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18 Oct 2005 : Column 981W—continued

Churches

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make further resources available for the repair of churches which are important heritage sites. [19219]

Mr. Lammy: The Government have in place a range of initiatives to financially support the repair and maintenance of listed churches and cathedrals. The English Heritage 'Grants for Cathedrals' scheme has paid out over £40 million since 1991, and continues to offer a total of £1 million per year for the repair and protection of cathedrals. The joint English Heritage/Heritage Lottery Fund 'Repair Grants for Places of Worship' scheme is this year offering £24.5 million for the repair of historic church buildings, bringing to over £57 million the total offered under this scheme since its inception in 2002.

The Chancellor announced, during Budget 2005, an extension to 2008 of the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme. This scheme returns to faith groups the equivalent of the VAT incurred in repairing the fabric of listed places of worship. Around £35 million has been returned under the scheme since 2001.

The Government support the Churches Conservation Trust with £3 million per year. The trust cares for 334 of the most architecturally or historically significant Anglican churches no longer needed for worship.

Departmental Estate

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total floor space area is of buildings (a) owned and (b) leased by (i) her Department and (ii) its agencies. [17904]

Mr. Lammy: The information requested is as follows.

	Sq mtrs
A (ii)
Royal Parks Agency	4,810
B (i)
Cockspur Street	8,744
Grove House	1,365.36
Oceanic House	1,320.05
Tottenham Court Road	1,840.45
Blandford Street	248.7

 
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Departmental Underspending

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's underspend was in 2004–05 (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of departmental budget. [19248]

Mr. Lammy: The latest estimate of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's underspend for 2004–05 is shown in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper published in July 2005 (cm6639). Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

Departmental Vehicles

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many vehicles for which the Department is responsible are fitted with retreaded tyres. [17995]

Mr. Lammy: None, all vehicles are provided by the Government Car and Dispatch Agency.

Digital Broadcasting

Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will provide public funding to research and pilot local commercial media services on digital platforms. [18600]

James Purnell: The Government, jointly with Ofcom,has commissioned research into the economic sustainability of local television services on digital platforms. I have no plans to fund pilots of local commercial media services.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received regarding the transmission and reception of digital television in the Bexhill-on-Sea and Battle area. [18724]

James Purnell [holding answer 17 October 2005]: We have received no recent representation apart from the hon. Member's letter of 12 June, regarding the availability of digital terrestrial television (DTT) services in Bexhill-on-Sea and Battle.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to increase the take-up of BBC Freeview in the Bexhill-on-Sea and Battle area. [18715]

James Purnell [holding answer 17 October 2005]: The vast majority of households in Bexhill-on-Sea and Battle can, with the appropriate equipment, receive the BBC's digital television services via digital satellite or digital terrestrial.

The Secretary of State has confirmed the regional timetable for digital switchover; it will take place between 2008 and 2012 by ITV region in the following order:

	ITV region
2008	Border
2009	West Country, HTV Wales, Granada
2010	HTV West, Grampian, Scottish Television
2011	Yorkshire, Anglia, Central
2012	Meridian, Carlton/LWT (London), Tyne Tees, Ulster

Note:
Further details can be found at www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk




 
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Digital switchover will take place in Bexhill-on-Sea and Battle (Meridian region) in 2012; it will enable coverage of digital terrestrial television to reach the same level as that of the current analogue signals.

Football

Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role the Government has in the Barclays Premiership Football in the Community scheme. [18614]

Mr. Caborn: The Barclays Spaces for Sports scheme is an exciting new partnership between Barclays, Groundwork and the Football Foundation, providing £30 million over three years to create or improve sports facilities in communities across the UK. Seven flagship sites per year will be delivered with matched funding from the Football Foundation.

The Government fully supports this partnership and while the scheme is independent of Government, the Government, in partnership with the Football Association, FA Premier League, each fund the Football Foundation £45 million over three years.

Libraries

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps her Department has taken to encourage library use; and if she will make a statement. [16901]

Mr. Lammy: Since 2002 DCMS has introduced a range of improvement measures such as the Public Library Standards and the Framework for the Future Strategy and Action Plan. There have also been developments such as the inception of the People's Network which has linked virtually all of the country's public libraries to the internet. Visits to public libraries have increased by 19 million in the past two years.

Licensing Act

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to ensure that residents appealing the award of a late licence to a nearby establishment under the Licensing Act 2003 will not incur legal costs if their appeal is lost. [19067]

James Purnell: A resident wishing to appeal against the decision to grant an extension under the Licensing Act 2003 has to pay a procedural fee of £23.50 in total. This is the usual payment required by the courts to cover costs incurred issuing and delivering a summons of complaint.

The awarding of costs is a matter for the courts. The advice of the Magistrates Association and the Justices Clerks Society is that the awarding of costs for a licensing appeal should be an exception and not a rule. I would therefore not expect residents who are appealing to be penalised.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is on whether a local licensing authority may use a special policy on cumulative impact to refuse a variation for longer
 
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opening hours to serve alcohol, in an existing premises licence, under the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement. [18195]

James Purnell: The Guidance issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, to licensing authorities, under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003, makes it clear that the cumulative impact of licensed premises on the promotion of the licensing objectives is a proper matter for a licensing authority to consider in developing its licensing policy statement. The guidance sets out how the licensing authority can consider adopting a special policy on cumulative impact. It also states that the effect of such a policy is to create a rebuttable presumption that applications for new premises licences or club premises certificates or material variations (which could include longer opening hours) will normally be refused, if relevant representations to that effect are received. The onus would be on the applicant to demonstrate that the operation of the premises involved will not add to the cumulative impact already being experienced.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of objections from local residents to applications for premises licences or variations under the Licensing Act 2003. [18199]

James Purnell: Information on the number of objections there have been from local residents to applications for premises licences or variations under the Licensing Act 2003 is not held centrally but can be obtained from local authority licensing authorities. From our latest survey of a sample of licensing authorities we estimate that a quarter of applications to vary, or new premises licence applications, have attracted representations from local residents.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate the Government have made of the number of licensing appeals that have been heard by magistrates courts under the Licensing Act 2003. [18200]

James Purnell: Information on the number of licensing appeals that have been heard by magistrates courts under the Licensing Act 2003 is not held centrally but can be obtained from local magistrates courts or from licensing authorities. The transitional period under the 2003 Act is only part way through and it is too early to know exactly how many cases will go to appeal. However, from our latest survey of a sample of licensing authorities, the initial evidence is that the vast majority of applications are being resolved at hearings or earlier.

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