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22 Jun 2005 : Column 1059W—continued
Sports
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made towards meeting the target of 85 per cent. of five to 16-year-olds taking part in at least two hours' high-quality PE and school sport each week by 2008 and an optional extra two hours thereafter. [6298]
Mr. Caborn:
The last annual survey of School Sport Partnerships in 2003–04, in which over 6,500 schools took part, showed that 62 per cent. of children were spending two hours in a typical week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum. The 2004–05 annual survey is due to be completed by the end of July and the results published in August. Plans are being developed on the provision of opportunities for school children to engage in sport for an additional 2–3 hours outside the school day.
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Sports Facilities
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made towards meeting the Department's aim that by 2008 almost no one will live more than 20 minutes travel time away from a good multi-sports environment. [6295]
Mr. Caborn: In order to make progress towards the aim as expressed in DCMS's Five Year Plan, the Government have put in place a number of national programmes and by 2006 over £1 billion will have been invested in 4,000 sports facilities and club development, through either development of new facilities or major refurbishment of existing ones. In addition DCMS have supported the introduction of provisions in the Finance Act 2002 to allow community amateur sports clubs to benefit from a package of tax and rates relief. The scheme's purpose is to enable grass roots sport to grow and develop so that the widest possible range of people can participate in healthy recreation. To date the scheme has brought more than £5 million into grass roots sport, benefiting some 2,500 clubs.
DCMS is also pursuing a number of activities aimed at helping local authorities to revitalise their leisure facilities:
work is under way on developing a comprehensive facilities strategy, to map supply, demand and priorities for investment. This is expected to be concluded by 2006;
the Audit Commission is undertaking a study to examine the efficiency and effectiveness of options for delivering local authority sports facilities. The study is expected to report in autumn 2005;
we are looking at options to provide incentives to local authorities to prioritise sport through the Comprehensive Performance Assessment from 2006;
we are working with ODPM to ensure that sports facilities planning guidance is rigorous, fit for purpose and free of unnecessary barriers; and
Sports Survey 2005
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to publish the results of the sports participation survey to be carried out by her Department, beginning in autumn 2005. [6296]
Mr. Caborn: The Department expects to publish the first quarter results of the participation survey by the end of 2005.
Swimming Pools (London)
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many local authority maintained swimming pools there were per 1,000 population in each London borough in the last year for which figures are available. [5318]
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Mr. Caborn:
The number of swimming pools per 1,000 population in each London borough is shown in the table. At present, the only data held by Sport England is for the combined number of both local authority and private pools and the figures therefore include pools owned by schools, private leisure centres and health clubs, etc.
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In order to present an accurate picture of swimming pool provision, I also include the ratio of total swimming pool area in metres 2 per 1,000 population, which takes into account the size of the pools in each borough.
Taxis
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. [6501]
Mr. Caborn: All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules contained in the Department's staff handbook.
The following table shows departmental expenditure on taxis.
| Financial year | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2004–05 | 22,157.08 |
| 2003–04 | 21,878.36 |
| 2002–03 | 17,905.60 |
| 2001–02 | 20,811.56 |
| 2000–01 | 26,414.81 |
Tote
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2005, Official Report, column 583W, on the Tote, what additional information was provided to the EU Commission on (a) 9 September 2004 and (b) 1 March; and what matters were discussed in her meeting with Commissioner Kroes on 27 May. [5146]
Mr. Caborn: In September 2004 the Government responded to the European Commission's request to provide more information about the valuation of the Tote, its ownership, the future relationship between the Tote and Racing, the proposed exclusive licence, the conditions of the sale and the pool betting market.
In March 2005 the Government wrote to the Commission providing additional information about the valuation of the Tote and its ownership. We also provided details of why we believe any aid involved in the sale of the Tote is compatible with the principles of the Common Market. In addition we sought to place the sale of the Tote within a bigger picture of the liberalisation of the gambling market in Britain.
When I met with Commissioner Kroes in May 2005 we discussed the Commission's on-going concerns about the sale. The Commission announced on 1 June that they would be opening a formal investigation into the sale and will publish a formal notice to that effect in due course.
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CABINET OFFICE
Honours
Mr. Pope: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many officials currently in the Cabinet Office received honours in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours List; and at what rank of honour. [5125]
Mr. Hutton: Details of all honours awards are published in the London Gazette. Details of whether officials recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list have stayed within their respective Departments have not been maintained.
A table giving details of awards to officials within specified Departments has today been placed in the Library.
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