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21 Jul 2005 : Column 2078W—continued
Management Consultants
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's total spending on management consultants has been in each of the last three years. [13059]
Mr. Caborn: The cost to the Department of using management consultants In each of the last three years is shown in the following table.
| Financial year | £ |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 107,299.50 |
| 2003–04 | 10,170.94 |
| 2004–05 | 21,067.25 |
| 2005–06 (spend to date) | 4,500.00 |
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the total expenditure saved in each of the last three years as a result of implementing recommendations by management consultancies within her Department. [13630]
Mr. Caborn: The Department uses management consultants for a wide variety of tasks, in particular where specialist skills and expertise is required to contribute to policy making and improving the Department's effectiveness. Contracts are awarded in open competition according to EU procurement regulations, based on best value for money.
To assess any savings directly attributable to consultancies with any degree of accuracy would incur disproportionate costs.
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Media Literacy
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department has a media literacy development strategy; and if she will make a statement. [14441]
James Purnell: This Government places great importance on ensuring that we enhance and develop practical media literacy skills in all citizens across the UK. Media literacy plays a key role in helping people to make informed choices about what they and their children see and hear, as well as to think critically about the media environment they live in.
Furthermore, the development of a media literate society will provide an important driver for economic growth. The continued strength of our economy is dependent on the development of a skilled workforce. In an information-rich society, with goods and services increasingly offered online, the skill to exploit the benefits of new communication technologies have become ever more important.
For these reasons, under the Communications Act 2003, we have placed a statutory duty on Ofcom to promote better media literacy. This includes developing a better public understanding and awareness of the available technological systems to regulate access to electronic media based material and control what is received.
The importance of media literacy has also been identified in Europe as one of the major tools in the development of citizens' responsibilities. A number of initiatives have been launched at European level and endorsed by the European Commission with the aim of ensuring more Europeans, especially young people, have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the multi-media environment.
Our goal is to have a society of active and informed consumers of media—empowering individuals so we can all benefit from and contribute to the digital future.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how her Department defines media literacy. [14442]
James Purnell: Media literacy is about empowering individuals so we can all benefit from and contribute to the digital future. We have recognized that in a rapidly changing media environment it is important that citizens are media literate and know what tools are available to them and how to use them.
Therefore, we define media literacy to mean:
The prize is a society of engaged citizens and wise consumers who can make informed choices about what they see and hear.
Ministerial Engagements
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to visit Highland games events in 2005; and if she will make a statement. [14440]
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Tessa Jowell: I currently have no plans to visit any Highland games events this year. I am, however, well aware of the long standing tradition of these games and I am sure that they will, once again, be a great success.
National Lottery
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many members of the public her Department consulted on the proposed changes to the national lottery; [13054]
(2) what the total number of responses were from members of the public to her Department's consultation on the national lottery. [13055]
Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, announced proposals for reforming national lottery licensing and distribution procedures in 2002. Since then, DCMS has undertaken wide-ranging consultation. This has included four formal consultation documents which were circulated to stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors, published on the Department's website at www.culture.gov.uk and placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It is not possible to calculate how many members of the public in total viewed our proposals. The number of responses to each consultation exercise is indicated in the following table:
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Big Lottery Fund regarding the future of other lottery distributors. [13056]
Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with the chair and chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund. We cover a range of issues, but have not discussed the future of other lottery distributors.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Big Lottery Fund regarding the future classification of lottery good causes after 2009. [13057]
Mr. Caborn: I have indicated that, subject to the successful passage of the Bill currently before Parliament, the new Big Lottery Fund cause will continue after 2009 broadly as now. Stability makes sense given the amount of consultation and change over the past two years.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to launch the consultation on lottery distributor licences after 2009. [14100]
Mr. Caborn:
The lottery distributors do not operate under licence, but in accordance with duties and responsibilities outlined in the National Lottery Act
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1993 (as amended); and policy and financial directions issued by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
The DCMS five-year plan, published and outlined in a written statement to both Houses on 17 March 2005, explained our intention to look at what future programmes for the arts, sport and heritage might look like and what share of lottery money should go to each of these good causes. It also explained that this process would commence following the announcement of which city had been nominated to host the 2012 Olympic games.
I can confirm that we plan to consult widely from this autumn, using a broad range of methods. This consultation will lead into policy decisions by Ministers in spring 2006 and an announcement in June 2006 about the arrangements for the future.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full–time equivalent employees worked for the National Lottery Commission in each year since it was established. [14407]
Mr. Caborn: The number of full time equivalent employee posts in each year since the National Lottery Commission was established was:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 37 |
| 2000–01 | 33 |
| 2001–02 | 30 |
| 2002–03 | 28 |
| 2003–04 | 41 |
| 2004–05 | 42 |
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual budget has been for the National Lottery Commission for each year since it was established. [14408]
Mr. Caborn: The running costs of the National Lottery Commission since it was established were:
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 3,247 |
| 2000–01 | 5,016 |
| 2001–02 | 2,950 |
| 2002–03 | 3,287 |
| 2003–04 | 4,337 |
| 2004–05 | 4,363 |
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether companies based outside the EU will be allowed to tender for the third licence to operate the national lottery; what safeguards will be put in place if the national lottery is awarded to a non-EU company; and if she will make a statement. [14409]
Mr. Caborn:
There is nothing to prevent a company based outside the EU bidding for the next licence. Indeed, overseas companies have participated in previous competitions. The National Lottery Commission will undertake detailed checks on all
21 Jul 2005 : Column 2082W
bidders to ensure that, irrespective of their country of origin, they are fit and proper, and that it is satisfied that the lottery will be run with all due propriety.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings she has held with the National Lottery Commission to discuss the responses to the consultation document A Lottery for the future". [14410]
Mr. Caborn: The National Lottery Commission has sole responsibility for running the competition for the next lottery licence. I recently met the Commission to discuss a number of subjects in the course of which the Commission briefed me about the responses to its discussion document.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many responses the National Lottery Commission received to its consultation document A Lottery for the future"; and when those responses will be published. [14411]
Mr. Caborn: The National Lottery Commission has already received 20 responses to its discussion document A Lottery for the future", in addition to undertaking a significant amount of wider discussion. The National Lottery Commission will publish a summary of the responses in due course.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times the National Lottery Commission (NLC) has (a) investigated section 6 breaches by Camelot and (b) fined Camelot for section 6 breaches of its licence (i) since the NLC began (ii)under Oflot. [14412]
Mr. Caborn: The information requested is as follows.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 0 |
| 1995–96 | 2 |
| 1996–97 | 2 |
| 1997–98 | 3 |
| 1998–99 | 2 |
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 1 |
| 2001–02 | 4 |
| 2002–03 | 1 |
| 2003–04 | 4 |
| 2004–05 | 0 |
The NLC has fined Camelot once for a section 6 licence breach during 2001–02.
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations the National Lottery Commission has received from organisations representing lottery ticket sellers about a possible change of operator following the award of the third licence for the National Lottery. [14413]
Mr. Caborn:
The National Lottery Commission has been in discussion with a wide-range of interested parties about the process for the award of the next
21 Jul 2005 : Column 2083W
Lottery licence. These discussions have included the views of retailers. The National Lottery Commission will publish a summary of the responses it has received to date in due course. It would be pleased to receive views from retailer organisations as part of its continuing discussion process.
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