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11 Nov 2004 : Column 839W—continued
Royal Mail Holdings
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports she has (a) requested and (b) received from the Shareholder Executive regarding the privatisation of Royal Mail Holdings plc. [197179]
Mr. Sutcliffe: I have not requested or received any reports from the Shareholder Executive.
Privatisation of the Royal Mail is not on the Government's agenda. There are no plans to dispose of the Government's shareholding in the Royal Mail.
Trans-European Energy Network
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the role that the EU-sponsored trans-European energy network might play in providing energy security for the UK. [197561]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The trans-European energy network programme (TENs) provides assistance for feasibility studies and pre-construction development for infrastructure projects, particularly interconnectors, between member states and between the EU and its neighbours. Gas and electricity interconnectors make an important contribution to security of supply. The annual budget for TENs is small (currently €20 million) compared to the investment necessary to bring projects to fruition. TENs support can, however, be a catalyst for investment by supporting the initial stages of projects. Information from the Commission shows that in the period 1996–2001 a total of 140 actions in 53 projects received assistance totalling €123 million, with 56 per cent. going to natural gas projects and the remainder to electricity projects. UK projects have received a proportionate level of support from the TENs energy programme.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Casinos
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the location of each gaming casino in Scotland is. [197647]
Mr. Caborn:
The Gaming Board for Great Britain report that casinos are licensed in the following locations in Scotland.
11 Nov 2004 : Column 840W
| Casinos | |
|---|---|
| Aberdeen | 2 |
| Dundee | 1 |
| Edinburgh | 4 |
| Glasgow | 5 |
Departmental Documents/Staff
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Department's target is for the interval between publication of (a) departmental announcements and documents and (b) material published by public bodies for which her Department has oversight and their posting online; and what the average interval was in the latest year for which figures are available. [195399]
Mr. Caborn [pursuant to the reply, 1 November 2004, Official Report, c. 42W]: I regret that my earlier answer did not take into account the amended wording of the question.
The Department aims to make all announcements and documents available online at the same time as they are otherwise released. The Department does not keep a record of timings from which an average interval could be calculated. We would expect our sponsored bodies to adhere to the same target but information on the average interval for publishing online by DCMS bodies could be discovered only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the staff of the Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities. [196133]
Mr. Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 9 November 2004, Official Report, columns 619–20W.
Football Association
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to appoint (a) a regulator to oversee the operation of the Football Association and (b) an independent adviser to oversee constitutional change at the Football Association; and if she will make a statement. [196769]
Mr. Caborn: The Government's aim for the Football Association is for them to be fit for purpose. The FA's Board and Council are committed to a review headed by an independent person and I remain in regular contact with all parties concerned.
Gambling Bill
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on which dates the proposals contained within the Gambling Bill were discussed at the Joint Ministerial Committee; and in what format. [196310]
Mr. Caborn:
I have no knowledge of this Committee.
11 Nov 2004 : Column 841W
Horse Racing
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will propose an extension to the horse racing levy system and board. [197905]
Mr. Caborn: We have no plans to do so. We are, however, asking the British Horseracing Board for an assessment of the possible implications of a recent judgment of the European Court of Justice in relation to database rights.
Lottery Grants
Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many swimming pools have been constructed with Lottery grants in each of the last 10 years. [197117]
Estelle Morris: 92 swimming pools, including those integrated with sports and leisure centres, have been constructed in the last 10 years. The year-by-year breakdown is as follows:
| Pools constructed | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 14 |
| 1996 | 9 |
| 1997 | 11 |
| 1998 | 13 |
| 1999 | 10 |
| 2000 | 10 |
| 2001 | 10 |
| 2002 | 8 |
| 2003 | 7 |
Figures for 2004 are not yet available, and no lottery-funded swimming pools were constructed in 1994, as the first lottery panel did not convene until March 1995.
Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the constituencies which have received Lottery grants for the construction of swimming pools in the last 10 years. [197118]
Estelle Morris: In the last 10 years, the following constituencies have received lottery grants for the construction of swimming pools:
North Devon; Brigg and Goole; Weaver Vale; West Dorset; Penrith and the Border; Leominster; Truro and St. Austell; Surrey Heath; Vale of York; Cambridge; North Cornwall; Tiverton and Honiton; Richmond (Yorkshire); Ealing North; South East Cambridgeshire; South East Cornwall; Bristol North West; Wells; Forest of Dean; Aylesbury; Harrogate and Knaresborough; Yeovil; South West Norfolk; Liverpool Wavertree; North Wiltshire; Hitchin and Harpenden; Arundel and South Downs; Erith and Thamesmead; South Norfolk; East Devon; East Surrey; Rushcliffe; Woodspring; North West Leicestershire; Tiverton and Honiton; Ludlow; North Warwickshire; Bexleyheath and Crayford; Berwick-upon-Tweed; Hertsmere; Liverpool West Derby; Morecambe and Lunesdale; Bexhill and Battle; North West Hampshire; Epping Forest; Leicester South; Harrow East; West Chelmsford; Middlesbrough South and Cleveland; East; Totnes; Skipton and Ripon; Southport; Stockton South; Mid Dorset and North Poole; Westmorland and Lonsdale; Maidstone and The Weald; Somerton and Frome; Lewisham West; Croydon Central; Norwich South; Bath; Cheltenham; Nuneaton; Hertsmere; Grantham and Stamford; St. Ives; North Norfolk; Torridge and West Devon; Berwick-upon-Tweed; Durham North;
- Horsham; Newcastle East/Wallsend; Harborough; Beckenham; Liverpool, Riverside; Calder Valley; Upminster; Camberwell and Peckham; Blackpool South; Walsall South; Sunderland South; Liverpool, Garston; Department for Culture, Media and Sport Parliamentary Branch, 2–4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH www.culture.gov.uk Morley and Rothwell; Huddersfield; Loughborough; Southampton Test; Cambridge; Hackney N. and Stoke Newington; Gloucester; East Ham; Norwich South; and Manchester Central.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money was distributed to sport through the Lottery in each of the last 10 years. [197457]
Estelle Morris: The following amounts have been awarded to the sports good cause in each calendar year. The figures for 2004 are the latest available and will represent a lag in the reporting process.
| Awarded (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1.7 |
| 1996 | 2.1 |
| 1997 | 1.8 |
| 1998 | 1.9 |
| 1999 | 6.1 |
| 2000 | 10.4 |
| 2001 | 13.1 |
| 2002 | 9.7 |
| 2003 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 1.4 |
| Total | 53.1 |
The Big Lottery Fund and Awards for All programme (which receives contributions from Sport England, Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund) also channel funding into projects that may involve an element of sport, however it is not possible to disaggregate precisely sports funding.
The information is freely available from the Department's searchable Lottery award database at www.lottery.culture.gsi.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.
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