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WTO Ministerial Conference

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he will reply to the letter dated 6 October from the Member for Banff and Buchan regarding the World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference. [137581]

Hilary Benn: Unfortunately, the Department has no record of having received this letter of 6 October. If the hon. Member would kindly re-send the letter I will ensure that he receives a prompt reply.

Zimbabwe

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement

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on the (a) effectiveness and (b) outcomes of the additional fund of emergency support to Zimbabwe announced on 23 October 2003. [136560]

Hilary Benn: On 23 October DFID pledged a further £5 million for food assistance in Zimbabwe, through the World Food Programme (WFP), and £1.88 million for essential childhood vaccines, through UNICEF. These pledges bring British Government assistance in addressing the current humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe to over £62 million since September 2001.

I am confident that our financial assistance is being used effectively. The WFP has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Zimbabwe which clearly sets out the humanitarian principles governing the identification of beneficiaries for WFP's ongoing emergency operation. Distribution procedures have been agreed with Government which give WFP's implementing partners (NGOs) a clear role in ensuring that donor-funded food aid reaches only those for whom it is intended. UNICEF has similarly robust procedures for ensuring that vaccines are used effectively for protecting vulnerable children from potentially fatal diseases, including tuberculosis, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, diphtheria, polio and measles.

The DFID team based in Zimbabwe is closely monitoring both the effectiveness and the outcomes of UK humanitarian support. The UK's recent contribution to WFP includes a provision of £0.5 million to strengthen WFP's monitoring systems for donor-funded food distribution. This will enable WFP to produce comprehensive monthly reports on the processes and the impact of all food aid distributed by them, as well as providing a basis upon which to improve the design of future operations.

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcome was of the contract awarded to Oxford Policy Management Ltd. for a Zimbabwe Trade Policy Capacity Project; and what action he took to ensure that none of this money went to the Government of Zimbabwe and its officials. [137732]

Hilary Benn: The contract was terminated in July 2001 due to the political situation in Zimbabwe. The total spend was £10,100, paid to Oxford Policy Management Ltd.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Television

10. Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with the Treasury concerning the free provision of the new viewing card to former Solus card users aged 75 and over. [137032]

Tessa Jowell: My Department has had no such discussions with the Treasury. While the Government appreciate the importance of television to many pensioners. the provision of a Solus "viewing card" is a matter for the broadcasters.

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Film Initiatives (Schools and Colleges)

11. John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department is giving to film initiatives in schools and colleges. [137033]

Estelle Morris: The UK Film Council, charged by the Government to support education about, and access to, film culture, runs the First Light initiative to help young people in schools and colleges make short films. The Creative Partnerships Programme has also run a number of film projects in schools, some in partnership with First Light.

The British Film Institute, funded by the UK Film Council, runs a number of education projects in schools and colleges across the UK about film and the moving image.

Amateur Sport

12. Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when amateur sporting clubs will be able to access rate relief. [137034]

Mr. Caborn: Clubs may register with the Inland Revenue for Community Amateur Sport Club status immediately. Registered clubs will receive mandatory rate relief from 1 April 2004.

Monuments (Preferential Charging)

13. Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the number of cultural and historical monuments which set preferential charges for (a) local residents and (b) UK nationals; and whether it is her policy to continue to permit such preferences. [137035]

Estelle Morris: If such preferential charges exist at cultural and historic sites owned by or managed on behalf of the state, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will not permit their continuance as this would be in breach of EU law.

Casinos

14. Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures her Department will put in place to limit the proliferation of gaming in the planned liberalisation of casinos. [137036]

Tessa Jowell: Liberalisation of casinos must be controlled and balanced. We consulted about our proposals in August. We see real possibilities of using large resort casinos to secure regeneration benefits, but we do not want to see the proliferation of small casinos.

The consultation ended recently. We are considering the responses.

Tourism

15. Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases her Department has issued since April that relate directly to tourism. [137037]

Mr. Caborn: The Department has issued four press releases since April relating directly to tourism.

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We have also issued three press releases on the reform of the licensing system, which impacts directly on the tourism and hospitality sector.

Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to improve the skills base in the tourism industry. [136653]

Mr. Caborn: The Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism sectors are working with my Department and the Sector Skills Development Agency to set up a Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the industry. The SSC will be industry led and will co-ordinate the sectors approach to reducing the skills gaps and shortages and anticipate future needs. It will provide a one-stop shop for advice on learning and skills and sign post employers to other sources of help. The SSC will investigate the needs of both large and small employers and develop tailored support to help them achieve business objectives.

BBC

17. Huw Irranca-Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the Office of Fair Trading report on independent productions transmitted by the BBC. [137039]

Tessa Jowell: I was very disappointed that the BBC failed to meet its 25 per cent. independent production quota for 2002–03. I take this extremely seriously and have written to the BBC Chairman, Gavyn Davies, to say so. In future, it will be a matter for Ofcom to enforce this quota and they will have powers to fine in cases of non-compliance.

20. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the BBC on using the licence fee to fund the future development of its on-line services. [137042]

Tessa Jowell: I have had no recent discussions with the BBC on this matter. The BBC's online service is currently the subject of an independent review by Philip Graf. The findings of this review will feed into the forthcoming review of the BBC's Charter, and as such, will have a bearing on the funding arrangements for the future developments of BBC online services.

School Sport

18. Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Department for Education and Skills about widening the range of (a) competitive and (b) non-competitive sports in schools. [137040]

Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets regularly with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to discuss issues of mutual concern. These include the Public Service Agreement target, shared by both departments, to increase the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport—both competitive and non-competitive—within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.

Regional Theatre

19. Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she has taken to

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ensure that small theatres in the regions of England receive a larger share of support from funding organisations; and if she will make a statement. [137041]

Estelle Morris: As a consequence of the theatre review in 2001, Arts Council England is allocating substantially more funding to regional theatre across England. From April this year the total budget for theatre is, £100 million and will increase further by 2005–06. This is exceptionally good news and will lead to more and better theatre for audiences across the country.

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