| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
13 Jun 2005 : Column 63W—continued
Museum Security
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) the Victoria and Albert Museum and (b) other national museums on security in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [3046]
Mr. Lammy: The V&A has discussed the need to bring forward planned investment in security. We have facilitated this and work is now under way. We have also provided some additional funding to support interim measures.
We advised sponsored museums in a letter of 5 November 2004 to undertake an urgent review of their existing security arrangements to establish whether any changes were needed. Subsequent attempts at theft from the British Museum and the Science Museum were foiled.
Following discussions with the Wallace Collection we allocated additional funds in February 2005 to enhance security at the museum.
13 Jun 2005 : Column 64W
Pigeon Racing
Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will press for pigeon racing to be recognised as a sport. [4036]
Mr. Caborn: Decisions on whether particular activities and pastimes should be recognised as sports for official and funding purposes are made by unanimous agreement between the home country sportscouncils. As such it would be inappropriate for Government to intervene.
In the first instance, I would recommend a submission to the relevant sports council, outlining the case for pigeon racing. The sports council will be able to provide information on the criteria for recognition of an activity as a sport.
Race Relations (Amendment) Act
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what percentage of staff in her Department have received training on the general and specific duties of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, broken down by (a) ethnicity and (b) grade. [3547]
Mr. Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport delivers mandatory diversity training to all staff as part of the induction process which includes a session on the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. The total number of staff in post is 520 and the breakdown by (a) ethnicity and (b) grade is as follows.
| Grade | Ethnic minority(17) |
|---|---|
| SCS | 4 |
| Grade A | 4 |
| Grade B | 9 |
| Grade C | 16 |
| Grade D | 30 |
(17)Ethnic minority staff as a percentage of staff who have declared their ethnicity rather than a percentage of total staff in post.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements are in place to ensure that bodies within the responsibility of her Department comply with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. [3548]
Mr. Caborn:
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of its work. In 2002 we published the DCMS Race Equality Scheme setting out how we would meet both our general and specific duties under the Race Relations
13 Jun 2005 : Column 65W
Act. At that time we also made our non-departmental bodies and other sponsored bodies aware of their responsibilities under the Act. The Race Equality Scheme is to be reviewed this year, and that review will include consideration of future monitoring procedures.
Racism in Football
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Government is taking to tackle racism in football. [2959]
Mr. Caborn:
The Government believes that there is no place for racism in football or in wider society.
13 Jun 2005 : Column 66W
The Government fully supports the initiatives undertaken by football, including the campaign Kick it Out and the charity Show Racism the Red Card, to help eradicate racism from the sport.
Through the Football Foundation, the Government (with its funding partners the FA and FA Premier League) provides £155,000 to the Kick it Out campaign, and £161,000 to Show Racism the Red Card.
Sport Across Staffordshire
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public money has been given to Sport Across Staffordshire in the last five years. [3335]
Mr. Caborn: The information you requested is provided in the following table:
Sports Cabinet
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what dates the Sports Cabinet has met in the last two years; and who attended each meeting. [3646]
Mr. Caborn: Since June 2003 the Sports Cabinet has met on 23 October 2003 and 20 April 2004. Ministerial attendance at both the October and April meetings was: right hon. Tessa Jowell MP, right hon. Richard Caborn MP, Alun Pugh AM, Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport (Welsh Assembly); Frank McAveety MSP, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport (Scottish Executive); Angela Smith MP, (Northern Ireland). In addition, the following chairs of the Sports Councils also attended both meetings: Sue Campbell, UK Sport, Patrick Carter, Sport England, Professor Eric Saunders, Sports Council for Northern Ireland, Alistair Dempster, SportScotland. Anne Ellis, acting chair, Sports Council for Wales, attended the October meeting while Philip Carling, chair, Sports Council for Wales, attended the April meeting. In addition the following officials attended the October meeting to provide support to their respective Minister: Alec McGivan, Paul Heron, Debbie Lye, Colin Gibson, Margaret Evans, Arthur Emyr, John Gilmour, Karen Mitchell and Jack Palmer. Those officials who attended the April meeting were: Paul Bolt, Paul Heron, Stephen Hodgson, Colin Gibson, Margaret Evans, Arthur Emyr, John Gilmour, Dr. Aideen McGinley and Jack Palmer.
Swimming Pools (Parental Supervision)
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress is being made in resolving issues surrounding parental supervision of children in swimming pools. [3607]
Mr. Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport met with key partners on 5 April to discuss the issues around supervision of children in swimming pools and will be announcing shortly the series of measures that were agreed at the meeting to resolve the problem.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Government have taken to review the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management guidelines on parental supervision of children in swimming pools. [3647]
Mr. Caborn: The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM) is an independent organisation and the Government have no authority to review the guidance it provides for its members.
However, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport met with key partners, including the ISRM, on 5 April to discuss the issues around supervision of children. The scope for inappropriate application of ISRM's guidance was among the issues discussed. The Department will be announcing shortly the series of measures that were agreed at the meeting to resolve the problem.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Government have taken steps to instigate research into the requirement for parental supervision of children in swimming baths. [3648]
13 Jun 2005 : Column 67W
Mr. Caborn: Following the meeting of 5 April with key experts, the Government will set out shortly the steps being taken to further research the issue of parental supervision in swimming pools.
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the outcome was of the meeting on 5 April between her Department, the Health and Safety Executive and the Right to Swim Campaign. [3660]
Mr. Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will circulate a note of the meeting to attendees shortly alongside announcing the measures agreed at the meeting to deal with the issue of child admission policies for swimming pools.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |