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Under-registration/Postal Fraud

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the Commission has made of the likely impact under-registration may have on the size of the electorates in new constituencies proposed by the Boundaries Commission. [26420]

Peter Viggers: The Commission advises me that it has made no such assessment. Its recently published report Understanding electoral registration" includes a detailed analysis of the extent and reasons for non-registration in Great Britain.

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what representations the Electoral Commission has received on (a) under-registration and (b) postal fraud in each of the last five years. [26408]

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission has advised me that it has received a number of representations about registration rates and postal voting fraud. In the last five years, it has conducted comprehensive policy reviews of the registration process and the law on postal voting. In both cases, it sought and received the views of a wide range of organisations and individuals on the existing arrangements and possible changes to them.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Licensing Act

11. Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on levels of crime and disorder. [29645]

James Purnell: The Licensing Act 2003 does not come into effect until 24 November, so the Government cannot yet assess its impact. However, the introduction of effective measures to tackle crime and disorder by licence holders is one of the main features of the new licensing framework. These measures include closed circuit television, door security, and Pubwatch schemes.

19. Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003 distinguish between sports clubs and commercial pubs; and if she will make a statement. [29653]

James Purnell: The Licensing Act 2003 distinguishes between amateur sports clubs which qualify as members' clubs, and commercial premises including public houses. The former require only Club Premises Certificates for the supply of alcohol. The latter also require personal licences and designated premises supervisors.
 
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Amusement Arcades

12. Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on small stakes and low value prizes in amusement arcades. [29646]

Mr. Lammy: The maximum stakes and prizes that will apply to gaming machines in arcades once the Gambling Act 2005 is implemented were published alongside the draft Bill.

Olympic Games

13. Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the role of provincial sports training facilities for the 2012 Olympics. [29647]

Tessa Jowell: We expect a number of visiting teams to want to undertake pre-Games training in the UK.

The London Organising Committee, in partnership with the British Olympic Association, will produce a pre-Games Training Camp guide that will comprehensively detail the facilities and services that the UK can offer visiting teams.

This guide will be the primary means of informing National Olympic Committees when choosing where to stage their pre-Games preparation camps for 2012. I am sure that the first class sporting facilities at the National Sports Centre at Lilleshall will prove attractive to visiting teams.

15. Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial commitments she has entered into in respect of cost overruns for the London Olympics. [29649]

Tessa Jowell: We will make every effort to avoid cost overruns. But, just in case this is not possible our Memorandum of Understanding with the Mayor of London provides for an agreement to share the costs between him and the National Lottery.

Slave Trade (Abolition Anniversary)

14. Ms Diana R. Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on plans to celebrate in 2007 the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade. [29648]

Mr. Lammy: The 200th anniversary of Parliament's abolition of the slave trade is an important opportunity to mark a crucial turning point in this country's history. Many cities, museums, churches and others are already planning to mark the anniversary, with exhibitions, the opening of new galleries, and community-led events. I am working closely with colleagues to ensure that the Government play their part in 2007.

BBC

16. Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will discuss the BBC's parliamentary and political coverage with the Chairman and Director General as part of the Charter renewal process. [29650]

 
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Tessa Jowell: The Green Paper, A Strong BBC, independent of Government", proposes that 'sustaining citizenship' should be one of the BBC's core public purposes in the next Charter period. It makes clear that high quality news and current affairs, and coverage of Parliament, are central to this purpose.

17. Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account her Department is taking in the charter renewal process of the decision to open up 25 per cent. of BBC production to independent companies. [29651]

Tessa Jowell: We will assess the BBC's proposals against the goal of delivering the best possible programmes for licence fee payers, and respond in the White Paper. We believe that goal will be met by balancing competition from independent producers with a thriving base of in-house production.

Music Teaching

18. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to increase the playing of musical instruments by young people. [29652]

Mr. Lammy: Responsibility for music within schools falls with the Department for Education and Skills.

My Department continues to work very closely with Education and Skills colleagues on the Music Manifesto, which celebrated its first anniversary in July. This sets out a series of shared aims for music education over the next three to five years.

Last week I jointly announced with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools a £2 million investment in three new Music Manifesto pathfinder centres at The Sage Gateshead, the Roundhouse in London and the Halle" in Manchester. Over the next two and a half years these pathfinders will benefit over 100,000 young people and more than 500 music teachers and leaders.

Commonwealth Institute Building

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received concerning the condition of the Commonwealth Institute building; and if she will make a statement. [28339]

Mr. Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received a number of representations on the condition of the Commonwealth Institute building. These were fully considered as part of the decision not to de-list the building.

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood of 19 September on behalf of a constituent, Nigel Clarke. [29150]

James Purnell: I wrote to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Ladywood on the 16 November 2005.
 
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Damages

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the 10 largest amounts of damages paid out by her Department in the last year for which figures are available, indicating in each case the nature of the claim. [27728]

Mr. Lammy: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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