---

10 Feb 2003 : Column 550W—continued

University Access Process

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how his Department will collate information on parents' level of education through the university access process announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper. [94057]

Margaret Hodge: Currently data on parental education are not collected centrally. The Department is setting up a group with external partners to discuss how appropriate and robust data might best be collected.

University Tuition Fees

Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what impact his proposals will have on students studying in Scotland and Wales. [94755]

Margaret Hodge: Under current arrangements, students who ordinarily live in England and Wales will be eligible for funding provided by the UK Government, including the new higher education grant being introduced in 2004–05, regardless of where in the UK they undertake their higher education course.

Vocational and Technical Courses

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average costs of (a) vocational and (b) technical courses in higher education in England were in the last 12 months. [83936]

Margaret Hodge: The information is not held centrally. However, the methodology used by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to determine funding allocations recognises that some subjects, such as those which involve laboratory or workshop activities, require higher levels of resource to those which are mainly classroom based.

10 Feb 2003 : Column 551W

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Expenditure Limits

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the departmental expenditure limits are in her Department's (a) resource and (b) capital budget for (i) museums, galleries and libraries, (ii) arts, (iii) sport, (iv) historical buildings, monuments and sites, (v) the Royal Parks, (vi) tourism, (vii) gambling and the National Lottery, (viii) ERDF, (ix) broadcasting and media, (x) commemorative services, (xi) administration and research and (xii) unallocated provision for (A) 2001–02, (B) 2002–03, (C) 2003–04, (D) 2004–05 and (E) 2005–06. [95909]

Mr. Caborn [holding answer 6 February 2003]: The departmental expenditure limits for the resource and capital budgets for the Department for Culture Media and Sport for 2001–02 and projections to 2003–04 are set out by sector in the table on page 104 and 105 of the 2002 Departmental Report (Cm 5423). Updated information, with plans to 2005–06, will be published in the 2003 Departmental Report in the spring.

Greater London Assembly

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial assistance her Department gave to the Greater London Assembly in 2002; and for what projects. [95850]

Dr. Howells: In 2002–03 my Department made a tourism grant of £1.9 million to the Greater London Authority for the promotion of London to tourists (as a destination in its own right and as a gateway to the rest of the UK) and for the improvement of tourism amenities and facilities.

Ministerial Travel

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times since 2001 she has taken flights on departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied her on each trip. [95395]

Dr. Howells: The information requested is given in the following table:

Date	Type	Class	Accompanied
July 01 x 2	Government Flights	n/a	0 person
Sept 01	Scheduled	Business Class	1 person
37894	Scheduled	Business Class	1 person
37681	Government Flight	n/a	0 person
37803	Government Flight	n/a	0 person
Aug 02 x 2	Scheduled	Business Class	1 person
Sept 02	Scheduled	Business Class	1 person
37623	Scheduled	Business Class	1 person

All ministerial travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

10 Feb 2003 : Column 552W

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Mr. Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of Sir Alan Borg's report on the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. [96949]

Dr. Howells: The report on the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard was commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. In response to the report, the Dockyard attractions have agreed to adopt an integrated approach to the management of their activities through a new non-charitable company which is expected to be in place by summer 2003. I will place a copy of the report in the Libraries of both Houses.

Premises Licences

Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the cost of a premises licence will be the same to a public house whether it chooses to apply only for a licence to sell alcohol or whether it chooses to apply for multiple permissions licence under the Licensing Bill. [96879]

Dr. Howells: Under the provisions of the Licensing Bill, the cost of an application for a premises licence would remain the same whether a public house applied only for permission to sell alcohol or for multiple permissions including, for instance, the provision of regulated entertainment, including live music.

Public Entertainment Licences

Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many premises are covered by the public entertainment licence; and how many more she expects will have to apply for a licence to provide public entertainment under the proposed Licensing Bill. [96878]

Dr. Howells: The Regulatory Impact Assessment that was published alongside the Licensing Bill states that just over 9,000 on-licensed premises and registered members clubs hold permanent public entertainment licences or certificates of suitability. An estimated 37,000 temporary public entertainment licences are also issued each year.

Under the provisions of the Bill there will be no separate licence for the provision of public entertainment. Permission to carry on any of the activities licensable under the Bill will be covered by a single premises licence. It will cost no more, in terms of time or money, to apply for a licence permitting the sale of alcohol and the provision of entertainment than it would to apply for one permitting the sale of alcohol only. The Government expect that the removal of the cost deterrent in applying for permission to provide entertainment, along with the provision of a less bureaucratic system and measures to prevent unnecessary conditions being attached to licences by licensing authorities, will encourage many more premises to take the opportunity to provide public entertainment.

Statutory Instruments

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many statutory instruments were

10 Feb 2003 : Column 553W

issued by the National Heritage Department in each year between 1992 and 1997; and how many have been issued by her Department since May 1997. [89849]

Dr. Howells: The number of Statutory Instruments (including Orders in Council) issued by the Department for National Heritage in each year between 1992 and 1997 are as follows:

	Number
1992	3
1993	16
1994	21
1995	15
1996	21
1997 (up to 30 April)	10

The number of Statutory Instruments (including Orders in Council) issued by the Department ¹ in each year since 1 May 1997 are as follows:

¹ The name of the Department changed in August 1997 from the Department for National Heritage to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

	Number
1997	19
1998	23
1999	24
2000	18
2001	18
2002	29
2003	2

Television Licences

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners have claimed free television licences in (a) Haltemprice and Howden and (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [96712]

Dr. Howells: Free television licences for the over-75s were introduced in November 2000; no free licences were available prior to that date. TV Licensing, who administer the concession as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 5,900 people aged 75 or over living in the Haltemprice and Howden constituency and 19,500 in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Vehicle Fleets

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made, by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each (i) category of vehicle, (ii) type of power unit and (iii) type of fuel, on an annual basis, over each of the past three years, in renewal of her Department's and agencies' vehicle fleet on a lower emission basis. [96447]

Dr. Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have a vehicle fleet. Ministerial and official cars are supplied, with driver, as required by the Government Car and Despatch Service. The Royal Parks Agency vehicle fleet has used 'green' fuels for

10 Feb 2003 : Column 554W

some years. Over the last three years, the Agency has converted or acquired vehicles which are duel fuelled, liquefied petroleum gas/petrol. Of a 42 vehicle fleet, 30 (cars, vans and minibuses) are duel fuel, eight (4x4s, horsebox) are diesel and four (motorcycles) are petrol.

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual rate is at which her Department has renewed its vehicle fleet by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each (i) category of vehicle, (ii) type of power unit and (iii) type of fuel over the last three years. [96452]

Dr. Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have a vehicle fleet. Ministerial and official cars are supplied, with driver, as required by the Government Car and Despatch Service.

---