---

13 Jan 2003 : Column 418W—continued

SDA Target E1.2

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the action his Department has adopted to meet Spending Review 2000 SDA Target E1.2, as described on page 32 of the HM Treasury Departmental Report 2002. [89267]

Ruth Kelly [holding answer 7 January 2003]: The Treasury continues to make progress towards meeting its diversity targets. The Department has an action plan focused on achieving these targets and other diversity aspirations. Progress against our diversity targets will be published in the Treasury's 2003 Departmental Report.

Tobacco Products (Revenue)

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total revenue from the sale of tobacco products was in each of the last five years. [90273]

John Healey: Total revenue from excise duty and estimated VAT receipts from tobacco for each of the last five years are below:

	#million
1997–98	10,106
1998–99	9,977
1999–2000	7,489
2000–01	9,413
2001–02	9,514

Unemployment (City of Chester)

Ms Christine Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were unemployed in the City of Chester in (a) May 1997 and (b) December 2002. [90282]

13 Jan 2003 : Column 419W

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger to Ms Christine Russell, dated 13 January 2003:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question regarding the number of people who were unemployed in the City of Chester in (a) May 1997 and (b) December 2002. I am replying in his absence. (90282)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from surveys following the international standard International Labour Organisation definition. However the survey sample size is too small to provide estimates for the City of Chester. ONS also compiles claimant count statistics which represent claimants of the Jobseeker's Allowance working age benefit.

The claimant count in the City of Chester parliamentary constituency, not seasonally adjusted, stood at 2,062 in May 1997 and at 879 in November 2002. Figures for December 2002 will be released on 15th January 2003.

Waste Recycling

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the allocation of landfill tax credits was to waste recycling projects run by (a) local councils, (b) non-profit making charitable organisations and (c) industry in financial years (i) 2001–02 and (ii) 2002–03. [90452]

John Healey: Figures are not available in the form requested. In 2001, contributions of #34 million were made under the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme to projects that encourage sustainable waste management, the development of products from waste or markets for recycled products through research, education or information dissemination. The figure for 2002 is estimated to be #37million. All projects are run by environmental bodies registered with ENTRUST, the scheme's regulator. All such bodies are not-for-profit, but not all are charities. They may not be controlled by landfill operators or local authorities, but very often work in partnership with them.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Commonwealth Games

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her criteria are for assessing the success of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester; and if she will make a statement. [89581]

Mr. Caborn: The Public Sector Funders and Manchester 2002 defined the following shared objectives in relation to the Games:

To position the UK as a Centre of International Sport, and to demonstrate the UK's ability to host a major international sporting event. To view the games as one means of strengthening sports participation at all levels

To strengthen the economic and social capacity of the City/Region, recognising the importance of capturing maximum benefits to justify the significant capital investment in facilities

To advance policies for greater social inclusion, promotion of diversity, access to sport and volunteering

To showcase Britain internationally and to raise the profile of the Commonwealth

13 Jan 2003 : Column 420W

An assessment of how well these objectives were achieved was included in an independent 'lessons learned' report, jointly commissioned by my Department, Manchester City Council and Sport England in June 2002.

The full published report can be viewed on the DCMS website at www.culture.gov.uk

Community Radio Station Licences

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 11 December 2002, Official Report, column 39W, on community radio station licences, what organisations are involved in the pilot study of access radio stations, and at what cost; and whether non-returnable deposits are required for individuals applying for licences for community radio. [89436]

Dr. Howells: The access radio pilot schemes licensed by the Radio Authority are:

Angel Radio


Awaz FM


Bradford Community Broadcasting


Cross Rhythms City Radio


Desi Radio


Radio Faza


Forest of Dean Community Radio


GTFM


Manchester Community Radio Group (Radio Regen)


New Style Radio


Northern Visions Radio


Resonance FM


Shine FM


Sound Radio


Takeover Radio

The costs incurred are a matter for the organisations involved.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 39W, explaining that no charge (whether through a deposit or a licence fee) is made for licensing the current access radio pilot experiment.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how she is encouraging (a) individuals and (b) organisations to apply for licences for community radio stations. [89435]

Dr. Howells: It is up to individuals or organisations to apply direct to the Radio Authority for radio licences.

Community Sports Initiatives

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to improve access to community sports facilities for volunteer organisations and the local community; and if she will make a statement. [89998]

Mr. Caborn: The new opportunities for PE and sport programme is committing #581.25 million in England to support projects designed to bring about a step-change in the provision of sports facilities for young people and their community generally. The programme will ensure that new and modernised facilities for school and

13 Jan 2003 : Column 421W

community use promote social inclusion through access to and use of sports and outdoor adventure facilities by all groups in society.

Green Ministers

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer, ref 88451, on Green Ministers, how often the Green Ministers Committee has met since the Baroness Blackstone was appointed. [89766]

Dr. Howells: The Green Ministers Committee has met four times.

Olympic Games

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will make a statement on her policy on applying HM Treasury's Green Book assumptions, and the appropriate assumptions for inflation, when calculating the cost of staging the 2012 Olympic Games; [89582]

(2) what measurable financial return on public investment she seeks in assessing the viability of bidding for the 2012 Olympic Games. [89580]

Mr. Caborn: The Government use the guidance and procedures issued by the Treasury in their Green Book, (Appraisal and evaluation in Central Government 1997), in assessing the value of bidding for and staging the 2012 Olympic Games. This analysis complements an estimate of the cash flow for future public expenditure planning, which allows for inflation, which we are also undertaking.

Sports Clubs-Schools Partnerships

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to encourage and support partnerships between sports clubs and schools; and if she will make a statement. [90001]

Mr. Caborn: We are encouraging clubs to forge strong links with schools and to build quality opportunities for young people that are safe, effective and child friendly through the PE, School Sport and Club Links project. Investment in child protection and club development (#10 million from 2004–05) and from the #60 million Community Club Facilities Fund will be used to encourage and support school-club links and junior provision.

Sports Coaching

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans she has to compile a directory of the coaches that will be available to schools and community groups; and if she will make a statement; [89996]

(2) what plans she has to introduce career structures for coaching of sport; and if she will make a statement. [89997]

Mr. Caborn: We are investing #28 million from 2003–04 to implement recommendations of the Coaching Task Force for: a five-level national coaching certificate; ring-fenced resources to enable a step change in national governing bodies' coach education systems;

13 Jan 2003 : Column 422W

a network of community-coach employment agencies to provide the local infrastructure to recruit, employ and deploy professional coaches in their area; a network of 45 coaching development officers deployed locally to assist in the strategic planning, implementation and management of coach development; and a major Come into Coaching recruitment drive to attract more people to enter coaching. These proposals will tackle the shortage of coaches, both professional and voluntary, and recognise coaching as a profession, with accredited qualifications and a career development structure.

---