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5 Jun 2003 : Column 539W—continued
Efficiency Savings
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the target is for efficiency savings in 2003–04 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit. [114126]
Dr. Howells: Following the 2000 Spending Review the Department conducted a benchmarking study of value for money in bodies funded by the Department. This resulted in the 2002 Spending Review PSA target to improve significantly the value for money of the
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Department's sponsored (Museums and Galleries and Lottery Distributing) bodies, measured by a matrix of NDPB indicators.
Licensing Bill
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what provisions of the Licensing Bill will apply to individual musicians performing in pubs; and if she will make a statement. [115928]
Dr. Howells: The Licensing Bill provides in clause 1 that the provision of regulated entertainment is a licensable activity. Schedule 1 to the Bill defines the provision of regulated entertainment and provides that the descriptions of entertainment include a performance of live music. Accordingly, subject to the conditions and exemptions in the Bill, live musical performances in pubs would require the authorisation of a premises licence, a club premises certificate or a temporary event notice. Under clause 134 of the Bill an offence is committed if a person carries on, attempts to carry on, or knowingly allows to take place, unauthorised licensable activities. However, entertainers such as musicians performing in pubs, who perform at unlicensed venues and do nothing else in relation to the provision of regulated entertainment would not be committing this offence.
National Lottery
Mr. Simon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many charities in the Birmingham, Erdington constituency have (a) applied for and (b) claimed awards from the Heritage Lottery Fund in each year since the National Lottery began. [112991]
Dr. Howells: Applications have been received from, and grants made to, two organisations: St. Barnabas Church, Erdington in Financial Year 1998–99 and Erin Go Bragh GAA & Camogie Club in Financial Year 2002–03.
Poetry
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) measures she has taken and (b) resources she has committed to promote the (i) writing, (ii) reading and (iii) archiving of poetry in each of the last five years. [116021]
Dr. Howells: This is essentially a matter for Arts Council England, which funds a range of organisations concerned with the development of poetry, with a particular emphasis on readers and writers. The following table supplied by the Arts Council contains the information requested by my hon. Friend. These figures refer only to funding from the national office and do not include any regional funding or lottery spend.
(5) These figures are for organisations that focus entirely on poetry and also for organisations that have an element of poetry. They do not include monies spent by the old Regional Arts Boards.
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The Arts Council is not itself responsible for archiving, which remains the responsibility of individual organisations. However, the Arts Council has funded the Poetry Library at the South Bank Centre for £90,000 to digitise its poetry magazine collection. The Arts Council is also supporting a programme of work by the Poetry Archive that will see contemporary poets recording their own work, which will then be made available on CD and via a specially designed website. The DfES is providing £280,000 of funding for this project in 2003–04, and the Arts Council will invest £60,000 in 2004–05, rising to £100,000 in 2005–06.
As a result of the 2002 Comprehensive Spending Round, funding for literature will increase by 50 per cent. in 2004–05 and 2005–06. This builds on an increase of 77 per cent. in literature funding in the 2000 CSR. Approximately 80 per cent. of the total literature budget is spent directly or indirectly on poetry.
Radio Stations
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public money has been given in each of the last five years for which figures are available to support local temporary radio stations operating under a short-term licence; and how much of that funding was channelled through the Countryside Agency. [115592]
Dr. Howells: This department does not hold a central fund offering financial assistance to local temporary radio stations. Information on how these stations are funded is not held centrally.
The Countryside Agency does not offer any grant schemes which target radio stations.
Television Subtitles
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of (a) current and (b) projected use of voice recognition in the production of closed caption television subtitles; and if she will make a statement. [116247]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 3 June 2003]: None. However, the Independent Television Commission (ITC) monitors developments in subtitling technology which includes systems currently available for using voice recognition.
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Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made by her Department of the (a) literacy and (b) other benefits of the provision of closed caption television subtitles for viewers for whom English is their second language; and if she will make a statement. [116248]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 3 June 2003]: None. The primary purpose of subtitles is for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, rather than people whose first language is not English. All ITC research to date looks at comprehension by people with hearing impairments.
The ITC Guidance on Standards for Subtitling does give guidance on enhancing the comprehension of subtitles. This guidance focuses on two areas—the first is aimed at reducing the number of words on the screen by re-phrasing to reduce the complexity of a sentence while maintaining the original meaning; the second area is aimed at the reading comprehension of children.
Olympic Games (London)
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment VisitBritain has made of the impact of holding the Olympic Games in London on (a) visitor numbers in London, (b) visitor displacement from London and (c) visitor numbers in Scotland; and if she will make a statement. [115519]
Dr. Howells: The British Tourist Authority and the English Tourism Council each submitted their assessments to the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport on 14 January 2003. Their assessments were published on 21 January 2003 in the Select Committee report, "A London Olympic Bid for 2012".
The Select Committee's report can be found at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmcumeds/268/26802.htm
Copies of the report are available in the Vote Office.
World Tourism Organisation
Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she plans to review the Government's decision not to rejoin the World Tourism Organisation. [116129]
Dr. Howells: The Government has reconsidered the question of UK membership of the World Tourism Organisation and, on balance, concluded that there would not be value for money in joining.
Youth Orchestras
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her Department's policy towards funding youth orchestras in Sefton. [116282]
Dr. Howells: This is a matter for Arts Council England.
Arts Council England funds the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO) and the Halle Orchestra, both of which run very successful and active youth orchestras. Both youth orchestras work in Sefton and more widely in the north-west.
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In addition to this, Arts Council England also fund the National Foundation for Youth Music (Youth Music), which provides music making opportunities for young people throughout England. Youth Music has 20 Youth Music Action Zones around the country, including one which works in Sefton and the rest of Merseyside. The Action Zone works with local authorities, training institutions, community organisations, regeneration organisations, local radio, disability forums, youth services, EAZs, schools and music organisations throughout Merseyside.
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