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19 Jun 2003 : Column 354W—continued

Community Sports Coaches

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many community sports coaches will be created under the Community Sports Coaches Scheme in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (c) 2005 and (d) 2006. [120402]

Mr. Caborn: I expect the first phase of some 100 community sports coaches to be operational during the current financial year. Decisions on future phases will be made in the light of that experience. We remain committed to creating 3,000 community sports coaches to help develop sports skills across the country by 2006.

National Lottery

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the statement by the Minister for Sport on 28 February 2003, Official Report, column 543, when the regulatory impact assessment was (a) prepared and (b) placed in the Library. [120722]

Mr. Caborn: DCMS prepared a Regulatory Impact Assessment on the National Lottery (Funding of Endowments) Private Member's Bill when it was first

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tabled. I said at the time of the Bill's Second Reading on 28 February 2003 that copies would be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and this has now been done.

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the statement on 28 February 2003 by the Minister for Sport, Official Report, column 542, if she will make available in the Library before 20 June 2003 a draft of the guidance to distributors on grants to endowment funds. [120720]

Mr. Caborn: I announced on 28 February 2003 that, should the National Lottery (Funding of Endowments) Bill succeed, this Department would issue guidance to distributors on this matter, and that a draft of the guidance would be made available to Peers during the Lords stages of the Bill. The guidance is currently in the process of drafting, and we will want to consult distributors before finalising the text and making it available for parliamentary scrutiny.

Sport England

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her Department's annual funding allocation to Sport England for (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04, (c) 2004–05 and (d) 2005–06. [119951]

Mr. Caborn [holding answer 17 June 2003]: The Department of Culture, Media and Sport funding allocation to Sport England is shown in the following table:

Funding allocation to Sport England

£000
2002–03(6)81,275
2003–04(7)62,595
2004–05(7)65,775
2005–06(7)65,775

(6) Final provision.

(7) Plans.

The allocation in 2002–03 includes £28 million funding to support the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the (a) actual and (b) projected Sport England staff numbers are for (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2003–04 and (iii) 2004–05. [119958]

Mr. Caborn [holding answer 17 June 2003]: Sport England's actual and projected staff numbers are:


Sustainable Tourism

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initiatives her Department is taking to promote sustainable tourism in rural areas. [120193]

Mr. Caborn: This Department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have a shared interest in promoting sustainable tourism in rural areas. Accordingly, we work closely to shape policy and develop initiatives for action. In creating VisitBritain, my

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Department took over the former English Tourism Council's responsibilities for promoting rural and sustainable tourism policy.

As part of the Government's programme of tourism reform, the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) are, from April 2003, playing a stronger part in the strategic leadership of tourism, with the Regional Tourist Boards (RTBs) as their natural delivery partners. Guidance has been issued to the RDAs on how tourism should be covered in their Corporate Plans and Regional Economic Strategies, including the development of Regional Sustainable Tourism Strategies in partnership with RTBs, and sub-regional and local tourism organisations. Advantage West Midlands (RDA) will lead this process in the West Midlands, taking into account the tourism potential of rural areas, and in 2003–04, will receive £252,000 to pass on to the Visit Heart of England Tourist Board, subject to agreed targets and objectives.

VisitBritain's current domestic marketing campaign, "Enjoy England", will benefit rural tourism businesses that depend largely on domestic tourism.

The Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES), part of Defra's England Rural Development Programme, provides project-based support for diversifying the rural economy. The total RES budget is £152 million (50 per cent. co-financed by EU CAP Pillar 2 money) from 2000 to 2006. Tourism and leisure projects fall under


Defra is promoting countryside recreation through the new statutory right of access to open countryside. The Countryside Agency is taking forward several relevant projects, such as: integrated quality management of rural tourist destinations; retaining visitor expenditure in rural areas; promoting environmentally responsible tourism businesses; promoting local produce with the Youth Hostels Association.

Government support is not limited to direct funding for tourism. This Department alone spends some £1 billion per year, for example, on the arts, the historic environment, museums and galleries, much of which directly benefits rural tourism across the country.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bushmeat

15. Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to control the trade in bushmeat. [120201]

Mr. Morley: The trade in bushmeat in this country is controlled mainly through domestic legislation designed to protect animal and human health, although some species traded as bushmeat are also regulated under EU legislation implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Illegal imports of bushmeat are being tackled under the illegal imports Action Plan.

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Common Agricultural Policy

17. Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the European Commission's proposals for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. [120203]

Mr. Morley: The UK Government have strongly supported the aims of the European Commission's proposals on reforming the Common Agricultural Policy and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently heavily engaged in trying to secure a deal which will benefit farmers, consumers, the environment, developing countries and world trade.

Sir Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the likely impact of the current Common Agricultural Policy reform proposals on the number of agricultural jobs in the UK. [120202]

Mr. Bradshaw: The European Commission's CAP reform proposals to break the link between subsidies and production would enable producers to respond more directly to market signals. This may reduce employment in direct agricultural production, while creating new opportunities from diversified land uses. We estimate that the economic benefits from such restructuring could be worth Euro400 million per year in the UK.

Mr. Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the delegations which Ministers have met to discuss support for farmers of unsupported crops prior to the forthcoming CAP mid-term review. [118059]

Mr. Bradshaw: My noble Friend Lord Whitty has had regular discussions on all aspects of the CAP reform proposals with a Contact Group comprising:
























My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also discussed the proposals with a number of bodies represented on the Contact Group. In addition, officials have had a number of meetings with those specifically

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representing unsupported sector interests, including the Processed Vegetable Growers Association and the Blackcurrant Growers Association.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on family outgoings of (a) farm subsidies, (b) the effect of the Common Agricultural Policy upon food costs and (c) other rural subsidies. [120192]

Mr. Bradshaw: Farm subsidies paid through the EU budget represent £4–£5 per week for a family of four and the Common Agricultural Policy is estimated to add £5–£6 per week to family food costs.

Rural areas will benefit from many of the nationally available subsidies.

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