House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 21 Feb 2005 (pt 61)

21 Feb 2005 : Column 228W—continued

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Licensing Act

12. Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in implementing the Licensing Act 2003. [216959]

Tessa Jowell: I am pleased to announce that 7 February marked the start of the transition from the old licensing regimes to the arrangements under the 2003 Act. Applicants have six months to convert existing licences and until November to secure new licences. The necessary regulations have been made and the first two personal licence qualifications under the Act have been accredited. The old licensing laws will end in November and be superseded by a licensing regime which is fit for the 21st century and will benefit the whole community.

13. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's advice to local authorities is on assessing the local cumulative impact of licensing applications made under the Licensing Act 2003. [216960]

Mr. Caborn: On 7 July last year, we published our guidance to licensing authorities and this is available in the House Library and also on our website www.culture.gov.uk. Our advice on assessing the local cumulative impact of licensing applications made under the 2003 Act can be found in sections 3.13–3.28 of the guidance.

17. Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the financial implications of the Licensing Act 2003 for sports clubs. [216964]

Mr. Caborn: In setting the fee levels and the allocation of premises to a band based on its non-domestic rateable value we have considered the impact of the approach on clubs, including sports clubs. We do not consider that the financial implications on such clubs will be significant.

14. Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment her Department has made of the impact of licence fee levels on amateur and voluntary sports clubs. [216961]

Faith Communities (Built Heritage)

18. Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement

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on her Department's policies towards financial support for the protection of the built heritage of faith communities. [216965]

Estelle Morris: My Department has in place a comprehensive package of financial support for the repair and maintenance of historic ecclesiastical buildings. The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme repays the equivalent of the VAT paid on repairs to listed churches and other places of worship. English Heritage operates schemes for the funding of repair and maintenance of historic churches and cathedrals.

Alcohol Licensing (Bridgwater)

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many alcohol licences are currently issued to premises in the Bridgwater constituency. [217411]

Mr. Caborn: We do not have a record of the number of alcohol licences currently issued in the Bridgwater constituency.

However, I can provide statistics for the petty sessional areas of Sedgemoor and Taunton Deane and West Somerset, which include Bridgwater. As of June 2004 there were 799 on-licensed premises and 263 off-licence premises—a total of 1,062 licences.

DCMS deposited the source publication for these figures, Statistical Bulletin Liquor Licensing (England and Wales, July 2003-June 2004)", on 27 October 2004 in the House Libraries. This document is available on the DCMS website at: http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/research/statistics_outputs/liquor_licensing_statistics.htm

Children's Sport

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many children participated in (a) boxing, (b) rugby, (c) football, (d) netball and (e) hockey in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [216948]

Mr. Caborn: The results of the largest and most comprehensive survey of school sport in England—published on 29 April 2004—showed that within School Sport Partnership schools; 97 per cent. offer football, 84 per cent. offer netball, 77 per cent. offer hockey, 67 per cent. offer rugby union, 12 per cent. rugby league and around 1 per cent. offer boxing.

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many schoolchildren there are in the Bridgwater constituency; and what percentage participate in two hours of quality physical sport or activity each week. [217412]

Mr. Caborn: There were 12,611 pupils aged 5–19 attending schools in the Bridgwater constituency as of January 2004 (the latest figures available).

The constituency level information sought is not held centrally in the format requested. However, the 2003–04 PE, School Sport and Club Links survey showed that overall, 62 per cent. of pupils in schools within a School Sport Partnership (at the time of the survey, 30 per cent. of all schools in England) spend at least two hours in a typical week on high-quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum.

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Within the constituency of Bridgwater there is one School Sport Partnership, comprising 31 schools. All schools, both within Bridgwater as well as nationally, will be part of a School Sport Partnership by September 2006.

Departmental Policies

Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will set out, with statistical information relating as closely as possible to the Blyth Valley constituency, the effects of the Department's policies on the Blyth Valley since 1997. [216541]

Mr. Caborn: The Department's aim is to improve the quality of life for everyone through cultural and sporting activities, to support the pursuit of excellence and to champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries. The Department's policies and actions have had a significant impact on Blyth Valley since 2 May 1997.

In 2002 we launched the first ever comprehensive national physical education, school sport and club links strategy with an investment of £459 million. A school sport partnership involving four Primary Link teachers is based at St. Benet Biscop in Blyth Valley. To achieve our challenging targets for increased participation in sport and physical activity, we have invested in thousands of new and refurbished public sports facilities. Sports facilities in Blyth Valley have benefited from six Sport England Lottery grants totalling £493,758.

We have increased our national funding to the arts in real terms by 60 per cent. from £199 million in 1998–99 to £367 million in 2004–05. Between 1998–99 and 2003–04 Arts Council England, North East grants increased from £5.7 million to £12.2 million. In 2005–06 the total Arts Council England investment in regularly funded organisations in the North East will be £11.3 million. Blyth Valley has benefited from grants to arts projects, organisations and individuals, including the Northern Cultural Skills Partnership and the Northern Disability Arts Forum.

From September 2005, schools in Blyth Valley will be included in the third phase of the Creative Partnerships programme which began in 2002. Creative Partnerships aims to give schoolchildren and their teachers the opportunity to explore their creativity by working on sustained projects with creative organisations and individuals, including artists, theatre companies, dance studios, museums, orchestras, film-makers and historic buildings. Funding of £65 million was allocated for the period 2002–05 to develop Creative Partnerships, and the programme will receive at least a further £86 million in 2005–08.

Young people in Blyth Valley have also benefited from the setting up of the Northumberland Youth Music Action Zone, known as CoMusica, in 2000. CoMusica has received a total of £866,500 and 1,450 young people from across Northumberland have taken part in its local music projects and events.

Culture Online was launched in 2002 to increase access to, and participation in, arts and culture. Many of its projects are aimed at children of school age and at audiences that might not otherwise participate in arts

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and culture, including those who do not easily have access to arts and culture, people from deprived communities and people with particular educational or physical needs. People in Blyth Valley will be among those who benefit from Culture Online. Between 2002 and 2004, £13 million was allocated to fund 20 Culture Online projects.

Through our commitment to public service broadcasting we have helped to foster an environment in which a creative, commercially successful broadcasting industry provides a wide range of UK-made, high-quality original programmes catering for all viewers and listeners. We have ensured a secure funding base for the BBC and Channel 4, while giving them the freedom to develop commercial operations which complement and support their public service remit. The Communications Act 2003 includes provisions to ensure that public service broadcasting will continue to have a key role to play in the digital future.

Our support for, and promotion of, the film and broadcasting industries have contributed to the general success of film-making and television activity in Northumberland. The UK Film Council has, through Northern Film and Media, awarded £45,000 to a number of projects by writers based in the Blyth Valley .

In November 2000 we introduced free television licences for people aged 75 or over. Information on the number of beneficiaries by constituency is not available. However, according to Department for Work and Pensions records, the number of households in Blyth Valley with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in 2003–04 was 4,135.

We have changed the licensing laws to allow people to hold and attend commercial dances on Sunday, to make it easier for restaurants to open an hour later, and to relax the alcohol licensing hours from 11 pm on new year's eve to 11 am on new year's day in all future years; and we have given the police greater powers to take action against under-age drinking and disorderly and noisy licensed premises. The Licensing Act 2003, when fully implemented, will introduce a streamlined, consistent and fair licensing regime for the provision of alcohol, public entertainment and late night refreshment. It will provide greater choice for consumers, bring regeneration and increased employment opportunities and protect local residents whose lives have been blighted by disturbance and antisocial behaviour.

The Gambling Bill will, when implemented, transfer responsibility for licensing gambling premises to local authorities. Local people and businesses will be able to make representations about applications for licences and local authorities will be able to decide not to issue licences for casino premises. These changes will give local communities, including those in Blyth Valley, a greater say in the regulation of gambling in their area.

Tourism in Blyth Valley has benefited from Government-funded marketing activity. In April 2003 we established VisitBritain with a new domestic marketing remit for England, and we gave strategic responsibility for tourism development to the Regional Development Agencies, including One North East. These changes, together with VisitBritain's successful

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marketing activities in promoting Britain abroad as an attractive tourist destination, benefit all parts of the country, including Blyth Valley. English Heritage has awarded grants worth £147,940 to buildings or organisations in Blyth Valley since 2 May 1997, including Seaton Delavel Hall.

In common with all those in the United Kingdom, the public library branches in Blyth Valley are connected to the internet through the People's Network which was funded through a £120 million Lottery grant and which has put all the United Kingdom's public libraries on-line. In addition, the Department is funding the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council with £5 million over three years to implement the Framework for the Future Action Plan and Library Improvement Programme, which is designed to encourage improvement across the public libraries sector in England. Information from the National Lottery distributors indicates that since 2 May 1997 Blyth Valley has benefited from over 330 awards totalling over £6.3 million. Of these, 22 awards worth over £1.7 million were made by the New Opportunities Fund, which was established by the Government in 1999. The New Opportunities Fund merged with the Community Fund in June 2004 to form the Big Lottery Fund.

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Huddersfield constituency, the effects on Huddersfield of her Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [216874]

In 2002 we launched the first ever comprehensive national physical education, school sport and club links strategy with an investment of £459 million. There is one school sport partnership involving two school sport co-ordinators and nine primary link teachers in Huddersfield. To achieve our challenging targets for increased participation in sport and physical activity, we have invested in thousands of new and refurbished public sports facilities. Sports facilities in Huddersfield have benefited from 19 Sport England lottery grants totalling £12,395,679, including two awards worth £249,603 in total, from the £108 million investment in innovative sports facilities through the Active England programme.

We have increased our national funding to the arts in real terms by 60 per cent. from £199 million in 1998–99 to £367 million in 2004–05. Between 1998–99 and 2003–04 Arts Council England, Yorkshire and the Humber grants increased from £6.7 million to £21.3 million. In 2005–06 the total Arts Council England, Yorkshire and the Humber investment in regularly funded organisations will be £23.4 million. Huddersfield has benefited from grants to arts projects, organisations and individuals, including the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

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Culture Online was launched in 2002 to increase access to, and participation in, arts and culture. Many of its projects are aimed at children of school age and at audiences that might not otherwise participate in arts and culture, including those who do not easily have access to arts and culture, people from deprived communities and people with particular educational or physical needs. People in Huddersfield will be among those who benefit from Culture Online. Between 2002 and 2004, £13 million was allocated to fund 20 Culture Online projects.

Our support for, and promotion of, the film and broadcasting industries have contributed to the general success of film-making and television activity in the Huddersfield area. A number of projects have received funding through Screen Yorkshire.

In November 2000 we introduced free television licences for people aged 75 or over. Information on the number of beneficiaries by constituency is not available. However, according to Department for Work and Pensions records, the number of households in Huddersfield with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in 2003–04 was 5,095.

The Gambling Bill will, when implemented, transfer responsibility for licensing gambling premises to local authorities. Local people and businesses will be able to make representations about applications for licences and local authorities will be able to decide not to issue licences for casino premises. These changes will give local communities, including those in Huddersfield, a greater say in the regulation of gambling in their area.

Tourism in Huddersfield has benefited from Government-funded marketing activity. In April 2003 we established VisitBritain with a new domestic marketing remit for England, and we gave strategic

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responsibility for tourism development to the Regional Development Agencies, including Yorkshire Forward. These changes, together with VisitBritain's successful marketing activities in promoting Britain abroad as an attractive tourist destination, benefit all parts of the country, including Yorkshire.

English Heritage has awarded grants worth £245,000 to buildings and organisations in Huddersfield since 2 May 1997.

In common with all those in the United Kingdom, the public library branches in Huddersfield constituency are connected to the internet through the People's Network which was funded through a £120 million lottery grant. In addition, the Department is funding the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council with £5 million over three years to implement the Framework for the Future Action Plan and Library Improvement Programme, which is designed to encourage improvement across the public libraries sector in England.

The Department has been an energetic advocate of the community value of public libraries. Kirklees council has recognised this value and has undertaken initiatives such as the 'Bibliotherapy Project' where 'Bibliotherapists' work in the community alongside health professionals in local areas of social need to 'prescribe' books and promote the benefits of reading for relaxation, reducing stress, anxiety and depression. DCMS/Wolfson Public Libraries Challenge Fund 2000–01 awarded £45,000 to this project, which benefited people in Huddersfield.

Information from the national lottery distributors indicates that since 2 May 1997 Huddersfield has benefited from over 342 awards totalling over £26.5 million. Of these, 55 awards worth over £8.9 million were made by the New Opportunities Fund, which was established by the Government in 1999. The New Opportunities Fund merged with the Community Fund in June 2004 to form the Big Lottery Fund.

Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will set out, with statistical information relating as closely as possible to Loughborough constituency, the effects of her Department's policies on Loughborough since 1997. [217083]

In 2002 we launched the first ever comprehensive national physical education, school sport and club links strategy with an investment of £459 million. There is one school sport partnership in Loughborough based at Burleigh community college involving four School Sport Co-ordinators, 18 Primary Link teachers and one partnership Development Manager. Burleigh community college has also been awarded a Sport England grant of £272,027 to support the School Sport Co-ordinator programme. To achieve our challenging targets for increased participation in sport and physical activity, we have invested in thousands of new and

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refurbished public sports facilities. Sports facilities in Loughborough have benefited from 10 Sport England community capital lottery grants totalling £11,662,082, two awards worth £685,074 in total from the £108 million investment in innovative sports facilities through the Active England programme. The English Institute of Sport based in Loughborough has received a further seven lottery grants from Sport England totalling £29,563,079.

We have increased our national funding to the arts in real terms by 60 per cent. from £199 million in 1998–99 to £367 million in 2004–5. Between 1998–99 and 2003–04 Arts Council England, East Midlands grants increased from £4.3 million to £8.9 million. In 2005–06 the total Arts Council England investment in regularly funded organisations in the East Midlands will be £9.3 million. Loughborough has benefited from grants to arts projects, organisations and individuals, including Charnwood Arts and the Eastern orchestral Board.

Culture Online was launched in 2002 to increase access to, and participation in, arts and culture. Many of its projects are aimed at children of school age and at audiences that might not otherwise participate in arts and culture, including those who do not easily have access to arts and culture, people from deprived communities and people with particular educational or physical needs. People in Loughborough will be among those who benefit from Culture Online. Between 2002 and 2004, £13 million was allocated to fund 20 Culture Online projects.

In November 2000 we introduced free television licences for people aged 75 or over. Information on the number of beneficiaries by constituency is not available. However, according to Department for Work and Pensions records, the number of households in Loughborough with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in 2003–4 was 4,585.

We have changed the licensing laws to allow people to hold and attend commercial dances on Sunday, to make it easier for restaurants to open an hour later, and to relax the alcohol licensing hours from 11pm on new year's eve to 11am on new year's day in all future years; and we have given the police greater powers to take action against under-age drinking and disorderly and noisy licensed premises. The Licensing Act 2003, when fully implemented, will introduce a streamlined, consistent and fair licensing regime for the provision of alcohol, public entertainment and late night refreshment. It will provide greater choice for consumers, bring regeneration and increased

21 Feb 2005 : Column 236W

employment opportunities and protect local residents whose lives have been blighted by disturbance and antisocial behaviour.

The Gambling Bill will, when implemented, transfer responsibility for licensing gambling premises to local authorities. Local people and businesses will be able to make representations about applications for licences and local authorities will be able to decide not to issue licences for casino premises. These changes will give local communities, including those in Loughborough, a greater say in the regulation of gambling in their area.

Tourism in Loughborough has benefited from Government-funded marketing activity. In April 2003 we established VisitBritain with a new domestic marketing remit for England, and we gave strategic responsibility for tourism development to the Regional Development Agencies, including the East Midlands Development Agency. These changes, together with VisitBritain's successful marketing activities in promoting Britain abroad as an attractive tourist destination, benefit all parts of the country, including Loughborough.

English Heritage has awarded grants worth £79,700 to Loughborough since 2 May 1997.

In common with all of those in the United Kingdom, the public library branches in Loughborough are connected to the internet through the People's Network which was funded through a £120 million lottery grant and which has put all the United Kingdom's public libraries on-line. In addition, the Department is funding the museums, libraries and archives council with £5 million over three years to implement the Framework for the Future Action Plan and Library Improvement Programme, which is designed to encourage improvement across the public libraries sector in England.

Information from the national lottery distributors indicates that since 2 May 1997 Loughborough has benefited from over 230 awards totalling over £49.5 million. Of these, 21 awards, worth over £2.8 million, were made by the New Opportunities Fund which was established by the Government in 1999. The New Opportunities Fund merged with the Community Fund in June 2004 to form the Big Lottery Fund.

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