---

4 Jun 2003 : Column 465W—continued

Departmental Report

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report. [112820]

Mrs. Liddell: The cost to the Scotland Office of producing the 2001 Departmental Report was £3,160. Other printing and publication costs are met by The Stationery Office Ltd. and do not fall to Government.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment she has made of regional variations in staff turnover in her Department. [112760]

Mrs. Liddell: No assessment of regional variations in staff turnover has been made for my Department.

Euro

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she received the Treasury documents relating to the five economic tests and the 18 background studies; what discussions she has held with ministerial colleagues on the tests since receipt of the documents; when she expects to complete her analysis of the documents; and what representations (a) she

4 Jun 2003 : Column 466W

and (b) departmental officials will make to other Departments before a decision is reached on the economic tests. [115382]

Mrs. Liddell: The Treasury's 18 supporting studies on EMU were sent to Cabinet Ministers on 16 May 2003. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have held meetings with Cabinet Members. There was an initial discussion at Cabinet on 22 May 2003, which will be followed by a special Cabinet meeting on 5 June 2003. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on 9 June 2003.

Honours

Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials in her Department have received honours; and how many honours are held by her officials, broken down by category of honour. [111497]

Mrs. Liddell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Since that date, one member of staff (now retired) was appointed as a CBE. One recently retired member of staff and one current member of staff hold honours awarded before the Department was established: one at OBE and one at MBE.

Public Service Agreements

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds. [114456]

Mrs. Liddell: My Department does not have a Public Service Agreement.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC Charter

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is regarding the future of the BBC Charter. [114097]

Tessa Jowell: The current BBC Charter will expire on 31 December 2006. We will announce our approach to the review of the Charter in due course. However, we have made clear that the review will involve a comprehensive appraisal of the BBC's role in the digital age; that it will include an extensive process of industry and public consultation and parliamentary debate; and that OFCOM will make a full contribution.

Cinemas

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the future of small independent cinemas. [114867]

Dr. Howells: The Government are committed to ensuring that a wide variety of films is shown in cinemas across the UK. When it established the UK Film Council in April 2000 as the Government's leading strategic agency for film, one of its key objectives was to develop film culture by improving access to film.

4 Jun 2003 : Column 467W

For this reason, the UK Film Council provides funding for independent regional cinema through its network of Regional Screen Agencies. Last year, £1.25 million was provided to support independent cinemas.

In addition, the UK Film Council is currently finalising a cinema exhibition strategy to further support audiences and, where appropriate, cinema exhibitors. This strategy will be delivered using £18 million of Lottery funding, £15 million of which has been delegated to the Film Council from the Arts Council of England, and is aimed at ensuring that the widest range of UK audiences gain access to the broadest range of British and International cinema.

The key components of the strategy are:

a Cinema Exhibition Fund totalling £14 million for investment in a 'circuit' or network of specialised cinema screens, including an allocation for 'traditional' capital use such as refurbishment;


a Digital Fund totalling £1 million for investment in non-theatrical exhibition, and a package of measures aimed at increasing the availability of soft-subtitled prints ¹ for the deaf or hard of hearing and audio description facilities for the blind or visually impaired; and


three UK-wide funds, each of £1 million per annum:


a Cinema Education Fund;


a Specialised Print and Advertising (P&A) Fund; and


a UK Film Distribution Programme.

Through the Film Council and the Cinema Exhibitors' Association, the Government are made aware of the issues and concerns facing independent cinemas in the UK.

¹ 'Soft' subtitling, as opposed to 'hard' subtitling that appears automatically on the screen, is stored on computer disc, which can be projected onto the screen when required using new sub-titling technologies equipment (such as DTS and Dolby).

EU Committees

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many officials in the Department serve on EU committees or working parties. [116092]

Mr. Caborn: A total of five DCMS officials serve on the following European Union working groups:

Audio Visual Working Group


Working Group on Cultural Statistics


Working Group on Audiovisual Statistics


Working Group on Tourism Statistics.

In addition, two of these officials, plus five others, serve on the following European Union advisory and management committees:

Cultural Affairs Committee


Culture 2000 management committee


Television Without Frontiers Directive (Article 23(A)) Contact Committee


Tourism Advisory Committee


Advisory Committee on Cultural Goods


Media Plus management committee.

Therefore, a total of 10 DCMS officials serve on European Union committees and working groups.

4 Jun 2003 : Column 468W

Freedom of Information Act

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the electronic document and electronic record management systems which have been procured by the public authorities listed in Parts I to V of Schedule 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for which she is responsible. [116393]

Dr. Howells: The British Library, English Heritage and National Maritime Museum all have purchased Tower TRIM. Other non-departmental public bodies are looking at options, including the use of existing systems, for meeting the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Accommodation Grading

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will make it her policy to cancel the review of accommodation grading if consumer research does not support it; [115653]

(2) what assessment she has made of the success of the current harmonised scheme for accommodation grading; [115644]

(3) if she will place in the Library copies of the consumer research she has assessed in relation to her revised policy on accommodation grading systems; [115651]

(4) what plans she has to research consumer attitudes to accommodation grading schemes in the UK; and what amount, broken down by project, is budgeted for such research. [115650]

Dr. Howells: Quality is the foundation of a successful and competitive tourism industry and must include a variety of good quality accommodation that meets visitor expectations, both in terms of facilities and service. We want to ensure that the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) schemes: meet the needs of and are easily understood by visitors; attract a very high proportion of accommodation providers; and encourage continuous improvement in standards. There has been no change of tourism policy in this respect from what was published in Tomorrow's Tourism (1999).

We have not conducted a formal assessment of the accommodation schemes but are determined to increase both industry take up and consumer recognition of the schemes. However, recent research by the (former) ETC has shown that membership of a quality grading scheme brings benefits to participants in terms of higher occupancy levels: 13 per cent. difference in higher occupancy levels between those who are members of the national, harmonised grading scheme and those who do not participate.

We receive regular informal updates on consumer (and industry) views in correspondence and during visits in this country and abroad. We are confident that any research by VisitBritain into consumer attitudes towards accommodation schemes or views about the nature and detail of the current or proposed schemes will be adequately funded. VisitBritain will be assessing the requirements relating to consumer research and industry consultation over the coming months once confirmation has been made regarding the direction of the proposed changes. A final budget relating to this

4 Jun 2003 : Column 469W

work is expected to be available in the autumn along with the final report. The research will be robustly conducted, involving other relevant bodies as appropriate, and properly analysed. We will, of course, take into account consumer views, as well as industry views, before reaching any decisions about the best way forward—this is what was done prior to the launch of the schemes for serviced accommodation in England, when they were harmonised with those of the AA and RAC in 1999.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what weight she gave to the views of (a) domestic tourists and (b) international visitors when formulating her policy on accommodation grading schemes; [115646]

(2) who will chair the review of accommodation grading; and if she will make a statement; [115645]

(3) what input other bodies will have into research conducted into consumer attitudes to accommodation grading schemes; [115652]

(4) what the terms of reference are for the review of accommodation grading schemes; when the review commenced; who has been invited to participate; and what timetable will be followed. [115647]

Dr. Howells: Discussion with senior industry representatives over the last year and a half has affirmed their commitment to the huge importance of quality, including the principle that establishments only of acceptable quality should be marketed via publicly funded e-tourism channels and in local authority brochures.

The first part of the review of the accommodation grading schemes is being led jointly by the three National Tourist Boards in England, Scotland and Wales, who have engaged Alan Britten (former chairman of the English Tourism Council) to lead the review group, consult widely and report his findings to this Department this autumn. The group will examine the differences that exist between the schemes for hotels and guest accommodation in each country, with its main aim being to reach a view on whether common schemes are feasible and would be more readily understood by consumers.

Good progress on common Great Britain schemes has already been made in respect of quality assurance schemes for non-serviced accommodation, for instance self-catering, Hostels and Campus accommodation. The national Boards have agreed that research and consultation in relation to the self-catering scheme should commence during the summer of 2003. This part of the review will also include consideration of the effectiveness of the symbols used to indicate scheme membership and how we could reduce the proliferation of signs and logos that are currently displayed. The review will consider consumer and industry views of the value of the quality assurance schemes, the scheme's effectiveness and value for money of scheme membership. We also wish to look at how we can increase the levels of participation in the schemes, especially hotels and guest houses.

The second part of the review relates to England only and is being led by VisitBritain. It will look at the management of the schemes, covering issues such as:

4 Jun 2003 : Column 470W

assessment, administration, recruitment of businesses, and promotion to consumers. We expect a report to be ready early in 2004

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what financial provision has been made to support the costs of further harmonisation of accommodation grading schemes, with particular reference to (a) property re-inspections and (b) production and distribution of new signage; [115649]

(2) what estimate she has made of (a) the impact on business and (b) the cost to public funds of further changes to the accommodation grading system. [115648]

Dr. Howells: We are confident that any changes made to the current accommodation schemes, which will take three years to implement from the consumer perspective, will be cost-effective as well as increasing clarity and benefiting business. Any costs relating to inspections to any new standards will be minimal, as they will fit in with the established annual timetable.

Replacement signage, if required, is in any case optional and should benefit business in view of the greater clarity we are aiming to achieve. VisitBritain has allocated £72,000 from within its annual allocation to take forward the two-part review referred to above—funding by the other National Tourist Boards is a matter for the devolved administrations.

---