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Poverty

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in Leeds, West have been lifted out of poverty since 1997. [132742]

Mr. Pond: The fifth annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 5956) sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.

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Information in respect of Leeds West is not available, as data for these indicators goes down only to national or regional level. Below that, it would not be statistically robust.

This publication is available in the Library.

Tax Credits

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents have (a) moved off income support and on to the working families tax credit and (b) left the working families tax credit to return to income support in each year since the working families' tax credit was introduced. [131092]

Mr. Pond: In April 2003, building on the success of working families tax credit, we introduced child tax credit and working tax credit to provide a single seamless system of support for children, and tackle in-work poverty and improve work incentives by making work pay.

The information requested is in the table.

Lone parents leaving income support (IS), moving to working families tax credit (WFTC) and subsequently returning to IS in Great Britain, 1 October 1999–31 March 2003

	All lone parents leaving IS	Moving to WFTC within 90 days of leaving IS	Subsequently returning to IS from WFTC
October 1999– September 2000	299,500	120,900	51,800
October 2000– September 2001	268,600	111,800	40,800
October 2001– September 2002	263,500	110,300	29,600
October 2002– March 2003	131,300	56,200	8,700

Notes:

1. Figures give lone parents leaving IS during the periods shown, while 'returns' refer to the whole lifetime of WFTC. Earlier periods will therefore show higher proportions returning to IS than later years.

2. Figures include those who were classed as lone parents' on leaving IS but are no longer categorised as such on return to IS.

3. As no new claims to WFTC were allowed after 1 April 2003, people leaving IS in this year had less opportunity to move to WFTC. However, some of these IS terminations may have since moved onto child tax credit.

Source:

IS and WFTC Computer Systems, 5 per cent. sample

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadcasting

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to ensure that the regulation of radio and television broadcasting is transparent and effective; and if she will make a statement. [134229]

Estelle Morris: The Communications Act 2003 puts in place a framework for the effective regulation of the communications sectors, including radio and television broadcasting, by the new communications regulator, OFCOM. The Act makes it explicit that, in carrying out their duties, OFCOM must have regard in all cases to

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the Better Regulation Task Force's five principles of good regulation, which include transparency, and other principles of good regulatory practice.

In addition, the process of reviewing the BBC's Royal Charter will begin before the end of the year. The review will cover the full range of the BBC's role, structure and function, including the arrangements for ensuring effective and transparent regulation.

Departmental Expenditure (Official Residences)

Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Department spent on (a) maintenance, (b) renovation, (c) council tax and (d) running costs of residential properties used by Ministers and officials in each year since 1997. [134683]

Mr. Caborn: DCMS has no responsibility for any such properties.

Football

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many football clubs with grounds in inner urban areas (a) have relocated since 1997 and (b) intend to relocate to new sites on the urban periphery or beyond; and if she will make a statement. [134608]

Mr. Caborn: This is not a matter for the Government, and this information is not held by my Department. According to Football Association figures, there are approximately 40,000 amateur, semi-professional and professional football clubs in England. A high proportion of these are located in urban areas. The re-location of amateur clubs is a matter for County Football Associations; re-locations of professional clubs are matters for the Premier and Football Leagues.

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding she gives to support the maintenance of football pitches in public ownership in (a) England and (b) Kent. [134768]

Mr. Caborn: All public funding for football in England is channelled through the Football Foundation. The Foundation will receive approximately £60 million from each of the Government, the Football Association and the FA Premier League over the period 2000–04.

Funding from the three partners is not hypothecated. However, since 2000 the Foundation has made 154 grants totalling £10.94 million in respect of projects involving football pitches in public ownership. Three of these grants, totalling £790,353, involved pitches in Kent.

Licensing Act

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether, under the Licensing Act 2003, a licensing authority which is aware that a bar or pub has been a source of complaint by nearby residents because of the playing of noisy recorded music, will be empowered to impose a noise-limiting condition on such premises when the licensee converts his existing licence to a new premises licence during the transition period. [133946]

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Mr. Caborn: No. Following an application for conversion of an existing licence or licences to a premises licence during the transition period, the licensing authority must grant the application if it is made in accordance with the provisions of Part 1 of Schedule 8 to the Licensing Act 2003. This is unless an appeal is pending against a decision to revoke or reject an application for the renewal of an existing licence and the chief officer of the police to whom the application has been copied under paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 8 gives notice that he is satisfied that the conversion of the existing licence would undermine the crime prevention objective, or the chief officer of police is satisfied that there has been a material change in circumstances since the grant of the existing licence or its last renewal such that the conversion of the existing licence would undermine the crime prevention objective, in which case the application may be refused following a hearing.

The new premises licence will be subject only to conditions which reproduce the effect of the conditions or restrictions in the existing licence or licences as well as the mandatory conditions.

Following the second appointed day, any responsible authority or interested party, such as a local resident, may seek a review of the new licence, which could, if necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives lead to the imposition of new Department for Culture, Media and Sport Parliamentary Unit 2–4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH

www.culture.gov.uk conditions.

Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will issue the statutory guidance and regulations relating to the Licensing Act 2003. [133973]

Mr. Caborn: The statutory guidance relating to the Licensing Act 2003 will be presented to Parliament shortly.

The regulations relating to the Licensing Act 2003 will be issued over the next few months.

Travel Agents (VAT)

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she and her officials have met their counterparts in the Treasury to discuss the implications of the changes proposed by the European Commission to the special travel agents VAT scheme contained in Directive 77/388/EEC; what her Department's stance is on these proposals; and what recommendations were made to the Treasury. [133148]

Mr. Caborn: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor officials have met HM Treasury counterparts on this issue. However, this Department has remained in close discussions with HM Customs and Excise who have the lead for this issue in Europe. My Department has listened and is sympathetic to the Tourism industry's concerns and we will continue to discuss this with HM Customs and Excise. HM Customs have met and discussed this issue with the industry and will continue to work hard to ensure that UK business interests are given full weight in EU negotiations.

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TV Licensing (Prosecutions)

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what system is used by TV Licensing in Northern Ireland to record and monitor where prosecutions are being brought. [133240]

Mr. Caborn: TV Licensing, who administer the television licensing system as agent for the BBC, record the total number of prosecutions for licence evasion in Northern Ireland but do not maintain a localised breakdown of these figures.

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