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6 Oct 2003 : Column 1046W—continued
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Film Council
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the films that have been approved since 2000 by (a) the Film Council's New Arena Fund and (b) the Film Council's Premiere Fund; in each case, how much was invested; and how much has so far been recouped. [130954]
Estelle Morris: The Premiere Fund was established to stimulate commercial filmmaking in association with the private sector and improve the quality and appeal of British films. Details of the films supported and how much has been recouped are shown at Table 1.
The New Cinema Fund was established to support innovative film-making to develop film culture, encourage creative excellence and nurture new talent. Details of the films supported and how much has been recouped are shown at Table 2.
In addition, the New Cinema Fund has invested £1.3 million in over 200 short digital films. This initiative provides a platform for new and emerging talent to explore innovative ways of telling stories and is not designed to provide a financial return on the investment.
The UK Film Council investment in a film is likely to take place well before the film receives a theatrical (or other) release, resulting in a considerable time-lag between the investment and any recoupment. Individual films are expected to generate income over many years
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through different "windows" of exploitation around the world (for example, DVD, Pay-TV, Free TV). The recoupment received to date is therefore only a small part of the return on the investment expected by the UK Film Council.
| Title | Net award | Receipts |
|---|---|---|
| Code 46 | 1,565,063 | 0 |
| The Importance of Being Earnest | 1,320,000 | 227,925 |
| Gosford Park | 2,000,000 | 2,000,000 |
| L'Homme du Train | 500,000 | 0 |
| Mike Bassett: England Manager | 2,103,000 | 1,688,965 |
| Miranda | 849,315 | 112,933 |
| Sex Lives of the Potato Men | 1,766,222 | 0 |
| Sylvia | 2,450,000 | 0 |
| Valiant | 2,580,645 | 0 |
| Young Adam | 500,000 | 0 |
| Total | 15,634,245 | 4,029,823 |
| Title | Net award | Receipts |
|---|---|---|
| AKA | 101,250 | 0 |
| Anita and Me | 680,000 | 17,879 |
| Ape | 178,000 | 0 |
| Blind Flight | 460,000 | 10,000 |
| Bloody Sunday | 299,500 | 138,830 |
| Bodysong | 350,000 | 0 |
| This Little Life (Entering Blue Zone) | 241,000 | 0 |
| Hoover Street | 175,000 | 0 |
| Kiss of Life (Helen of Peckham) | 510,000 | 10,000 |
| Intermission | 570,000 | 0 |
| Live Forever | 212,249 | 1,760 |
| The Magdalene Sisters | 620,000 | 64,477 |
| Noi the Albino | 100,000 | 0 |
| One for the Road | 240,000 | 0 |
| One Love | 899,827 | 0 |
| Once Upon A Time in the Midlands | 750,000 | 262,485 |
| Revengers Tragedy | 510,000 | 10,000 |
| Tomorrow La Scala (Sweeney) | 247,406 | 0 |
| This is not a Love Song | 289,650 | 13,047 |
| Touching the Void | 335,000 | 0 |
| Total | 7,768,882 | 528,478 |
Note:
The figures given in the tables relate to films on which the UK Film Council had entered into contracts by 30 June 2003, and therefore do not include all of the awards made to date. Some of the films listed are still in production and have therefore not started to recoup funding.
National Lottery
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of lottery funding for projects in seaside towns. [131321]
Estelle Morris: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not made any recent assessment of lottery funding specifically for projects in seaside towns. However, since the introduction of the National Lottery Act 1998, and changes to policy directions, distributors have increasingly focussed on areas of social and economic deprivation, including seaside resorts. The Government remains committed to ensuring that all parts of the country should have access to lottery funds. Many areas, suffering wider social and economic deprivation, need extra support to develop and put in applications of a quality that will succeed. The National
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Lottery Funding Decision Document, published in July, contained proposals to make it easier for communities to access lottery grants.
Ministerial Engagements
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what sporting engagements she has attended in her official capacity since January, broken down by category. [129505]
Tessa Jowell: Since January I have visited the following sporting events in my official capacity:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Arsenal v Chelsea | 1 January 2003 |
| England v Australia Football Match | 12 February 2003 |
| World Indoor Athletics Championships | 16 March 2003 |
| London Marathon | 13 April 2003 |
| Wimbledon Tennis Championships | 6 July 2003 |
Royal Residences
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the plans are for each of the buildings for which her Department is responsible which were occupied by Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. [131284]
Mr. Caborn: Clarence House is the only building that was occupied by the late Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother for which the Department is responsible. Clarence House has recently been refurbished as the official London residence for His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry, to provide office accommodation for his immediate staff and to enable His Royal Highness to carry out his official duties.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Asbestos
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent by his Department and its agencies on (a) asbestos surveys and (b) the management and removal of asbestos since 1 January 2001; and what budget is available to (i) commission asbestos surveys and (ii) manage and remove asbestos from buildings in (A) 2003 and (B) 2004. [130918]
Maria Eagle: A programme of surveys and risk assessments, covering all buildings occupied by this Department, is being carried out and it is anticipated that this will be completed by April 2004. This Department is expected to be fully compliant with the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations by the required date of 21 May 2004. No estimate has been made of the cost of these actions so far or of the likely future cost. However, the majority of the Estate occupied by this Department was transferred, for value, to Land Securities Trillium in 1998. Under the terms of the contract they are responsible for arranging and funding the surveys and risk assessments and also taking necessary action for the removal or management of any asbestos found.
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Child Care
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps are being taken to (a) train and (b) recruit people in the child care sector; and if he will make a statement. [128675]
Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
Child care is an important community resource, supporting parents to work, learn and study. Good quality child care supports better outcomes for children. A skilled and qualified child care workforce is essential to meet our objective to increase the availability of high quality child care for all age groups.
We provide for the training of child care workers through the Learning and Skills Council, and through funding allocated to local authorities and their Early Years Development and Child care Partnerships. It is for local LSCs and local authorities to assess needs in their areas and develop plans to ensure the training delivered best meets them. We issued joint guidance with LSC to encourage local planning for workforce development.
A national child care recruitment campaign has been running since 2000 to encourage people to consider a career in child care. It includes television and media advertising, a variety of customised information and materials, a national orderline and a website with order facility. Local authorities promote careers in child care using a range of materials and events, working with local partners such as Jobcentre Plus, Careers Services, providers and sector organisations to provide practical help to potential recruits.
We issued guidance to local authorities in July 2003, including activities to promote training and recruitment. The General Sure Start Grant includes £129.9 million for workforce development for the two years 2004–06, which covers training and recruitment for child care and early years workers.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the efficiency of information technology where the Child Support Agency is responsible for drawing payments from an individual for a number of children by different partners. [131376]
Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. David Drew, dated 26 September 2003:
- The Secretary of State in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
- You ask for a statement on the efficiency of IT where the CSA is responsible for drawing payments from an individual for a number of children by different partners.
- The child support computer system has been designed to support and reflect the change in policy under the new child support scheme. This means that it will allocate payments received from Non Resident Parents equally between all the relevant Parents with Care based on the number of qualifying children. However, we recognise that in implementing the new child support
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- scheme arrangements and introducing a complex new IT system that there will be teething problems. Where problems occur we aim to respond quickly and to ensure that these do not adversely affect the client.
- A report on progress in the implementation of the new child support scheme was placed in the Library on 14 July 2003.
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