| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
11 Feb 2003 : Column 675W—continued
Theft/Fraud
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002. [89901]
Mr. Lammy: The figures are shown in the table.
| Department £ | Agencies £ | Non-departmental public bodies £ |
|---|---|---|
| 34,862,67 | 17,060.51 | 12,131.00 |
The Department has a counter fraud service staffed by professionally trained and accredited counter fraud specialists.
11 Feb 2003 : Column 676W
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Broadcasting
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 780W, on broadcasting, if she will list the targets set for BBC commercial income, and the Corporation's progress against those targets to date. [88878]
Dr. Howells: As part of the licence fee settlement, announced in February 2000, the BBC was expected to raise an additional £490 million through efficiency savings and increased income. The BBC expects to have generated £75 million in extra cash from its commercial ventures by the end of this financial year.
Capita
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 9 January 2003, Official Report, column 51W, on Capita, if she will set out his reasons for having no further dealings with Capita since February 2002. [97331]
Dr. Howells: The DCMS have used Capita as one of five companies within a framework agreement when a need for their services have arisen. Since February 2002 there have been contracts for which the other framework agreement suppliers have been chosen as more suitable. At some point in the future the services offered by Capita could be chosen over the other companies and they will then be offered work by the Department.
Digital Television (Rural Areas)
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reports she has (a) commissioned and (b) examined into the barriers the public in rural areas face in the take-up of digital television. [97230]
Dr. Howells: No such reports have been commissioned as yet. But the Digital Television Action Plan addresses the need to ensure the accessibility and affordability of digital television for consumers, including those in rural areas. The Action Plan, together with details of the work undertaken to date, are available on the website: www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk.
Ethnic Minority Cultural Events
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding (a) her Department and (b) its agencies provide to support ethnic minority cultural events. [96910]
Mr. Caborn: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
11 Feb 2003 : Column 677W
Hyde Park (Public Meetings)
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions she has had with the (a) Metropolitan police, (b) Royal Parks police, (c) Stop the War Coalition and (d) the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament concerning the peace rally to be held on 15 February; and if she will make a statement; [95217]
- (2) how many times, and for which events, in each of the last five years the use of Hyde Park for public meetings has been refused; [95219]
(3) how many public meetings have been held in Hyde Park in each month in each of the last five years. [95218]
Tessa Jowell: The Chief Executive of the Royal Parks is responsible for agreeing to rallies and assemblies in Hyde Park. His officials, including members of the Royal Parks Constabulary, met representatives from the Stop the War Coalition and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament on 8 January to discuss the request to hold a rally on 15 February. The Royal Parks and the Royal Parks Constabulary discussed the matter with representatives of Westminster City Council on 23 January and held a subsequent meeting with the Metropolitan police on 28 January. This last meeting was also attended by Westminster City Council, the Greater London Authority and the London Ambulance Service. A further meeting was held with the Metropolitan police, CND and the Stop the War Coalition on 3 February. I also received written correspondence on this matter from the Metropolitan police on 3 February.
The number of public meetings held in Hyde Park in each month in each of the last five years is set out in the following table:
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| February | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| March | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| April | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| May | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| June | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| July | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| August | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| September | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| October | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| November | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| December | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
The Royal Parks only turn down permission for rallies or assemblies either because the ground is unsuitable for the numbers involved or because they would clash with another event. In the latter case an alternative date is always offered and usually agreed. The Royal Parks does not hold records of requests turned down in previous years, but the following is a list of those turned down in 2002 and the reasons why:
The National Union of Students Rally on 4 December, the National Union of Teachers Rally on 26 November and the Stansted [Anti-] Expansion rally on 23 November were turned down because the ground was unsuitable and winter ground reinstatement work was in progress;
11 Feb 2003 : Column 678W
In November 2002 a request from the Countryside Alliance to congregate in the Park was turned down because it clashed with another event, but it was agreed that the march could 'disperse' into the Park.
- A request to hold the 'Hizb ut-Tahrir' assembly on 20 July was turned down because a Route of Kings concert was scheduled for that day;
A request from the Jesus Fellowship Church to hold an assembly on 29 June was turned down because it would have clashed with a large scale concert scheduled for the same day;
A request from the British Equestrian Society to hold a demonstration on 3 June was turned down because it clashed with Jubilee events;
A request from the Grand Orange Lodge of England to hold a rally on 21 April (HM the Queen's birthday) was turned down because management and police resources were at full capacity facilitating Trooping the Colour.
Ministerial Meetings (Scottish Land Fund)
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive to determine the demands for future funding from the Scottish Land Fund after the passing of the Land Reform Act by the Scottish Parliament. [95508]
Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is corresponding with Scottish Ministers about the needs of the Scottish Land Fund. In addition I recently met my hon. Friend the Member for Cunninghame, North and representatives from the New Opportunities Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to discuss the Scottish Land Fund.
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Hansard
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost was of reprinting the daily Hansard of 4 February. [96628]
Sir Archy Kirkwood: Under the terms of the printing contract with The Stationery Office (TSO), the cost of reprinting and reissuing the daily Hansard of 3 February was borne by TSO. No additional expense will fall on the House of Commons.
CABINET OFFICE
Ministerial Cars
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Ministers are entitled to the allocation of a car; and how many Ministers in each year from 1997 have chosen not to avail themselves of one. [89073]
Mr. Alexander [pursuant to his answer, 8 January 2003, Official Report, c. 216W]: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency, Mr. Nick Matheson, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his revised letter has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
11 Feb 2003 : Column 679W
NORTHERN IRELAND
Airport Police
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions and to what extent the RUC and PSNI has trained and supervised constables of the Northern Ireland Airport Police in accordance with the undertaking given by the Government on 14 February 1994, Official Report, column 667; and how many officers have been trained in each case. [94465]
Jane Kennedy: The Training Officer of the then RUC reviewed training requirements of the Northern Ireland Airport Police and appropriate training has been carried out by PSNI for each new in-take of Airport Police Officers. Effectively, this means that Airport Police Constables are trained alongside PSNI Constables and Airport Auxiliary Constables are trained alongside PSNI part-time Constables.
In addition, the PSNI has provided the Airport Police with training in Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE), use of weapons and Human Rights legislation.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what joint consideration the Home Office, the Department for Transport and the Northern Ireland Office have given to the contents of Sir John Wheeler's Report into Policing at UK Airports 2002, with particular reference to policing at (a) Belfast International, (b) Belfast City and (c) Derry-Eglington airports; and if he will make a statement. [94453]
Jane Kennedy: Sir John Wheeler reviewed Aviation Security at the behest of the Home Secretary. Whilst the NIO was consulted during the fact finding process, it is a matter for the Home Office and the Department for Transport to take forward a detailed analysis of the recommendations in Sir John's report.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which occasions the RUC and PSNI have been consulted by the management of the Belfast International Airport about reductions in policing levels at the airport, since the undertakings given by the Government on 14 February 1994, Official Report, column 691, that such prior consultation would take place; and if he will make a statement. [94464]
Jane Kennedy: Security arrangements at Belfast International Airport are kept under continual review. Officers from PSNI meet regularly with the Airport Authorities to discuss proposed changes in security measures.
In addition, the PSNI, both from Headquarters and the local District Command Unit in Antrim, are represented at meetings of the Belfast International Airport Security Committee (chaired by the Airport Authority) and also the Belfast International Airport Security Co-ordinating Committee meeting (chaired by NIO).
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |