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22 Feb 2005 : Column 512W—continued
Behzti"
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Attorney-General considered initiating a prosecution against the producers of the play Behzti" on the grounds that it was allegedly offensive to Sikhs; and if she will make a statement. [215831]
The Solicitor-General: Prosecutions for the offences of incitement to racial hatred, under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986, are brought by the Crown Prosecution Service, who seek the consent of the Attorney-General to prosecute.
The Crown Prosecution Service has not sought the consent of the Attorney-General to prosecute any offence in relation to the play Behzti".
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
BBC
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to publish the Burns Report into the renewal of the BBC Charter. [217233]
Tessa Jowell: The independent panel, chaired by Lord Burns, which I appointed to advise me on matters relating to Charter review, issued its final advice on Friday 28 January. In line with previous commitments, I published it on the same day.
Free TV Licences
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners have received a free television licence in North Durham. [214681]
Estelle Morris:
TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in the North Durham constituency in 2003–04 was 4,785, according to Department for Work and Pensions records.
22 Feb 2005 : Column 513W
Government Art Fund
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the works of art purchased by the Government art fund in each year since 1997; what the cost of each item was; and where each item is on display. [215807]
Estelle Morris: It is not possible to provide information on the activities of the Government art fund as there is no such organisation within the Department or elsewhere within Her Majesty's Government. The Government Art Collection, is responsible for purchases of works of art for display within certain United Kingdom Government buildings both in this country and around the world. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1724W for detailed information on purchases of works of art in the Government Art Collection from 1997–2005.
Licensing
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether guidance on licensing policy to local authorities allows local authorities to impose a requirement on licensed premises to display information on sensible alcohol consumption and typical drink unit content. [216486]
Mr. Caborn: In July 2004 we issued Guidance under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 to licensing authorities. Chapter 7 contains advice and recommendations on best practice regarding conditions attached to premises licences and club premises certificates. Conditions may be attached only where they are necessary for the promotion of one or more of the licensing objectives.
Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has issued concerning the status of (a) parish and (b) town councils in relation to consultation under sections 13 and 69 of the Licensing Act 2003. [216477]
Mr. Caborn:
No special guidance has been issued concerning the status of parish and town councils in relation to consultations under the Licensing Act 2003. Members of parish and town councils have the same rights as any other citizen. The Licensing Act 2003 provides that interested parties, including persons living or involved in a business in the vicinity of a premises or bodies representing them, may make representations about applications for provisional statements and about the grant or variation of premises licences or club premises certificates, except where a simple conversion of an existing licence or certificate is made under the grandfather rights provisions in Schedule 8 of the Act. Interested parties may also apply for a review of a licence or certificate at any time as well as make representations about a review once it has been applied for. Representations must be about the effects of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives.
22 Feb 2005 : Column 514W
Members of parish and town councils will be able to make representations if they are interested parties under the terms of the Act. They are not free to make representations in their own right unless they live in the vicinity of the premises concerned. However, there is nothing to prevent a council member acting on behalf of any resident living in the vicinity of the premises and making the representations that the resident would like to have made.
Public Service Publisher
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on the role of a public service publisher. [217332]
Estelle Morris: Representatives of the broadcasting industry and other interested individuals have expressed a range of views on Ofcom's proposal for a Public Service Publisher (PSP). On 8 February 2005, Ofcom reported on the final phase of its review of Public Service Broadcasting which expanded on the PSP proposal. The Government is considering Ofcom's recommendation and will respond in due course.
Royal Parks Constabulary
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many police officers there were in the Royal Parks Constabulary in each year since 1994; and what projections there are for numbers of officers in the force in future years. [214289]
Mr. Caborn: The number of police officers in the Royal Parks Constabulary in each year between 1994 and 2004 is set out in the following table. The figures show uniformed staff numbers as at 31 March each year.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 176 |
| 1995 | 171 |
| 1996 | 163 |
| 1997 | 157 |
| 1998 | 164 |
| 1999 | 156 |
| 2000 | 158 |
| 2001 | 156 |
| 2002 | 149 |
| 2003 | 151 |
| 2004 | 140 |
From 1 April 2004 the Royal Parks have been policed by an Operational Command Unit of the Metropolitan Police Service, under a co-policing arrangement with the RPC. There are currently 144 police officers and 47 community support officers in the Operational Command Unit.
Clauses have been included in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill for the functions of the RPC to be taken over by the MPS in 2005–06. The projected number of MPS staff who will police the Royal Parks from 2006–07 is 135 police officers and 45 community support officers.
22 Feb 2005 : Column 515W
HOME DEPARTMENT
Antisocial Behaviour
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he plans to introduce to divert youngsters from antisocial behaviour. [213360]
Ms Blears: The Government have introduced a range of programmes to reduce crime committed by young people which also have an impact on antisocial behaviour.
The Home Office is supporting a wide range of schemes targeted at young people who are most at risk. These include:
The Youth Inclusion Programmes (YIPs) and Youth Inclusion and Support Panels (YISPS) are part of the Government's wider programme to target young people at risk of getting involved in criminal and antisocial behaviour. These are essentially intensive intervention programmes that target the risk factors often associated with young people's offending.
Positive Futures programme was launched in March 2000 and is targeted at 10–19 year olds living in the most deprived neighbourhoods in England and Wales. Its objective is to have a positive influence on drug use and other negative behaviours of vulnerable young people. Since its launch over 51,000 young people have taken regular part in Positive Futures activities.
The Government will also be publishing in the near future a green paper on young people, which will consult on proposals for more places to go and things to do for teenagers, as well as on ways to improve advice and support on the choices and challenges they face. The proposals in the green paper are intended to contribute to the Government's efforts to divert youngsters from crime and antisocial behaviour, and more generally to contribute to positive outcomes for teenagers. There is evidence that a lack of things to do can lead people into offending. A 2003 MORI/Youth Justice Board Survey showed that 25 per cent. of offenders in mainstream education and 42 per cent. of school-excluded offenders said their motive for offending was they were bored. There will be a specific focus within the green paper on those who are at risk of crime and antisocial behaviour, and other poor outcomes.
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