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11 Nov 2004 : Column 804W—continued
Gambling
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what meetings (a) he, (b) his departmental Ministers and (c) advisers and officials have held with representatives of (i) Sun City International, (ii) MGM Mirage, (iii) Mandalay Resort Group, (iv) Kerzner International, (v) Las Vegas Sands, Inc., (vi) Harrah's Entertainment, (vii) Caesar's Entertainment and (viii) other foreign casino firms; what the (A) dates and (B) venues of the meetings were; and which individuals were present; [193763]
(2) which (a) UK and (b) international organisations have submitted written representations to the Department concerning the Government's proposals for changes to legislation on gambling; and on what dates each representation (i) was received and (ii) was given a substantive response; [194512]
(3) on what dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department have held meetings with representatives of the UK gambling industry to discuss proposed changes to legislation on gambling. [194516]
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the occasions on which (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have met representatives of (i) US casino operators, (ii) British casino operators and (iii) casino operators from other countries to discuss gambling issues, broken down by date of meeting. [195071]
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John Healey: The Chancellor keeps all taxation under review. As part of policy development and analysis, Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from, and have meetings with, a wide range of organisations and individuals, including the gambling industry. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the "Ministerial Code" and the "Civil Service Management Code".
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the overseas visits made by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department in relation to proposed changes to legislation on gambling; what the itinerary was for each visit; how long each visit lasted; which hotels were used; what the cost was in each case; and how each visit was funded. [194543]
John Healey [holding answer 1 November 2004]: Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.
An official of HM Customs and Excise visited France in connection with the proposed changes to legislation on gambling. The cost of the visit was met by the Department.
Physical Activity
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average level of physical activity (a) including and (b) excluding walking was in each
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region for each year in which the General Household Survey has been published since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [197365]
Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Don Foster, dated 11 November 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the average level of physical activity including and excluding walking in each region for each year in which the General Household Survey has been published since 1990. (197365)
The General Household Survey, carried out by the Office for National Statistics, periodically publishes participation rates in at least one sport, game or physical activity (including and excluding walking). The latest available estimates are for the 2002 survey. The attached tables show participation rates in the 4 weeks before interview for:
In England, adults living in the North, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside regions were the least likely to have taken part in some sport or physical activity during the four weeks before interview (57%, 59% and 61% respectively) and those living in the South West, East Anglia or the two South East regions outside of London were the most likely to have participated (66%, 67%, 68% and 67% respectively). Adults living in Scotland also had high participation rates (66%) compared with England (64%) and Wales (63%).
Scotland had the highest participation rate at 62% compared with 58% in England and 57% in Wales. In England, adults living in the South West were more likely than those in other regions to have participated in at least one activity excluding walking (50% compared with 37% to 46% for other regions in England).
As with any sample survey, estimates from the General Household Survey are subject to sampling variability.
(3) Regional data are only available from the General Household Survey for 1996 and 2000
Source:
General Household Survey
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(4) Regional data are only available from the General Household Survey for 1996 and 2002
(5) Weighting for non-response was introduced on the General Household Survey in 2000, in order to reduce non-response bias and improve the quality of data. For 2002 the weighted base (000's) shown is the base for percentages. Bases for earlier years are of similar size and can be found in GHS reports for each year.
Source:
General Household Survey
Hospices (VAT Relief)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2004, Official Report, column 580W, on hospices (VAT relief), on which purchases hospices can benefit from specific VAT zero rates. [193727]
Dawn Primarolo [pursuant to the reply, 27 October 2004, Official Report, c. 1295W]: I very much regret that the opening sentence of my earlier answer inadvertently contained information that was incorrect. It should have read:
The construction of a new building for use as a hospice and the first sale of a hospice converted from an existing non-residential building is VAT zero-rated.
Voluntary Sector Funding
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on funding for the voluntary sector. [197404]
Mr. Boateng: Government funding represents a significant proportion of overall revenue for the voluntary and community sector, and is rising in absolute and percentage terms. The Home Office plans to publish a report on central Government funding for the voluntary sector at the end of November.
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