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4 Apr 2003 : Column 900W—continued
United Kingdom Accreditation Service
Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will recognise the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) as the sole national body for the accreditation of laboratories and transfer the functions of Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd. to UKAS. [105488]
Mr. Hutton: United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the sole body recognised by the Government for accreditation of various tests and calibrations undertaken by laboratories and those organisations providing certification and inspection services. Pathology laboratory accreditation is for the most part overseen by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd. (CPA), which has long-standing expertise in accrediting pathology laboratories. UKAS and CPA have established a Council Partnership and agreed a Memorandum of Understanding. In brief, this agreed the two organisations would work together for the benefit of laboratories interested in both UKAS and both CPA accreditation. This is a sensible approach and the Department of Health does not wish to change it.
Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department has given to the Accreditation Awareness Campaign run by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. [105490]
Mr. Hutton: The Department of Health has been consistent in its full support for the accreditation awareness campaign run by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). The Department uses UKAS accreditation services whenever it is appropriate to do so.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Access Radio
Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many FM access radio licences, as foreseen in the Communications Bill, could be issued to (a) the City of Manchester and (b) the UK; and how many of these will be found (i) in existing national sub bands held by the BBC and (ii) within frequency allocations currently suggested by the Radio Authority to carry future commercial radio stations. [106674]
Dr. Howells: The evaluation of the 15 pilot stations, published by the Radio Authority on 19 March suggested that there may be as many as five frequencies available in Manchester, although the exact extent would need to be reviewed in the context of precisely-defined demand.
The precise numbers of frequencies available for access radio stations across the UK has not been established. However, there would be little point in legislating for a new tier of radio if there was not available spectrum. The Radio Authority's report on future FM frequency availability published on 4 March found that there was likely to be a significant, although still finite, resource for services of very small coverage.
Further research will be required into overall FM capacity for access radio. It is expected that this will be taken forward by OFCOM.
Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Government expect to publish their draft Order facilitating access radio. [106675]
Dr. Howells: We first need to consider the recommendations of Professor Everitt's evaluation of the 15 pilot stations. It is too early to say when a draft Order may be published.
Advertising Campaigns
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's total spending
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was on advertising and promotional campaigns between April 2002 and March 2003; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to (a) television, (b) radio and (c) print media. [106441]
Dr. Howells: The Department has had a nil spend on advertising and promotional campaigns relating to television, radio and print media between April 2002 and March 2003.
Free Television Licences (Buckingham)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her most recent estimate is of the number of pensioners over-75 in the Buckingham constituency who are receiving a free television licence. [107155]
Dr. Howells: 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 4,300 people aged 75 or over living in the Buckingham constituency.
Market Research
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what expenditure has been incurred by her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental bodies in 2002 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each. [106273]
Dr. Howells: The Department's expenditure on opinion polling, focus groups and other forms of market research for 2001–02 is shown in the following table.
| Activity | 2001–02 |
|---|---|
| Opinion polling | (5)7,595 |
| Focus groups | (6)29,820 |
| Market research | (7)10,800 |
(5) (a) Research undertaken that would assess consumers' perceptions of digital television and (b) questions on culture and the internet for Culture Online included in an omnibus survey.
(6) (a) Eight focus groups with teachers, children and adults for Culture Online and (b) consultation with a group of young people when developing a national arts award, regarding the structure of the award.
(7) An online survey of the use of culture web-sites of existing users of six cultural web-sites for Culture Online.
The opinion polling figure is revised from £36,382 presented last year as the difference is proper to 2002–03.
The Department's agency, the Royal Parks Agency, did not incur expenditure on opinion polling or focus groups in 2001–02. Its expenditure on market research relating to annual visitors survey, Stakeholder Audit and monitoring the Kensington Gardens cycle trial was £59,840.
Information on expenditure by the Department's non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Tourism (Northern Ireland)
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the reasons for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board not being included in VisitBritain. [106898]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 3 April 2003]: VisitBritain is the name which the British Tourist Authority will use in future. The British Tourist Authority was set up by the Development of Tourism Act 1969, and it is this Act which is clear that duty to promote Britain abroad covers Scotland, Wales and England, but not Northern Ireland. I am happy to say, however, that the excellent formal and informal co-operation between VisitBritain and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board will continue in future, and a revised and strengthened memorandum of understanding between the two is in the final stages of preparation. Although the 1969 Act does not provide for the Chair of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to be a member of the VisitBritain Board, the Chairman has accepted an invitation to have observer status on the Board.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Staff Numbers
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff are employed by her Department. [106286]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 3 April 2003, Official Report, column 780W.
Travel Costs
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the cost was of travel by train by staff in her Department in 2002. [106343]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not readily available without incurring disproportionate cost.
My Department ensures that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel commensurate with meeting departmental operational needs.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Al-Qaeda
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the involvement of al-Qaeda in terrorism in the Middle East. [105976]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Al-Qaeda and related groups remain a real and sophisticated threat. They form an international network, not only confined to the Middle East. The UK, together with the US and international partners, remains committed to dismantling their international terrorist network.
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Chad (Islamist Mercenaries)
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning incursions made by Islamist mercenaries from Chad into (a) Sudan and (b) Nigeria; and what representations he will be making to the Government of Chad concerning these incursions. [106421]
Mr. Rammell: There are persistent reports of fighting in Darfur, Western Sudan, involving tribes and groups from Chad and Libya. Recent unconfirmed reports allege that Chadian mercenaries were involved in the attack against Al-Tinah on the Sudan/Chad border. Chad has closed the border with Sudan and deployed troops there to uphold the security agreement signed between Sudan and Chad.
The Nigerian police regularly report on the presence of substantial numbers of Chadians among those arrested in violent conflicts in Northern Nigeria.
It is for the Governments of Sudan and Nigeria, rather than the British Government, to make representations to the Government of Chad on these matters.
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