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5 Mar 2003 : Column 1125W—continued
Channel 4
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effects of privatising Channel Four; and if she will make a statement. [100338]
Dr. Howells: The Government considered the future of Channel Four in the context of developing its proposals for broadcasting in the Communications Bill. Channel Four's current structure as a non-profit making statutory corporation works well, and it remains a central element in the Government's vision for the broadcasting industry in the digital future. I expect Channel Four to continue to fulfil a vital role in providing diverse and innovative public service programming of high quality.
Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the grant made to Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum through the Regional Renaissance initiative is additional to funding of the museum as a result of its status as a Designated Collection. [100466]
Dr. Howells: The award received by Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum from the Designated Challenge Fund for 2002–04 is separate from the funds that will be allocated to the South West Regional Hub through the Renaissance in the Regions initiative.
Departmental Spending
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of public spending
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on her Department and its predecessors in each year from 1983–84 to 2003–04 (planned); and if she will make a statement. [99836]
Dr. Howells: Expenditure on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its predecessor, the Department of National Heritage (which was formed in 1992) is shown in the following table. The figures exclude depreciation and cost of capital charges.
| Financial year | Total administration expenditure |
|---|---|
| 1992–93 | 16.1 |
| 1993–94 | 21.7 |
| 1994–95 | 20.1 |
| 1995–96 | 20.4 |
| 1996–97 | 21.6 |
| 1997–98 | 21.4 |
| 1998–99 | 22.7 |
| 19992000 | 27.5 |
| 2000–01 | 30.0 |
| 2001–02 | 30.7 |
| 2002–03 (plan) | 39.1 |
| 2003–04 (plan) | 36.0 |
Free Television Licences
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people aged 75 or above receive free television licences in the Tooting constituency. [101052]
Dr. Howells: TV Licensing, who administer the free licence scheme 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 5,800 people aged 75 or over living in the Tooting constituency.
Licensing Bill
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under the terms of her proposed Licensing Bill, what licensing arrangements would apply to (a) a village green and (b) other public open space which was used for licensable activities on more than five occasions per year. [98826]
Dr. Howells: The Licensing Bill provides that premises means any place. The Bill therefore applies in relation to outdoor places and events to the same extent as it does to indoor ones, save in the case of sporting events. Under the Bill, a premises licence would therefore be required in respect of a village green or other public space which is to be used for licensable activities on more than five occasions in the same year in the same way as it would for any other premises. Part 5 of the Bill provides for permitted temporary activities which may take place on a premises on up to five occasions in a year.
Press Releases
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases have been issued by her Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement. [92467]
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Dr. Howells: The number of press releases issued by the Department for Culture Media and Sport in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 299 |
| 1996–97 | 414 |
| 1997–98 | 315 |
| 1998–99 | 338 |
| 1999–2000 | 294 |
| 2000–01 | 370 |
| 2001–02 | 227 |
| 2002 to date (25 February 2003) | 185 |
Quarterly figures for the past seven years could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Smoking in the Workplace
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what policy her Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace. [100935]
Dr. Howells: Following consultation with the staff a smoking room was designated in each building. Smoking is not allowed anywhere else in departmental buildings.
Special Advisers and Press Officers
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers have been employed by her Department in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and at what cost in each year. [92468]
Dr. Howells: The number of press officers employed by DCMS in each year from 1997–98 to 2002–03 (at 1 April in each year) and their remuneration is as follows.
| Date | Number | Remuneration (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 8 | 227,207 |
| 1998 | (33)9 | 207,619 |
| 1999 | 8 | 236,150 |
| 2000 | 9 | 245,039 |
| 2001 | 8 | 265,631 |
| 2002 | 10 | 275,177 |
(33) Includes two staff working part-time.
Financial and Human Resource information for periods prior to, and including 1996–97 is not held on the Department's databases and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
With regard to the number of Special Advisers employed by DCMS in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 31 January 2003, Official Report, columns 1056–57W.
Supermarkets
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under what circumstances supermarkets selling alcohol may also sell motor transport fuel from the same business site. [98490]
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Dr. Howells: Section 9 of the Licensing Act 1964 sets out circumstances in which persons and premises are disqualified from holding or receiving justices' licences for the sale of alcohol. It includes provision that "premises shall be disqualified for receiving a justices' licence if they are primarily used as a garage or form part of premises which are primarily so used". It further provides that "the reference to use as a garage is a reference to use for any or more of one of the following purposes, namely, the retailing of petrol or derv or the sale or maintenance of motor vehicles".
Television Subtitling
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she plans to take to provide information to those who would benefit from television subtitles about (a) their existence and (b) how to gain access to them. [100265]
Dr. Howells: The Communications Bill gives OFCOM a duty to draw up a code relating to the provision of television services for the deaf and visually impaired. This will give guidance as to the means by which the understanding and enjoyment of the services by the deaf or hard of hearing should be promoted and might include guidance to broadcasters on the provision of information about subtitles. It is in the broadcasters own interests to actively promote the availability of the services they are providing.
TV Licensing Agency
Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff were employed by the TV Licensing Agency in each year since 1997. [100456]
Dr. Howells: The information requested is not held centrally. The BBC has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system but the day to day administration is contracted out to several organisations, operating jointly as TV Licensing. The number of staff employed by each of those contractors to fulfil the terms of their contracts is a matter for them.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Advanced Skills Teachers
Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes in funding will take place from April for advanced skills teachers to share their expertise in neighbouring schools. [100223]
Mr. Miliband: Funding for Advanced Skills Teachers (ASTs) in 2003–04 will be based on the same principles as now, but with additional funding available to allow for the planned expansion of the AST grade. Funding is provided to LEAs at an average of £14,500 per post of which £5,700 is for the outreach costs. The additional costs of AST posts are met through a broadly even mix of DfES funding through the Standards Fund (SF) and matching funding by the LEA. The amount currently available to LEAs in 2002–03 is £38.9 million of which the departmental contribution is £20.2 million. For 2003–04, the overall SF allocation to support ASTs is £66.4 million of which the DfES share is £33.2 million.
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In addition to the matched funded grant we have made £17.7 million available in 2002–03 to support AST posts without a matching LEA contribution to work on specific Government priorities. There will be no new posts funded under these special schemes in 2003–04, although the match-funded grant allocations for 2003–04 include funding to enable LEAs to provide continuing support for existing posts when funding at the 100 per cent. grant rate finishes.
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