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24 Feb 2003 : Column 60W—continued
Lake Windermere
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the likely impact on sport and recreation of the introduction of a 10 mile per hour speed limit on Lake Windermere. [98074]
Mr. Caborn: This Department has made no such assessment. Sport England gave evidence to the inquiry into the Lake Windermere byelaws, stating that in their view a speed reduction would affect water sports, specifically water skiing.
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Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how the increase in participation targets set out in the Government's Game Plan will be affected by the speed limit restrictions for Lake Windermere. [98075]
Mr. Caborn: We do not expect the speed limit restrictions for Lake Windermere to have any significant effect on the increase in participation targets set out in Game Plan.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what alternative venues have been sought by Sport England to accommodate those affected by the introduction of the Navigation Bye Law 1992 at Lake Windermere. [98077]
Mr. Caborn: During the inquiry into the implementation of the Navigation Bye Laws at Lake Windermere, Sport England along with the British Water Ski Federation considered the issue of the displacement of motorised water sports from the Lake. Sport England and the British Water Ski Federation continue to work together with those affected by the Byelaws to negotiate access to suitable areas of water for the continuation of these sports.
Neither the Government nor Sport England would seek to impose specific alternative venues on those affected by the Navigation Byelaws on Lake Windermere. We believe it is for individuals to find convenient sites that will enable them to pursue water skiing and the other motorised water sports that will be affected by the Byelaws.
Olympic Bid
Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the consequences for the existing planned levels of public expenditure on investment in (a) Greater London and (b) each English region of an Olympic bid. [98158]
Tessa Jowell: We do not expect planned levels of public investment region by region to be affected in the course of any Olympic bid, the outcome of which would be known by July 2005.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what government funds have been spent on the proposed bid to hold the Olympics of 2012. [97929]
Tessa Jowell: In addition to normal running costs, my Department has incurred extra costs, currently forecast at £251,828 including VAT, relating to consideration of a bid to host the Olympic Games in London 2012.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the proposed increase in council tax to fund the 2012 Olympic bid and event will apply only to residents of London. [97931]
Tessa Jowell: There are no plans to fund the bidding or staging of the 2012 Olympic Games through an increase in council tax for residents outside London.
Public Entertainment Outlets
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what requirement is made of
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public entertainment outlets to ensure that first aid treatment is available during opening hours; and if she will make a statement. [98007]
Dr. Howells: Public entertainment licensing law provides that the local authority may impose any terms, conditions or restrictions that they consider necessary to ensure the safety of people at the premises. A requirement for there to be first aid equipment on the premises and members of staff trained in its use is therefore common. The application of licence conditions does not in any way replace or reduce the underlying statutory duty of employers or self-employed persons to comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and any associated regulations and codes of practice. Employers and self-employed persons are required to assess the risks to their workers and any others (e.g. members of the public) who may be affected by their business so as to identify what measures are needed to avoid or control the risks. Accordingly, the businesses would ideally need to provide first aid equipment on their premises, in working order, and at least one member of staff trained in its use.
Regional Newspapers
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on the impact of the Communications Bill on regional newspapers. [98063]
Dr. Howells: We have received a number of representations on this subject, many from editors of newspapers owned by Johnston Press plc. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also discussed the subject with newspaper proprietors and the Newspaper Society.
Terrestrial Television
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is on whether terrestrial television stations should be protected from ownership by corporations with a substantial stake in the national newspaper market. [97867]
Dr. Howells: Our policy is to prevent joint ownership of a substantial share of the newspaper market and a substantial part of Channel 3, the only commercial public service broadcaster that currently has universal access to a mass audience. We believe this would represent an unacceptable concentration of influence.
The Communications Bill is therefore retaining restrictions on newspaper proprietors holding Channel 3 licences. The rules in the Bill are as follows:
- No one controlling more than 20 per cent. of the national newspaper market may hold any licence for Channel 3;
No one who runs a national newspaper with more than a 20 per cent. share of the total national market share may hold more than a 20 per cent. stake in any Channel 3 company;
No Channel 3 licence holder may be a participant with more than a 20 per cent. interest in a body which runs a national newspaper controlling 20 per cent. of the national market;
A company in which such a newspaper proprietor holds more than a 20 per cent. share cannot itself hold more than a 20 per cent. share in such a service.
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- No one may own a Channel 3 licence if he runs local newspapers which together have more than 20 per cent. of the local market share in the coverage area of the service.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department is doing to encourage a pluralistic media culture, with particular reference to terrestrial television channels. [97868]
Dr. Howells: The Communications Bill ensures that rules will be retained to safeguard democratic debate at national, regional and local level. In particular, there will be limits on the joint-ownership of newspapers and ITV. Newspapers are the most editorially influential mass medium, and television is people's most trusted source of information. Joint-ownership of a substantial share of the newspaper market and a substantial part of Channel 3, the only commercial public service broadcaster that currently has universal access to a mass audience, would represent an unacceptable concentration of influence. Therefore, no one owning a regional Channel 3 licence may own more than 20 per cent. of the local/regional newspaper market in the same region.
We believe that there are less grounds for concern about the cross-ownership of Channel 5 by a large newspaper group, as it has a relatively small audience, does not reach the whole UK population and has fewer public service commitments than ITV. Were the nature of the service to change, however, and its audience share increase under new ownership, it will be possible to alter the public service obligations of the Channel 5 licence, and to introduce a nominated news provider system.
The existence of the BBC and Channel 4 will ensure that there are at least three separately controlled free-to-air public service TV broadcasters, in addition to the expanding range of digital channels.
There will also be a scheme to protect the range of voices that exist in the local media. Newspaper and television owners will be subject to local ownership rules that will ensure the existence of at least three local or regional commercial media voices (in TV, radio and newspapers) in most areas.
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