| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
12 Jun 2003 : Column 1035W—continued
Partnership Agreements
Angela Eagle: To ask the Solicitor-General whether she plans to conclude a partnership agreement with the trade unions representing the staff in her Department. [117452]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer on 10 June 2003]:
Crown Prosecution Service staff are represented by two trade unions: the Association of First Division civil servants (FDA) and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). The Crown Prosecution Service signed a partnership agreement with the FDA on 26 March 1999. However, there is no such agreement with the PCS.
The Serious Fraud Office is a small Department. It currently has no plans to conclude a formal partnership agreement with staff trade unions although it continues to work with those trade unions in the spirit set out in the Cabinet Office/CCSU partnership agreement, combining both the formal and informal approach appropriate to the size of organisation.
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate
There is no partnership agreement as such. However, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate attaches great importance to ensuring effective consultation and involvement of staff and encourages staff to join an appropriate trade union and to play an active part within it, although it is of course, a personal decision whether or not to join a trade union.
Following the move to independent status at the end of 2000 HM Crown Prosecution Service Directorate, following discussion with the relevant trade union formed a Whitley Council. The inaugural meeting was held on 1 May 2001 with the constitution being formally signed by the Management and Departmental Trade Union Side on 18 June 2001. Meetings are productive for both sides and are held quarterly.
Treasury Solicitor's Department
The Treasury Solicitor's Department is presently holding discussions with trade unions with a view to introducing a partnership agreement in the Department.
12 Jun 2003 : Column 1036W
Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers
The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers is a Department of only some 35 staff, virtually all of whom are on secondment from other Government Departments. Individual members of staff benefit from whatever arrangements with the trade unions that have been entered into by their parent Department.
CABINET OFFICE
Food Standards Agency
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the editorial control exercised by the Cabinet Office over advice published by the Food Standards Agency. [118806]
Mr. Alexander: The Cabinet Office exercises no control over advice published by the Food Standards Agency.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Digital Broadcasting
Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals she has for a change in the cost of television licences for households in areas unable to receive (a) digital terrestrial television and (b) digital audio broadcasting. [119253]
Dr. Howells: The Government have no such proposals. The television licence fee is a payment for permission to instal or use television to receive any television programme service and does not vary according to the range of services that can be received. In any case, the great majority of households which are unable to receive digital terrestrial broadcasts can receive the same channels, including all the BBC's licence fee funded digital services, via digital satellite.
Historic Town Walls
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans she has to strengthen the role of English Heritage in protecting historic town walls; and if she will make a statement; [117402]
- (2) what action she proposes to take under the terms of the Government's policy statement, "The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future" of December 2001 in respect of historic town walls; and if she will make a statement. [117403]
Dr. Howells: The protection of historic town walls falls within the review of heritage protection legislation announced in "The Historic Environment: A Force for our Future", and currently being carried out by the Department in partnership with English Heritage. One major aim of the review is to ensure that the future framework for managing the historic environment enables a more comprehensive view to be taken of historic assets such as historic town walls than is possible under current legislation.
12 Jun 2003 : Column 1037W
Landmarks
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the criteria which must be met in order to conserve landmarks. [118000]
Dr. Howells: 'Landmarks' as a term could cover many features of the built and natural environment. There are two statutory designations that fall within the remit of this Department: listing and scheduling.
The Secretary of State's criteria for listing buildings are: architectural interest; historical interest; close historical associations with nationally important people or events and group value.
The Secretary of State's criteria for scheduling ancient monuments are: period; rarity; documentation; group value; survival/condition; fragility/vulnerability; diversity and potential.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to expand the criteria for conserving landmarks. [118001]
Dr. Howells: The protection of landmarks, whether scheduled monuments or listed buildings, falls within the review of heritage protection legislation announced in 'The Historic Environment: A Force for our Future' and currently being carried out by the Department in partnership with English Heritage. The review aims to put in place a framework for managing the historic environment which enables a more comprehensive view to be taken of historic assets than is possible under current legislation.
Olympic Games
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her statement of 15 May 2003, Official Report, columns 477–78, on the Olympic Games 2012, how much funding from existing Lottery money will be re-directed to a London Olympic Games from the (a) Community Fund, (b) New Opportunities Fund, (c) Arts Council, (d) Heritage Lottery Fund, (e) sports councils, (f) film councils and (g) other distribution organisations. [118185]
Tessa Jowell: The statement of 15 May refers to an overall contribution of up to £1.5 billion from the National Lottery to the cost of staging the 2012 Olympic Games.
The National Lottery Commission's prudent assessment is that new Olympic Lottery games could generate £750 million in the period 2005–2012, however it does not discount the possibility of the initiatives out-performing this estimate. It is currently expected that half of this total will be raised through Olympic Lottery games where the income will be hypothecated for hosting the Olympics. A further £340 million will be derived sought from planned spending/expenditure by the established sports distributors.
Were it required, any outstanding balance would/will be met by changing the percentage shares of Lottery income passing to the existing Good Causes after 2009. A review of those shares would have taken place whether or not London was bidding to host the Olympics.
12 Jun 2003 : Column 1038W
Preliminary estimates provided by Camelot, and assessed by the National Lottery Commission, suggest that any negative impact on income on the existing good causes from Olympic Lottery games would be small— 4 per cent. for the remainder of the Camelot licence period, until 2009. Until 2009 the impact of Olympic Lottery games on the existing Good Causes is unlikely to be more than 4 per cent.
It is too early to say what the impact on individual distributing bodies will be. As noted in the original statement, the whole Olympic funding package, including the Lottery element, will be reviewed in 2005 when much clearer estimates of the costs involved in the Olympic project will be available.
Scottish Land Fund
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the average size of grant awarded by the Scottish Land Fund has been in each year since its creation (a) including and (b) excluding awards in respect of feasibility studies. [118335]
Mr. Caborn: The information is as follows:
1. (a) During its first full reporting year (April 2001 to March 2002), the Scottish Land Fund made 46 grants worth a total of £5,614,959, with an average grant size of £122,064.
(b) When technical assistance grants are excluded from the calculation, this average increases to £214,345.
2. (a) During its second full reporting year (April 2002 to March 2003), the Scottish Land Fund made 55 grants with a total value of £3,121,375, with an average grant size of £56,752.
(b) When technical assistance grants are excluded from the calculation, this average increases to £83,151.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |