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Departmental Rebranding

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent on rebranding her Department and related agencies since 2003–04. [18119]

Mr. Lammy: The Department has had a zero spend on rebranding since 2003–04. Information on rebranding spend by related agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many consultants for which her Department is responsible employed in (a) museums, (b) historic palaces, (c) parks, (d) galleries and (e) heritage sites have become permanent members of staff following the end of their contract in each of the past five years. [21154]

Mr. Lammy: DCMS does not hold such information. Recruitment is an individual matter for the sectors mentioned and not the responsibility of the Department. No consultants have been employed after expiry of their contracts as permanent members of DCMS staff from the areas mentioned.

Digital Television

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the (a) maximum, (b) minimum and (c) average cost per household of switching to digital television. [19774]

James Purnell: Digital terrestrial set-top boxes are available for less than £40. Detailed estimates of the range of consumer costs per household were set out in the Regulatory and Environmental Impact Assessment: the timing of digital switchover. This was published on 16 September 2005 and copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses this week.
 
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Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent on advertising and promotion of the switch from analogue to digital services in each of the last five years for which records are available. [18329]

James Purnell: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport spent nothing until financial year 2004–05 when £170,000 was spent on promotion. In 2005–06 the total budget will be £320,000.

Licensing Act

Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimates her Department has made of the number of licensed premises in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Cardiff whose applications will not have been processed by 24 November; and if she will make a statement. [18969]

James Purnell: Information on the number of applications that have been made by licensees for converting their existing licence or for new licences is not held centrally but can be obtained from local authority licensing departments. From our latest survey of a sample of licensing authorities we estimate that 98 per cent. of all premises that will need to be licensed under the 2003 Act have made an application. We believe that, by 24 November, only 1 or 2 per cent. of premises who want a licence will not have applied in time for the new regime coming in effect, and this will include many who do not need a licence such as takeaways that do not open after 11.30 or operators whose activities are seasonal and who will not, therefore, require a licence in November.

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has issued to local authorities on dealing with applications for premises licences for open arenas. [21375]

James Purnell [holding answer 25 October 2005]: Guidance to licensing authorities on how to carry out their licensing functions is issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003. Paragraphs 5.127 to 5.129 and 7.74 to 7.78 of the guidance are particularly relevant to large scale temporary events requiring premises licences, major art and pop festivals, carnivals, fairs and circuses, many of which take place in open arenas. The guidance also refers to guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive and other bodies covering risk assessment, the safe management of crowds, event safety, and related issues. My officials also have regular discussions with LACORS (Local Authorities Coordinators or Regulatory Services) about specific licensing issues, including some that are relevant to open arenas such as requirements for plans. LACORS gives advice and disseminates information to licensing authorities as a result of those discussions.

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on whether councils may publicise licensing applications made under the Licensing Act 2003 to the general public; and if she will make a statement. [18201]

James Purnell: The advertising of applications for licences under the Licensing Act 2003 is not a matter of guidance but a matter of primary and secondary
 
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legislation. Under the Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) Regulations 2005 (2005 No. 42) applicants are required to display prominently at their premises for 28 days a notice about the application where it can be conveniently read from the exterior of the premises. They must also publish a notice in a local newspaper, or if there is none, in a local newsletter, circular or similar document circulating in the vicinity of the premises on at least one occasion during the period of ten working days following the giving of the application to the relevant licensing authority.

The 2003 Act also requires that licensing authorities must place details of applications on its licensing register which must be available and accessible to the public. There is nothing in the 2003 Act which prevents licensing authorities themselves from taking supplementary action to bring applications to the attention of individuals living in the vicinity of the premises concerned if they consider it necessary, but this is a matter for them to decide in the light of local circumstances.

We are committed to monitoring closely how the new regime operates in practice and this will include looking at evidence about the effectiveness of requirements such as those on the advertising of applications. Where the evidence suggests that elements of the system could be more effective, we will consider revisions to the guidance or, if necessary, asking Parliament to amend the legislation.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she plans to use statistics on incidents on or in the vicinity of licensed premises that result in (a) crimes or violence reported to the police, (b) ambulance call outs and (c) accident and emergency department attendances in her assessment of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement. [21133]

James Purnell [holding answer 24 October 2005]: A number of measures are being drawn upon to assess the impact of the Licensing Act on levels of crime and disorder in England and Wales.

These include the use of national surveys including (but not limited to) data on alcohol related crime from the British Crime Survey. These national measures will be supplemented by local area case studies in five police force areas in England. These local case studies will look at patterns of recorded crime and disorder in relation to licensed premises and extended hours. This work will also include surveys of local residents and a range of businesses, including licensees, that may potentially be affected. The work will establish a baseline against which any change can subsequently be measured.

It is intended to supplement this exercise in the five areas with information from ambulance call-out statistics and accident and emergency departments, and the Home Office are currently engaged in discussion with the Department of Health on the feasibility of this issue. The Home Office are leading on this work, in consultation with other Government Departments including the Departments of Health, and Culture Media and Sport.
 
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London Olympics

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many compulsory purchase orders the Government expects to make for land to be used for the 2012 Olympic Games sites. [22946]

Mr. Caborn: The Government expect that two compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) will be made. A CPO for the undergrounding of the powerlines going across the Olympic site has already been made (10 October 2005) and the London Development Agency (IDA) intends to make a further CPO for the acquisition of land for the regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley, Olympic Park and legacy developments.

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to publish the funding plan for the Olympics agreed by the Government, the Lottery regulator and the Lottery operator. [22236]

Tessa Jowell [holding answer 27 October 2005]: We made our plans clear in our response to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, A London Olympic Bid for 2012" published in June 2003 (HC 268). They provide for up to £1.5 billion of lottery funds for the London Olympics.

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