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27 Oct 2005 : Column 529W—continued

Tourism

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to increase inbound tourism; and if she will make a statement. [21473]

James Purnell: My Department works actively to promote tourism both domestic and inbound. At a national level, marketing and other work to promote the sector is the responsibility of VisitBritain, which in 2004 received grant-in-aid funding of £49 million.

VisitBritain's strategy to increase the value of inbound tourism and visitor numbers includes focusing effort on those markets and segments with the greatest potential for growth. For example, investment has been targeted on countries such as China, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Korea and Thailand.

In 2004 inbound visitor numbers grew by 12 per cent. on the previous year to reach a record 27.8 million, and spending by visitors was worth nearly £13 billion to the UK economy.

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the UK's tourism deficit. [21476]

James Purnell: The UK's tourism deficit in 2004 was £17.3 billion. National tourism deficits in the developed world reflect a number of factors including rising prosperity and cheaper air flights. By way of comparison, Germany's deficit stood at £27.1 billion in 2003.

More significant is our industry's impressive performance in attracting domestic and inbound tourists, for example in 2004 inbound visitor numbers grew by 12 per cent. on the previous year to reach a record 27.8 million, and spending by visitors was worth nearly £13 billion to the UK economy.

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will assess the impact of a national road pricing system on tourism; and if she will make a statement. [21520]

James Purnell: My Department will work closely with the Department for Transport to assess the impact on tourism of any future proposals for a national road pricing system. As outlined in the Government's White Paper "The Future of Transport: An Overview of Transport Policy until 2030" any decision about whether and when to implement such a scheme is likely to be some years away.

Parliamentary Questions

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance her Department follows on answering written parliamentary questions. [21084]


 
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Mr. Lammy: I am arranging for copies of the most recent version of departmental guidance on answering written parliamentary questions to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. All guidance follows Cabinet Office guidelines.

Guidance on answering is issued to DCMS officials with each new written parliamentary question.

Additional and more detailed guidance for officials on answering written parliamentary questions is available on the DCMS Intranet.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Accession State Worker Registration Scheme

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the passport of Mr. Andrej Nagin, which was sent to his Department in connection with Mr. Nagin's application for a registration certificate under the Accession State Worker Registration Scheme, and receipt of which was confirmed in writing by the Home Office on 8 August will be returned to him. [21458]

Mr. McNulty [holding answer 26 October 2005]: Mr. Andrej Nagin's passport was returned to him on 25 October 2005.

Air Weapons

Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a licensing system for air-powered weapons. [19732]

Hazel Blears: Such a scheme would place a considerable administrative burden on the police and would be disproportionate in terms of its effect on legitimate users when measured against the benefits in reducing crime. We have, however, included various measures in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill which will further tighten existing controls on air weapons, including a requirement for them to be sold through registered firearms dealers. The majority of air weapons have no serial number or identification mark making them very difficult to record for the purposes of a licensing scheme.

Possession of an air weapon is not an offence and so a general amnesty as such would not be appropriate. Individual police forces can, and do, encourage people to hand in unwanted air weapons, particularly when there is a problem of misuse in their force area

Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidences of violence involving the use of air weapons there were in (a) Houghton and Washington East and (b) the Northumbria police service area in the last year for which figures are available. [19733]

Hazel Blears: Northumbria police recorded 80 violent offences involving the use of air weapons in the year to March 2004. The corresponding figures for Houghton and Washington, East is not available centrally.
 
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Antisocial Behaviour

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders were issued in (a) Lancashire and (b) Ribble Valley in each of the last three years. [21159]

Hazel Blears: The information requested is available on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk.

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in Gravesham; and how many have been breached. [20088]

Hazel Blears: The number of Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued, from one June 2000 to 31 December 2004 (latest available), as reported to the Home Office, where restrictions have been imposed in the local government area of Gravesham borough council, is three. Data on convictions for breach of an ASBO issued in Gravesham is not available.

Mr. Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in each constituency in the UK. [20540]

Hazel Blears: The antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) statistical collection is not available at constituency level. However, from copies of ASBOs received since 1 June 2000 we are able to determine the local government authority areas in which restrictions are imposed. A table showing the breakdown by local authority area of the number of ASBOs issued in England and Wales, as notified to the Home Office, up to 31 December 2004 (latest available), is available on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk

Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in (a) Romford, (b) Essex and (c) London since 1999. [21064]

Hazel Blears: A table giving a breakdown by the local government authority area in which prohibitions are imposed within antisocial behaviour orders is available on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk Within Greater London data are given at London borough area level only.

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the 100 antisocial behaviour response courts. [21936]

Ms Harman: I have been asked to reply.

Following their establishment in summer 2004, a survey of the original 12 antisocial behaviour response courts was undertaken in autumn 2005. This survey took the form of court visits and meetings with representatives from the courts and other local agencies. The evidence gathered was used in the development of the antisocial behaviour response court model and in the production of a good practice guide.
 
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Since the roll out of the model across England and Wales and the establishment of 154 antisocial behaviour response courts, further surveys have been undertaken. Areas have been required to complete a written self-assessment, outlining how they have implemented the framework. Interviews have been conducted with local Crown Prosecution Service representatives to provide an independent view of progress. A multi-agency conference on the courts and antisocial behaviour last week provided a further opportunity for feedback on the performance of the antisocial behaviour response courts.

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the costs of the antisocial behaviour response courts have been, broken down by (a) court and (b) month since their inception. [21935]

Ms Harman: I have been asked to reply.

With support from staff working at the headquarters of Her Majesty's Courts Service, it has been possible to establish the antisocial behaviour response courts on a costs neutral basis.

Antisocial behaviour response courts take existing case loads and process them in accordance with six core principles: close inter-agency working; swift and effective case management; specialist sessions, where appropriate; targeted training for magistrates; awareness of local issues and concerns; and high level witness care. To support this, each area has an antisocial behaviour champion, who undertakes this role alongside existing responsibilities.

Within the framework outlined above, it is a matter for local management to decide how best to utilise existing resources in order to meet local needs.


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