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Correspondence

Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic. [14734]

Tessa Jowell: My Department's policy when correspondence is received in Welsh, Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic is to first ask for a translation of the letter, and then respond both in original format and English (if requested).
 
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Departmental Expenditure

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years. [10257]

Mr. Caborn: The Department had a zero spend on advertising in 2001–02, and 2002–03. The expenditure on advertising for the past three years is as follows:

	Spend (£)
2003–04	20,987
2004–05	37,085
2005–06	(40)129,422

⁽⁴⁰⁾ estimated

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Department spent on organising or sponsoring conferences in each of the last five years. [10261]

Mr. Caborn: Only press conferences and exhibitions are organised centrally and they are held internally with no attached costs. Conferences, seminars and workshops are organised and paid for (sometimes jointly and sometimes exclusively) by policy divisions across the Department. They are held both in-house and on non-Departmental premises. The information relating to the cost of each could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

Digital Broadcasting

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what consultations she has had with landlords in Devon and Cornwall regarding the provision of digital transmission for tenants living in multiple dwelling units. [14569]

James Purnell: We are working with a large number of housing organisations regarding the provision of digital television services for residents served by communal television systems, including the Chartered Institute of Housing, the National Housing Federation, the National Landlords Association and with tenants groups such as TPAS and TAROE.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps will be taken to ensure that the elderly and housebound in Devon and Cornwall have the opportunity to acquire a digital tuner by 2008. [14571]

James Purnell: The Government are committed to ensuring that the interests of the most vulnerable consumers in the UK are protected during digital switchover and has proposed that the BBC help establish and fund appropriate support. We will announce details of the scope of this assistance in due course.

Identity Cards

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the implications of the introduction of identity cards for her Department. [9882]

 
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Tessa Jowell: We are working with the Home Office to identify areas where the Identity Cards Scheme could provide business benefits. On 28 June 2005, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary placed in the Library a paper containing the latest estimates of benefits of the Identity Cards Scheme which shows that the benefits outweigh the costs once the scheme is fully operational.

The hospitality industry has long considered that the prevention of sales of alcohol to and purchase by children under 18 would be greatly enhanced if a universal identity card showing evidence of age was introduced. At present, the large number of different proof of age cards with varying security features makes it difficult for retailers to identify those underage. The industry has recently confirmed that it fully supports the introduction of identity cards for these reasons.

Licensed Premises

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate the number of (a) licensed premises and (b) licensed premises serving food in each local authority area. [13562]

James Purnell: There are no available figures for the numbers of licensed premises which serve food by local authority area. No distinction is made under the present licensing framework between public houses, for example, which serve food, and those which do not. This is also the case for the new regime introduced by the Licensing Act 2003.

There were 75,972 public houses across England in June 2004. The Department of Health estimated that between 10 per cent. and 30 per cent. of them do not serve food, in the November 2004 White Paper Choosing Health". My Department believes that this estimate remains a reasonable one, but that in many areas of England the proportion will be at the lower end of the range.

Licensing Qualifications

Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria were used in determining the matters to be included in the (a) GOAL and (b) GQAL licensing qualifications approved by her Department; and if she will make a statement. [13516]

James Purnell [holding answer 20 July 2005]: All licensing qualifications accredited by the Secretary of State meet the same requirements. All qualifications must cover the framework of subject areas outlined in the syllabus published by DCMS on 31 July 2003. To ensure common and fair standards for all qualifications and award bodies they are also required to be accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) or the Qualifications Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC).

Olympic Games

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will establish principles of sustainability for the Olympic games 2012; and if she will take steps to ensure maximum use is made of (a) recycled materials, (b) waste minimisation, (c) solar
 
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energy, (d) sustainable building and (e) transport design in the Olympic village and sports venues for 2012. [13325]

Tessa Jowell: Sustainability principles are a vital part of the plans for the Olympic and Paralympics games in 2012. As set out in theme 5 of the candidature file, the London games will maximise the use of recycled material, minimise waste, promote renewable energy and design sustainability considerations in venue and infrastructure plans, including transport.

The London Olympics Bill which is currently before Parliament requires the proposed Olympic Delivery Authority to contribute to achieving sustainable development when carrying out its functions. Similarly, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic games (LOCOG) remit will fully embrace the issue of sustainability.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it a requirement that all buildings constructed for the Olympic games in 2012 should be self-sufficient in energy use. [13362]

Tessa Jowell: Energy conservation and the use of renewable energy will be promoted across all Olympic venues. Buildings and facilities will be designed and constructed to minimise energy demand and the Olympic village will be built with the capability of being energy self-sufficient.

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will highlight the city of St.Albans in promotional literature for visitors to the 2012 Olympic games. [13405]

Tessa Jowell: There is an active East of England Olympic Working Group, led by East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and Sport England East, which will continue its work in partnership with the London Organising Committee.

This group has already contributed to the London 2012 nations and regions website, which specifically mention St. Albans.

While it is a little too early to say what form tourism promotion will take in 2012, I am committed to the continued engagement of Government and the Organising committee for the games with the nations and regions to ensure that the social and economic benefits of the games are maximised and shared right across the UK.

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what benefits she expects to accrue to East Yorkshire as a result of the Olympic games being held in London. [12874]

Tessa Jowell [holding answer 20 July 2005]: The games will also deliver significant economic benefits. The games will attract investment, offer UK companies the opportunity to compete for billions of pounds worth of contracts, offer each nation and region the opportunity to bid for preparation camps and provide a welcome boost to the UK tourism industry.
 
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As we set out to the International Olympic Committee, we expect the 2012 Olympic games and Paralympics games to be an inspiration to our children and young people, to promote sporting activity and culture throughout the UK.

Yorkshire Forward, the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Development Agency leads the East of England Olympic Working Group, which will continue to work with the London Organising Committee to identify games benefits, develop and deliver a strategy to achieve them. In February this year, this group launched a publication entitled Yorkshire, proud to be part of the winning team" that estimated the economic benefits of the games to Yorkshire to be in the region of £600 million.

Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the ban on pistol shooting will be lifted to allow the UK Olympic pistol shooting teams to practice in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [14383]

Mr. Caborn: The Home Office does not propose to repeal the ban on the private possession of handguns. Special arrangements will be put in place to allow pistol shooting events at the 2012 Olympics as happened at the 2002 Commonwealth games. These arrangements will include a warm up event if this is deemed necessary.

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