---

28 Jun 2004 : Column 4W—continued

Water Resources Act

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to amend the Water Resources Act 1991 to implement Recommendation 7 in Lord Donaldson's Review, Salvage and Intervention and their Command and Control, published in 1999. [180158]

Mr. Morley: I have agreed with my hon. Friend the Minister for Shipping that officials at the Department for Transport will investigate how to implement this recommendation. Officials are currently examining the possibility of using a Regulatory Reform Order.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Postal Ballot Pilots

21. Mr. Pickthall : To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the Commission has made of the all-postal voting system, following the pilots in four English regions in the June elections. [180452]

Mr. Viggers: The Commission is required by section 4 of the European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004 to report on each of the electoral pilots within three months of the date of declaration of the result of the European Parliamentary general election in the relevant region. This period expires on 13 September in all cases. The section sets out the scope of the evaluation which the Commission is required to undertake. The Commission has made available in the Library the evaluation framework document it has developed for this purpose.
 
28 Jun 2004 : Column 5W
 

26. Bob Spink: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the postal ballot pilots. [180458]

Mr. Viggers: The Commission is required by section 4 of the European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004 to report on each of the electoral pilots within three months of the date of declaration of the result of the European Parliamentary general election in the relevant region. This period expires on 13 September in all cases. The section sets out the scope of the evaluation which the Commission is required to undertake. The Commission has made available in the Library the evaluation framework document it has developed for this purpose.

David Taylor: To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment (a) has been made and (b) is planned of the all-postal ballot pilot carried out in the East Midlands for the recent European and local elections. [180515]

Mr. Viggers: The Commission is required by section 4 of the European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004 to report on each of the electoral pilots within three months of the date of declaration of the result of the European Parliamentary general election in the relevant region. This period expires on 13 September in all cases. Separate reports will be published for each region, including the East Midlands. The evaluation framework document developed by the Commission is available in the Library of the House.

Norman Baker: To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what plans the Commission has to assess the integrity of the voting system, with specific reference to postal ballots. [180453]

Mr. Viggers: By virtue of section 4 of the European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004, the Commission is required to report, within three months of the declaration of the result of the European Parliamentary general election in the region, on the all-postal pilot schemes that took place earlier this month. The Commission's report will consider issues of electoral integrity and will be published by the statutory deadline of 13 September 2004. The Commission also continues to assess the operation of postal voting on demand, and will be reviewing the impact of its draft Code of Conduct for political parties, candidates and canvassers on the handling of postal voting applications and postal ballot papers in this context.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Activity Target

12. Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress her Department has made in assessing the likelihood of achieving its activity target to get 70 per cent. of the population reasonably active by 2020. [180472]

 
28 Jun 2004 : Column 6W
 

Tessa Jowell: The Department is currently reviewing the 70 per cent. Game Plan target through the Choosing Activity consultation jointly published with the Department of Health on 6 May 2004.

Horse Racing (Scotland)

15. Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the consequences for horse racing in Scotland of the Office of Fair Trading Report on the Modernisation of British Horse Racing. [180475]

Mr. Caborn: The outcome of the OFT inquiry, taken together with the BHB's own plans for the modernisation of racing, will provide a firm basis for the sport's future success both in Scotland and the rest of the country.

Gambling

16. Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to discourage gambling. [180476]

Mr. Caborn: No. For most people gambling is a harmless leisure pursuit; and participation should be a matter of informed adult choice. But in the Gambling Bill we propose to discourage problem gambling, by strengthening safeguards for the young and vulnerable.

Licensing Act 2003

17. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to publish the fee structure for licence applications under the Licensing Act 2003. [180478]

Tessa Jowell: I will release draft regulations, showing fee levels, for public consultation as soon as possible.

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had in the last six months on the likely impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on the level of binge drinking. [180473]

Tessa Jowell: In the last six months I and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, have had extensive discussions across Government and with the police, local authorities and the industry about the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on binge drinking. We expect the Act to help reduce levels of binge drinking currently occurring as a result of fixed closing times for on-licensed premises.

Tourism (England)

18. Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the promotion of tourism in England. [180479]

Mr. Caborn: VisitBritain launched its domestic marketing strategy in November last year to grow the value of domestic tourism throughout the English regions throughout the year. Since then VisitBritain has run a number of campaigns including 'Outdoor England' and 'City Culture'. Further campaigns are planned for later this year.
 
28 Jun 2004 : Column 7W
 

Art Exports

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) museum directors, (b) the Society of London Art Dealers and (c) auction houses about the export of works of art of national importance. [180935]

Estelle Morris: The main forum for discussion about the export of works of art of national importance is the Advisory Council to the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art. The Advisory Council consists of representatives of all parties interested in the export control of cultural objects, including Directors of museums and representatives from the Art Trade. The Advisory Council usually meets annually, at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Members are consulted on relevant policy issues and members can use the meeting to express their views and concerns. The next meeting takes place on 1 July.

Departmental Policies

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury regarding her Department's policies on (i) Stonehenge and (ii) digital broadcasting; and what the outcome was of these discussions. [180593]

Estelle Morris: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has had regular discussions with Treasury colleagues about the Spending Review 2004. The outcome of these discussions will form part of the Spending Review settlement which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the (a) current and (b) projected level of spending by her Department is on (i) Stonehenge and (ii) digital broadcasting. [180595]

Estelle Morris: English Heritage, which is funded by DCMS grant in aid, manages Stonehenge on behalf of DCMS as part of its portfolio of properties. The level of spending on Departmental administrative costs for Stonehenge is estimated at £40,000 in 2004–05.

DCMS will spend £220,000 on preparations for digital switchover in 2004–05.

The total level of future spending on both these areas beyond 2004–05 depends on the outcome of the current Spending Review which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor will announce in the coming weeks.

---