Selby (Mr. Grogan).
Service Personnel
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many are serving in each of HM armed forces; how many of these are serving in (a) Great Britain, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Germany and (d) each other overseas posting. [80615]
Dr. Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 6 Global Location of Service Personnel. A copy of which is held in the Library of the House.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Basic Education
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress in meeting the global aim of a basic education for every child by 2015; in which countries her Department supports education; and what recent evaluation her Department has made of the impact of her Department's programmes on meeting its education targets. [80553]
Clare Short: We recognise the huge importance of the education and gender equality targets within the Millennium Development Goals. We have fully
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achieved the goals in this area set in our current Public Service Agreement, but there is a huge challenge in getting to the 2015 objectives. Our willingness to put more resources into universal primary education is demonstrated by our new PSA target (20 million more children in schools in 20 countries by 2006), and by plans for support to education. This forecast support for basic education amounts to #1.3 billion over the next five years, either through education sector support or direct budget support. Of this, about #500 million will go to Africa and #800 million to Asia. The figure of #1.3 billion forecast for the next five years exceeds the #700 million committed to UPE since 1997. These spending figures are forecasts, not targets or commitments, and depend on agreeing high quality programmes with our partners.
Education
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans are in place to maintain the quality of education in the commitment to reach the millennium target on improving access to education. [80556]
Clare Short: Improving the quality of education is recognised as a key requirement of national education policies. Quality issues are therefore addressed in all our education programmes in developing countries.
Fast Track Education Initiative
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial support her Department has provided to the fast track education initiative established by the World bank. [80555]
Clare Short: We are working to improve the fast track initiative so that it is embedded in country-led processes. We will provide support within our overall programme of support for Education for All. This means that there must be respect for local priorities and integration into poverty reduction strategy and medium-term economic framework processes. There must also be a recognition that money is only one ingredient in achieving progress and, that in many cases, significant absorptive capacity problems must be addressed before additional funds can be used effectively. There also needs to be much more emphasis on the five high population countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and DRC) where so many of the out-of-school children are. A substantial proportion of the #1.3 billion, which we are forecasting to spend on basic education over the next five years, will be committed in fast track countries, particularly these five.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what contribution her Department is making to the G8 education fast track initiative in low income countries; [80938]
- (2) what progress is being made towards the selection of additional low income countries for inclusion in the G8 education fast track initiative; [80937]
(3) what progress has been made towards the implementation of the G8 education fast track initiative in low income countries. [80939]
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Clare Short: Our forecast support for basic education amounts to #1.3 billion over the next five years, either through education sector support or direct budget support. Of this, about #500million will go to Africa and #800million to Asia. A substantial proportion will go to low income countries included within the Fast Track Initiative, notably to the five high population countries with large numbers of children out of school (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, DRC) which the Government successfully pressed to have included in the initiative. These spending figures are forecasts, not targets or commitments, and depend on agreeing high quality programmes with our partners.
Countries vary in the rate of progress they are making in preparing their proposals for fast track support. The UK is stressing that it is important to get the process right rather than to rush ahead with ill-prepared plans. We are therefore working to ensure that the initiative is rooted in existing country processes and that proposals are consistent with each country's medium-term expenditure framework and poverty reduction strategy.
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