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8 Mar 2004 : Column 1301W—continued
Public Libraries
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimates she has made of public library spending in each year since 1990 on (a) information and communications technology equipment, (b) building renovations, (c) book stocks and (d) audio-visual material stocks; and if she will make a statement. [158967]
Estelle Morris: This information is not held centrally. However, information about expenditure on libraries, including expenditure on book and audio-visual material stocks is contained in the annual Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Public Library Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
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Remembrance Services
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how much has been allocated from the New Opportunities Fund to fund travel expenses of ex-servicemen and women wanting to travel to remembrance services in each year since its introduction; [158968]
- (2) for how long the New Opportunities Fund has provided travel expenses to ex-servicemen and women wanting to attend remembrance services in (a) the UK and (b) Europe; [158969]
(3) if she will make a statement on the provision of financial aid through the New Opportunities Fund to help ex-servicemen and women travel to remembrance services; [158971]
(4) what criteria were used when deciding whether individual servicemen and women are entitled to benefit from the funding of their travel expenses to remembrance services by the New Opportunities Fund; [158973]
(5) how many servicemen and women have benefited from the funding of travel expenses to remembrance services by the New Opportunities Fund in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [158974]
Estelle Morris: The New Opportunities Fund launched its Heroes Return scheme on 9 February 2004. This scheme is providing £10 million funding for Second World War veterans their wives or husbands, widows or widowers, and, where required, carers to visit the overseas areas where the veterans saw active service. The main criterion is that ex-servicemen and women saw active service with or alongside the British Armed Forces in the Second World War. Further details on the Heroes Return can be obtained from the Veterans Agency on 0800 169 2277.
A second scheme, Home Front Recall, will be launched later in the spring. This will provide funding projects and events in the UK for veterans and others within the broader community to commemorate the events leading to the end of the Second World War. More details of how this scheme will operate will be available when it is launched.
The New Opportunities Fund has not previously operated a scheme in relation to veterans, but the National Lottery as a whole has provided over £3 million of funding to veterans and veterans organisations since 1995.
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether ex-servicemen and women from (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Wales and (d) England are entitled to equal
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financial aid through the New Opportunities Fund to travel to remembrance services in (i) the UK and (ii) Europe. [158970]
Estelle Morris: On (i), the New Opportunities Fund will shortly be launching its Home Front Recall scheme, which will fund the costs of commemorative projects and events in the UK to mark the events that led to the end of the second world war. Details of the application process for grants will be announced when the scheme is launched later in the spring, but it will be a UK-wide scheme providing funding in all four UK countries.
On (ii), the New Opportunities Fund launched its Heroes Return scheme in February 2004. This scheme provides funding for second world war veterans, their wives or husbands, widows or widowers, and, where required, carers to visit the areas in Europe (and, indeed, other parts of the world) where the veterans saw active service. It is a UK-wide scheme and veterans from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England are entitled to equal financial assistance.
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she received from ex-servicemen and women during the creation of the initiative by the New Opportunities Fund to fund their travel expenses to remembrance services. [158972]
Estelle Morris: The New Opportunities Fund (NOF), as part of its role in developing the Heroes Return scheme, has discussed the scheme widely with veterans and veterans' organisations. In particular, the fund has worked closely with the Confederation of British Service and Ex-service Organisations (COBSEO), which is the representative body for the UK's veterans' organisations, since the Heroes Return scheme was first proposed. In addition, the fund has arranged meetings with many of the major veterans organisations, such as the Royal British Legion. COBSEO and NOF are currently running seminars across the UK to explain the nature of the Heroes Return scheme directly to a large number of veterans' organisations.
S4C
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to complete the review of the funding for S4C. [158932]
Tessa Jowell: Following a request from the S4C Authority, I have commissioned an independent review of S4C, to be carried out by Roger Laughton, Head of Bournemouth University Media School. He will be assisted by Meurig Royles as Welsh language assessor. I have asked Mr. Laughton to report back to me at the beginning of May.
Tourism Prospectus
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department expects to release the Tourism Prospectus announced on 17 November 2003. [159253]
Mr. Caborn: It is anticipated that the Prospectus will be released by the early summer. The first round of consultation last year produced a number of valuable contributions from stakeholders. These have been
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reflected in a new draft, which will be sent out for final stakeholder consultation in the next few weeks. The Prospectus will be an agreed statement of actions and responsibilities between the major players in tourism, both in the public and private sectors.
Weymouth Transmitter
Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Weymouth transmitter will be upgraded. [159236]
Estelle Morris: Broadcasters, through contracts with transmission operators, are responsible for maintaining the terrestrial network. But until the analogue signals are turned off, there will not be enough frequencies available to enable all the transmitters to carry digital terrestrial services. We believe that digital switchover could be achieved between 2006 and 2010, subject to our affordability and availability criteria being met.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Cancer
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have died from cancer in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [157336]
Mr. Pearson: The following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland each year from 1993 to 2002 caused by "malignant neoplasms" 1 .
- 1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 (2001–2002) and the Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 140–208 (1993–2000).
| Deaths | |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 3,624 |
| 1994 | 3,595 |
| 1995 | 3,491 |
| 1996 | 3,623 |
| 1997 | 3,589 |
| 1998 | 3,648 |
| 1999 | 3,552 |
| 2000 | 3,541 |
| 2001 | 3,696 |
| 2002 | 3,652 |
Citizenship Ceremonies
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether citizenship ceremonies will take place in Northern Ireland. [157825]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Yes, the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 applies to all parts of the United Kingdom.
Alternative Power Sources
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent progress has been made in the development of alternative power sources in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [157657]
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Mr. Pearson: During the past year, the ability of the Northern Ireland electricity system to accommodate a broad range of renewable energy generation has been fully assessed, as has the potential for generating electricity from tidal streams in the waters around Northern Ireland.
Renewable energy generation connected to the Northern Ireland grid increased from 45 megawatts in 2002 to 86 megawatts in 2003. All of this increase was wind based, although important projects using wood waste (five megawatts) and landfill gas (four megawatts) will be completed during 2004.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is currently assessing the economic potential of biomass for energy generation in Northern Ireland and will report its conclusions in the autumn.
I intend to support the development of renewable energy by introducing a Renewable Obligation from April 2005 and I will be consulting shortly on the draft scheme of operation and legislation for the Obligation.
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